Arifwaran

Born in 1978, Arifwaran began his carier professionally at a very young age with some of Malaysia´s leading directors, choreaographers and artists. Arif studied performing arts at the Malaysia´s performing art institution, National Arts Academy Akademi Seni Kebangsaan, Kuala Lumpur. At the age of 18 he is one of the founding member of Shakti Dance Company, a company which aim on the development of feminist activities in Malaysia. Mohammad Arifwaran Bin Shaharuddin´s knowledge and interest on the forms of theatre and dance ranges mainly in the development of traditional and contemporary arts idiom. A director, playwright, actor, vocalist and a choreographer, he is now an artistic director and choreographer for his company.

Mohammad Arifwaran Bin Shaharuddin´s knowledge and interest on the forms of theatre and dance ranges mainly in the development of traditional and contemporary arts idiom. He has been involved with some of the major traditional arts masters, e.g. the late Khatijah Awang and Awang Hamzah, who are the biggest influence in understanding the need to interpretation and the accommodation of traditional form in the new representational world of urban contemporary life in Malaysia. His interest of devalued muscle work and the interpretative invisible body has moved him to a more directive approach to question the extensive influences that exist in the traditional art forms through the studies of the backbone and speech. 

Arifwaran is now residing and working as a full-time artist in Germany. Recently, he has been chosen as one of the Rolex's Arts Awards 2008 finalists.