And in the spirit of global unity and friendly competition promoted by this time-honoured event, Avenue K here has organised an Olympic-inspired art exhibition, featuring artists with disabilities and special needs.
Titled “Sport My Art,” the exhibition aims to provide a platform to showcase the talent and creativity of artists with disabilities, while raising greater awareness of the challenges they face.
“We wanted to have an event that rode on the excitement of the Paris Olympics. At Avenue K, we’ve always been about celebrating inclusion. So we decided to work with these artists with special needs, and give them an opportunity to showcase their talents and potential,” Avenue K centre manager Rachel Er said
“Some people wrongly believe that those with disabilities or special needs are unusual or odd. Most of the time, they just see the world differently. And this exhibition allows us to see the Olympics through their eyes.”
“Sport My Art” features 50 paintings from 22 local artists with disabilities, specially curated by artist Phillip Wong.
The artists, from a wide range of ages and backgrounds, include Alicia Lee, Branden Lim, Krithin Paul Pereira, Neoh Yi Woon, Ng Yi Shen, Shana Lim, Thasraveen Chandra Segaran and Sree Durga Sivabalan.
All paintings are for sale, with proceeds going directly to benefit the artists featured
Er said the exhibition was a fascinating showcase of various artistic styles and mediums, each covering different aspects of the games. Some depicted specific sports, while others depicted global cooperation or the positive spirit of the Games.
Part of the exhibition’s appeal, she added, came from interpreting the more abstract art works, and reaching one’s own conclusions of what they portrayed.
Look out for “The Games of Glory: A Global Celebration” by autistic savant artist Wan Jamila Wan Shaiful Bahri, professionally known as Artjamila. Her’s is a large artwork depicting various world landmarks and Olympic sports.
Meanwhile, paying homage to athletic competition is “Paris 2024 Olympic Torch,” by Chua Chong Sheng, an 18-year-old artist with cerebral palsy.
Another highlight is a striking depiction of several Olympic sports, “Unity is the Driving Force of Victory,” a collective work by artists Shirly Mah, Pang Jun Kai, Hii Poh Hoe and Chu Wei Hao.
Neurodivergent artist Dennis Liew, 38, contributed two acrylic artworks to the exhibition, namely “Olympic Parade at the Seine” and “Unity in Diversity.” Both his vibrantly-coloured pieces pay homage to the power of the Olympics in bringing different people together.
“I feel very honoured to be part of this exhibition. I met so many artists on this new platform, and I’m satisfied with my two pieces of work, which are related to the Olympics,” said Liew, who has a degree in graphic design from Curtin University, Australia.
Er hoped “Sport My Art” would help encourage inclusiveness and acceptance in the community.
“We hope that this exhibition will help visitors to better connect with these artists, and foster a sense of empathy with them. These artists are all very talented and society is much richer with their contributions,” Er concluded.
Sport My Art
Above@Level 4
Avenue K Shopping Mall
156, Jln Ampang
Kuala Lumpur City Centre
50450 Kuala Lumpur
Date and Time: July 24–Aug 11 (11am-7pm)
ADMISSION IS FREE
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