The next time you’re at the Masjid Jamek LRT station in Kuala Lumpur, don’t be surprised to see a splash of trippy mind-bending art on the walls and stairs of the station.
KL-based multidisciplinary artist Bono Stellar (real name Nawwar Shukriah Ali) is responsible for the visual art takeover. The public art project is part of American shoe brand Vans’ new artist-first brand campaign These Projects Are Ads for Creativity.
Bono Stellar, a designer-turned-artist, joins a global line-up of artists in an initiative to empower artists to bring their ideas to life in the vast forms that art can play.
“What inspired me was to create a sense of hope to the people in the city and the country by splashing a little colour to brighten the city in this dreadful pandemic where everyone is mostly in survival mode and there’s so much uncertainty around us,” says Bono Stellar about her new work, which references op-art (optical art).
The artist shares that Vans approached her in April this year to be a part of the campaign. She admits that it was a surreal experience as she had always wanted to have a "moving artwork”, which meant a train in this project.
Her design took nearly three weeks to complete and the movement control order in May gave Bono Stellar added time to fine tune.
Apart from the walls and stairs of the Masjid Jamek LRT station, Bono’s art will also be "touring" the city via a train car (Train 147) wrapped in her contemporary psychedelic designs. It is a small way to improve the mood in the city and to bring smiles to people.
These works will be available for public viewing until the end of October.
“I hope that this can help brighten their day and lift up their mood," says Bono Stellar, an architect by training.
In her works, the Terengganu-born artist is mainly known for utilising natural light and experimenting with space via works using iridescent film and plexiglass. Her last on-site show (Pause II group exhibit) at the Tun Perak Co-op arts space in Kuala Lumpur in March saw her using reflective acrylics.
With a profile spanning art gallery shows to urban culture festivals, Bono Stellar's works include interactive installations, unique sculptures and conceptual photography.
Taking visual cues from optical art, Bono Stellar, 36, used lines and space to represent the many directions and routes that can be found in the city in her artworks for the Vans campaign.
“The lines and patterns were created in multiple directions to also show that there are many paths that we can create and recreate for ourselves individually even in this isolation, to embrace growth in this pandemic no matter how small,” she explains.
“I just hope people won’t fall off the stairs while looking at the artwork!” she adds.
If she is not making art, Bono Stellar can be found educating people and working on community initiatives, especially in creating broader awareness when it comes to staying the distance in the creative field. She also founded the "Make It Happen" platform to help guide fellow creatives in the art and design industry.
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