Drawing the Line Between Reality and Imagination
Gibran Sahir aka KUROOGA

Born and raised in Singapore, Gibran Sahir is a self-taught artist whose journey into the world of visual storytelling began at a very young age. Influenced heavily by Japanese television classics like Ultraman and Kamen Rider, Gibran found himself drawn by the visuals and characters - especially the monsters. He would often sit and sketch them, replicating their forms on paper with childlike curiosity and precision. Over time, his room filled with figurines from his favourite shows, turning his childhood space into a vivid 3D extension of his imagination.

What influenced your artistic style?

GS: My influence comes from everything that is around me. For example, music. I love listening to music, and my side hobby, which is collecting toys and art books. The toys I collect are mostly very colourful, so that serves as a form of inspiration for me. I don’t just buy figures because I like the characters but I also buy them specifically for the time and effort that went into their sculpting and painting. I love reading about other artists as well, how they express themselves in their works. I think these things, like toys and books, are a form of art that I really appreciate. What drives me the most is how I can translate all this appreciation into my artwork.

As many children do, Gibran began to create new characters of his own, blending his imagination with the universe he adored. Growing up in a home rich with music and art-thanks to his father's creative influence-Gibran organically developed his own style, one that dances along the fine line between the real and the surreal. His work today continues to explore that boundary, with every piece acting as a portal into his world of memory.

How did you get into art?

GS: I was never great at studying. I was always given books to do work but I just couldn’t bring myself to do any of that. Instead I always found myself drawing on the back of the pages or at the side of the questions. That’s when I knew it was like an escape for me.

Why do you choose this particular medium?

GS: I actually love drawing a lot, it’s something I always do in my free time. I started off from drawing, but I realized that drawing is more private, especially because I’m always drawing in a book. But painting is something that portrays my emotions better.

But his path wasn’t shaped in a classroom. Gibran admits he struggled academically; instead of solving equations, he was doodling in the margins of his textbooks. Drawing wasn’t a task-it was an instinct. Something he turned to in boredom, in quiet moments, or when words failed him. “Drawing is something I always do in my free time,” he shares.

When was the first time you started painting?

GS: I fell in love with the idea of painting when I was much younger, I think eight years old. I went to a Vincent Van Gogh exhibition and I was drawn to how he managed to express his sadness into something so bright and beautiful. After that I never had the courage to paint anything until I was 17 or 18. The sudden urge to paint happened during Covid when we were all locked up, and I was really bored. I was always drawing to kill time but I felt like it wasn't enough, so one day I thought maybe I would try something new. When I started to paint for the first time I realized and remembered that it was since young that I’ve always wanted to do this, and I couldn’t figure out why it took me so long to actually start painting.

At age eight, Gibran visited a Vincent van Gogh exhibition-a moment that left a lasting impression on him. The expressive brushstrokes and emotional weight of Van Gogh’s work sparked his early fascination with painting. Yet, for years, he stayed loyal to pen and paper. Painting felt too serious, too big—something reserved for “real” artists, not a kid with a sketchbook.

That changed in 2020.

During the quiet, uncertain days of the COVID-19 lockdown, Gibran found himself surrounded by time and introspection. Paper was no longer enough. He bought his first canvas, a set of paints, and brushes-without a plan or draft. He let instinct take over. And something shifted. Always more comfortable expressing feelings through visuals than words, Gibran found that painting offered him a new kind of voice. “Whenever I draw, I’m drawing in a book and it feels very private,” he said in an interview. “But when I’m painting, it feels like I’m voicing out to people. Painting is a microphone for me.”

What values do you keep in mind when it comes to your work?

GS: I try to not think so deeply about what I’m drawing or painting. I would release whatever I’m feeling onto the canvas and I always look back at it and find meaning after the art work is done, not before.

When asked about the values behind his work, Gibran spoke about embracing imperfections. For him, the beauty of painting lies in the flaws-the wrong strokes, the unexpected colours, the accidents that lead to something entirely new. He sees each mark as a moment, a decision that shapes the final piece. “It’s the mistakes that make the work raw,” he shared. “There’s no errors when it comes to painting, I think that’s the beauty of it.”

Wanting to preserve his growing body of work-especially the pieces on loose paper or older paintings that he might paint over-Gibran created an Instagram account called @kurooga. It began as a visual journal, a way to archive both finished and in- progress work. But KUROOGA soon became more than that. It evolved into a persona through which Gibran could share his art without the weight of his personal identity attached. He wanted the work to speak for itself.

The name KUROOGA comes from combining the names of the two cats he grew up with- Kuro and Oga. By chance, the word also loosely translates from Japanese to “big black fangs”-a fitting coincidence that resonated with Gibran’s bold, layered, and street-art- influenced style. He never intended for KUROOGA to become a brand. Instead, he aimed for it to serve as a creative alter ego-where everything he posts or creates exists purely for the sake of art.

What made you pursue this path?

GS: I was always painting and I ended up with a lot of artworks at home. I didn't know what to do with it because it started to collect dust. I felt it was also a waste to get rid of any of it and I felt that I needed to have more respect towards my work, so when a few friends of mine offered to hold a solo exhibition for me to showcase my works, I took that opportunity straight away.

What is your work in progress?

GS: Right now I’m just trying to progress better as an artist. I’m currently working on creating more works, collaborating with other local artists. I would like to engage more with the local scene in Singapore, to be more involved in the community. In the meantime, I’ll continue to work on myself and if any opportunity comes to me, I’ll just grab it.

Today, Gibran Sahir continues to create with that same sense of wonder, curiosity, and honesty. Through his work, he invites viewers into the world he’s built since childhood-a world where monsters, memories, and emotion coexist, and where every canvas tells a story that only he could write. He is not only focused on growing KUROOGA as an outlet but also on building community. Having made a mark locally, he’s now collaborating with other Singaporean artists and homegrown brands, to connect, co-create, and give back. “There are so many others like me in Singapore,” he says. “And KUROOGA is the part of me that wants to be involved with them.”

Photographer: @photographsbyismeth
Special Feature: @kurooga