Muhammad Khairul Ikwan went from being completely healthy to deathly ill in a matter of months, but that hasn’t destroyed the art student’s spirit.
In spite of discovering that he had Stage 4 colorectal cancer that had spread to his brain, Khairul continued to create art. A graduate of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, he recently launched a show composed of nearly 100 pieces of original art at the campus. The showing of his pieces will be titled “Hope.”
The journey hasn’t been easy, but Khairul attributes part of the comfort he has been able to find in the face of the fatal disease to art. His exhibition was organized in part by his alma mater and a hospice care organization that helps grant wishes to youths with fatal disease diagnoses. One of Khairul’s sisters said he is expected to live for about nine more months.
Khairul is still undergoing treatment for his cancer, saying that while nothing short of a miracle will help him recover, he will still keep trying. The treatments give him as much pain as the disease, exhausting him and making him vomit. That hasn’t slowed him down very much, though. He even has another art project in mind after his exhibition, hoping that his works will inspire others while leaving a legacy that will persist long after he is gone.
The artist used to listen to music while he painted, but now he reads lyrics and poetry to seek inspiration. He has lost most of his hearing to his disease. He says that some of his favorite paintings on display in the “Hope” exhibition are a series of watercolor works featuring eyes and water spirits. Though his vision has also been affected in the disease, giving him much pain, the role of supportive family members and friends around him has lifted his spirits and made it possible to continue to complete his artwork. Painting and creating his other masterpieces, including mixed media pieces and video, has become as much a form of therapy for his situation as his actual treatment is. Khairul says that it is pointless to give up on life when he is still alive, and that is why he continues to make art in spite of his grave condition.
Art can be used for everything from self-expression to therapy to meditation. Think about signing up for an art class today to improve everything from your stress level to the way you solve problems at both school and the workplace. Visit SGArtClass.com for a taste of all of the art classes you can enroll in, from video art to collage art to watercolor painting and everything in between. Expert art teachers will assist you in your projects no matter what your level of experience is with art, and you can even take group art classes with your friends, classmates, or coworkers.
To read more about Muhammad Khairul Ikwan’s art, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/his-art-show-is-expression-of-hope-despite-pain.