Penang-Based Nature Artist, Nasir Nadzir Has Passed Away From Covid-19 Complications

By Ammar Haziq  •  01 Feb 2021 in Design

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The Penang art scene has lost a true advocate and artist, Nasir Nadzir, who has died at 31 years old due to Covid-19 complications on 24 January, reported The Star.

Hailing from Kepala Batas, the much-beloved young artist touched so many people with ingenuity in his heart and generosity to anyone he encountered.

Nasir has qualifications in aircraft maintenance, a specialised form of mechanical engineering, and worked in the oil and gas industry before coming into the art scene four years ago.

The story of his journey is nothing but scary and inspiring at the same time, starting with a near-death experience at his former workplace.

“I was at Kerteh, Terengganu, ranching pipeline. It was an incident that should not have happened but it happened anyway. It was a rushed job. We were working at 40ft high and I fell through a crack, four metres down to the second platform. Everything flashed before my eyes,” he said in a Seni Seni video.

“Afterwards, I couldn’t sleep for three days, four days… and that’s when art naturally started to come by. It’s quite weird. I started this journey without having any art background at all,” he said.

He is known for stunning realistic animals and nature art, created with his mastery in a variety of skills that produces sketches, paintings, ink drawings and more.

Some of his notable works include Tam In Remembrance, a tribute to the last male Sumatran Rhino, and Keluarga Gajah, that sits in the Penang State Art Gallery’s permanent collection.

His art was showcased in 2016’s Penang: The Art For Nature exhibition – his first proper exhibition, which was in support WWF Malaysia. Throughout the years, he exhibited at Open Studios Penang – BELANG highlighted the condition of the critically endangered Malayan Tiger and more.

He was also active during the MCO and created the stunning Boxed In: One Foot At A Time exhibition and supported two charity drives to help struggling trishaw peddlers.

Nasir is survived by his parents and four siblings.