Arts On The Move (AOTM) was set up in 2016 with the aim of connecting culture and transit, beginning with the Masjid Jamek LRT Station. This was implemented by Think City in collaboration with Prasarana, and supported by Yayasan Hasanah. The 2023 edition is now anchored at MRT Pasar Seni, organised by Think City in collaboration with MRT Corporation and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), and supported by Yayasan Sime Darby and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC).
AOTM is amongst one of the programmes taking place in the city as part of the recommendation from the Kuala Lumpur Creative and Culture Strategic Master Plan, a plan for the development and revitalisation of the cultural and creative industries in Kuala Lumpur that has been incorporated in the DBKL 2040 structure plan. The goal of the plan is to create a vibrant and sustainable district in the city that will attract both local and international visitors, and to foster the growth of the creative and cultural industries in the region.
AOTM will be happening every fortnight from February to June 2023 between 5:00PM to 6:00PM at the Pasar Seni MRT Station. The programme will feature curated quality performances, art installations and workshops for commuters to enjoy and participate in.
On 14 February 2023, Arts On The Move was launched by YB Anthony Loke, Minister of Transport at the Pasar Seni MRT Station.
The launch included performance by the Mah Meri Cultural Village and the official launch of Sunnyside Up, an art installation by Pamela Tan of Poh Sin Studio.
(28 December 2023)
Founded in 2002, the Young KL Singers (YKLS) under the umbrella of Young Choral Academy, is one of Malaysia’s most active community choirs, exploring a myriad of different musical worlds – from Malaysian folk music, to rock, to unique artists like Bjork.
The choir has produced over 30 concert productions to date, including a few sold-out shows and Kakiseni BOH Cameronian award-winning performances. In addition, the group has competed in, and won, global choral competitions such as the World Choir Games and the Malaysian Choral Eisteddfod International Choral Festival. Definitely no “stand and sing” choir, YKLS’ signature is their energy and exuberance during their performances, making their productions a uniquely different experience.
This fun (and loud!) group comprises members of all walks of life – teachers, lawyers, accountants, students, parents, and both trained and untrained singers/musicians – all of whom feel life would not be complete without spending at least one night a week singing and performing.
Since 2004, YKLS has also committed to helping the underprivileged whenever possible by performing at charity events and dedicating one show of their annual productions to charity. Organizations which they have been privileged to host at their charity matinees are Rumah Hope, Rumah Impian, the National Autistic Society of Malaysia, the Malaysian Parkinson’s Disease Association, The Malaysian Association of the Blind, and the Dignity For Children Foundation.
(14 December 2023)
The Frankie Sixes are currently one of the most prominent swing jazz acts in the country, with some familiar faces from the Malaysian music scene. Led by award-winning indie folk singer-songwriter Reza Salleh on vocals, with Ee Jeng on piano, Che Wan on double bass, Eddy Lim on sax and Isaac Marvin on trumpet, the band is a 6-piece jazz combo focusing on original Malaysian Swing Jazz. Fresh of the release of their debut self-titled EP this past May, locally the band has played platforms such as Publika Jazz Fest, Iskandar Puteri Jazz Festival, Malaysian Jazz Piano Festival, R!UH and Urbanscapes, whereas internationally they have played Club Monk and the Haeundae Jazz Festival in Korea, Taiwan Lantern Festival in Taiwan, and Swingmania in Thailand. Expect to hear some classic swing standards as well as their own original Malaysian swing jazz tunes and be prepared to move your feet!
(30 November 2023)
Fusion performance of Western and Middle Eastern musical styles featuring a mix of traditional and contemporary instruments from different eras—Handpan, Piano, Djembe, Didgeridoo—creates a unique and captivating live experience, especially enhanced by the presence of the Handpan.
Ruwano Handpan Studio was founded in 2022 by handpan musician Jasper Tan Ezing in Petaling Jaya. The main focus of the studio is to provide lessons, performances, workshops, and training related to handpan music. The core values of the studio are to create and build a sharing-oriented handpan community in Malaysia, and spreading accurate and knowledge-based information about handpan.
