DescriptionThis interview consists of one video recording. Azlin Aznil was interviewed on 20 June 2019 at Studio 2166 in the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta by Alinde Bierhuizen.Interview SummaryAzlin moved to Australia in 2016 to start a family with her Pakistani-Australian husband. They met in her hometown of Kuala Lumpur, or KL, where he was working at the time.
The two got married in Sydney that same year on the 2nd of May, a special day for Azlin as this was her father’s birthday. He passed away in 2002 when she was only seventeen. Her mother and younger sister still live in KL, a city very different from suburban Auburn.
Kuala Lumpur City Centre (KLCC) is the heart of Kuala Lumpur and home to some of the tallest buildings in the world. Azlin has depicted the skyscrapers, the landmark KL tower and busy streets with round-the-clock traffic in her painting. It is an image taken from a picture she took during her last visit.
KL’s urban landscape reminds Azlin of home, as well as of her father, who was a site supervisor during the development of KLCC. He would often bring Azlin and her sister to
work where they would play with the stray cats. She describes the construction site as:
‘sort of like our playground growing up’.
Azlin also treasures an image of her father in his office, sketching on his sketching table. ‘All my love of art and drawing comes from him.’
Two years ago she became a parent herself when her daughter was born. Azlin speaks to her in Malay and English, whilst her husband speaks to her in Urdu. Azlin’s multicultural
family is one of many in south west Sydney, making the area one the most culturally diverse places in the whole of Australia. In Fairfield City over 70% of the population has
a first or native language other than English.Date20/06/2019IntervieweeAzlin AznilInterviewerAlinde BierhuizenDuration00:07:09Transcripts availableNoRightsFairfield City CouncilAccess conditionsAccess open for research, written permission required for personal copies and public useNotesThis interview forms part of the exhibition 'Treasures from Home' which was on display at Fairfield City Museum & Gallery from 24 August 2019 to 15 February 2020.
