A bangsawan guru, a graffiti artist and an anthropologist who composed iconic rock songs

Mira Sharon remembers the artists and cultural workers from Malaysia we lost in 2022.

Cheong Lai Tong’s Muzim Negara mural, Hon Yit Sin’s role in the beloved Empat Sekawan sitcom, playwright and actor Jit Murad’s first play, Gold Rain and Hailstones, Prof Wan Zawawi’s Perjalanan Hidup and Victor Chin’s joyful watercolors of heritage buildings were each iconic works that contributed towards the growth of arts and culture in Malaysia. They are among the artists, musicians and academics who passed away in 2022. Malaysia also lost two traditional arts giants, bangsawan performer Rahman B and Prof Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof, a pioneer researcher of traditional performances, as well as Salehhuddin bin Md Salleh, a cultural bureaucrat and music lover, Lee Lee Lan, ballet dance doyenne, and poet and writer, Wong Phui Nam

When an artists or cultural worker passes away, the loss is felt by their families and loved ones and by the wider arts and cultural community in the region. As we mourn their passing, we remember, and are comforted by the legacy of their creativity and their contributions to their local and national arts communities, as well as to Southeast Asian arts practices.

 In the first of an annual series, ArtsEquator commemorates the artists and cultural practitioners lost across Southeast Asia in 2022. This year, we focus on Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and The Philippines, with plans to expand the series to other countries in Southeast Asia next year.

Image credit: The Star

Jit Murad

Award-winning Playwright, Comedian and Actor

17 January 1960 – 12 February 2022

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Rahman B

National Artiste Award (Anugerah Seniman Negara) and Leading Bangsawan Artist

18 May 1935 – 2 March 2022

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Image credit: The Star

Yusof Gajah

Postwar and Contemporary Artist known for his elephant paintings

10 February 1954 – 9 March 2022

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Orkibal

Urban Visual Artist famous for his graffiti works

1981 – 9 March 2022

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Image credit: MSN

Evan Siau

Singer and Actor

3 December 1986 – 19 March 2022

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Image credit: Youtube/@GDPnetorg

Salehhuddin bin Md Salleh

Deputy Director-General in the National Department for Culture and Arts Malaysia

12 May 1962 – 1 April 2022

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Lee Lee Lan

Pioneering Ballet Dancer and Founder of the Federal Academy of Ballet

16 September 1944 – 16 May 2022

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 Prof Wan Zawawi

Composer, Singer, Scholar and Anthropologist

7 November 1947 – 18 May 2022

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Adibah Noor

Singer and Actor

3 September 1970 – 18 June 2022

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Image credit: New Straits Times

Eison Chai

Singer and Winner of Super Idol

13 May 1982 – 17 August 2022 

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 Hon Yit Sin

Actress in the Empat Sekawan series

1922 – 4 September 2022

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Aman Shah

Singer and Actor

26 April 1954 – 14 September 2022

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Image credit: Facebook/Wong Phui Nam

Wong Phui Nam

Poet and Economist

20 September 1935 – 26 September 2022

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Constance Haslam

Radio Deejay and News Presenter

1945 – 3 October 2022

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Image credit: Facebook/Toemoe Zahid Jamal

Azizul Zahid Jama (Tomoe)

Lighting designer, and Technical Theatre Manager, former Deputy Dean and ASWARA Lecturer

1972 – 21 October 2022

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Image credit: The Edge Galerie

Cheong Lai Tong

Pioneering Visual Artist, best known for his Muzium Negara mural

1932 – 4 November 2022

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Image credit: FMT

Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof

Academic, Mak Yong Expert, Playwright and Writer

19 November 1939 – 10 November 2022

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Victor Chin

Artist, Conservationist, Critic and Activist

1949 – 14 November 2022

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Hassan Peter Brown

Indie Musician, Songwriter and Author

1943 – 14 November 2022

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Image credit: Instagram/Azhari Mohd Zain

 Azhari Zain

Film Director

15 April 1972 – 24 November 2022

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While we have done our best to be as comprehensive as possible, if there are artists or cultural workers we have missed in our list, please do add their names in the comments section, with links where possible, and we will update the article accordingly.
The layout for this series and the image treatment was designed by Jun Kit.

About the author(s)

Mira Sharon is an Editorial & Marketing Assistant at ArtsEquator.

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