The Studio is dedicated to exploring the possibilities of the handpan, it has actively collaborated with various genres of music professionals, as well as ventured into potential partners from non-music fields to explore and organize joint activities such as yoga, tea ceremonies, and holistic therapies.
(16 November 2023)
Dancing in Place (DIP) is a signature programme by MyDance Alliance which presents unique performances at different locations, pushing the boundary of what it means to experience and engage with a dance showcase. DIP was first shown at Rimbun Dahan, an arts residency compound of 14 acres set outside Kuala Lumpur, but eventually evolved into different variations which included areas at the Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC), One Utama Mall and a version in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. DIP took on a digital form over the pandemic and presented 6 different online presentations by different choreographers from 6 different cities of Malaysia (Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Melaka, Ipoh, Penang and Kuala Lumpur). This special edition for Arts On The Move will be a new variation to DIP and will be unique to the space within the bustling transit station which will be a must-see for local audience and international visitors alike!
All works are original creations and use the same performance site as a canvas. Each choreographer will present their own creative ideas which embody innovative and experimentation approaches to dance and movement.
(9 November 2023)
TARAKUCHA! is the home-grown ‘terrer-menerrer retro glam Malaysian big band’, named after a famous backing-riff from a vintage P. Ramlee song – representing the genre of music that is the band’s signature. Created by and starring singer/ actor SEAN GHAZI with co-lead vocalist IDA MARIANA, TARAKUCHA! is led by Musical Director NISH THAM on keys, and for this particular outing for ARTS ON THE MOVE – AMAR AZALAN on Bass, DERRICK SIOW on drums, AKZ on latin percussion and SHAFIQ on guitar. This is just a fraction of the full ensemble due to perform next month at BoboKL in a season entitled “Cinema TARAKUCHA!” from November 16 to 26.
(19 October 2023)
Dhol Federation is the most established Dhol Troupe in South East Asia. Dhol Federation captivate audiences with the vibrant rhythms of dhol drumming, shaped by centuries-old Punjabi folk traditions as well as Punjabi folk traditions as well as contemporary sensibilities. Founded by master drummer Keeran D, Dhol Federation has a total of 12 professional Dhol drummers based in Kuala Lumpur, and many more around Malaysia. Keeran D is widely regarded as South East Asia’s best Dhol Player. Core drummers of the Dhol Federation have been handpicked through a difficult selection process by Keeran D. Dhol Federation is known for infusing traditional Bhangra rhythms with original creative beats, and its graceful and energetic choreography, creating an enthralling musical experience for audiences.
(5 October 2023)
Kumpulan Dikir Barat Arjunasukma was founded by Mohd Sulhie Yusuf, fondly known as Abe Yie, with a mission to nurture a new generation of Dikir Barat talent. The troupe believes in maintaining the heritage of the Dikir Barat without discouraging creative innovations inspired by its traditional roots. Arjunasukma also strives to establish Dikir Barat as an international art form and encourages academic research on it.
Dikir Barat is a popular Kelantanese performance involving singing, spontaneous verse call and answer and chorus chanting. A dikir barat troupe is made up of a juara or jogho (leader), a tukang karut (improvised verse composer), and the awak-awak (chorus clappers).
(21 September 2023)
ASK Dance Company is a full-time dance company based in Kuala Lumpur composed of professional dancers. We specialise in providing training, workshops, master classes, performances, choreography as well as undertaking collaborative projects in traditional and contemporary genres of dance.
The company comprises dancers with a Bachelor of Dance in Performance or Choreography and are full-time professionals. They have also received numerous awards including winning gold medals at World Championship of Performing Arts, Selangor Young Talent Award 2011, BOH Cameronian Arts Awards for Performance, Choreography and other categories, International Scholarships and other distinguished prizes.
The company’s philosophy is that to be alive, one must continuously learn, and thus be unafraid to ASK pertinent questions. Its dance productions serve as a platform for this dialogue, from issues about disenfranchisement to celebrations of life.
