Malaysian artist explores the soul of batik through paintings

It’s important to stop and smell the flowers every now and then – and artist Mohd Noor Mahmud’s latest exhibition, Bunga Rindu (Flowers Of Longing), invites you to do just that, with your eyes.

Using acrylic on sawdust and adorned with batik motifs, his works transform a simple reminder to slow down into a rich, tactile visual experience.

Each piece – now on display until May 25 at Kuala Lumpur’s Galeri Puteh – offers a quiet invitation to pause, reflect, and find beauty in the everyday.

From abstract paintings and curved canvases to picture frames and wooden sculptures, more than 200 of Mohd Noor’s artworks – spanning from 2008 to the present – have transformed Galeri Puteh into an immersive, garden-like space.

Mohd Noor, a retired art teacher, now spends his time at his Kota Baru home studio – Mokte Rende (Rambutan Rendang) – creating batik-inspired artworks. Photo: Galeri Puteh

The 61-year-old retired art teacher from Kota Baru, Kelantan, has always had a deep affinity for floral patterns and batik, long before he even considered becoming an artist.

“In my younger years, flowers were often used in traditional medicine. Bunga telang (butterfly pea) was used to treat fevers, and bunga kenanga (ylang-ylang) could heal an upset tummy.

“I love to create flowers because they remind me that God has provided an abundance of beauty and healing through nature,” says Mohd Noor, a UiTM art graduate who trained in Britain in the 1990s, in a recent interview.

A visitor strolls past ‘Tumbuh’, one of the larger-scale (triptych) artworks in Mohd Noor’s ‘Bunga Rindu’ exhibition. Photo: The Star/M. Irsyad

“In Islam, we are taught that flowers, trees, animals, and other living things are constantly praising God. So, whenever I’m in the studio creating floral artworks, I take the opportunity to reflect and appreciate the blessings I have,” he adds.

With works in mixed media and acrylic on sawdust on canvas, many of them unified under the theme of rindu (longing), the emotions behind each piece are palpable.

Titles like Helaian Rindu, Bertanya Kepada Rindu, Melepas Rindu, and Hamparan Rindu evoke a deep sense of yearning and introspection. At the same time, glimpses of everyday kampung life in Kelantan come into view through works such as Jemur Kain, Lipat Kain, and Danau Hijau, grounding the exhibition in familiar, lived experiences.

Mohd Noor’s ‘Jemur Kain’, an acrylic on sawdust on canvas work from 2020. Photo: Galeri Puteh

His Hamparan Rindu series, only recently completed, is notable for its intricate patterns set against earthy background tones, while the Apa Khabar Tanah Serelung series remains a compelling body of work from 15 years ago.

While batik patterns have become increasingly common in contemporary illustrations, fashion, and digital artworks, this exhibition offers a return to more earthy, organic forms – marked by subtle imperfections that add depth and character.

Mohd Noor’s works may appear understated at first glance, but a closer look reveals textured surfaces, layered details, and quiet emotions woven into each piece.

In his studio in Kota Baru, Mohd Noor poses with his artwork ‘Rindu/Shauqa’ which is the Arabic word for ‘missing’ or ‘yearning’. Photo: Galeri Puteh

“The artworks are a combination of pressing batik blocks onto the canvas, while layering it with epoxy and sawdust, creating more depth.

“As a teenager, I was fascinated by these batik blocks that were developed in the 1970s and began to collect them. At the moment, I have close to 1,000 of them,” he says.

Despite making art steadily for decades, Mohd Noor has rarely shown his work publicly. His first solo exhibition, Kala Kota Bharu, was held in KL in 2005, followed by shows in Penang in 2009 and Kuantan, Pahang in 2014. He returned to KL in 2016 for Bacalah, his most recent exhibition before the current one at Galeri Puteh.

Batik print blocks, some dating back to the 1970s, have been a key part of Mohd Noor’s creative practice. Photo: Mohd Noor Mahmud

Mohd Noor, fondly known as “cikgu” to art scene regulars, has never been in a rush to chase the spotlight. Instead, he spends most of his time in quiet solitude at his Mokte Rende (Rambutan Rendang) studio in Kota Baru, patiently honing his craft.

(For this exhibition, Mohd Noor has been shuttling between Kota Baru and KL to attend the various engagements.)

Creating art is about enjoying the process, he says, a meditative practice that Mohd Noor has come to cherish.

“My usual routine after teaching is to spend a few hours in my studio, every day. To me, creating art is a daily necessity, like eating food. It’s an important outlet to disconnect from a hectic life and allows us to think about the things that really matter,” he explains.

“While some artists want to challenge themselves by creating bold and even provocative works, I love to create quiet art. Art that makes the viewer slow down and reflect on their own thoughts. That sensation that emerges from the heart can often be louder than works that are provocative,” he concludes.

Mohd Noor Mahmud’s Bunga Rindu is showing at Galeri Puteh, KL Eco City Mall, Jalan Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur until May 25.