There is something old and something new about the picture before us. A group of figures working together, a shimmering surface beneath their feet, a clear sky on the horizon behind them. The scene reminds us of nostalgic Nanyang-style paintings or the dynamic batik paintings of Khalil Ibrahim and later Ibrahim Mat Hussin celebrating the work and life of fisherfolk on the East Coast, the rice planters of Fernando Amorsolo’s romantic visions of rural Filipino life, or even traditional Malay dances using dulang. Yet it is clearly set in contemporary times – these are wiry middle-aged and elderly men in old sports gear and cargo pants, baseball caps and shades, facemask and three styles of rubber slippers, at work on a tarpaulin mat in a blank, undefined space; even the produce they are handling is indeterminate – just the outlines of flecked forms. They are salting and drying newly caught fish in the sun, a food-making tradition shared by many different communities in Malaysia.

Sze Xiang Yee says, “This production method is as much a test of technology as it is of community spirit. Dried salted fish is an economical and affordable ingredient. It is also a delicious condiment that adds a unique flavour to many seafood dishes. This ancient tradition not only inherits the fishing village culture, but also provides people with delicious food.”

She also explains, “Why I draw with pencil is because I think pencil is the origin of painting. Everything starts with pencil, so I think pencil is the best way to embody tradition.” The drawing may be clear of the romance of colour and coastline, but the artist’s careful and loving treatment of details – the shine of tanned skin, the crease and sag of well-worn, sweat-damp clothing – and capturing of body movement, each man fully focused on his task – express the work and dedication people invest in continuing a practice, one that ties together nature’s resource and human technology, community, sustenance and sense of taste.