(14 September 2023)
Derived from the Malay word “Naung” meaning shelter/protection, NAUNGAN was officially formed in 2022.
Finding shelter in each others strength & unique talents, the co- founders of NAUNGAN represent the best classical & traditional instrumentalists in the country.
A breath of fresh air, NAUNGAN explore a blend of modern arrangements of Malaysian folk & contemporary songs representing various ”World Ethnic Fusion” sounds through their classical & traditional instruments.
NAUNGAN aims to be an Ambassador in promoting Unity In Music through their new song arrangements & original compositions.
(6th July 2023)
1Drum & Friends provides interactive drumming experiences including drum circles, percussion performances or drum training/rentals. With a strong repertoire of engagements across some of the biggest music events in the region, 1Drum.org & friends are able to mesmerize crowds and get everyone into the groove of the beat from samba to drumline to eco-music to African and more.
Persatuan Ghazal Johor Malaysia or GHAJMAS is an arts organization dedicated to educate, develop and showcase traditional Malay performing art forms especially the Ghazal. GHAJMAS is regularly engaged to conduct instrumental workshops, stage sensational Malay and Johor Ghazal performances and present on the subject of traditional Malay arts.
(8th June 2023)
Paladin is a KL-based contemporary cello band. As one of the first cello rock bands in Southeast Asia, Paladin has been featured in hit TV music programmes and has performed in almost every live music venue in KL in addition to some of the biggest music festivals in the region such as Penang Jazz Festival and Rainforest World Music Festival.
With a focus on live performance, Paladin showcases their own original arrangements of popular Malaysian and international hits across multiple genres from hard rock to pop, funk, reggae and world music, and they are passionate in cross-discipline collaborations with local musicians to elevate Malaysia’s music scene to greater heights.
(25th May 2023)
TUAI interprets the “harvest” through Bornean contemporary culture, adapted through dance and performance to create an immersive experience for the audience. Weaving together performance art and artifacts by TUAI brings to life the cultures of Sabah and Sarawak remembered through stories and myth into the present. In conjunction with Kaamatan and Gawai, this hour-long show features solo dance and music performances by multidisciplinary artists Fahezul Azri, Munirih Jebeni, Ethel Deidre and Rithaudin Abdul Kadir.
Instagram: Sesi Tikar Menkuang | Rithaudin Abdul Kadir | Munirih Fredolin | Wak Gelek Ujong Tanjong | Cethelyst
(12th May 2023)
Turning the idea of vanilla girl bands on its head, these three sisters from Kuantan write and sing expressive tunes with bouts of unique romantic depth, blending quirky soul and folk-pop. The Impatient Sisters’ songs are distinctly characterized by haunting harmonies, eclectic arrangements of guitar, xylophone and the kazoo.
The Impatient Sisters first dipped their toes into the local music scene 2011 singing covers of their influences Eisley and Priscilla Ahn to great audience reception, which inspired the sisters to produce original materials.
Over the years, The Impatient Sisters has risen to become Malaysia’s leading indie folk band with local and international accolades under their belt and with appearances in some of the most popular music events in the region including Urbanscapes, Mosaic Music Festival and Good Vibes. They also opened for highlight international acts such as The Jezabels (Australia) and Dia Frampton (USA).
(27 April 2023)
FUSION WAYANG KULIT (Fusion WK) is an award-winning team from Malaysia founded by Tintoy Chuo and Take-Huat in 2012. The duo work closely with Mr. Pak Dain, the 13th accredited Tok Dalang (Master Puppeteer) to revive the traditional shadow puppetry art by merging it with the digital/multimedia realm. Together they aim to spread this cultural awareness further afield while preserving the unique tradition in its home nation.
