Singaporean artist Nur Aisha Sa’ad’s imaginative ‘zoo of monsters’ serves as a powerful form of personal expression

The 2D drawings help her transcend the challenges of autism spectrum disorder.

Clockwise from bottom left: Saleha, Aida, Sa’ad, Dianna and Aisha (All photos: Sam Fong/ The Edge)

It is truly remarkable what the mind can conceive when communication itself is a barrier. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience the world in ways that defy conventional explanation or control. Their thoughts and emotions often lie beyond the reach of typical understanding, making life a unique challenge. Yet, many rise to it with incredible resilience and creativity.

Singaporean artist Nur Aisha Sa’ad is one such person. The 23-year-old was diagnosed with severe ASD, which makes it difficult for her to converse, only uttering monosyllabic words or short phrases most times. Self-expression comes through her art — colourful drawings of animals, fruits, flowers or inanimate objects, which she named her “monsters”. Aisha’s 2D drawings are a playful departure from traditional artistic styles that people may be typically accustomed to.

Her latest exhibition, titled The Monster Zoo, was held at Zhongshan building in Kuala Lumpur, last month. Her creations were displayed, along with a showcase of notebooks filled with drawings chronicling her journey and how these monsters became the most consistent series she has ever made. Visitors were also able to try making their own iterations with postcard-sized paper that had the defining characteristic of her monsters.

Aisha’s art gives an insight into her mind and informs the kind of person she projects. She originally started with exact drawings of animals but they gradually evolved into her own unique interpretations. Each creature she brings to life has three beady eyes and a squiggly mouth, her signature style. One of the first monsters she made merged two animals into one — a catbee, an armless cat with bee wings. Visitors at her previous shows described her art as “a little scary” but each monster presents an endearing factor that is reminiscent of childhood awe.

Aisha, youngest of four sisters, is fortunate to enjoy staunch family support;  her parents have nurtured her skills ever since art became her main interest. Father Sa’ad Hussein manages her social media (@iamcatbee on Instagram) and organises exhibitions, while mum Saleha Abdul Rahman is her primary caregiver. Their third daughter, Sheila, also has special needs as she was born with chromosomal deletion syndrome. The two eldest, girls Aida and Dianna, pitch in from time to time by helping their sisters navigate life.

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Aisha’s works were brought to KL from Singapore for greater exposure

“We knew that people on the spectrum might have special gifts or abilities. So, we tried to discover whether Aisha loves reading or expressing herself in other ways,” says Sa’ad, stressing that it was important to understand her from a young age.

Inspiration strikes anywhere and everywhere. Before bedtime, Aisha spends an hour watching YouTube videos related to a current hyperfixation, which could be either a letter of the alphabet or number. “She goes down different rabbit holes. Recently, she liked Creative Association [a YouTube channel] or the letter ‘T’. She started fixating on words such as ‘green tea’ or ‘tea party’,” notes Aida, the eldest, who is also an artist.

Subsequently, “B” became a new fixation and Aisha would draw anything related to it. She would also seek objects that start with the letter, such as a “bear sticker” or “bottle”, making her father’s wallet a little lighter if they step into a store and she sees something she wants. Her sisters always find her scribbling away in the middle of the night. She fills about 20 notebooks a day, with cartoony illustrations using colour pencils. Besides monsters, Aisha also does abstract art featuring dotted flower paintings.

Saleha keeps Aisha’s creativity flowing through other avenues as part of her day to day. She gets Aisha to sew, bake cookies, make quill art and soaps as wedding favours, and even exercise, although Saleha notes bemused, that it is her least favourite activity. “If she is not occupied, she will find odd things to do like pulling her hair. She needs to be constantly engaged.”

Sa’ad started uploading Aisha’s artwork in 2018 on social media to introduce her art to the world and generate new opportunities. “In terms of communication, the only way for her to express herself is through art. So, we thought if we could use that energy, she could create more interesting pieces.”

Looking ahead, Sa’ad observes it is unlikely Aisha will be able to enter the workforce.

“As we auction her art and sell merchandise, hopefully it will generate an income. We don’t want to burden her sisters.”

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Original drawings by Aisha in notebooks created especially for her by Saleha

He recognises the scarcity of resources for young adults with ASD. “There’s more awareness on autism in the community but the focus is on children. The big gap now is: How do you handle autistic adults?” he points out.

The uncertainty of their future without proper support systems could be detrimental to their well-being.

Sa’ad suggests that private sector organisations could play a key role in ensuring individuals with ASD receive the support they need to lead fulfilling lives. Or, companies could establish programmes to train caregivers for them.

Parents of adult children with disabilities and limited resources are often forced to think creatively, constantly devising strategies to manage potential triggers. For Aisha’s parents, this means avoiding shopping centres or food courts patronised by families with young children or babies to prevent sensory overload, which could disrupt an otherwise typical day. Carrying a pair of noise-cancelling headphones to help block out overwhelming sounds is one such strategy — a tactic parents in similar situations can relate to.

Amid these challenges, Sa’ad is determined to showcase Aisha’s talents, looking for new ways to promote her artwork by collaborating with other artists in the community, Lee Mei Li crocheted Aisha’s flower monster; Walter Teoh did monochromatic doodles; and street style artist Tobyato made laser-engraved wood carvings — all including her signature three beady eyes in each variation.

Her newest exciting collaboration is with ana tomy, a homegrown brand specialising in stationery and notebooks. Aisha is part of their artist lineup, where an illustration of her monsters can be selected for the front cover of a customised journal. Sa’ad also plans to open a store where Aisha can work and expand her brand by printing T-shirts for sale.

While the exact sources of her inspiration or what truly drives her mind may never be fully understood, there are a few things that are certain. Aisha loves to draw and being with her family brings her great comfort. Her personality and passion shine through each time she picks up her pencil. “Every day is different and she surprises us. The little things she does are so interesting. We always look forward to that,” says Sa’ad.

 

This article first appeared on Jan 13, 2025 in The Edge Malaysia.

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