green tee is an amalgamation of Anum’s personal memories and broader cultural motifs. It depicts her friend Leonard in a crawling position that mirrors the miniature boy under the dining table, which references Chinese porcelain figurines symbolising fertility and reminded the artist of Keith Haring’s iconic radiant baby from one of her favourite t-shirts. Anum often draws from different moments in her life and composes them into a narrative that is peculiar yet compelling, inviting the viewer to ponder on every element in her paintings. The final outcome is usually achieved after multiple smaller studies of experimenting with variations—from scale of her subjects to colour and intensity. Parallels can be drawn between Anum’s approach towards painting with Mughal painting from the 16th to 18th centuries, where the latter sought not for exact likeness in painting, but rather representation.

Noor Mahnun Mohamed (b. 1964, Malaysia), more widely known as Anum, is an artist, curator, writer and educator. Her practice, largely figurative, comprises painting domestic scenes and still life that fuses elements of realism, allegory and the whimsical. Through which, she weaves subtle psychological narratives with dark wit and emotional depth. Anum focuses on the physicality rather than expressiveness of her figures, which usually seem devoid of emotion, yet each composition is thoughtfully conceived and captures deeply personal moments in her life. In a way, these mise-en-scènes serve as a repository, capturing the banality of life. Formally trained in architecture before pursuing her artistic career, Anum’s works often feature intricate geometric patterns that also reflect her ongoing interest with architecture of her more immediate surroundings in Malaysia and the region, as well as from Europe. The interplay of influences from Southeast Asia and the West—from painterly techniques to symbolic motifs—have been informed by the artist’s personal experiences, and her wry observations of life gestures towards broader commentary around femininity, labour and memory.