Murals brighten up SS15 LRT area


Colourful murals painted on several SS15 LRT Station pillars mark the start of a creative placemaking project between Prasarana Malaysia and Subang Jaya assemblyman Michelle Ng, who has plans to expand such initiatives.

“The Sang Seni 15 project is an effort to improve user experience for pedestrians and motorists,” said Ng.

“It also aims to highlight the talents of local artists and combat vandalism of LRT pillars.

“The name Sang Seni 15 is a play on the area’s name and also celebrates the artists who drew the murals,” she added.

Twelve pillars at the SS15 LRT Station have been painted under Sang Seni 15, with the RM62,500 cost borne by Ng’s office and sponsor Fitline Sdn Bhd.

Ng said SS15 was a natural choice for the project, as the commercial area had trendy spots such as cafes, bubble tea outlets and lately, China-style hotpot eateries.

“SS15 is also a hangout and dining hub for young people, as there are at least five private colleges and universities in Subang Jaya, with an estimated total student population of 100,000,” she said during a site visit with Prasarana and the project’s curator, Muhamad Firdaus Omar.

“We want to encourage people to use public transport and the murals are one way of attracting people to use it,” said Prasarana Integrated Development Sdn Bhd (PRIDE) acting chief executive officer Ashok Panchalingam.

“We have received good feedback for this project.

“We will continue collaborating with Ng on other (Prasarana-owned) structures within SS15.

“SS15 sets the trend for a lot of things such as these murals.

(From left) Ashok, Muhamad Firdaus and Ng exploring the themes of the Sang Seni 15 project. — ONG SOON HIN/The Star(From left) Ashok, Muhamad Firdaus and Ng exploring the themes of the Sang Seni 15 project. — ONG SOON HIN/The Star

“We are looking at expanding this initiative to other places along Prasarana’s right of way and rail stations,” he said.

While Prasarana is open to the possibility of expanding the mural project to other structures besides pillars, Ashok said this would be subject to discussions and agreements with its advertising concessionaire.

“Prasarana has an interest in beautifying areas where it operates.

“This mural project has gained a lot of interest and we want to expand it beyond SS15,” he said.

PRIDE, a subsidiary of Prasarana, looks into increasing the group’s non-fare revenue via commercialisation of rail and bus assets.

Muhamad Firdaus, who is chief executive officer of Quest Studio, said a team of 12, comprising six artists and their assistants, took two weeks to complete the murals.

“They feature themes such as mobility, community, nature and lifestyle elements found around SS15.

“The themes were decided through discussions with Ng and Prasarana’s teams,” he said.

Muhammad Firdaus said weather and traffic were key challenges faced by the artists.

“They had to stop work when it rained heavily.

“My studio also provided safety vests, cones and lamps to ensure their safety, since they usually painted past midnight,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ng’s office had asked that the participating artists paint QR codes on pillars featuring their work.

Ng said this would connect LRT users to the artists’ social media platforms, which could help support their artistic careers.

She also acknowledged advertising concessionaire BigTree, Land Public Transport Agency and Subang Jaya City Council for their support and approval for the project’s implementation.

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