A densely patterned length of fabric is twisted into the centre of this painting creating sensuous folds formed with dramatic contrasts of light and shadow, the sense of movement pulling in our admiring eyes. The technical mastery involved in this work impressed all the competition judges, yet there is more to this sumptuous visual feast. The artist uses his grasp of both the material he is portraying and the material he is using to portray it to invite.

The image celebrates the beauty of batik, used in traditional Malay dress, using the medium of Chinese ink. The design on this piece of batik is quite modern, the Chinese ink deftly used to translate floral and leaf motifs in loose and fluid canting and cap – we intuit too that it is Malaysian batik, making out bunga raya among these. Both mediums speak of much-cherished artistic traditions, holding and expressing ideas and values and worldviews through long histories to today. Within regional and local art history there have been many instances of sharing and exchange between them. Both require much training and skill to master, and imaginative vision to renew. Even as the batik material is shot through with a modern and dynamic sensibility, the use of Chinese ink to create a chiaroscuro effect and dense and complex patterning is a radical development within that medium.

The work’s title poses a puzzle – a somewhat old-fashioned English turn of phrase, also a catchy caption for TikTok videos of very popular beautiful Hollywood movie actresses, but with the word “TRUE” emphasised in capital letters. It brings up questions about what we value as beautiful and authentic. Muhammad Najmi was inspired to make this work on coming upon a piece of his mother’s batik, and reflecting on how batik, this “gem” of traditional Malay culture is so seldom worn and used today, to the point that it may soon disappear without efforts to preserve it.