STEPHEN MENON co-founded ArtVoice Gallery and the ArtVoice Art Collective in 2018. His contribution to Malaysian contemporary art spans several interconnected roles — painter, printmaker, educator, curator, and mentor.

As an artist, Stephen’s practice has evolved considerably over the decades. Beginning with realism and a strong interest in portraiture and the human figure, he later made silkscreen printmaking an important part of his practice. Even before his major thematic projects, however, he was developing what he now calls “cryptic symbolism” — an approach that brings together images, objects, words, numbers and other visual clues to create layers of meaning. Rather than offering a single explanation, the works invite viewers to make connections, decipher clues and arrive at interpretations of their own.

This approach became increasingly evident in major bodies of work such as Me & Mao (2010), The Mao Gospel and Selfie. Across these projects, historical personalities, political and popular imagery, personal references and recurring symbols became elements in increasingly complex visual narratives. Selfie, in particular, turned the gaze towards the artist himself, extending his exploration of identity, memory and meaning.

Stephen’s art has also provided a continuing platform for socio-political commentary. Works such as Aku Bukan Keling, Aku Bukan Kuli and Aku Bukan Pendatang confront questions of race, discrimination, dignity and belonging in Malaysian society.

At the same time, he has repeatedly returned to personalities whose lives have become entwined with Malaysia’s history and popular memory. Among them are Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak, P Ramlee, Mahathir Mohamad and Anwar Ibrahim. For Stephen, these figures are more than portraits: their faces become starting points for exploring the histories, contradictions and changing values of the society around them.