SILAS Oo Wei Sheng is not the average pretty boy model, he stands out among the rest of his peers for his edgy look, both for the camera and runway shows.
The 25-year-old Kuala Lumpur native only started his modelling career last year, and is already making waves. In that short period, he has already worked with major international and local brands. He has also been featured on both international and local magazine covers.
In a recent interview with theSun, he spoke candidly about his love for both art and fashion and his journey thus far.
Tell us a little about yourself.
My dad was a pastor and my mum was in real estate. I am the youngest in the family. I have three older siblings. I love drawing. I started drawing at the age of three and have never stopped drawing since. I have a diploma in fine arts. Being an artist is the main goal of my life. I want to create art and content. In five years’ time, I wish to own my own studio, creating artistic content.
If you are interested in art, why did you get involved in modelling?
I have a strong interest in fashion. But I am not trained in fashion. I have no road to take me to the fashion world. But modelling opens the door to the world I am interested in. I would love to explore the worlds of fashion and art, and find a way to blend both worlds. I would love to incorporate fashion into art and art into fashion.
What motivates you to be an artist? Who are some artists you admire?
Drawing is very therapeutic for me. I draw when I have no friends. I draw when I am bored. I love figurative and surreal works. There are many artists whom I admire. For the moment, I could say I really admire Francis Bacon. His life story is tragic. His work is genuine but raw and disturbing. The other artist I admire is HR Giger. In his artworks, he always combines machines and human. His works are weird and grotesque. In fact, the movie Alien is based on his designs.
Describe your fashion sense.
My friends call my way of dressing ‘one feet away from looking homeless’. I always struggle between looking fashionable and homeless. I love ageing fabrics and textiles. I also love the dystopian look. There are times I love to dress sharp. The way I dress really depends on my mood.
How do you keep fit?
I used to be a fat boy when I was growing up. In later years, I used to do weightlifting to bring down my weight. I became obsessed with weightlifting. I hurt my wrist badly five years ago. It was a difficult recovery. I was very depressed about it. My wrist is still messed up. Now, I can only do light exercises like planking, squats and running. In terms of diet, I eat everything, but I control my portions.
We heard you love travelling. Tell us about some of your travels.
I have been to Australia (Sydney), United Kingdom, Belgium and Amsterdam. In terms of fashion, I really enjoy London and Belgium. Amsterdam is great for sightseeing. It also has an interesting art scene. I would love to visit the United States in future. I have seen the country through Hollywood movies, especially Western movies, which is why I would love to visit Nevada.
Who are your role models in life?
I do not have one specific role model. I take inspiration from many people for different aspects of my life. For example, in modelling and visual art, I really look up to Riduan Ismail (artistic photographer). He definitely inspires me to reach my goals. He has his own studio. The other person who inspires me is Arnold Schwarzenegger. I watched his movies when I was growing up. A few years ago, I picked up his autobiography. He has broken many boundaries. I love his mindset.
