Healing Touch (2014)

2014, Mixed media photography, 594 x 420 mm, Series of 5

By ZAKI ZULFAKAR NOORDIN, Si Ling Secondary School, Lead Teacher, Visual Arts

When we are uneasy, we clasp our hands together naturally, until the challenging time has passed.  Our hands are twins of each other and so they will band together to support each other in times of need. This is also true whenever we are suffering, we would yearn for a kind word or the reassuring touch of our loved ones.

Hands of giving

When our parents or elders work hard to raise us. The hands that once givewill be the hands that receive as they age.

Hands of happiness.

When we are sorrowful, our hands wipe away the tears from our eyes.  When we are happy, we want to share our happiness with our loved ones.  There is no greater happiness than to hold the hand of a loved one.

Hands of devotion.

We pray by putting our hands together. With our piety we desire God’s grace,as we assume a humble posture when we offer our prayers.

Hands of friendship

When we meet someone for the first time, we shake their hands.  This is a gesture to show that we bear no arms and therefore pose no threat.  The touch of the flesh of another human also allows us to recognize that we are one of the same, we are mortals.

Lesson Ideas for Healing Touch (2014) by Zaki Zulfakar Nordin

This lesson is suitable for students in: Secondary School

Artwork title: Healing Touch

Name of artist: Zaki Zulfakar Noordin

School: Si Ling Secondary School

Possible Guiding Questions

Subject Matter
1. What do you see in this series of work?

Medium
2. What has the artist used to make this artwork?
3. In what ways are the materials integral to the artwork?

Form
4. How have the materials been put together?
5. How would it be different if the artist had done one work instead of a series of 5?

Context
6. What do you think this series of work is about?
7. Who do you think is the intended audience?

Meaning
8. The artist has used metaphor in this series. What is this metaphor? Why do you think the artist chose this metaphor?
9. Do you think the artist has been successful in conveying his intended message?

Possible Elegant Art Tasks

In this lesson idea, students could be exploring the use of photographic images as visual metaphor. The students could look at photographs of Dorothea Lange to better understand the concept of metaphors.

One of the elegant art tasks could be:

You have been commissioned to take a series of photographs to represent an ethnic group in your country.

Explain why you have chosen this ethnic group and explore the best possible ways to portray its culture and tradition in a metaphorical manner through photography.

Create an abstract assemblage using the photographs.