BY: Michelle Liew

This mural art painting on wooden shutters on the sidewalk of a row of shops in Jalan Aji, in Segamat, Johor is a new attraction in this district, including among visitors.

The ‘retro’ themed shutter mural depicting the living atmosphere of the people around the 50s was sketched with hand -painted art and painted using oil paint.

The painting is now completed after the colouring process and the painting was produced by 64 artists who found the cooperation of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, National Art Gallery, Segamat District Education Office (PPD), students of Pagoh Community College in Muar, Segamat High School (STS) and Dato Bentara Dalam Segamat School (SDBDS).

A spokesman for the Segamat street art group, Aisyamuddin Latip, 26, said the work of painting 10 pieces of shutters on the surface of the two-square-meter wooden mural, was recently completed within 48 hours.

He said, painters start painting from 8 am to 6 pm and work on it carefully to get the best results.

“We need to complete it immediately to be able to describe the uniqueness of Segamat in the eyes of local and foreign visitors.

“Visitors definitely want to dedicate the memories to the background of the subject in this wooden shutter mural.

“This is a pilot project and has received much response. The mural painting of the wooden shutters will be expanded to other locations in the district,” he said.

He said that the local community and foreign visitors are now increasingly appreciating the art of mural painting of shutters which is becoming extinct.

“We want the community to appreciate the value of this art which is considered one of the attractive tourism products, apart from giving the new artists involved a chance to get a job.

“The existence of the shutter mural has its own aura and at the same time attracts visitors, especially young people who like a relaxed atmosphere,” he said.

Most of the themes chosen depend on the wishes of the customer including creating specific figures or icons.

“Shutter murals can also be an awareness campaign to understand something for example, about the importance of appreciating nature, advertising products, conserving increasingly endangered wildlife, as well as the history of

the local area.

“With a variety of colours including black and white, it’s easier to attract the attention of many,” he said.

“This simplifies the work of drawing. Painters also use the ‘marking’ technique because it is easier to produce work that is accurate with the original subject and easy to complete,” he said.