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EXHIBITED
Jungle, Wei-Ling Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, 2005.

Yusri commented on his intention behind Jungle, “I simply want to highlight the life of the Orang Asli (indigenous people) in the jungle and the global warming issue resulting from excessive urban development.” He is concerned with the plight of the indigenous people living in the jungles, the agitated habitat of animals because of encroachment for development and poaching, and the global warming that is wreaking environmental havoc all over the world. But one wonders if it is not the haphazard urban infrastructure that is actually the ‘jungle.’ Kalee is the name of this aboriginal child with long hair of indeterminate gender. A catapult in hand, the child seems to be masticating on something just found or ‘hunted.’ The backdrop is tawny-brown and bleak to indicate neglect and even a foreboding of disaster. Yusri stayed near an Orang Asli settlement when young and thus could relate to them better.

Yusri Sulaiman graduated with a BA Fine Art (Drawing) from UiTM, Shah Alam in 1999. He has been actively participating in numerous group exhibitions in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei. He has received a number of awards that include Honorable Mention in Philip Morris Art Awards (1997), Demonstrating Creativity Artistic Expression in Philip Morris Art Awards (1999), Honorable Mention in Philip Morris Art Awards (2003) and First Prize in the Expressions of the Malayan Tiger competition organised by Maybank in 2010. His works are held in the collection of various museums, galleries, institutions and individuals.