Cover image via WSY (Provided to SAYS)
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Old Malaysian flats are easy to overlook until WSY paints them in a way that makes you stop, stare, and suddenly remember the smell of ikan bilis frying in your childhood corridor
For artist WSY, or Yoong as he prefers to be called, that quiet habit of standing still and observing eventually shaped his entire artistic direction.
Today, the 30-year-old Kepong-born painter is capturing the messy, unfiltered soul of Malaysian living through detailed paintings that somehow look like every flat you've ever visited… even if you've never been to that block.
He has been painting since he was 7, after his aunt enrolled him in her art centre
"That was the beginning of my journey in art," he shared with SAYS. What started as a childhood hobby is now his full-time career, alongside pursuing his Master's in Visual Arts at the University of Malaya.
Like many Malaysians, the Movement Control Order shifted the way Yoong saw the world. "I felt a loss of freedom, and every day I found myself looking outside through my window grille," he said. He watched birds flying freely while he stayed confined inside. "It felt like we were the ones trapped, like birds locked in a cage," he reflected.
That moment became Behind the Grille, his debut piece that went on to win the Gold Award in the UOB Art Competition 2020 for Emerging Artist.
For Yoong, the grille became a metaphor
"From the tiny objects inside the units, we can guess the demographics, ethnicities, races, and religions of the people living there, even without seeing them directly," he explained.
That quiet observation of unity was something he hoped viewers would feel too.
"This reflects the strong meaning of solidarity and harmony," he added.
He gravitates towards the buildings everyone else overlooks
"I don't have a favourite block, but I love choosing ones that look old and worn," he explained.
To him, the dirtier, the better. Weathered grilles, peeling paint, plastic chairs that have survived monsoon after monsoon are all the elements that bring his canvases to life.
What excites him most are the tiny details. "I enjoy working with small objects like things hanging on the grille, plants, shirts, and many other everyday items.
"Capturing these tiny elements always makes me feel inspired and motivated," he added.
Although his settings are often inspired by real places, the people and stories are entirely imagined
He complements that with on-site sketching and references from Google Maps.
Nostalgia anchors much of Yoong's work, especially memories from his childhood home. "It holds so many memories, especially the fish shop, the book shop, and the grocery shop," he said.
He vividly remembers being excited when his guppy fish gave birth. "The baby fish looked so cute, and it felt like a milestone for me."
Some shops no longer exist, including his beloved bookshop where he could happily spend an entire day browsing with his mum.
Those disappearances are why he continues to paint. His canvases become little time capsules of a Malaysia many of us quietly miss.
His works may be nostalgic, but they're hardly sentimental in a stiff way. Yoong loves slipping in pockets of playfulness too.
"I add quirky things from my imagination, including a firefighter trying to save a cat from an upper unit, an auntie picking up her bra left on the rooftop, and kids shooting birds from their house," he explained.
If you look closely, you will always find a surprise.
Click to watch a video of him in action:
"I hope my paintings can speak to people in positive ways," he said, adding that he wants to evoke feelings of nostalgia, memories, and the harmony among different races
"I truly feel that Malaysia is an amazing country. We come from different backgrounds, races and ethnicities, yet we can still live together and form a community," he shared.
That sense of unity continues to be the heartbeat of his art.
"I hope that through my paintings, I can strengthen our community in a spirit of unity and help the Malaysian art scene become more active. I want to encourage more art lovers to engage, not just in topics of religion and politics, but also in conversations about art," he added.
Yoong's artworks are available for sale. He also takes commissions and regularly joins exhibitions and competitions.
