GEORGE TOWN, March 6 — Iconic Penang cartoonist Mohd Azmi Mohd Hussin, popularly known as ME, died yesterday evening.
Azmi, who was 40, is believed to have had a heart attack.
The news was shared on Facebook just hours after his death, leading to many in the arts community mourning the loss of one of Penang’s famous homegrown artists.
Penang Arts Council chairman Joe Sidek said Azmi was “one of the nicest, humblest, most friendly and talented artists” from Penang.
“What a great loss to the art community of Penang,” Joe wrote on his Facebook page.
Meanwhile, curator and Hin Bus Depot gallery manager Ivan Gabriel, who has worked with Azmi on many occasions including curating his solo exhibition, said the artist was well loved by everyone in Hin Bus Depot.
“He was always so jovial and so friendly, everyone loved him,” he said.
He said Azmi’s story was about much more than talent.
“His humility and thirst for growth, his constant ‘cari-ing’, were at the core of pretty much everything he did,” Ivan said.
He said no matter how much recognition he earned, Azmi always saw himself as a work in progress, a reminder of his constantly wanting to learn.
“From his caricatures on the streets of George Town to becoming a recognisable name in the local art scene, his art was always grounded in the stories and people around him, which made his works so accessible to everyone from all walks of life, I truly believe,” he added.
He said Azmi’s work wasn’t just art but a testimony of his growth, his resilience, and the love he had for his craft.
“The news of his passing has left a void that is hard to put into words, truth be told,” he said.
Ivan said Azmi was a true friend, and a cherished member of the Hin community.
“He was a voice for the people, and I truly believe that his legacy will continue to inspire and resonate with all of us who had the privilege of knowing him,” he said.
Azmi fell and broke his left arm when painting a mural in Sabah last December and spent more than a month recovering from the injury.
However, he did not let the broken arm deter him as he continued to draw caricatures and was also working on a new comic book.
Back in January, in an interview with Malay Mail, Azmi said he did not have time to rest as he was booked for murals in various places and was always working on several projects at the same time.
“I am not one to sit at home and do nothing for too long,” he said at that time.
Between January and February this year, he spent his weekends at the Hin Bus Depot gallery, drawing “live” caricatures while also planning more events with the gallery.
He was scheduled to hold “live” caricature drawing sessions at the opening of the Open Studios Penang’s Long Art Weekend, along with other related art events next weekend.
The artist published five comic books Tanjong Life, The Little Mamak, The Little Mamak: Lost in Bagan, Tanjong Life: The New Norm and Tanjong Life: Back to the 90s.
Last September, Azmi held his very first solo exhibition titled Cari that highlighted his art journey over the past 10 years as he experimented with a range of caricatures to coffee paintings to combining the colours of pop art on canvas with his iconic comic characters.
He said it was a dream come true for him to finally hold an art exhibition in Hin Bus Depot.
Azmi first made it to the Malaysia Book of Records for the most caricatures drawn in 24 hours back in 2017 when he drew 320 caricatures in 24 hours.
He also made it into the Malaysia Book of Records again in 2019 when he painted the longest coffee painting that stretches 101 metres long and in 2021, he made the Malaysia Book of Records again with the longest comic strip in the country.
Despite his fame and success as an artist, Azmi was known for his friendliness.
Azmi, who left behind a widow and three children, will be buried this morning at the Tanah Perkuburan Hashim Yahya Perak Road.
