29/06/2025

ON SUNDAY JUNE 29, 2025 X theSunday Special

Artist and designer Shan Shan Lim I N an era when computer algorithms can generate paintings, patterns or even entire clothing collections at the touch of a button, the value of human-made art is in question. Can handcrafted work keep up with the digital WLGH SRZHUHG E\ DUWL¿FLDO LQWHOOLJHQFH $, " 'RHV LW HYHQ PDWWHU" The answer is a resounding yes for Malaysian artist and designer Shan Shan Lim. “The more AI progresses, the more precious handmade work becomes,” Lim told theSunday. “People are yearning for something with soul.” Lim, known for her intricate floral motifs and cross-cultural designs, has built a distinctive presence in Malaysia’s creative scene. A graduate of Central Saint Martins in London, Lim’s approach balances traditional craftsmanship with contemporary curiosity. She has col-

laborated with regional brands including fashion boutique CalaQisya, womenswear store Sixth Sense and global retailer Uniqlo. Through these partnerships and her own projects, Lim has consistently FKRVHQ D FUHDWLYH SDWK GH¿QHG E\ WRXFK intuition and cultural heritage – making a TXLHW EXW ¿UP FDVH IRU ZK\ FUDIWVPDQVKLS Lim’s work defies easy categorisation. On some days, she’s a weaver – calm, meditative, grounded in process. On oth ers, she is a painter, working expressively and embracing a little chaos. She moves HDVLO\ EHWZHHQ GL̆ HUHQW FUDIWV GUDZLQJ on a skill set that includes Southeast Asian ikat weaving, hand-printing, painting and textile design. “I’ve always felt torn between honing one particular skill and wanting to try HYHU\WKLQJ XQGHU WKH VXQ ´ VKH UHÀHFWHG “But I’ve come to see this tension not as a ÀDZ EXW DV D IHDWXUH ,W NHHSV PH FXULRXV It keeps my work alive.” T KLV FXULRVLW\ KDV OHG WR D ÀXLG FUHDWLYH process. Lim does not wait for inspiration to strike. Instead, she simply begins. “If my hands are free, they’ll often LQVWLQFWLYHO\ ¿QG WKHLU ZD\ WR D SHQFLO paintbrush or yarn,” she said. “When I create a textile piece, it often starts with a memory, a mood or a colour I can’t get out of my head. From there, I might sketch or paint and let that imagery guide the design.” Her willingness to embrace “accidents” – those small, unplanned moments that shape a work of art – is central to her practice. “It’s never a battle,” she said. “If any thing, it’s like tuning to a frequency I know by heart.” matters more than ever. “ $ IHDWXUH QRW D ÀDZ´

Fingerprints of a soul: Artist Shan Shan Lim believes craftsmanship still speaks louder than code BY KAY RAMA