Skadoomsh: Storytelling through art

Words by Imthishal

The better part of the population may have seen this title on a myriad of social media platforms, or on the walls of a café during a hectic day’s coffee run. The brains behind this humorously whimsical and onomatopoeic brand name is none other than 23 year old Razan Rasheed. A self-taught artist who studied the basics by compulsively watching Bob Ross and Agnes Cecile. In the year of 2015, she made an inevitable and consequential decision to go public with her art page on Instagram, no clue that this very minute would be revolutionary to her career as an illustrator. Ever since, she has worked on various projects for high-end clientele and herself, in both Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Well-deservingly earning respect in her field of passion piece by piece.

Similar to numerous local breakthrough artists, Skadoomsh is visibly and heavily influenced by traditional Japanese animation accompanied by cyberpunk and a multifaceted personal touch. By putting aside, the conventional and predictable qualities of art, she brings to light the importance of authenticity and embracing the rustic; “There is a beauty in not being precise, I would say my work is tangled and sketchy”. “When my work is client based it is usually graphic designing, but if it’s for Skadoomsh it’ll almost always be sketches or portraits”. In other words, shuffling between a 2B pencil, a digital pen and a paintbrush is where she feels most at home. Her habitual experimentations when creating, persuades her to dabble in an extensive spectrum of medium; “I’ve done it all I think; digital, water colors, oil paintings and many more. However, my major foundations constantly consist of strokes and a monochromatic élan”

Far before possessing the ability to introduce paint to a canvas, one must have a source of ingenuity; “I would say everything inspires me, the whole world. People, movies, music or even something really random.” This exact point is proven through the frisky collaboration with her coworker, Zuko. The web comic strip entitled “pjn & rzn”, is based on real events that were way too memorable to keep just between the two. “I want to tell stories through art that is visually pleasing, I think something I want to focus on in the future is creating educational art, along with issues that I care about, such as social and environmental problems.”

Skadoomsh varies from loopy videogame characters to intricately pragmatic human anatomy. It is clear to see that she takes pleasure in illustrating through observation in her daily life, where she manages to conjure up a moment, feeling or even a stranger’s expression. What is so exceptional about the way Razan present’s her work in the mere fact that each specimen is not what it may seem, at least not theway one sees it in this reality. It displays an utterly different take from the norm and its uniformity, with a narrator waiting to be overheard.

It is no mystery that Maldivians are in one way or another, gifted with a sense of vision, especially the youth. In recent times the younger generations have mustered up the courage to take the plunge and follow the path less traveled. The local art scene appears to grow by the second, as more individuals discover their hidden hunger to create. Razan emphasizes that “In this community everyone is very supportive of each other. I think we have huge potential, so we must let every artist’s voice be heard.” Indirectly every creator is encouraged and motivated by another; “Razzan, Naim and Zaim Zayeed are artists who do what they do with heart, and the best part is; it doesn’t feel commercialized”. Unfortunately, like any industry there are barriers that can hold you back; “there should definitely be more opportunities availed to us, like; scholarships, competitions and showcases that allow us to explore and develop our own skills.”

Skadoomsh will be taking part in the upcoming exhibition held by “Charukeys” this month. The event will exclusively concentrate on “reviving local talent”, so be sure to drop by and show some love to our homegrown artists.