Art In The City By CENDANA Launch @ Jenerator, KL CityWalk

We all should be proud of our local artists and support them. Recently I attended the launch of the Art In The City by CENDANA (Cultural Economy Development Agency) in a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Federal Territories and Kuala Lumpur City Hall at one of the hidden gem in KL. The launch was held at Jenerator an event space at KL CityWalk which is such a charm with umbrellas, hipster cafes and more. Amidst the historic Kuala Lumpur iconic buildings, Art In the City brings together the cultural backdrop and stories in our thriving city - transforming our landscape into a colourful visual experience as a must-see destination for art lovers.

Art In The City By CENDANA Launch @ Jenerator, KL CityWalk

The Art In The City will feature 14 artworks from 13 legendary grassroots artists, their works will be showcased prominently at strategic locations with high visibility across the city with the aim to position and recognize Kuala Lumpur as a cultural and creative city. Arts and culture are the core ingredients in urban development and the fuel in making each city in Malaysia distinctive in its identity. The city’s success is dependent on our people and ideas.

Art In The City By CENDANA Launch @ Jenerator, KL CityWalk

  

Officiating the launch of Art In The City was Yang Berhormat Tuan Haji Khalid bin Abd Samad, Minister of Federal Territories, who showed strong support for the development of the local arts and acknowledged that Malaysia is a nation brimming with talent but may currently lack supported avenues and right policies that can contribute in showcasing their potential.

Yang Berhormat Tuan Haji Khalid bin Abd Samad, Minister of Federal Territories (standing center) together with the seven grassroot artists along with CENDANA’s team

  

So basically, Art In The City is a 6-month long campaign with stunning outdoor visual display of local arts across Kuala Lumpur that serves as a strategic effort to promote the local arts community in expressing and showcasing their talents, while making art more accessible to the public.

Natasha Iman explaining her artwork to Yang Berhormat Tuan Haji Khalid bin Abd Samad, Minister of Federal Territories. Looking on is Puan Izan Satrina Mohd Sallehuddin, Founding CEO of CENDANA and Yang Berhormat Sheikh Umar Bagharib bin Ali, Johor State Exco Chairman for Information, Entrepreneurship Development, Cooperatives and Creative Economy

The campaign started in January 2018 with a call to local artists to submit works of art that represents Malaysia. Over 1,000 pieces were submitted and they were narrowed down to 30 by a panel of academics as well as arts and culture experts, after which the shortlist was opened for public voting.

From the left, Yang Berhormat Tuan Haji Khalid bin Abd Samad, Minister of Federal Territories, Yang Berhormat Sheikh Umar Bagharib bin Ali, Johor State Exco Chairman for Information, Entrepreneurship Development, Cooperatives and Creative Economy, Puan Izan Satrina Mohd Sallehuddin, Founding CEO of CENDANA and Encik Khairul Anuar bin Mhd Juri, Director of Culture, Tourism, Arts and Sports of Kuala Lumpur City Hall, posing with the Bornean Orang Utan, an artwork by Suzi Chua showcased at KL Citywalk

After highly competitive rounds of voting process, Art In The City will feature 10 artworks from Suzi Chua, Brindha Kumar, Samantha Cheah (YueYue), Syamsul Addenno, Nor Aziela binti Ahmad, ART:TECH, Natasha Iman, Ahmad Sanuri Zulkefli, Sivabalan Arumugam, and Jing Chung. Additionally, the outdoor display will feature 4 artworks from legendary artists such as Dato’ Mohd Hoessein Enas, Datuk Ibrahim Hussein and Kok Yew Puah, made possible by the National Art Gallery.

Art In The City By CENDANA Launch @ Jenerator, KL CityWalk

Art In The City is designed to raise greater awareness of the local arts and cultural scene, and to encourage Malaysians to visit art galleries and museums around Kuala Lumpur, Art In The City strives to further propagate the notion of Kuala Lumpur as an upcoming cultural and creative hub.

For maximum exposure of artwork to reach city dwellers, CENDANA worked together with Kuala Lumpur City Hall in strategizing locations of artwork display. This joint effort is to ensure optimum reach at high traffic areas in the heart of the city as well as areas adjacent to art galleries and museums.

This is also made possible with synergised efforts with public and private partners involved in the effort, namely Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), National Art Gallery, LEDTRONICS, KL Citywalk, PNB, Lot 10, Bursa Malaysia Berhad, Wisma Maran, Maybank Foundation, NSTP, Wariscan, and KL Hop-On Hop-Off.

For more information about Art in the City by CENDANA, please visit www.cendana.com.my, with official hashtags #CENDANAMalaysia and #ArtInTheCityKL