“The inspiration behind this painting derives from my experience as an archeology excavator years ago. Digging up soil as deep as three to four feet to get the tangible findings has taught me a thing or two about our homeland and life in general. One of them is that there is so much beauty that lies beneath our land. It has many undiscovered treasures, artifacts, and hidden gems that are yet to be found. On the other hand, in the perspective of life, often we have to go through rough and tough roads to see what life will teach us. Say we want to go to beautiful places such as hidden waterfalls, we have to hike for hours, pass through bushes and trees in the forest to reach that place. That experience is what I am trying to represent in my Tanah Air series. 

Tanah Air is a significant term that has a deeper meaning in context if we were to discuss it in depth. I personally think “Tanah Air ku” feels closer to home. These two words simply give a warmth feeling and a strong connection between a person and his homeland, compared to the word Negara (Country). Tanah (Land) and Air (Water) are the elements that complement one another, contributing to the balance of nature. While land symbolizes power and legacy for its endless resources, water represents life. Its wave, reflection, and the sound it makes will sooth you, offering you a sense of tranquility.

If you look at my painting you will see a piece of magical landscape that has a beautiful calming blue lake, surrounded by lush, mysterious land of flowers, almost captivating, hidden by the tree branches. Their vibrant colour gives an attractive impact, but are covered with old, fragile and decayed tree branches, initiating a sense of mystery, a peek into the hidden world of Tanah Air’s nature. This visual depiction of my Tanah Air is a continuation of my exploration on destructive landscape series, evoking a glimpse of hope for our country to continuously grow and be known for its admirable history.” - Muhd Badrulzzaman