Spreading Happiness In The City

Spreading Happiness In The City

• 8.03.2017

I do admit that i dread coming back to my own country for many reasons, it's actually bad that i tend to see the negative side of things so often compared to the positive parts :-/

Pretty sure i'm not the only one who feels that way after seeing the current condition of our own country, there are many tall buildings all over the KL city but it somehow doesn't seem to spark much joy to me whenever i look at it but instead it's just another typical city sight like everywhere else around the world but in the midst of the city there is a place that's filled with colorful murals that really makes a difference in the atmosphere of the area which is actually a large drain at Pasar Seni LRT done by various amazing and talented mural artists, it somehow made itself into an iconic sight where both locals and tourists flock by just to appreciate the art.

You hardly see people complimenting a building or wall unless it's tall/ big/ ridiculously designed but when there's an artwork on it, immediately people's perspective of that place changes.

Yes, i'm complimenting the drain instead of the tall skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur lol, it comes to show that art actually plays a huge role in spreading a new kind of happiness and gives hope to our dull systematic urban lifestyle. Like Katy Perry's latest song "chained to the rhythm", people reject the difference (as a defect) in fear of the unknown but what if, just what if all our buildings were actually made colorful in the first place that would definitely make everyone's day a much more cheerful one.

Okay let's put aside those deep thoughts for a moment and ponder about this topic instead:

Ever wonder how we could do something to make someone else's day a better and happier one compared to the horrible week they had whether at work or at home.

Most would probably say do some charity like giving money to the poor or helping an old/ handicapped person to cross the road but really spreading happiness isn't a difficult task in fact just by genuinely smiling and saying thank you to the kak cashier at the petrol station can easily make her day.

This same concept applies when we are trying to spread this happiness on a larger scale, it doesn't have to be a size of godzilla in order for people to notice it like a smile on your face that only the kak cashier can see. Like the proverb goes "big surprises come in small packages", it may be small but it's able to capture a person's attention easily.

I remember last year when i saw a van driving around town dressed as a tsum tsum mickey mouse, it immediately made me so ecstatic that i actually chased it down the road just to get a picture of it as it stopped at the traffic light. Not a sight you'll get to see everyday but that small cute van definitely made my day!

This is scenario is similar to what i am going to share about during my recent field trip to Lafarge.

The purpose i came was to see their progress on their recent Happiness in The City project that was launched in June 2017, a unique project collaborating with uprising talented students from various colleges and universities to create an art form with the means of contributing back to society in a subtle yet impactful way.

Out of so many entries it was challenging task for Lafarge to shortlist these 14 designs that is to be executed and toured around Malaysia starting from August onwards.

Art makes a difference in our lives.

It's a form of expression, freedom

It's great that Lafarge is taking the first step with our younger generation to shape a brighter and more vibrant city to help boost the overall morale in the community with their newly painted concrete trucks that is being dispatched throughout the city heading towards their next project site to build the future. It might seem like a non relevant effort to some because what can a few colorful concrete truck on the road do for us the people who are here right now facing the harsh reality of life.

By opening up your minds and looking at this project from a different perspective, art does impact a person's life whether it was subconsciously or not, everywhere around us we are actually surrounded by them. Creativity is limitless, and it comes in many forms but the most appealing form is one that definitely involves colors.

"Colors are our voices"

I find this effort a noble cause because not only they are brightening up potentially thousands of people's day with their trucks, they are also providing a platform for budding artists to unleash their creativity. Makes me wish i was still back in college so that i could join it too but it's too late because i graduated a long time ago liao. Remembered back during my high school days how i was an active member of the school's mural painting team, always drawing and painting murals on all parts of the school. It's like i had the license to "vandalized" the walls in a pretty way and what better way than to conteng a wall without being punished for it, also it's another valid reason for me to skip class lol just hope none of my previous school teachers are reading this blog post of mine *shhhhh*

Yes, i was such a delinquent kid back then and still am (at heart), such fond memories indeed and i would give anything to experience again this once more :)

Because our artistic passion wasn't bound or dismissed, as we were truly blessed to have teachers who recognized our talents and allowing us to make a good use out of it. Just exactly like what Lafarge is doing right now with this campaign!

All geared up and ready to head on site!

Checking the teams out, more like kepoh and itchy hand want to paint as well lol

During the tour i had the opportunity to watch these students diligently working on their paintings (sorry i buat kacau jer) at the workshop area, it isn't easy for them to plan their designs out and spending days executing it as a team making sure it's completed within the given duration.

I can tell that this isn't as easy as it looks, takes alot of patience and teamwork here because at the end of the day everyone's goal is to see the final outcome of their artwork on display for the public eye, as an artist myself there's nothing more rewarding than that.

From a sketch to reality

We are more than just artists, we create the future we want to live in

The amount of details on this artwork is amazing, the blending of colors are impeccable

Simple and clean artwork style but the choice of colors is perfect against the sky blue background, almost similar to an pop art work style!

Here are a few i saw stationed at Lafarge that i personally think deserves a vote, there are elements of Malaysia in it, interpreted in the most colorful way possible yet it doesn't look messy at all, in fact how i wish our actual twin towers were in that color instead lol that would be very interesting.

so which one out of this whole post in your favourite?

Do head over to this LINK [CLICK ME] to vote for your favourite concrete truck design

that would be touring throughout Malaysia soon!

For more details and updates on this project do follow Lafarge Malaysia's official social media pages

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/LafargeMalaysia/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lafargemalaysia

XOXO,