Nadirah says that this show reveals a different side of her as an artist. — Photos: Azman Ghani/The Star
When the world feels overwhelming, photographer-artist Nadirah Zakariya seeks refuge in bodies of water – whether lakes, rivers, or oceans.
In her fourth solo exhibition Air Mata Air at The Back Room in Kuala Lumpur, Nadirah explores that deep connection between water and body, transforming the small gallery into an intimate space for emotional introspection through evocative pairings of flowy fabric panels and gently glowing lightboxes.
Ebbs and flows
The exhibition, which runs until Oct 5, gets its title from a multi-layered play on Bahasa Malaysia words for “tears” (air mata) and “springs of natural water” (mata air).
There are four works, each comprising ceiling-to-floor fabric and a double-sided lightbox with the featured images.
“Conceptually, the idea of water and the exploration of my body has always been present in my practice,” says Nadirah, who, after several years abroad, has steadily carved out a niche in the Malaysian art scene.
'The idea of water and the exploration of my body has always been present in my practice,' says Nadirah.
In May 2023, her third solo exhibition Feeling Feelings Makes Me, Me at Temu House in Petaling Jaya garnered positive attention, marking a pivotal moment in her artistic trajectory. This momentum carried into From Langkawi To Sapporo, an artist exchange with Japan’s Kana Kuwasako last year that expanded her lens through the experience of photographing in Japan.
Life as a photographer in Malaysia isn’t always the easiest, but the KL-based Nadirah has learned to navigate its ebbs and flows, much like the waters that inspire her work.
She earned a BFA from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, graduating in 2010. Her photographs have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, VICE, Dazed and Confused, and Vogue Italia, and she is featured in Thames & Hudson’s Flora Photographica, a survey of contemporary floral imagery.
Earlier this year, Nadirah’s artwork All Purpose Flower MCO Day 59 (2020) was included in Flowers: Flora In Contemporary Art And Culture at London’s Saatchi Gallery for its 40th anniversary.
Nadirah worked closely with curator Eva McGovern (pictured) to bring her vision for 'Air Mata Air' to life.
Curator Eva McGovern shares that she had long hoped to work with Nadirah, and their schedules finally aligned for this Air Mata Air show.
“I’ve admired Nadirah’s work for some time, especially her compelling flower still life series – it was one of the most exciting things I’d seen come out of Malaysia. So it was a real privilege to work closely with her on such a personal show, one that navigates emotional landscapes, identity, and how to present that to the world,” says McGovern.
A living installation
What makes the show so personal is the fact that it’s Nadirah’s own body that’s featured in the photos, dappled with spots from vitiligo, an autoimmune disorder that causes patches of skin to lose pigment or colour.
As a photographer, self- portraiture has always been a way for Nadirah to accept her ever-changing body.
“When I photograph myself, it helps me look at my vitiligo spots objectively and from there I’m able to see the beauty in it, because it hadn’t been easy in the first 10 years – I was 17 when it first started appearing,” says Nadirah, 41.
“But it’s also an exciting subject, because every time I pause and look at myself, my body’s slightly different – sometimes I’ll regain pigments, other times I’ll lose pigments. It’s constantly changing, almost like a living installation,” she adds.
A work titled 'ever shifting, ever fluid' (2025) by Nadirah, featuring pearl-pinned text on a double-sided lightbox and printed fabric. Photo: All Is Amazing
It’s that vision of her body as installation that shapes Air Mata Air: printed on fabric and mounted on lightboxes are zoomed-in images of her own skin or water surfaces shimmering with light, often approaching abstraction. Nadirah notes that few photographers have vitiligo, and she uses her platform to raise awareness about it.
“It’s actually more common than we think, but there are still many people out there who don’t know much about it, so I hope to shed some light on what vitiligo is through my art.
“When I share my self-portraits, I often get people asking me about it or opening up and sharing their own stories, so I truly believe that the more stories of ourselves that we share, the better we can understand one another and bridge the gap,” she says.
A glimpse inside
From sparkling seas to burbling streams, the exhibition’s varied snapshots of bodies of water inspire a sense of serenity – some were shot in Japan during a residency that ended earlier this year, while others were taken during local travels to Langkawi and Batang Kali in Selangor.
As calm and peaceful as the photos appear, though, it wasn’t so easy behind the scenes: to capture the self-portraits, Nadirah had to employ the use of a tripod or enlist the help of trusted friends.
“When I was photographing myself in the river, for example, it posed a bit of a technical challenge, so I brought along friends who understood my vision and could follow my direction to help get the images I wanted,” she says.
‘I wanted to incorporate text into the works, as the words provide context for the images and offer insight into my thoughts and emotions,’ says Nadirah. Photo: All Is Amazing
On the lightboxes, Nadirah carefully arranged pearl pins – aptly resembling tears – to form short phrases such as “hanyut in tears” (drowning in tears) or “rindu stings like saltwater” (missing someone stings like saltwater).
The act of inserting the pins, one by one, was also therapeutic for her.
“As someone who feels a lot of things all of the time, the repetitive act of putting in the pins in this freehand style was another way for me to process my emotions; it was almost meditative,” she says.
Another aspect of the show are the soundscapes, transporting visitors to the beach, to a waterfall, and even underwater.
“When people enter the gallery, I want them to feel like they’re being immersed in the sounds of water,” she adds.
To achieve this effect, Nadirah collaborated with Soraya Taib of indie group The Impatient Sisters.
“We’ve worked together before on music videos and commercial projects, so I knew she was the right choice.
“I gave her prompts like ‘sounds of waves’ or ‘breathing underwater’ to create a more atmospheric experience for viewers,” says Nadirah.
Expect something different
Nadirah acknowledges that, though known for her flower still life works, this show reveals a different side of her as an artist.
“I want to show people that there’s strength in vulnerability. I’m someone who puts my heart on my sleeve and feels a lot, but that’s okay. People often try to hold in their tears, but why should they? If you want to cry, you should cry. It’s okay to honour your feelings. Feelings pass.”
A view of Nadirah's 'Air Mata Air' exhibition at The Back Room gallery in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: All Is Amazing
In her new artworks, she hopes gallery visitors will take their time to wander and lose themselves in the subtle interplay of light, texture, and reflection.
“Just like waves, just like water, things come and go. Just like my vitiligo, everything comes and goes. I think vitiligo has taught me a lot about embracing change in life, to be honest. You have little to no control over everything, and it’s the impermanence of it all that makes life beautiful,” she concludes.
Air Mata Air is showing at The Back Room, Zhongshan building in Kuala Lumpur until Oct 5. Free admission. Open: Wednesday to Sunday, noon-6pm. More info: thebackroomkl.com.
