This article aims to describe the construction of the Malay-river-civilisation as reflected in 21 paintings painted by Riau Malay artists. In-depth analysis was carried out using a semiotic approach to reveal the ideas and interpretation informing the images. The analysis focuses on the principal signs, images, and symbols presented in these 21 paintings. The findings reveal that the ideas of the Malay-river are strongly related to past and present civilizational understandings. The image of the river had a presence for the Malays, and it was established in four main categories of how artists presented their paintings, namely via: myth, the spirit of life, the identity of Islam, and the dark side of modern civilisation. This study suggests the message promoted through these images communicates to their audience that, beyond the beauty of the Malay cultural identity, nature, and civilisation, there are challenges relating to marginalisation, environmental destruction, and corruption. Keywords: river, Malay, civilisation, painting, semiotic

中文翻译：

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通过马来绘画构建马来文明

本文旨在描述由廖内马来艺术家绘制的 21 幅画作所反映的马来河文明的建设。使用符号学方法进行了深入分析，以揭示告知图像的想法和解释。分析的重点是这 21 幅画中呈现的主要标志、图像和符号。研究结果表明，马来河的思想与过去和现在的文明理解密切相关。这条河流的形象在马来人中占有一席之地，它建立在四个主要类别中艺术家如何呈现他们的画作，即通过：神话、生活精神、伊斯兰教的身份和现代文明的阴暗面。这项研究表明，通过这些图像宣传的信息传达给他们的观众，除了马来文化特征、自然和文明的美丽之外，还有与边缘化、环境破坏和腐败有关的挑战。关键词：河流、马来人、文明、绘画、符号学