Afi Sulaiman, a talented digital artist and illustrator from Malaysia, is this week’s guest on our podcast.
She has been making waves in the art and creative industry with her unique art and compelling journey.
She recalls that she was in her gap year and started working with digital art.
Art Residency Programme Propelled Her Forward
Things started to get interesting when she was selected for the fourth cohort of the Young Art Entrepreneurs programme at the National Art Gallery of Malaysia in 2019. This four-month experience culminated in a group exhibition at the gallery marking her first significant step into the art world.
The artist’s style evolved dramatically during the first Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia in 2020. Confined at home, Afi experimented with digital collage and mixed media techniques, refining her skills and developing a distinctive artistic voice.
This period of intense creativity and innovation caught the attention of the business and artist community online. It helped that the artists’ community was supportive of her whimsical style!
Since then, Afi’s work has been featured in numerous exhibitions across Malaysia and internationally. She has exhibited at Galeri Shah Alam, GMBB, MoMo’s Art Fair, ZHAN Art Space, The Steam Room in London, The Back Room KL, Hin Bus Depot and Muzium Telekom. Her art has also been showcased in various events and projects such as ArtEDecor at WTC KL and AEON’s Kuih Raya Kita NFT.
Behind Afi’s success is a story of mental health, resilience and personal growth.
She credits her mother as her primary source of inspiration, describing her as a “hustler” who provided unwavering support throughout Afi’s journey.
From encouraging her daughter’s interest in architecture to supporting her during her darkest moments (Afi had schizophrenia and depression and was on medication) and then throughout her art career, Afi’s mother has been a constant pillar of strength.
Afi remembers, “When nobody thought architecture was for me because I wasn’t born with talent in the course despite having an interest in learning it, she was the one that motivated me.”
“When I decided to pursue my art career during my gap year, she was my number one fan even when I created ‘mediocre’ art.”
Climbing Out of Her Darkest Moments
Afi also recalls, “When I had to drop out of university and couldn’t get that [architecture] degree due to my mental health, she wiped away my tears and told me I didn’t need to prove to anyone my intelligence because I am enough as is and a degree should not define it.”
Afi also recalls the time she was bullied online, “When I was cyber-bullied as I studied alone abroad and blamed myself for being a bad person because how can the majority that said I was bad was in the wrong against one person, she protected me from my distorted thinking as well as the damage done by others.”
Afi takes pride in her mental health journey, having overcome numerous obstacles. She says, “I went through a lot of hardships such as being diagnosed with several mental health conditions, having people doubt my capabilities, cyber-bullied and more. I am grateful to go through it all and learned to be resilient.”
Realizing Her Dream As A Children’s Book Author
Professionally, she considers receiving the Literature & Publishing Grant from MyCreative Ventures a significant achievement, allowing her to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a children’s book author and illustrator in 2023.
An avid reader, Afi draws inspiration from a diverse range of literature. Her favorite books include “Middlesex” by Jeffrey Eugenides, “Norwegian Wood” by Haruki Murakami, “American Psycho” by Bret Easton Ellis, “Ways to Live Forever” by Sally Nicholls and the classic “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger.
As Afi continues to push boundaries in the digital art world and finds herself through her digital art, her story serves as an inspiration to aspiring artists.
Her journey highlights the importance of giving herself full permission to discover her style and experiment with fun, whimsy and creativity even as she runs her business as a true professional artist entrepreneur, supported by her family, mentor and the art community in Malaysia.
Thank you to Michelle Yeo of Dandy Modern Food for recommending Afi to be our guest. If you are interested in the restaurant business, check out Michelle Yeo’s episode.