The Klang River Graffiti

The Klang river banks used to be an empty sombre looking structure filled with vandalism and ugly looking graffiti. DBKL finally learn that if you can’t beat them, you have to join them. It made an unprecedented move to support the graffiti scene by taking part in KUL Sign Festival, an art event that invited international and local graffiti artists come together to beautify the concrete walls of the riverbank.

The river banks both left and right have finally become the three kilometers long blank canvases for graffiti artists to showcase their talent. Once in a while, there will be graffiti contest held to encourage healthy competition.

It’s a win win for both party. The river banks looks more attractive with a number of graffiti arts decorating them and the graffiti artists have an outlet to show their creativity.

The are almost 100 graffiti arts can be found at both left right side of the riverbanks. It starts from the staircase of the Pasar Seni LRT Station and continues till the river banks connected to  the Central Market.

However, due to another project going on called the River of Life, more than 30% of the graffiti arts on the left side of the river bank has been decimated. It is feared that these graffiti arts will be fully destroyed to make way for the called project.

There are however, a group of people that join hands to advocate the preservation of the graffiti arts. Instead of destroying it, they hope the government will integrate these street art into the project since they could add certain vibrancy and serve something different for the eyes to feast on.

The place is accessible by public transportation. The nearest station is Pasar Seni LRT Station.

Image by: Catriona Ward

Operation Hours

The place is an open area that can be accessed 24 hours a day.

However it is not safe to visit at night.

Admission

There is no entrance fee for this place.

Location

Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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Hear From others

I was blown away by the calibre of graffiti I found by the river – that is what the combination of teen spirit and boundless creativity looks like. As I couldn’t climb down to the water and gain access to the walls without breaking a few laws, I planted myself at strategic spots along the station platform and a nearby overhead bridge to take some good shots.

Arman Shah
BespokeTraveler

Here you can find works from some of the best graffiti artists from all over Malaysia in a single place. It’s long walls is a sight to behold that can truly only be fully appreciated in person. As Richard Back, an American writer once wrote, “A tiny change today brings a dramatically different tomorrow.” This change of attitude towards this once frowned upon activity has seen other city councils follow suit with other new public spaces for graffiti artists to express themselves legally.

Miranda Yeoh
Malaysia

If you’ve never been down the banks of the Klang River next to Central Market, it’s a good idea to take a trip there. Urban city sights like awesome graffiti are sprawled across a whole stretch of riverbank walls, so why not get up close and personal with them? You’ll soon forget the dirt and heat of the concrete enclosed river when faced with these raw and artistic expressions.

Luna
ErisGoesTo

Nearby Attractions

Central Market

Central Market is one of Kuala Lumpur most popular tourist attraction. The former wet market was revamped in 1986 into a handicrafts outlet. It was designed with a combination of art-deco style and local ‘Baroque’ features.