Growing up between Malaysia and India, artist Shan Shan Lim attributes the two environs of her youth to shaping her into the person she is today. As she continues growing upwards, she explains that she is still discovering how her past is coinciding with her present. Be it through dance, painting, textile making and pattern forming, the artist has always felt a stirring towards the arts. Founding Shan Shan Lim Studios in 2018, the artist has since utilised her studio endeavours to work on what she shares to be “eclectic works of art.”
Refusing to sit in familiarity and being comfortable, for this is a true sentiment of any creative interested in voraciously learning new outlets to express artistic ideas, Lim is a believer in taking risks and perpetually embracing change. When asked to describe what she does, the artist explains cheekily: “I’d say that I’m in the business of creating beautiful things.” The artist recognises the freedom that comes with being able to do what she does, a privilege not held by many. “I don’t want to take that for granted. The fact that I get to make a living by bringing my creative vision into the world is something I’ll never stop being grateful for.”
Regarding keeping her creativity alive, Shan Shan is always ready to try new mediums of art. In 2024, the artist attempted ceramics, an effort that was made possible when she ventured out to Melaka. This year, she is learning weaving techniques in Finland, where she resides with her partner. All of this to say, Shan Shan’s endeavours are not only artistic, but she is also in the process of emboldening a business. “My collaboration with the Malaysian brand Sunday Bedding will be launching within the next few months,” she shares. When asked to impart a piece of advice, she shares something she had to learn the hard way. “Don’t be afraid to fail. The more you fail, the less scary it becomes. It’s part of being human.”
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