Ummi was born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to a family of middle-class Malay household. Her parents are both architects and religious, and they often instill art, design & Islam into the family’s daily lives. Life was all about Hijab and Helveticas. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Frank Lloyd Wright stood side by side in her heart. By 19 years old, she flew across the world to New York City to study graphic design in Parsons School for Design. Of course, her conservative relatives would say, “Why would you go to New York City? Jews are enemies.” while her parents would add, “This is too expensive, you better get straight-A’s.”
Thankfully, she graduated and has been a full-time graphic designer for 15 years. Her parents are pleased. Her relatives are still not. But somehow, for whatever reason, she couldn’t stop thinking of Batik. It was actually a subject she chose for her thesis project, and her heart stayed with it. It was a 60-second animated piece showcasing batik patterns coming to life. They move and dance to the gamelan, a traditional Javanese music regionally known to have hypnotic sound qualities. You bet people couldn’t walk away from the looping video. It was, well, mesmerizing. Unfortunately, you might need to bribe Ummi some fried chicken if you’d like to see her thesis work. But is it worth the trance?
While design quotes ‘Less is More’, Ummi’s art, is the opposite. More is more. And they should be more. Bold. Intricate. Lush. Batik may be an ancient method of decorating cloth with wax and dye, but it’s become a wonderful medium for Ummi to explore in the digital space. She’s obsessed with piling patterns and colors on top of each other, figuring out how they can weave into a story. Maybe a new folktale, or a song.
The print-on-print method Ummi makes can only be achieved with the big question she asks herself, “Does it hurt my eyes?”. If this doesn’t stop her from going overboard, then deadlines will.
Coming from a small heritage, culture and nation like Malaysia, Ummi sometimes feels the need to speak louder for attention and interest. Batik is her way of doing so, and has strongly become a part of her identity and being; almost an extension of herself. See, in Malaysia there are customs, rituals and traditions still being passed on to families that go on for several generations that you can see today. Ummi however, had a modern Malay upbringing and a mindset to always look forward to the future, and no emphasis on her past and heritage. Sadly, she found it difficult to demonstrate herself to others, and in need to break from the stereotype of the exotic Asian with a big ass, the suicidal terrorist, or the girl who will ‘Love you long time’ outsiders tend to label her, just because she’s Malaysian.
So in this long journey for identity, Batik found its way back into Ummi’s psyche with its timeless shapes, colors and pattern that have been around for centuries. It has many forms, and the sarong is usually worn by all, and in any occasion. Even foreigners know of it! Batik seems so fluid and expressive- and Ummi’s rediscovery became visceral and enlightening. Who knew her grandma’s favorite cooking outfit would turn out to be her freak flag? Who knew the Anti-Semitic (Aunty Semitic?) relative’s table runner would be today’s source of pride and joy?
Currently, Ummi is settled in Berlin, Germany and has finally plucked up the courage to share her art. Thanks to Batik, she can be anywhere in the world and be free to paint the universe with it.
And thanks to Batik, she is never far from home, for it’s always with her.
Ummi currently goes under the pseudonym, Senizeug.
Seni means ‘art’ in Malay language, while zeug is ‘stuff’ in German.
Basically, she’s art stuff ‘cuz that’s the stuff she wants to do for the rest of her life.
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