A view of 'Woman Bathing In A Stream, After Rembrandt' (1968) by artist Ismail Zain at the National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur in 2019. The painting serves as the cover for Fatimah Busu’s 'An Ordinary Tale About Women And Other Stories', while the late Ismail’s essays are compiled in 'Intermediations: Selected Writings On Art And Aesthetics'. Both books introduce English readers to these Malaysian arts and culture icons. Photo: The Star/Azlina Abdullah
Renowned Bahasa Malaysia novelist, short-story writer and academic Fatimah Busu, 82, is poised to reach a broader audience with the forthcoming book launch series of An Ordinary Tale About Women And Other Stories this month. This collection, released in December, introduces her powerful storytelling to new readers, showcasing strong societal views that have made her a literary force in Malaysia.
Translated by Pauline Fan, the book’s 10 short stories trace Kelantan-born Fatimah’s artistic journey from the 1960s to her mature period in the 1990s.
To bring Fatimah's stories to the masses, Fan will join a book talk and "meet the translator" session (2pm-3pm) with radio presenter Lee Chwi Lynn at Books Kinokuniya, Suria KLCC in Kuala Lumpur on Feb 15. Penang-based Fatimah will also make a rare public appearance at the book launch ((10.30am–noon) at Areca Books in George Town on Feb 22. In George Town, Fatimah will join Fan in conversation, with author Regina Ibrahim as moderator.
The anthology, released by Penguin Random House SEA, offers a mix of Fatimah’s classic stories alongside lesser-known gems, highlighting her unique style that fluidly navigates between social realism, dreamlike landscapes, apocalyptic visions, reimagined mythology, and magic realism.
Translated by Pauline Fan, the book’s 10 short stories trace Fatimah Busu’s artistic evolution from the 1960s to the 1990s. Photo: Penguin Random House SEA
“The strong subjectivity and agency of women characters in her stories, as well as the unique perspective of children, offers a powerful counter-narrative to the literary landscape of Malay fiction dominated by male writers. Many of Fatimah Busu’s stories are set in her hometown of Kampung Pasir Pekan, Kelantan and are imbued with the vivid peculiarities of Kelantanese dialect, sensibility, and everyday life,” outlines a press statement.
For the first time, these evocative Bahasa Malaysia stories will be available to English readers.
"Fatimah Busu remains one of the foremost Malay women writers of her generation. A master of the short story form, her writing is marked by idiosyncratic style and bold - at times controversial - subject matter. Her stories are often told from the perspective of rural women and children, featuring complex characters caught between tradition and modernity," wrote Fan, a writer, literary translator, researcher and creative director of cultural organisation Pusaka, in a social media post.
Reading Ismail Zain
Art lovers will find an additional delight in the book cover of Fatimah's An Ordinary Tale About Women and Other Stories, which features the captivating Woman Bathing In A Stream, After Rembrandt, a 1968 painting by the late Malaysian artist Ismail Zain (1930-1991).
Coincidence or not, Ismail’s classic artwork gracing a new book isn’t the only thing making its way to bookstores. His visionary thoughts and ideas have also been carefully compiled, ready to inspire a new generation.
Fergana Art, in collaboration with the National Art Gallery, is set to introduce Ismail Zain Intermediations: Selected Writings On Art And Aesthetics, a long-awaited book project.
'Intermediations: Selected Writings On Art and Aesthetics' compiles 33 of Ismail Zain’s most compelling essays, spanning 1972–1989, now available in English translation. The book cover incorporates a detail from Ismail's 1970 painting titled 'The Wayang Affair - Yield It! Yield It!'. Photo: Fergana Art/National Art Gallery
Intermediations brings together 33 of the Kedah-born Ismail's most compelling essays, spanning 17 years (1972–1989). Written primarily in Bahasa Malaysia and translated into English, this volume represents the most extensive collection of his critical thought, offering insights into the evolving intersections of art, culture, and aesthetics through his singular perspective.
Pauline Fan, the Intermediations book’s principal translator, worked alongside an editorial team, including art historian and academic T.K. Sabapathy, Eddin Khoo, founder of the cultural organisation Pusaka, and Jaafar Ismail, co-founder of Fergana.
With the addition of new essays, archival interviews and writings - covering artists from Yong Mun Sen and Latiff Mohidin to the Anak Alam collective - this collection offers a deeper exploration of Ismail’s enduring legacy as a visionary in Malaysia’s artistic landscape.
Also, a pioneer of digital art in the country, Ismail’s influence extended far beyond the canvas - he was a writer, curator, educator, and an architect of cultural institutions, playing a vital role in reshaping the National Art Gallery and Filem Nasional Negara (Finas).
Ismail's book Intermediations (orders through Fergana Art, WhatsApp: 019-559-3330) will also be launched at the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, with an official ceremony to be announced soon.
