The Beauty of Malay Woodcarving Motif Ornamentation

Woodcarving art has been bequeathed throughout the generations until present time and is a hidden heritage gem. The aim of this research was to interpret the motif of Malay woodcarving ornamentation. This was done by scrutinizing the golden proportion in the structural design of Malay woodcarving and elucidating the Malay aesthetic elements and fundamental principles of the new motif design in contemporary artwork. This research revolved around a master carver who with his own eccentric style incorporates the Malay aesthetic elements and principles into his work. In order to understand the intricate motifs of woodcarving artwork, it is vital to look at the structural motifs. Referring to Malay Arts such as Nakula, Abdullah Mohamed and Awan Larat Philosophy, each motif interpretation has its own distinctive meaning. This can serve as a guideline for any associated artwork fields, especially for an artist to create a new design by implementing depth and meaning into the whole artwork, while keeping the distinct Malay identity. Keywords: motif, Malay woodcarving, meaning