Fadilah Karim

b. 1987, Malaysia

Born in Batu Pahat in 1987, Fadilah Karim first fell in love with art through colouring contests of her childhood. However, it wasn’t until a two-month mentorship under Malaysian figurative painter Amron Omar and a group show after her graduation that becoming an artist began to seem like an attainable goal. Fadilah had her solo exhibitions titled “Secret Lies” at TAKSU Kuala Lumpur in 2016, and it showcased her signature aesthetic – a disciplined use of colour, intimate portraiture, distinct elements of shadow and light, and a sense of drama and mystery.

She is regarded as one of the most prolific young artists in Malaysia, known for her body of large-scale figurative works which are autobiographical by narrative and muted realism in style.

In interviews, Fadilah always refers to her works as autobiographical in nature. Every image tells a story – melancholic scenes of a girl, her face partially hidden from the viewer (sometimes with a sandy rabbit), or characters falling into the unknown – there’s a sense of despair about it all. Holding a Masters in Fine Art & Technology from UiTM, Fadilah has exhibited internationally in Singapore, Germany, Taiwan and Korea besides Malaysia.