The Turban’s Tale -Khairudin Zainudin

Khairudin Zainudin
122 x 122cm
Acrylic & Oil on Canvas
2024
This work reflects the artist’s early years in a pondok, a traditional Islamic learning center, where wearing a turban was part of daily life. As a child, he wore an adult-sized turban that often slipped over one eye, a quiet image of innocence wrapped in tradition.
The turban, like a school uniform, symbolized discipline, knowledge and spiritual intention. It was a way to follow the Prophet Muhammad’s example and to earn spiritual reward, not a political act.
As time passed, the artist saw how this symbol of faith became misread. What was once a marker of devotion is now often misunderstood and unfairly linked to extremism.
Through layered imagery and botanical forms, the piece recalls a time when identity was shaped by sincerity, not fear. It invites viewers to reconsider how cultural and religious symbols are perceived, and to see the person before the prejudice.