For many arts practitioners, the law is often considered a confusing grey area – in cases where they’re treated unfairly, most don’t know what their rights are or what legal recourse they can take.
This is where the "Art X Law" outreach hopes to step in. The pilot project – led by lawyers Fahri Azzat and Raul Lee Bhaskaran with support from artist/deejay Nicholas Choong – is an experimental initiative to provide legal advice (pro bono, of course) and redress the interests of vulnerable Malaysian artists.
“Our aim is to empower the Malaysian arts community, be it those in the fine arts, craftspeople, musicians, deejays, dancers ... anyone engaged with the arts for a living,” explains Fahri, 49, in a recent interview.
Every Sunday in July from 4pm to 6pm, the trio welcomes artists and creatives to drop by the Estudio space in Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya for a chat about any legal questions or concerns—from claims and disputes to contracts and frameworks, they’re here to help.
Choong, 48, shares that since sharing posts about the project on social media last month, they’ve already received several enquiries – and not just from people in the arts industry.
“One such enquiry was from a civil servant actually, asking if it was only creatives and artists that Fahri and Raul would speak to. I said no, the session is open to anybody who might have concerns about the law and legalities in their industries.
“It seems that this topic of law and art piques the interest of the public, so we’re curious to see how things will go,” he adds.
Knowledge is power
According to Fahri, the idea for the "Art X Law" project has been taking shape for some time.
“I got to know Nick when I commissioned him and his friend Marisa to create a mural at my office back in 2023, and we have grown to become friends,” he says.
Over time, Fahri gained a deeper understanding and insight into the life of an artist through numerous conversations with Nick, as well as other artists.
“Although the details of their stories differ, the challenges they faced in promoting, selling, and having their works exhibited, in earning a living, in securing enough money for materials, and in regularly dealing with ill and unfair treatment were disappointingly similar, unless you were an artist accepted by the establishment.
“I felt it was unjust, and I could play a role in supporting the artist community from a legal standpoint against the unfair practices and disrespectful treatment they endured,” he says.
Fahri then met Raul through Nick, and the lawyers connected over their interest in helping artists grappling with legal issues.
For 42-year-old Raul, who’s also a deejay, the appeal of "Art X Law" lies in how, in Malaysia, the tension between law and creativity isn’t just theoretical - it’s part of everyday reality.
“Artists often operate within legal grey areas shaped by moral policing, outdated statutes and censorship, so if the law doesn’t evolve with culture, it risks becoming its enemy,” he says.
Through this pilot, Raul says they hope to spotlight how legal frameworks can both empower and restrict creative work, the quiet ways people adapt and push back, as well as why the law needs to evolve alongside culture and not lag behind it.
“The idea of this project has haunted me, so I wanted to see if it could work if we started off small and simple. If no one turns up, I'll have a good time with Nick and Raul. If someone does turn up, we'll get to do what we planned. So there's no way the three of us can lose in this. If there’s a demand, we’ll figure out how to keep it going,” concludes Fahri.
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