Ten years ago, graffiti artists in Malaysia could only dream of having their artworks displayed on public walls around KL city. But beginning 2006, graffiti works by many unknown artists began decorating the lifeless walls along the Klang River banks for almost 300 metres.
However, Kuala Lumpur City Hall suddenly decided that enough was enough and two years later, they painted over the graffiti. The walls along the Klang River banks became dull again.
While City Hall and the police may think that graffiti is not an art form, many of the genre's artists disagree and ventured back again to create new art works.
Although some people may see graffiti as 'unauthorised' writing or drawing on a surface in a public place, one cannot overlook the aesthetic angle. It has form, colour, and other elements that qualify it aesthetically as being art.
But not all graffiti art is done on the street. Many graffiti artists have opened their own galleries besides undertaking commission-based works, running workshops and demonstrations and owning shops selling clothes, shoes and artworks. Two of them are Mahathir and Bibi Chun.
Local graffiti artist Mahathir - also known as 'They' - has been doing street art for the past ten years and has actively pursued it full time for the past six years. He founded the TheyArtStudio in 2004 and recently started the 'TLG Art Movement'. Graffiti, he says, is the best medium for communication between an artist and society using visuals.
Bibi Chun meanwhile, a Penang-based artist, is famous for his trademark character, the eye.
More and more artists are joining the KL graffiti scene although graffiti art at the moment is still functioning as an alternative sub-culture. Malaysians are still not used to art approaching us outside of conventional settings such as art galleries.
Graffiti artists, however, don't consider themselves criminals or consider what they're doing to be vandalism. To them, they are artists just trying to beautify something otherwise dull and ugly to the eyes - like blank cement walls!
Graffiti can also be a political statement, an intricate drawing, a sticker, an etching or an unrecognisable mosaic. Though graffiti in Malaysia is a punishable crime, some argue that graffiti is an under-appreciated art form. Though illegal, the concept of whether or not it is art is up for interpretation.
Graffiti artists, nevertheless, can be seen in a positive light as they slowly start to become accepted.
Produced by: Lydia Azizan
Editor: Lydia Azizan
Script: Azreen Madzlan
Camera: Mohd Fahmy Mohd Hashim