As a team, Fusion WK keeps that particular tradition alive by using different subject matters as the basis of their creations, implementing some of the most well-known pop culture icons of the modern age such as Star Wars, DC superheroes (Batman, Wonder Woman), Bruce Lee, Ed Sheeran, Predator and Japanese mecha (Evangelion, Zaku of Gundam) & Tokusatsu (Ultraman, Kamen Rider). Fusion WK has also created the first ever transformable wayang kulit puppet in the world, the Macross-inspired Valkruda Seta.
Over the years, the team has been featured on CNN, Wall Street Journal, BBC UK, Al Jazeera America, History Channel, NZZ FOLIO Switzerland, Nikkei Asia Japan and recognised by the official Star Wars channel and PlayStation Asia.
For Arts On The Move, Fusion Wayang Kulit presents excerpts inspired by the Dark Knight film, and Peperangan Bintang!
(13 April 2023)
Comprising talented traditional and contemporary artists from various musical disciplines, The Guzheng Academy specializes in the practice, education and preservation of traditional Chinese music heritage. For Arts On The Move, The Guzheng Academy presents Sara Heng (guzheng), Tee Jun Hui (erhu), Sylvester Liew (keyboard) and Jimmy Chong (percussion).
SARA HENG
Sara Heng is a guzheng artist who has performed internationally in various music festivals and explored different genres with both traditional and electric guzheng. With international concert performances under her belt in Singapore, China, Japan, South Korea and Cambodia, Sara is also the founder of The Guzheng Academy and deputy president of Malaysia Guzheng Association.
TEE JUN HUI
Trained under the renowned erhu master Song Fei, Tee Jun Hui received awards and competition accolades locally and internationally. His repertoire includes solo recitals and performances with Malaysia Philharmonic Orchestra, and he has also composed masterpieces for Chinese orchestras.
SYLVESTER LIEW
Sylvester Liew is an international keyboardist with more than 19 years of experience performing in over a thousand events and concerts. Svlvester has extensive experience working with local and international artists such as Selina Gan, Pianoman Su Yang, Tony Sun, WaWa and many more.
JIMMY CHONG
Jimmy Chong majors in percussion, music composition and arrangement, and music production. An active musician in many local indie music groups, Jimmy is a frequent favorite in local performing arts circles. His musical forte ranges avant garde, modern, pop, rock, jazz, electronic, and experimental music. Jimmy has performed in countless commercial performances, music concerts, and cultural music events, including tours in France, USA, Macau, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Maldives, Turkmenistan, India, and China.
(30 March 2023)
KICAU BILAU
Comprising dynamic husband and wife duo Ahmad Irfan and Jihan Salleh, Kicau Bilau creates site-specific soundscapes through angklung and guitar in reflection of the Nusantara’s rich cultural & spiritual traditions. The name Kicau-bilau is a wordplay intended as an opposite to the Malay reduplicative word “kacau-bilau” which bears the similar meaning and linguistic trait of “helter-skelter” or “topsy-turvy”. Over the years, they have performed in art markets, festivals and residencies across Asia Pacific and Europe.
ALI ADENAN
Ali Adenan is a poet from Kuantan who is regularly invited to perform and recite his prose at art events across Malaysia. His unique literary and delivery style is inspired by nature and he has a way of captivating his audience with his mesmerizing performances. His poems focus on the struggles and challenges of everyday life. With a talent for capturing emotions and experiences in his writing, Ali tends to leave a lasting impact on his listeners.
DEE ALHADI
Dee Alhadi is a creative practitioner involved in theatre and production. Having worked in both small and large scale TV commercials, dramas and feature films, Dee Alhadi shifted her focus in exploring new avenues for her artistic expressions , and now mainly performs in art festivals and other events that fuel her passion for performing arts.
(16 March 2023)
Thrive Talent Tank (popularly known as 3T) is a company based in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia which was set up in 2015 to bring Malaysian freelance artists into the performance circuit both local and abroad together with a branding and social media arm to it. The company is the brainchild of Malaysian musician legend Dr. Sivabalan S.Shanmuga Sundram. He is a mridangam (South Indian Classical drums) artist graduating from Perbadanan Kesenian dan Kebudayaan (The Temple of Fine Arts, KL) in 1992.
