Two cities with booming art scene

PETRONAS Twin Towers, Malaysia’s iconic landmark

OUR NEIGHBORING Asian countries are enjoying the real estate boom, just like the Philippines. I recently discovered the expansive developments in Malaysia and was so impressed with the city planning of Kuala Lumpur.

KUALA Lumpur’s city skyline

Kuala Lumpur, or KL as it is more popularly called, is  truly a perfect presentation of what Asia is. Mixed ethnicity and multicultural lines crisscross in a wonderful tapestry that shows the beauty and colors of the peoples of Asia.

KL’s buildings, bridges and infrastructure make the megacity outstanding. One of the most popular things to see in KL is the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, or KLCC for short. The centerpiece of this development is the iconic Petronas Towers. These twin towers were the tallest buildings in the world until 2004, when some other city beat that record. At 452 meters, they are still the fourth tallest in the world.

Breathtaking views

The Petronas Towers allow for tours, which include breathtaking views of the city. My fave part of the tour is the double-decker sky bridge, which connects the towers at levels 41 and 42,some 175 meters above the ground. It makes me think, but only think, of bungee jumping.

CREATIVE works from all over Asia

Back on terra firma, I’m pleased to note that the Suria KLCC shopping mall is right at ground level. And just on the city’s outskirts is the New King’s palace, the official home of the paramount leader of Malaysia. It’s an ideal setting for a royal photo op.

KL is also rife with venues for art! From the classic to the modern, there’s something to be seen and appreciated by everyone. The KL City Gallery and the 3D museum, as well as the highly delightful and amusing Red Carpet Wax Museum, are some of the tourist attractions to see in KL.

Another city where the art scene seems to be booming is Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, right at the southernmost tip of the island and therefore the nearest Taiwanese city to our country. Kaohsiung recently hosted over 250 artists, designers, musicians, entrepreneurs and others in a visual multimedia extravaganza of creativity called CREATIVE©ITIES.

ITO Kish, one of Manila’s curators of Creative©ites

Multicity event

The CREATIVE©ITIES project is a multicity event, including our very own Manila and other metropolises like Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo. The entire concept is inspired by how the “creative city” defines the aspirations of cities around the world today.

CREATIVE©ITIES maps out what the new world looks like through the people, projects, products and places in those cities, as recommended by local creators who live there. In total, there are 1,200 projects produced by the exhibition’s creatives.

Jackson Tan, curator of CREATIVE©ITIES, was inspired to have the local creators map the creativity and stories of their cities. Manila is well represented by artists Ito Kish, Dan Matutina of Plus63 Design, Jowee Alviar of Team Manila, Aram Beheshti of Graphika Manila and Amina Aranaz of City Curators.

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