05-05-2025
Artist and friends put heart into mural for TV series in KL Chinatown
Akid One sifts through paint cans in the process of creating the mural at Kwai Chai Hong in KL's Chinatown. — SHAARI CHEMAT/The Star
FOR the past 20 years, mural artist Mohd Zulfadli Ahmad Nawawi has been using walls as canvas for visual stories.
From passion projects to large commissions, the artist who is known as Akid One, has painted more than 2,000 murals.
His latest work, a dramatic poster-style artwork for drama series 'The Last of Us' season 2, is now at Kwai Chai Hong, a restored heritage lane in Chinatown, Kuala Lumpur.
'Drawing on A4 or A5 paper has always felt too small.
'But, with murals, the wall becomes a massive canvas where I can fully express my ideas,' he told StarMetro.
Commissioned as part of a campaign to promote the TV series, the mural was completed in just five days.
'There wasn't any specific artistic direction.
'But I had to adapt to site restrictions that meant no drilling and leaning ladders.'
Working alongside his friends Malik, Sastri and Adha, they handled the job using a mix of techniques; spray paint for bold strokes, stencils for clean shapes, regular paint for detailing, brushes for texture and marker pens to sharpen the lines.
The result is an expressive mural matching the tone of the TV series from the United States.
'There's even a hidden fungus element in it. It's a nod to the storyline's fungal outbreak.
'Fans will catch it if they look close enough,' he added.
'I want people to feel the brushstrokes, the effort and the soul in it.
'This isn't just advertising; it's storytelling through paint,' he said.
As the process took his full focus, he found that the impact of the mural only became apparent to him after he stepped back and saw the final piece.
'There's a quiet pride in contributing something lasting,' he said.
'It's more than just paint on a wall. It's a statement, a story, a vibe that lives on long after the work is done.'
Asked about the role of street art in cities today, he described it as a form of visual dialogue.
'It's how we share stories, spark conversations and inspire people in their everyday surroundings.
'Street art breaks the noise of the city with something meaningful,' he said.
