Umar Sharif

. turn a school belt into a lock hair a small workshop with artist Umar Sharif step by step, slow and careful materials + tools provided (heating tools provided, not for kids) limited seats fee: RM 70 sign up with @umar_shhh #slow #klfest #schoolbelts #memoryandtomorrow

- Fabulous installation shots by @kenta.works On the occasion of the Ilham Art Show 2025 @ilhamgallerykl Flanked by amazing works of my esteemed peers @joshgnomes @kim_ng_artworks @eiffelchong @kimberley_boudville Eddie Choo

- Asuhan dan Dandanan 2025 Malaysian School Belts (Polypropylene) Dimension varies (180cm x 700cm for this one) With this work, Umar transforms the emblem of Malaysian boyhood, the school belt - into something tender and subversive. Each belt, once rigid and masculine, is frayed and restyled into locks of flowing hair. The transformation recalls the artist's childhood hobby of unravelling the fibres of his school belts; washing, combing, and styling the strands for hours - a gesture of imagination that now becomes an act of quiet defiance. Presented as a serial display, the work captures the tension between conformity and care, masculinity and vulnerability. Through this delicate process of destruction and preservation, Umar reclaims the narratives imposed upon queer bodies. Text by @ilhamgallerykl Photos by @kenta.works

𝗔 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲: Umar Sharif 𝗔 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 is a series where we invite artists to share a day in their life through images accompanied by brief descriptions. This month’s spotlight is on Umar Sharif (@umar_shhh ). Umar Sharif is a Kuala Lumpur-based artist whose work transforms everyday objects into sculptures that explore gender and identity. For his most recent show, he created an installation using the black polypropylene belts required in Malaysian schools, metamorphosing them into a series of hairstyles that evoke the glossy aesthetic of salon lookbooks. The installation is currently on view at the Ilham Art Show 2025 at Ilham Gallery (@ilhamgallerykl ) from 2 November 2025 to 5 April 2026. Click the link in profile to read the full story. 1. Umar Sharif. 2. Umar Sharif, 𝘈𝘴𝘶𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘯, 2025, Malaysian school belts, dimensions variable. Image courtesy of Kenta Chai and Ilham Gallery. 3. Studio situation during the making of 𝘈𝘴𝘶𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘯 𝘋𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘯. Image courtesy of artist. 4. Various hair inspirations, mostly from movies in the 90s and YouTube hair tutorials. Movie stills from 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘏𝘦𝘳, 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘞𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴, 𝘉𝘢𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘯, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴, 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘝𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘦, 𝘈𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘶𝘴, 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘈𝘵𝘵𝘢𝘤𝘬, and still from a Youtube silkpress tutorial. Image courtesy of the artist.

UMAR SHARIF b. 1990 Asuhan dan Dandanan 2025 Malaysian school uniform belts Dimensions variable With this work, Umartransforms the emblem of Malaysian boyhood, the school belt - into something tender and subversive. Each belt, once rigid and masculine, is frayed and restyled into locks of flowing hair. The transformation recalls the artist’s childhood hobby of unravelling the fibres of his school belts; washing, combing, and styling the strands for hours- a gesture of imagination that now becomes an act of quiet defiance. Presented as a serial display, the work captures the tension between conformity and care, masculinity and vulnerability. Through this delicate process of destruction and preservation, Umar reclaims the narratives imposed upon queer bodies. #ilhamartshow2025 #IlhamGalleryKL #ILHAMArtGallery #ArtExhibition #ArtExhibitionKL #IAS25

How it started

Excited to announce that I am part of the Triennial Ilham Art Show cohort. I had the chance to create an experimental work on a larger scale and I can’t wait for you to see it. Squee!! The gallery is closed now for set up and will open for public viewing by 2nd Nov till April 2026.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Sans Mode d’Emploi! We’re grateful for the thoughtful questions, honest reflections, and meaningful conversations that emerged during the session. It was a pleasure sharing space with such an engaged and curious crowd. A special thank you to @umar_shhh and @dongfang__ for your insightful sharing. Until next time — thank you for being part of the journey.

Sans Mode d’Emploi - Without Instruction Manual A sharing session by Tong Fung Chuar and Umar Sharif +n by UR-MU presents a conversation between emerging artist Tong Fung Chuar and his equally rising curator, Umar Sharif, around the making of his first solo exhibition, Occurs. What began as a painting exercise exploring the reimagining of the body evolved into something more—a bold experimental method of exhbition-making. Occurs takes shape in the in-between: outside institutional structures, yet not quite commercial—an independently realised show that pushed against the edges of both worlds. Join us as our guests reflect on what they learned in the making of their show. Tong Fung Chuar is an emerging artist trained in France currently working with themes of corporality and sensory imagination, introducing narrative and poetic absurdity that reflects on the body. His work has been shown in institutions, galleries, and alternative spaces. Umar Sharif is an emerging artist who has role-played as a curator twice. He still identifies as an artist. He has worked in, and on, shows around the KL art scene and will be exhibiting a work in the upcoming Ilham Art Show 2025 in Ilham Gallery. Artwork caption: Blister 2024 Oil on canvas Admission included with museum entry. No additional fee required for the talk. Link in bio +n by UR-MU Date: Saturday, 26 July 2025 Time: 2.00 - 3.30 PM

Hello! I’m happy to announce that @dongfang__ first solo exhibit is happening soon in @thezhongshanbuilding , organised by me! Please join us at the opening reception of Occurs by Tong Fung Chuar, on June 7th, 2025 (Saturday) from 6pm—10pm! — Occurs A solo exhibition by Tong Fung Chuar 7 June—22 June 2025 The Changing Room, 82B, The Zhongshan Building, Jalan Rotan, Kampung Attap, 50460 Kuala Lumpur. Opening hours: Saturday—Sunday, 12pm—6pm Weekdays by appointment only Contact: Umar—019 332 3012 [email protected] Or DM me!

Showcase for a forgotten project, 2003 - 2024 Childhood drawings and artefacts in acrylic display case