SHAZEERA Ahmad Zawawi has a message of hope in our crisis-struck times, and she delivers it in her own unique way from Switzerland.
The human rights advocate, who works with Association for Prevention of Torture, illustrates cartoons and comics to draw attention to how social inequalities and justice are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“These issues are universal, despite our differences,” said the 42-year-old Perak native.
She went on to include other issues, namely healthcare, media and corruption.
“I want to share the message of hope and the importance of preserving our humanity during these difficult times,” said Shazeera, who has an Instagram page, @corona_in_cartoon.
The law graduate from the University of Malaya started to focus on art after she moved to Switzerland in 2013 for work.
“In my role, I have many opportunities to advocate and convey human rights messages to a bigger audience in the Asia Pacific region using these visual mediums.”♠
Over the last seven years, my comics on the issues of torture and ill-treatment have been published and distributed in Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.”
What inspired you to draw comics?
When I was doing my master’s in the United Kingdom in 2011, the Arab Spring (a pro-democracy uprising) happened.
I had some classmates from Egypt, who urged me to contribute some artwork in light of the situation. I did some cartoons. They were raw and amateurish but I was motivated by the experience and continued to draw more cartoons. Current issues concerning humanity, human rights and justice inspired me to draw comics and cartoons.
How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected you?
I would return to Malaysia annually to visit my family and friends. Now, this is no longer a safe option, so I would like to stand in solidarity with others in fighting the spread of Covid-19. I have lost people who are dear to me during the pandemic and I could not return home for their funeral. One is my maternal grandmother. Just like others, I feel a deep sense of disconnect and isolation, but we are fortunate we can rely on technology to stay in contact with others, be it for work or personal reasons.
What made you decide to draw comics on issues related to Covid-19?
We all are trying to make sense of the situation in these challenging times, and in the best possible way. For me, drawing comics and cartoons is my way of making sense of the whole situation. It is also my way of expressing my concerns, anxiety and hope. Additionally, I wanted to humanise some of the pressing issues linked to the pandemic. Statistics and news reports are important in providing information on what is going on. But I want to present the issues or themes that are perhaps not so visible or overlooked in the statistics and news reports through my comics and cartoons. I want to amplify the sense of loneliness and isolation experienced by people living in long-term care facilities, issues of persons detained in prisons, racism and xenophobia, to name a few.
What are your future plans?
I want to continue using comics and cartoons as a medium for dialogue and reconciliation in our community. I believe there is more to be discovered and I would love to do more of this. There are also many experienced and talented comic artists in Malaysia and the region that I would love to connect and collaborate with. For example, there is a digital cartoon exhibition displaying the works of artists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar that I am part of. The exhibition can be viewed at www.craftora.com.
