Datuk Lat
IPOH, March 22: National Laureate Datuk Mohammad Nor Mohammad Khalid, better known as Datuk Lat, says the true satisfaction of an artist lies in the continuous pursuit of creative work, and their desire to create should not cease with retirement.
“I hope art practitioners in any field do not isolate themselves but instead continue striving and creating. Although I have retired, I still draw and am currently working on a new comic.
“We must always have something to do, if not in the studio or office, then at home,” he told Bernama today in conjunction with National Artistes Day.
Local art practitioners, he said, should continue to create with discipline and remain engaged even after retirement to ensure their industry remains relevant.
He said increased government attention to the creative industry has enabled the public to better appreciate and engage with artistic works.
“Even in the past, we appreciated artists, but now there is greater attention from the government, allowing the public to enjoy and understand local art more deeply,” he said.
On quality, he emphasised the importance of maintaining a local identity in artistic works to ensure lasting value, noting that works by icons such as the late Tan Sri P. Ramlee remain popular due to their strong sense of identity.
“Art forms such as Malay pop music have their own identity, which is why they endure. If we simply follow Western styles, our works will easily change and be forgotten.
“Art practitioners must continue creating and develop their own style, even if at the early stages they are influenced by others before expressing their own identity,” he said.
National Artistes Day is celebrated annually in conjunction with the birth anniversary of the late P. Ramlee and is typically marked by modest programmes that commemorate his contributions while bringing together members of the creative industry.
— BERNAMA