With the reopening of Malaysia's borders on April 1, travellers arriving and departing from some of our busiest airports will now be greeted by a series of artworks created by local artists.
This is part of the National Art Gallery's and Malaysia Airports Holding Berhad's (MAHB's) KUL Art Airport initiative to promote public artworks and showcase the participating artists' cultural identities on an international stage.
The Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), Penang International Airport, Kota Kinabalu International Airport, and Kuching International Airport are the "cultural gateway" airports in this site-specific project, which will conclude in June.
At KLIA, the late artist Noah Iskandar Fuad (1996-2021) receives a poignant tribute with his Polyhedron Pavilion installation becoming a reality. He died last August without seeing his project realised.
Noah's installation design for the Polyhedron Pavilion, a triangulate structure that was inspired by the study of geometries originating from East Malaysia tribal tattoos, was put together through a creative collaboration, featuring students, educators, and friends, including those from UCSI University.
OH! Budaya at Penang International Airport welcomes visitors into a maze of vibrant panels representing various cultures.
Sumay Cheah and Ho Lay Hoon, the duo of Otherhalf Studio, created this large-scale installation (5.2m x 3.9m x 2.4m) from repurposed plywood and Plexiglass. Visitors can interact and have fun with this immersive art experience.
Kenji Chai, a Sabah-born graffiti artist, has contributed a nature-inspired mural work to the Kota Kinabalu International Airport titled the Nature Mind Of Landscape.
The large and colourful graffiti piece serves as a reminder of the value of nature and how we must do more to protect the country's endangered species.
The Sarawak-based Aftermath Thinker art collective contributed a mixed media work titled Reciting Hope to the Kuching International Airport, which incorporates both physical and augmented reality elements.
This artwork shows us how technology, culture, and nature must co-exist harmoniously.
Throughout the world, major international airports frequently make the news with their public art programmes, where local artists serve as cultural ambassadors, and art institutions continue to collaborate with airport authorities.
A major public art programme has been initiated ahead of the opening of the FIFA football World Cup this November at the Hamad International Airport in Qatar, while a 6.5m-tall pink flamingo is the latest public art sculpture to be installed at the Tampa International Airport in the United States.
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