The performance by 3T Karnatic Konnexions includes some traditional composed pieces which are centuries old- rearranged to present the timelessness of these traditionally inspired works of poetry and music. The evening will also offer some edutainment on the make, structure, and sound, including introduction of some rudimentary aspects of traditional Indian instruments such as veena (lute), mridangam (percussion), morsing (mouth harp) and the ghatam claypot. The performance will also feature an exciting percussion exchange known as thetaala-vadya!
(2 March 2023)
Gangsapura is a Contemporary Malay Gamelan Group, first established in October 2016, based in the heart of Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur, with the aim of promoting Malaysian culture, developing traditional arts and instilling arts and music skills among the community.
Founded by Teuku Umar Ilany and Nur Diyana Nadirah, Gangsapura strives to fulfil its mission to inspire, motivate, influence, educate and communicate through Gamelan music. It aspires to be an example and a pioneer in traditional Gamelan music playing and to create awareness among the community of Malaysia’s traditional art forms.
Awarded the Best of 2019 performance by Kakiseni, the group is made up of experienced musicians from various backgrounds who have dedicated their life and love to music and Gamelan.
Arts On The Move Piano at the Station invites you to take a seat and share your music with others.
This pop-up public piano project aims to encourage interactive engagement through music-making that will foster joy, wonder and interest among many other positive benefits to your daily commute in Downtown Kuala Lumpur.
Join us in making Kuala Lumpur a thriving and creative destination through Arts On The Move, an ongoing series of captivating public arts activations .
AOTM Piano at the Station is a community effort, made possible by Allegro Music & Arts and Graceful Piano Sdn Bhd with artwork print by local artist Mark Tan.
Tag us at @mythinkcity #AOTMPiano #ArtsOnTheMoveKL, and we’ll share it with the world.
@gracefulpiano @allegromusicandarts @mrtmalaysia @yayasan_hasanah @dewanbandarayakualalumpur
Oculus (EYE) is about living in the future, now in this present moment through new way of seeing. Taking responsibility of our lives and embracing our unique power to create our dream reality by reinventing ourselves and living our new story towards our goal. Believing is seeing.
Oculus was first created for Good Vibes Festival and is now part of Arts On The Move, inviting the public to visualise new stories, narratives and instilling a renewed self-belief while standing underneath the oculus, reflecting on how our hopes and dreams are as limitless as the sky. The mirrors around the installation symbolizes parallel realities and infinite possibilities that exist in the moment. It is represented as an opportunity for the visitors to tap into their dream reality, in their imagination and believing it as a reality now.
Artist’s Profile
Bono Stellar is a multidisciplinary artist who creates experiential art installations, inspired by architecture, art movements, music, psychology, science, spirituality and more. Known for her colourful psychedelic art and design, she is always experimenting new mediums and techniques in every creation.
“PRISM,” originally designed for iLight Festival 2023 at Millenia Walk, Singapore, now graces Pasar Seni MRT Station, as part of the Arts On The Move programme in Downtown Kuala Lumpur. This installation leverages natural and artificial light to create dynamic, colour-shifting spatial experiences using truncated pyramid forms. By day, they act as light shafts; by night, they become radiant beacons through carefully curated artificial lighting. These pyramids are thoughtfully positioned within the station’s linear landscape, inspired by the intricate movements of the transit systems while inviting viewers to explore the captivating world of chromotherapy.
