For Arif, batik allows him to convey a multitude of stories visually - from history and social values to the lived experiences of the communities he seeks to highlight through his art. Photo: Bernama
For visual artist Arif Rafhan Othman, batik is more than colour and ornamentation. He treats it as a miniature world — one where every motif holds a story waiting to be read.
At 48, Arif approaches each design with intention: no pattern is random, and no symbol is merely decorative. His motifs open pathways into layered histories, local customs, and the lived experiences of the communities he portrays.
Under his moniker Superdoofus, he has carved a distinct identity in Malaysian art, using batik patterns to celebrate unity through diversity. Each artwork becomes a tapestry of cultures, with motifs echoing the country’s many ethnic roots — stitched together into a shared visual language.
At the recent 2025 Malaysia Batik Day celebration in Kuala Lumpur, he described how one batik piece can capture the essence of Malaysia.
Arif talking to students from Sekolah Vokasional Gombak during the 2025 Malaysia Batik Day celebration in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Bernama
"For this piece, there is a map illustrated using different motifs for each state ... for example, the fan represents the Chinese community, houses of worship and so on. But the main element is the cempaka flower," said Arif.
"The cempaka flower is like the backbone that supports all these elements of harmony, becoming a linking thread to the nation’s identity, because most batik motifs feature this flower. We are a federation, not a single ethnicity, so the artwork shows how different races and states come together as one country,” he added.
Arif believes visual art can draw people in and preserve batik’s stories, ensuring it lives beyond short-lived fashion cycles.
"In the 1990s, there was a trend where jeans or modern clothing were folded at the hem and batik patterns were sewn onto the folded part. I saw a lot of people wearing that, but the trend was short-lived because batik was used merely as decoration.
Pop culture elements are a recurring feature in Arif’s designs. Photo: Bernama
"There was no storytelling behind those batik elements - they were simply motifs that followed a trend. Batik can definitely be trendy, but for it to last, it needs relevance, meaning it must have a story so it would endure,” he said.
Since venturing into illustration in 2014, Arif has drawn inspiration from personal experiences, weaving local cultural elements with social messages through his choice of motifs and narrative style.
One standout piece is his artwork created in solidarity with Palestine, where he incorporates Tatreez, the traditional Palestinian embroidery. The blend of Malaysian and Palestinian motifs, he said, makes the work not only visually striking but also a symbolic bridge between the two cultures.
"I included elements of Tatreez - Palestinian embroidery - and merged them with Malaysian batik to tell a story about Palestine. I used watermelon colours as a symbol of the fruit itself, which represents resilience,” he said.
'Malaysian batik has its own evolution too. It’s moving towards abstraction, with fewer floral motifs and more lines, dots, squares and swirls,' says Arif. Photo: Bernama
He noted that batik’s evolution today is encouraging, with motifs and colours no longer confined to tradition. Influenced by global trends, artists worldwide are experimenting with new styles to keep the craft relevant.
"In the past, you could clearly see Malaysian batik using bright colours, but now even Indonesia is starting to adopt bright colours. It's no longer about that. Times change - people won’t buy the same things from the 1940s or 1950s. Every element and medium evolves.
"Malaysian batik has its own evolution too. It’s moving towards abstraction, with fewer floral motifs and more lines, dots, squares and swirls. So there’s no such thing as ‘you must stay inside this box forever’. Indonesia is evolving, Malaysia is evolving,” he concluded. - Bernama
