It all started when Ernest Zacharevic was commissioned to paint several murals in Penang in conjunction with Georgetown Festival 2012. The murals became a hit and tourists flocked to the island to take photos with them! From then on, street art or wall art have mushroomed all over the country. From cities to small towns, the street art trend is still popular in Malaysia.
The commercial centre of SS2, Petaling Jaya (PJ) is one of the locations where the alleys have been turned into beautiful works of street art. The murals found in SS2/61, SS2/63, SS2/64, SS2/66 and SS2/67 are a result of the ‘Bestnya Malaysiaku’ Wall Art Competition organised jointly by Yeo Bee Yin, Damansara Utama assemblyman and Lee Suet Sen, PJ City Councillor (MBPJ) for SS2. The theme ‘Bestnya Malaysiaku’ is chosen to reflect the multi ethnic, culture, aspirations and voices of Malaysians.
The splashes of colour in ‘Singing In The Rain’ is to remind Malaysians to slow down from their hectic and often stressful lives. Instead they should take a break and enjoy the little things and pleasures in their lives. This mural was the 1st runner up in the competition.
‘Suara Anak Malaysia’ depicts the voices of Malaysians who speak out. It also aims to inspire and encourages other Malaysians to voice out their feelings and thoughts on this beautiful country.
Suara Anak Malaysia, a black & white piece by Dasein Academy of Arts
Sweet memories of childhood and joyful experiences of growing up in this country are the inspiration behind ‘Memories of Anak Malaysia’.
Happy children depicted in Memories of Anak Malaysia
‘Lat Tali Tamplon’ should be familiar to all Malaysians. This game and method which is unique to Malaysians, is used to decide an outcome or the order of starting a game. It’s old fashioned, yet effective :).
Lat Tali Tamplon, a traditional game known by all Malaysians
Local heritage buildings, culture and food are housed in ‘Stay UnderThe Roof’ to represent all different races living peacefully and harmoniously in this country we call home.
‘Kedai Gunting Rambut Lyla’ pays tribute to the Indian barbers who have been part and parcel of Malaysian culture for generations. They play an important role in styling Malaysian men’s and boys’ hair. This mural won the 2nd runner up prize in the competition.
Barber shops like this can be found all over the country
Another mural that depicts rich culture and tapestry of various races in Malaysia is ‘Fantasy Malaysia’.
The mural ‘Forgiveness’ is about finding the strength to forgive and move forward to the future. This meaningful work of art was the winning piece from this competition.
Forgiveness, the winning piece in the competition
Though not as popular or famous as other street art, ‘Bestnya Malaysiaku’ murals have definitely spruced up the alleys of SS2 and give the commercial centre a little uplift.
