Malaysia
Farid Nad
A zine showcasing hope, joy and mundanity in the lives of queer and disabled folk, produced by a newly found community. Comics, collage, illustration, poetry, and prose.
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From the curator:
In this tender and healing comic about a heart broken and mended, Namsai explores questions of nonviolence, self-compassion, and reconciliation between generations. Amidst the changing political landscape of Thailand, she struggles to understand her mother’s shift in perspective. How do we find hope in despair? How do we galvanise our anger into understanding and compassion? What happens when we look into our own hearts, and reach out to one another?
From the storyteller:
this comic originated from my memory of an argument i had with my mother during a period of intense political unrest in thailand in 2021. the most important purpose for me is to be as open and intimate as possible so that when my story reaches others, it could resonate and be a source of solace for people who are going through similar situations.
as i tell my stories—my experiences and how i have been dealing with these sufferings—i hope that there’d also be glimpses of how i practise compassion for myself, others, the state of the world, and also how i contemplate nonviolence as a path to peace in the world.
it’s not my intention to introduce or explain any theory or philosophy, so i prefer the term “to share.” and through sharing with sincerity, i hope the audience would open their hearts and hope that space in their hearts would help create a more kind and hopeful outlook of the state of our society.
this comic is a result of my collaborating with friends and mentors in my spiritual community. the community comes together to practise mindful living and aims to bring happiness and compassion to modern society for inner and world peace.
Wake Up International – a community of young mindfulness practitioners:
http://wkup.org
Written and illustrated by Namsai Khaobor
Community partner
Tippawan Yarungfhan
Editor
Charis Loke
Proofreader
Vimvipa Suksomsap
namsai is an illustrator based in chiangmai, thailand. She draws a lot, makes comics when she’s emotional and animates sometimes. She is also a buddhist practitioner and a lover of all things poetic. Find her in the garden or at https://namsai-k.carbonmade.com, @namsai_k (instagram), and @namsai__k (twitter).
