The Story of Twin Towers

Medium : Acrylic & Marker on canvas
Size : 60 cm x 90 cm
Created : 2011
Status : Private collection


There are many places that we had visited in our lifetime. Some places we went again and again, others we visited just once. But it doesn’t mean the place we went several times is the place that we loved the most (non conducive work place) or perhaps the place we went only once (Makkah) is the place we hope to be in forever.


In reality we rarely counted how many times we visit certain places; we are naturally attracted or forced to go places. Only a few would then think; “why do I like or hate this place so much?” It also differs with one another. Someone would love to spend many hours in a shopping mall but some may not.


The importance of knowing or realising the places we had visited in lifetime is perhaps to realise the reflection of who we are and what we have become.


My boys love going to KLCC especially its park and the art gallery. Whether because they genuinely love it or basically being influenced or drag by me is something they will decide as they grow up. Like many others who’d promote and recommend us to a certain place, only we can then decide if we like the place or not.


This painting of the twin towers was symbolically made by these two brothers to simply draw their favourite place. Both however express their own story differently. Azhan’s is the on the left while Nine’s on the right. They observe the place differently.


Architecturally the KLCC twin towers is a fine building but for a child it is a dull building, period. They only part that they like about it is the tallness of the structure. What they have done here is to add colours and make the façade more cheerful and fun as much as they had in the park. The big tree represents the park that they love so much and Nine’s transformed building next to it act as a giant robot.

Artistically, despite of both using bright colours (happy colours), they made us catch a sense of calmness and chaos. Try and cover each side of the painting at a time and you will see it as nothing but an ordinary colourful naive painting. The feeling of calmness and chaos only becomes so obvious when this two abstracts are painted next to each other on the same canvas.


The effect of changing feeling in the same artwork makes me realised that we can perceive life differently depending on how we relate it to our life. We feel grateful if we compare our live with the less fortunate poor people, but we feel resentment as we compare to people who are more successful and richer than us. Instead, the painting actually tells us to look within ourselves and find what we really feel.

I love the part where they wrote ‘I love Malaysia’ right in the middle. I personally perceive the painting as: “despite the imperfection or differences of people, places or country, we can always find happiness as long as there’s still love in our heart.”
HAPPY MERDEKA MALAYSIAN!