KL Sketch Nation brings 50 live paintings by 50 young painters to Stadium Merdeka!

In the spirit of Malaysia’s 67th National Day, this exhibition follows KL Sketch Nation (KLSN)’s ‘Big Drawing Event’ in early August, which also commemorates the creative community’s 10-year anniversary.

By NABILA AZLAN

KL Sketch Nation (KLSN), the brainchild of Ahmad Hakym Ahmad Hilmy (Hakym, 34) during his student days in 2014 has grown into a supportive home for sketching enthusiasts. KLSN has been strong in cultivating the values of community through art; taking on nation-building efforts through the means of a creative environment. Who knew sketching could be such an amazing tool in doing so?

“[At the start of KLSN] we were simply a group of friends who likes to draw on streets,” architect and KLSN’s founding president tells BASKL. “But then it grew more serious – so serious that it has become a part of my Master’s and pHD theses!” The group is registered as Pertubuhan Bangsa Seni Lakar under the Registrar of Societies, solidifying its venture into social entrepreneurship.

KLSN, according to Hakym and VP Jakob Van Klang, will soon be rebranded to Sketch Nation Media Group – a media group as well as an advocate for ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) in regards to community engagement. The group wishes to collaborate across social and creative disciplines in the near future. 2024 marks KLSN’s 10th year since its inception, recording 260 registered members in the group.

On Aug 3, 2024, the newly-renovated Stadium Merdeka sees its 50 active members gathering for the Big Drawing Event. For one day only, artists of different professions and backgrounds, paint their heart on canvas. Vivid strokes of the lush field and blue skies, not to mention the neighbouring Merdeka 118 building and decorated with All 50 painted artworks (which drew a different breath of air as compared to their sketch works) are exhibited on site from Aug 30 to Sept 1, 2024!

Ahmad Hakym Ahmad Hilmy with his to-be-completed masterpiece on Aug 2, 2024. Hakym is an architect who doubles as a heritage and culture advocate.

BASKL is fortunate to catch Hakym during the Big Drawing Event, showcasing his brushwork while enthusiastically telling us about the project. “We were invited by PNB Merdeka Ventures to collaborate in this project, in conjunction with the reopening of Stadium Merdeka, “he says. “All these paintings will be exhibited then, just in time for Hari Kebangsaan.”

This is not the first time KLSN has been approached by PNB Merdeka Ventures to hold a meaningful drawing event on location. However, this time their gathering is to creatively empower youths. Each artist here, aside from the mentors are under 40 years of age.”

“We want to live (and relive) [in the spirit of] Stadium Merdeka with community events,” he tells. “We believe that a building like this deserves more and it is about time that it is celebrated. These heritage buildings really should be considered for adaptive reuse, instead of leaving them abandoned.”

“Normally we are KL Sketch Nation would host our sketch walks,” adds Hakym. “We would [live] sketch for 30 to 45 minutes but today, each member is given an A2 canvas and a whole day to ‘sculpt’ their artworks.”

KLSN events, including this one, have seen families gathering in a shared creative pursuit. The community is highly supportive of youths taking part in each one, with children following their parents in the casual, often-chatty illustrative hours. “During each event we would see no less than 20 people in active participation! This is truly a positive environment [for everyone], making our weekends content,” notes Hakym.

All 50 paintings by 50 young artists are exhibited at Stadium Merdeka from Aug 30 to Sept 1, 2024. For more information as well as KLSN’s upcoming events in celebration of National Day and Malaysia Day, head over to KL Sketch Nation’s Instagram or official website!

Photos by KL Sketch Nation and Nabila Azlan.

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