Identity and cultural heritage: Malaysia’s women artist through visual artworks / Umairah Arina Mokhtar

The cultural heritage of Malaysia is rising from various ethnic group and races in Malaysia, these include Malays, Chinese Indians and other indigenous Bumiputra groups. Each of these ethnics has a uniqueness identity and it’s also had their own culture. From previous related studies, which include observations from past and current related studies, the discussion about history and development of visual art in this country were well established. Further, the comprehensive about revolutionised of the modern artist in Malaysia also significantly established by previous studies. Following with analysis identifications of images of Malay traditional art in paintings of Malay women artist. While the other research analysed from selected visual artwork which the artwork represented the female figure as an object and the artwork created by the Malaysian women artist. Therefore, the objective of this study is to study Malaysia women artist’s artworks as represented an identity and cultural heritage of Malaysia. Then, to classify the theme of cultural heritages elements that inspired the artwork created by the woman artist. The research method is from gathering the relevant information and materials from text analysis, academic journals, articles and books. Therefore, the observation and visit the National Visual Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur for gathering the sample artworks of a woman artist. A total of 132 women artist artworks have been identified and 15 of artworks will be chosen and analysed according to the proper approach. The outcome of this research is found there is Malaysia women artist produces a variety of theme that is applied in visual art. The elements of cultural heritages used are by the women artist like rural landscape, fauna and flora, ceremony festivals, the used of a female figure that represented ethnic identity and interior Malay House be treated as decorative. This research provides information writing about Malaysia women artist development and important for lifting the element tradition of Malaysian as the country identities.