In its 14th year running, the UOB Painting of the Year (POY) has been a mainstay for Malaysia’s creative sphere, proactively championing art and culture through numerous initiatives, partnerships and social outreach across the region. This ambition is notably reflected in its growing UOB Art Collection, comprising more than 2,600 artworks from both veteran and rising artists in Southeast Asia.
Beyond its substantial cash prize, the POY distinguishes itself by valuing artistic talent, as winners are granted an opportunity to partake in a UOB-sponsored overseas art residency programme. Earlier this year, for instance, the work of Yim Yen Sum (2016 UOB POY winner) was featured at Hong Kong Art Central, while sponsorship was extended to emerging artist Ahmad Syakir Hashim for his first international showcase at UOB Art Space during Art Jakarta.
For the first time this year, UOB has created a dedicated category for its employees to participate in POY. “We have received roughly 20 entries in the staff category. I genuinely believe that there is a wealth of talent within our bank. However, 20 entries is a promising start for our first year,” Ng Wei Wei, chief executive officer of UOB Malaysia, noted positively.
The 2024 UOB POY honour was awarded to Penang-based artist Hasanul Isyraf Idris for his piece entitled Durio. He previously took home the Gold Award in the 2023 UOB POY Malaysia under the Established Artist Category. In this victorious piece, Idris reflects on his four-year documentation of the ecological diversity surrounding his retreat in Perak. The composition depicts the life cycle of a durian tree, while shedding light on the critical role of stingless bees in pollination and the nutritional value that pollen contains. “Powerful messages conveyed through art are crucial for nation-building and encouraging progress. This year’s winning piece beautifully illustrates that we are all connected to nature, and we must preserve this precious harmony for future generations,” Ng advocated.
View more of the event and the artists with their work
For this remarkable commendation, Hasanul was awarded a stipend of RM100,000, and his painting will serve as Malaysia’s entry against winning works from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam in the 2024 UOB Southeast Asian POY on 13 November. Meanwhile, Nurul Shahida Binti Ibrahim won the Most Promising Artist of the Year award in the Emerging Artist Category for her mixed media showpiece, Baruh. It illustrates the stark realities in life and the tenacity masked by a bucolic landscape—the damage inflicted by crabs and snails feeding on young rice shoots and the impact wreaked by tree sparrows, which decimated mature crops. A deeply personal piece, Nurul Shahida captures the untamed and unfiltered aspects of life through repetitive grid patterns in a palette of greens.
“Over the years, I have had the pleasure of witnessing the significant growth and evolution in the submissions we receive,” remarked Bibi Chew, chief judge of the 2024 UOB POY Malaysia. “The calibre of talent we see raises the bar every year. As an artist, I deeply appreciate UOB Malaysia’s dedication to supporting our local art scene and uplifting the quality of art through its yearly competition.”
From 29 October to 4 November, the winning artworks from both the Established and Emerging Artist categories will be on display at The Linc Kuala Lumpur. Visitors are welcome to explore the exhibition daily from 10am to 10pm.
