Lim Hong Ze, 17, has always loved sketching and drawing in his free time.
Hailing from Johor, he said his parents’ encouragement motivated him to hone his artistic skills over the years.
“They were very supportive, except when they caught me drawing during my study hours,” he said with a laugh.
His passion and perseverance paid off as he emerged the gold winner at the Malaysia Top 10 Outstanding Young Artists Awards.
Lim’s black-and-white artwork depicted a child seeking solace in toys while parents argued nearby.
Returning for its 29th edition, the awards, organised by The One Academy, drew over 3,000 participants aged between 14 and 18 from across the country.
The gold, silver and bronze winners received cash prizes of RM3,000, RM2,000 and RM1,000 respectively, along with scholarships worth RM90,000, RM70,000 and RM50,000 to pursue courses at the academy.
Chong Zi Xuan and Law Sin Yow, from Perak and Kuala Lumpur respectively, were the silver and bronze winners.
Seven winners of Young Artists Awards received RM500 each in cash and scholarships worth RM30,000 each.
Eighty shortlisted participants walked away with scholarships worth RM8,000 and RM5,000.
A prize-giving ceremony was held at the academy’s campus in Petaling Jaya.
The One Academy group executive director Jimmy Tan Chin Wee said the awards aimed to spur healthy competition among young talents, while uncovering a new generation of local artists.
“We also regularly collaborate with schools and receive permission to use their facilities to host the competition.
“Participants were given three hours to complete their drawings using their own implements.
“They were informed of the theme in advance so they could be prepared,” he said, adding that this year’s theme “A Toy’s Promise” was chosen to help participants reconnect with and draw inspiration from their childhood memories.
Tan said a panel of 10 faculty and department heads judged the entries.
“Participants were assessed on their ability to tell a compelling story through their artwork and the impact it had on viewers.”
He said the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) had actually increased demand for well-trained artists.
“Though AI can be used in research, proper artistic judgement is still necessary to produce high-quality content,” said Tan.
“AI use is also governed by lots of restrictions and legal regulations, which means adequate training and skills are a must.”