Artist’s Profile
Born in 1988, Jun Ong is a Kuala Lumpur-based light artist. His work “Star” – a five-storey light installation in Penang was nominated for World’s Best in Spatial Art at the Media Architecture Biennale (2016) in Sydney. He has shown at major art festivals like Art SG (2023), Taiwan Lantern Festival (2023), Art Central Hong Kong (2018) and iLight Marina Bay Singapore (2016 & 2023). Trained in architecture, he examines how the manipulation of artificial light could affect the way we experience the built form and its environment. He has collaborated with programmers, video artists, quantum physicists and sound artists in his multi-scaled works. Jun has been commissioned by brands like Nike, The Hour Glass, Gucci, PUBG and Philips Lighting for site-specific light installations. In parallel with his art practice, Jun is the co-founder of the KL-based spatial design studio, and was a lecturer in lighting design at Sunway University, Malaysia. With a think-tank approach, Jun and his students developed research and design in sensorial deprivation, performative lighting and illuminative psychology over a period of three years.
Amidst the symphony of nature’s grandeur, a meticulous selection of trees takes centre stage, each carrying its own story to be told. Venturing into different parts of the Klang Valley, the artitst sought discarded tree branches that once embodied resilience, grace, and a profound connection to the soil they called home. These remnants of nature now find new life in their forest installation now available along the MRT Pasar Seni – LRT Pasar Seni Link Bridge.
Within the bustling station, where urban infrastructure converges with art, a forest is reimagined using fallen wooden branches and 3D printed joints to recreate a forest in a concrete environment. Limb intertwines with limb, weaving together their collective strength—an enchanting display that whispers ancient wisdom and promises the miracle of rebirth. Together, we shall revel in the boundless beauty of nature’s creation and honour the profound connection that binds us all.
Artist Profile
Wendy Teo of Wendy Teo Atelier is a UK ARB/RIBA Chartered Architect, Curator, Researcher and Tutor that sees embedding social-culture dialogue in forming architecture as her ultimate pursuit. Her works has been translated into varied medium and scale throughout her commitment with Foster and Partners, Divooe Zein Atelier, Borneo Art Collective, Taiwan Architect Magazine, CanopyU and a number of workshop tutorship, one of the notable ones being the 2013/14 Archilab exhibition. In 2016, Wendy Teo founded Borneo Art Collective to document tangible and intangible cultural heritage of Borneo. The same year, she founded her own practice, Wendy Teo Atelier, based in Borneo and operates on a cross disciplinary scale.
Pasar Seni is inseparable from Downtown Kuala Lumpur. One could not imagine Downtown KL without it being mentioned as a location or cultural reference point in some form or another. In trying to draw in the geographic iconography of Pasar Seni, ‘Sunnyside Up’ takes cues from the city’s heritage, culture, innovation and the communities living around it. As an extended spine in and out of Downtown KL, the Pasar Seni transit intersection has increased the location’s reach to locals and tourists alike.
In capturing the energy of the street level down into the station beneath, rays of sunlight were imagined as being pulled along the pedestrian walkways, guiding them as they gently descended into the station. This staircase feature helps brighten up daily commuters as they explore the city or head off to work, while greeting those on their journey home after a hard day’s toil, adding a small and joyful gesture towards KLites daily lives. Living to Arts On The Move’s tagline of Connecting Culture and Transit, ‘Sunnyside Up’ reimagines everyday pedestrian routes and transforms it into a unique and enjoyable experience for all.
Artist Profile
Pamela Poh Sin Tan is an artist-architectural designer who creates her artwork through explorations of art, architecture and design. Her work aims to blur the boundaries between creative disciplines invoking ambiguity in her art. Through her craft, she seeks the subtle unseen and intends to unveil the unknown delights in various scales. She aspires to create pieces that embody layers of spatial and experiential narratives.
Pamela obtained her Masters in Architecture RIBA Part 2 (MArch) from the University of Greenwich, UK. Her first year MArch studio project entitled “Mappa Mundi: A Map Maker’s Dream” was selected to be exhibited in London’s The Royal Academy of Arts’ Summer Exhibition 2015. She is the winner of the fifth and final cycle of the Tan Sri Chan Sau Lai Architecture Award in 2016. Recently, two of her projects, “Eden” and “Projection Kite”, won the Bronze and Merit awards respectively in the Design for Asia Award 2020 under the category of Environmental Design and, on 2021, “Eden” won best of the best for German Design Council- Iconic Award.