Think Law and Art Don’t Mix? She'll Prove You Wrong

For Mulaika Nordin, law and art have never been opposing worlds. They are, in her words, “different languages for asking the same question - how does the world work?”

A BAC alumna who completed her Foundation in Law and UK Transfer Degree Programme (Law) before transferring to Queen’s University, Belfast, Mulaika has always seen knowledge and creativity as intertwined. Today, she is back at BAC, pursuing her Certificate in Legal Practice (CLP) while continuing to make waves in the Malaysian art scene.

Her third solo exhibition, “I Remember You”, presented by HARTA Space, is on view from 5 to 30 November 2025. The show delves into the ancient legal concept of time immemorial (a period that predates memory) and transforms it into a meditation on our relationship with the Earth, continuity, and belonging.

A Journey Balancing Law and Art

“I’ve been painting since I was in kindergarten,” Mulaika recalls with a smile. “Art has always been like a friend to me.”

At just sixteen, she held her first solo exhibition at the National Art Gallery, a rare feat for an emerging artist. But despite her early success, she decided against going to art school. “Painting was so personal. I didn’t want to formalise it as I wanted it to remain something pure and instinctive.”

Instead, she turned to law. “When I was deciding what to do with my life, I just wanted to understand how the world works. Law, to me, was the best way to do that.”

Her legal studies gave her structure and discipline. Qualities she says helped her grow both as a person and an artist. “Law taught me to see the world differently. It grounded me, helped me organise my thoughts and emotions, and gave me a deeper understanding of systems, justice, and the environment.”

When asked why she chose BAC, Mulaika’s answer reflects her values.

“I believe good education shouldn’t come at an extortionate cost - and that’s something BAC truly stands for. I wouldn’t have had the experience I did, with such great lecturers and quality education, if not for BAC. It opened doors for me that otherwise might have stayed closed.”
Mulaika Nordin

She fondly recalls her lecturers, especially Mrs. Azrina, whose English Legal System class introduced her to the term time immemorial - the very concept that inspired her current exhibition. “That phrase fascinated me. Something existing before memory... that’s such an abstract and powerful idea.”

Other lecturers like Mr. Paul and Miss Diana also left deep impressions. “Miss Diana taught public law and she was so passionate. I cried a few times in her class because I was so moved. She made me believe this was all possible.”

Lessons from Belfast

At Queen’s University Belfast, Mulaika found a home away from home. “The quality of teaching was incredible, and the Lanyon Building was just breathtaking. Belfast itself was affordable, so I could travel all over Europe.”

Her travels and exposure to European art deeply influenced her painting. “I visited so many sacred spaces like cathedrals, old churches and was inspired by the gold and light in those spaces. You can see that reflected in my newer works.”

She also developed a strong passion for environmental and human rights law, subjects that now flow through her artistic and academic pursuits. “One of my lecturers asked us to write as if we were ancestors and to think about what legacy we’d leave behind. That question stayed with me. It shaped how I think about art, the Earth, and existence itself.”

Mulaika’s latest exhibition explores time immemorial through abstraction, texture, and symbolism. One of the centrepieces depicts a mountain beneath a golden sun - an image she describes as both haunting and hopeful.

“I thought, one day I’ll return to the Earth and I’ll become part of it. That’s what the mountain represents,” she explains. “It’s a reflection on impermanence, on belonging, and on our relationship with nature.”

Her art is not loud advocacy, but what she calls “quiet advocacy,” encouraging reflection rather than confrontation. “I want people to pause and think about their relationship with the Earth. That, to me, is enough.”

The Polymath Mindset

Mulaika proudly embraces the idea of being a polymath — a person whose knowledge spans many different subjects, and is known to draw on complex bodies of knowledge to solve specific problems.

“Some people think doing law means you’re not serious about art, but that’s not true. You can be fully devoted to both,” she says. “I was talking to Mr. Raja Singham (Managing Director & Chief Future Office of BAC Education) about this idea, and he really encouraged it and told me that it’s okay to be more than one thing.”

She also supports initiatives like the Art X Law Initiative Malaysia, which provides free legal services to artists. “It’s a perfect example of how these two worlds can come together.”

To current BAC students, Mulaika offers this advice:

“Push yourself to your full human potential — be brave enough to explore every part of who you are. It can be intimidating to wear many hats, but it’s possible. You don’t have to choose between your passions.”

After completing her CLP, Mulaika plans to travel before returning to law, focussing on human rights and environmental cases, particularly pro bono work. “That’s how I want to serve the world,” she says simply.

Rooted in Strength

Mulaika credits her family, especially the women in it, for inspiring her and giving her courage. “My mom, my grandmother, my godmother — they’ve all shown me that it’s okay to exist in spaces where women are underrepresented. But I don’t think of myself as a ‘woman doing this’, I just think of myself as a person doing what I love.”

It’s that quiet confidence, the ability to navigate worlds of law, art, and life with grace and depth, that makes Mulaika’s story so inspiring.

Her journey reminds us that education isn’t about choosing a single path. It’s about discovering how the pieces of who we are can coexist beautifully, purposefully, and without apology.