Seremban’s Lorong Seni earns Malaysia Book of Records title as the longest art alley, showcasing murals on local culture and history.
SEREMBAN: A lengthy back alley running behind rows of pre-war shophouses has given this laid-back town a colourful splash of excitement with a kilometre-long outdoor mural art exhibition.
Now named Lorong Seni, the stretch was recently recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records as the longest art alley in the country.
Zakir Amir Mohd Derus, who coordinated the seven artists involved in the project, said it was carried out in stages over the past five years after the Seremban City Hall came up with the idea to give Seremban a new lease of life.
“We were working on an earlier (similar) project at the Seremban City Hall field in Jalan Yam Tuan,” he told theSun.
“Our artwork and mural painting there captivated the interest of City Hall and councillors, who wanted to expand and commercialise it in the town area.”
The theme for the artwork was debated, discussed and finalised by officials and City Hall councillors. It focuses on local history, traditions and sports, emphasising harmony and multicultural scenes of the local community.
Local artists were roped in to authentically reflect the culture and people of Negeri Sembilan.
It was implemented in five phases, with each artist allocated a space to showcase their creativity.
“We worked under scorching sun and rain to complete the project,” recalled Zakir.
“Many curious people observed our work being carried out in the hot sun. They even brought drinks and burgers voluntarily to show their support for the artists.
“It was a challenging project. When it rained very heavily we had to use a canvas to protect the whole painting.
“Sometimes, our paints would go missing when we left them overnight. The store to keep the paints was also broken into.”
Before the project began, the surface of the pre-war walls were uneven and the bricks were damaged with wires sticking out at various places.
Contractors appointed by City Hall did repair works to smoothen the walls under the artists’ supervision.
The old paints were scrapped off with the help of steam while cracks and fine holes were sealed and plastered over.
Once the walls were ready, undercoating was applied before the actual artwork started.
“To ensure consistency and quality, we would give feedback and discuss among ourselves to make amendments if necessary, especially on the angle of the artwork,” said Zakir.
The overall mural was completed in phases based on the budget allocated by City Hall.
He described it as a “dream project” to beautify the city with artistic creativity.
Seremban mayor Masri Baharuddin had earlier announced that City Hall had spent RM2.5 million for the project, which started in 2019 and was completed in 2024.
Seremban City Hall had also decided that Lorong Seni would be closed to vehicles from Friday to Sunday midnight to enable tourists and the public to stroll along the lane and enjoy the art exhibits.
