A former part-time cartoonist for a local humour magazine called Gila-Gila, filled his spare time during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period, for the past three years by scribbling on the wall of his friend’s house in Kampung Melayu here, resulting in 62 paintings of three and four dimensions (3D and 4D).
The artist Zulkefli Dahlan, 45, said the last 3D and 4D murals were drawn on an unoccupied bungalow at the end of last year and all the murals used mural paint, smart paint and watercolour before being applied with lacquer.
“Initially, I only toyed with the idea of creating murals indoors, but after receiving support from friends all the murals in this bungalow were completed with each mural taking between three days and four months to complete.
“When the MCO ended, friends suggested that this bungalow be turned into a gallery because murals can become a tourist attraction. Since then, starting in February, this bungalow has been called Rumah Seni (art house),” he said.
He said this when met by Bernama at the ‘Famtrip Qurban Aidilahda @ Kluang 2023’ programme organised by the southern region Tourism Malaysia here recently. Also present were Tourism Malaysia Iskandar deputy director-general Mirza Mohd Yusof and Tourism Malaysia Southern Region director Muhamad Nasir Pahmi.
Zulkefli, who has been interested in painting since he was five years old, said that after Rumah Seni was opened to visitors, the gallery received nearly 1,000 domestic and foreign tourists, including from Singapore and Indonesia.
Among the murals that are the focus of tourists are the portraits of Tunku Mahkota Johor Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and also Kampung Palembang which is one of the locations in this district.
“Once upon a time when I was a child, I was laughed at by a teacher because I liked to sketch stick people. Since then I was determined to draw seriously and thankfully now my mural is sketched in this gallery and can also be found in several other districts including Mersing, Tangkak and Batu Pahat,” he said.
Meanwhile, Muhamad Nasir said Tourism Malaysia supports the efforts made by Zulkefli and his friends including Rumah Seni as one of the attractions to draw tourists.
He said in addition to Rumah Seni, tourists who come to this district can also visit Kluang Rail Coffee, Talula Hill Farm Resort, Impiana Square, Kluang Coffee Powder Factory, Bawah Kolong Restaurant, Gunung Belumut Recreational Forest, Felda Ulu Dengar, Gunung Lambak Water Park and Cattle Queen Park.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
