Hello there. I'm Balqis Tajalli (b.1990) a cyanotype artist and designer based in island of Langkawi, Kedah, Malaysia. I make art and design inspired by nature and love exploring alternative process - textures created through bio and chemical reaction! I'm a closet geek!
I was granted a scholarship in 2011 to study architecture at Korea National University of Arts, Seoul, South Korea where I first got to know and practiced print-making and darkroom process on the side. My love for art and natural science never really took off until 2018 where I co-designed and made ‘KL Mud Chair’ using various soil and solid aggregates for Kuala Lumpur Chair Open Design. It was exhibited with other 17 chairs that took place in Balai Seni Negara, Kuala Lumpur.
In January 2020, I initiated a collaboration with a group of scientists (holler to Rimba Project 1.0 and Urban Biodiverisity Initiatives!) and held a series of cyanotype workshop at Rimba Ilmu Botanic Garden in University Malaya. In November 2020, my “Nature’s Blueprint” proposal was selected to be a part of ASM ArtScience Prize which gave ideas to a 5-episode online show called “Alternatif Sunday”; highlighting craft and ecology practitioners in Malaysia.
Then came December 2020. I was featured in a collective exhibition, Neue Artisan 6.0: Feeling Biophilic and recently debuted this year as one of Emerging Women Artist 2021 in Nafas Exhibition by Maybank Foundation. Visit our virtual show here. Before MCO 3.0 lockdown, I was recording the seasonal wild floras in my hometown but due to strict lockdown have now focused on designing new collections for Sunprint Studio and working on BELONG: Open Call Proposal that will be exhibited sometime in September 2021, god willing.
Hit me via DM @balqistajalli or email me at studiosunprint@gmail.com if you want to reach out for collaborations', commissions or talk about anything under the sun! Yes, pun intended!
Edited on Jun 2021.