Syed Fakaruddin

b. 1989, Malaysia

Syed Fakaruddin is a local artist from Setiu, Terengganu, Malaysia. He holds a bachelor’s degree in fine art, with a specialisation in sculpture from UiTM Malaysia. Right after graduating, he went on to become a full-time artist at Batu Belah, Klang for a year before settling for a bigger space in Ara Damansara. Syed is also one-third of an art collective, ‘SarangBatu’, which was founded in 2014 by him and two other young artists, Azizi Latif and Fazrin Abd Rahman; the three budding artists have played a significant role in the development of Malaysian contemporary art.

Syed is inclined toward equipping himself as a multi-disciplinary artist by actively challenging himself in various techniques, less-conventional mediums, and thought-provoking ideas that are strongly drawn from nature and his surroundings. Through his colourful and psychedelic pieces that experiment with abstract shapes, Syed uses metaphors in his art in an attempt to evoke emotions, offer different perspectives, and challenge his audience’s comprehension in a self-reflective manner.

Participating in exhibitions across Malaysia, Syed Fakaruddin has put on multiple solo exhibitions; his most recent solo exhibitions include ‘ASAS’ in 2022, and ‘E-SCAPE’ in 2024. In 2020, he was selected for the Rimbun Dahan Residency held in Selangor. Additionally, he was named one of the grand winners of Malaysia Emerging Artist Award 2019 (MEAA), and selected as the finalist for ‘Bakat Muda Sezaman’ contest organised by the National Visual Arts Gallery in Malaysia. Appreciated by public and private collectors, his work can be found at ELSE Hotel KL.