HIS busy schedule as the supervisor of the CT Scan Unit of the Radiology Department in Cardiac Vascular Sentral Kuala Lumpur (CVSKL) has never dimmed the love Mohd Azlan Mohd Latib, 47, has for the arts.
For him, the world of visual art is where his true passion lies – where he indulges his artistic spirit when the stress and frantic pace of his job threaten to overwhelm him.
With the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic to the country, Azlan's workload has increased many times over, yet he refuses to give up his passion, instead turning to visual art as a way to share inspiration and uplift patients.
“Although I bear all the cost in terms of supplies and my personal time in this initiative, I can see that this initiative is giving hope and inspiration to all patients at CVSKL.
"I run one of the busiest CT scan units in the country, and this art exhibition is to some extent able to engage the patients who walk through the door.”
With 25 years of experience as the supervisor of the unit, Azlan agrees that each patient has their own story of grief, therefore the art exhibition is a platform for them to have space for reflection while receiving treatment.
“I started this exhibition corner two years ago and it appears that patients have taken a keen interest in the art I display when they come in for treatment.
"In every corner, there are different themes highlighted, and viewers are thoughtfully engaged enough to forget for a moment the pain they might be experiencing," said Azlan, who has been an artist for 15 years.
His dedication to his craft is evident in that despite having to double his efforts combating the Covid-19 pandemic at work, he is just as devoted to producing art that says something about our time.
“This is the best platform for me to share my inspiration with others and so far, there are 22 picture frames in the gallery space at CVSKL.
"It brings together various mediums, including Risograph printing art, collage technique, and drawing art on paper that I created myself using a mixture of coffee and other materials," he said.
Azlan pointed out that the art exhibition received encouraging responses from people from all walks of life, especially patients and visitors at CVSKL.
“The majority of visitors expressed their excitement and hoped that I would continue my artistic endeavours.
"There are also some parties who have shown interest in helping me further develop this Public Art concept.”
Azlan said each artwork carries a different meaning.
The artwork titled The Memoirs of the Panopticon Brotherhood, is clearly a manifestation of the love for the art world and the essential work at CVSKL.
"My advice to the younger generation is this – seize the opportunity to pursue your passions, it is not wrong to do two jobs at the same time as long as you can wisely balance the responsibilities given," said the Penang native. – The Vibes, August 8, 2021
*This story first appeared in our Malay-language sister portal Getaran.
