Top 10 street art spots

Once called graffiti, street art has bloomed in Malaysia with many artists turning dull buildings into tourist attractions

SINCE Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacha­revic captured the hearts of many Malaysians through his wall paintings in Penang and Ipoh, the phenomenon has created a large following.

The love for art has led many aspiring artists in the Klang Valley to pull out their graffiti sprays and paintbrushes to dress up dull looking walls and back alleys, turning them into tourist attractions.

StarMetro takes a look at 10 street art spots in the Klang Valley which can double up as an Instagram-worthy location.

1 Jalan Gereja

The mural by Ernest Zacha­revic spans four storeys high and can be seen against Wisma Allianz.

It depicts a serene kampung scene with a young girl sitting in a sampan that is passing a house on stilts, from which a woman stands watching her while a cat takes a nap on the stairs of the house.

2 Pasar Seni (Klang River)

Upon arrival at the platform of Pasar Seni LRT station, take a moment to have a quick peek at the Klang river situated adjacent to the station. A never-ending wall art lining the river banks greets you like a colourful rainbow.

3 Jalan Raja Chulan (Bangunan Yee Seng)

Artists Anokayer and Yumz produced this stunning piece of a young boy wearing a headgear of a tiger’s head representing Malaysia and holding on tightly to his digital device. The artwork commissioned by Petronas for its #tanahairku 2015 street art project brings together the boy’s love for the modern age while not forgetting his roots.

4 Section 2, Shah Alam

Students of Universiti Teknologi Mara and Universiti Selangor revamped the spot which was once known as being filthy and dark. The students’ paintings reflected their memories of the area as young children and also the types of businesses operating in the area.

5 Intersection of Jalan Tun H.S Lee and Jalan Tun Tan Siew Sin

Bright and bold colours were chosen by artists Phiberwryte Connection alongside three strong words “Makmur, Luhur and Teguh” representing the energy of today’s youth.

The piece covers the facade of a popular Chinese restaurant selling beef ball noodles in the city.

6 Jalan Pudu (Nando’s)

You will not miss this eye-catching facade of Nando’s restaurant of a creatively drawn rooster by local graffiti artist Kenji Chai.

His work, launched in 2014 was part of an art initiative, wraps the outlet’s prominent Chinatown outlet beautifully.

7 Jalan Raja Chulan (open air carpark)

Kenji and Cloak teamed up for this piece featuring a village and a city boy coming together for a game of kite flying. The kite or wau bulan is painted in colours of the Jalur Gemilang.

8 Laman Seni, Section 7, Shah Alam

The 200m-long back lane took on a new look in 2014 with 10 artists shortlisted for the project by the Shah Alam City Council involving a space of some 56 shoplots. Every weekend, the alley is vibrant with art shows and music from students living in the area.

9 Section 52, Petaling Jaya

The project by the Petaling Jaya City Council introduced murals along the Jalan 52/18 back alley as an experiment in livening up the city’s back alleys while the surrounding areas are decorated with kites, colourful umbrellas and figures resembling musicians.

10 SS2, Petaling Jaya

Eight side-lanes in SS2’s commercial centre were transformed under the “Bestnya Malaysiaku” wall art competition. You can view them along SS2/64, SS2/66, SS2/67,SS2/63 and SS2/61. The competition received 109 initial submissions, including rough sketches before the final nine were selected.