Ahmad Tarmizi or better known as T:zi (b.1979, Singapore) is primarily known in the local community as a singer-songwriter. Having produced numerous albums and written songs for more than a decade, a little-known fact is that he is also a prolific, self-taught artist. Despite never attending any formal art classes, he has always expressed himself visually, gaining inspiration from various local and regional artists. Hence, his education in the visual arts was attained via reading numerous art publications and attending exhibitions over the years.

Having produced numerous paintings alongside his music career, as a multidisciplinary artist, he has been steadily participating in local and international art exhibitions and recently in august 2022, had his third solo exhibition in Singapore. Having always seen his paintings and songwriting as mutually feeding off each other, T:zi's paintings offer multiple readings and interpretations. Ultimately, his paintings are often inspired by his introspective thoughts about spirituality with man and nature.

Artist Statement

Forms, colour, rhythm, strokes and grace are visible to my paintings. The ‘form’ is interesting for me in the overall harmony. ‘Colours’ tell the story of my feelings and certain moments in my life. ‘Rhythm’ symbolizes my culture and identity. ‘Strokes’ reveal the message of what I am sharing. ‘Grace’ is the understanding and acceptance that exist in my soul.

For me, whatever that is visible starts from the inside and from there I paint to share what is concealed in the depths of my heart. Amongst the forms that keep appearing in my paintings is a sharp form which curls and gracefully merges into the background.The sharpness of the form symbolizes the amount of knowledge that has been acquired so much till the end dissipates. The less visible it is, the more narrow it becomes like a lethal knife.

The curled formations instil a sense of something fresh and emerging. Taking inspiration from the natural world, a new plant curls as it grows before forming into leaves ready to take shape into a tree.

The final form ends and merges into the background representing the fact that knowledge and understanding, alongside our actions – all come from a single source afterwhich we all return to nature.

Colours tell the stories of my feelings and specific moments in my life. White and yellow symbolizes the finer aspects of my life. Red symbolizes both the intensity and anguish that comes with love, while the rest of the colours complement the environment of the natural world.

I often paint with the brush, my fingers, palms, the palette knife to achieve an effect that is closest to what I am feeling and what I am inspired by. The brush, my fingers and palms are used for the broader strokes and bigger landscapes – what I am seeing from a vantage point. The palette knife and smaller brushes are used for the finer strokes which I paint till I achieve a sense of union between my body and my soul.

I wish to share that everything starts from a singular source which is manifested into multiple forms as wide as our imagination, and as much as our understanding is able to humanly comprehend.

Current Profession

• Artist Painter
• Singer & Song Writer
• Music Arranger / Producer

Art Exhibitions

Solo

• The Weight of The Skies (Beratnya Langit), 3rd solo at The Arts House, Gallery 2, Singapore 2022
• No Empty Canvases, 2nd solo at HEARTH by Art Outreach, Gilman Barracks, Singapore 2021
• Scratching Skies (Cakar Langit), 1st solo Showcase at XY Hotel Bugis, Singapore, 2020

Group

• Biennale Chianciano at Chianciano Art Museum, Italy, 2022
• ASEAN International Contemporary Art at China Contemporary Research Ctr, China, 2022
• SeniKita, group exhibition organized by Kamal Arts at Kamal Arts Gallery, Singapore, 2021
• SeniKita, group exhibition organized by APAD at Kamal Arts Gallery, Singapore, 2020
• Kontemporari 2019, organized by APAD at Kamal Arts Gallery, Singapore, 2019
• Kontemporari 2017, organized by APAD at ION Art Gallery, Singapore, Singapore 2017
• Play Me I'm Yours, community arts project organized by Playtent and streetpianos.sg at Kallang Sports Hub & Esplanade, Singapore, 2016
• Malaysian Artist Art Exhibition, Kuala Lumpur, 2002.

Selected Music Performances & Works

• Third solo music concert: Jiwa Bitara - Singapore, 2016 (SOTA, School of The Arts)
• Second solo music concert: Concert Cipta Cita - Singapore, 2014 presented by Esplanade Singapore (Theatre by The Bay)
• First solo music concert: Sutera Samudera - Singapore, 2014 (The Substation)
• Soundtrack for telemovie Setulus Cinta Aqilah for Astro Oasis, Malaysia

Awards

• ‘Best Lyrics’ song-writing competition by PERKAMUS (Singapore), 1998 (music award)
• 'Best of Show in SENIKITA' 2nd runner up, group art exhibition, 2020 (art award)