Art Beyond Canvas

There are moments in an artist’s journey that quietly become milestones.

Not always because of trophies or titles, but because of what they represent growth, courage, exposure, and the willingness to put your work into the world.

Earlier this year, I submitted one of my artworks to the KLAF 2026 Batik Art Competition. The piece was eventually shortlisted, and although it did not take home the final prize, the experience itself became something much bigger than a competition result.

It became part of the story.

Creating the Work

The artwork was inspired by the meeting point between heritage and modern identity something deeply connected to Kuala Lumpur itself.

At the centre of the composition stands the Petronas Twin Towers, framed by layered circular motifs inspired by batik patterns, Islamic geometry, and architectural rhythm. Around it are fragments of the city skyline woven together with floral elements and repeating symbolic patterns.

I wanted the work to feel both contemporary and rooted.

Not simply “traditional batik,” and not entirely futuristic either.

More like a conversation between the two.

Blue became the dominant language of the piece representing calmness, depth, structure, and modernity while the green accents brought in growth, nature, and continuity. The layered cut-out effect created shadows and depth, allowing the city itself to feel alive within the frame.

The process took time. Every section required balance: between architecture and ornament, between negative space and detail, between precision and emotion. As with many artworks, there were moments where I questioned the direction, adjusted compositions, and rebuilt sections until the piece finally felt complete.

The Shortlist

When I received news that the artwork had been shortlisted for KLAF 2026, I felt grateful more than anything else.

KLAF is a respected platform that brings together art, architecture, culture, and design. To have my work recognised among many submissions already meant the piece had connected with people beyond my own studio walls.

Sometimes being shortlisted is not “almost winning.”

Sometimes it is proof that your voice belongs in the room.

And for artists, that matters.

Receiving the Certificate of Appreciation reminded me that growth in creative work is rarely linear. Every submission, every exhibition, every attempt becomes part of the larger body of work you are building over time.

Beyond the Competition

What made this experience even more meaningful was what happened after the competition.

Instead of letting the artwork return quietly into storage, the piece continued its journey.

Immediately after KLAF, the artwork was exhibited for two weeks at Intermark Mall, where it was able to exist in a completely different environment outside of competition walls and closer to everyday people.

That changed the energy of the work entirely.

People stopped. Looked closely. Took photographs. Asked questions. Some connected to the cityscape. Others connected to the batik-inspired forms. Some simply felt drawn to the colours and layered textures.

That is one of the most beautiful things about exhibiting art publicly: you realise the artwork no longer belongs only to you. It begins creating its own conversations.

Learning Through the Process

This journey taught me something important: Art does not end after submission. Sometimes the life of a piece truly begins afterward.

Competitions can open doors, but the continuation of the work exhibiting it, sharing it, speaking about it, allowing it to travel is where deeper meaning starts to unfold.

As artists, we often place too much weight on outcomes:

winning,

selling,

being selected.

But creative journeys are also built from momentum.

This artwork carried momentum. From the studio…

to KLAF…

to Intermark Mall…

and now toward its next chapter.

What’s Coming Next

Although the Intermark exhibition has now concluded, the artwork’s journey is not over yet.

The piece will be exhibited again later this year in Kuala Lumpur, giving it another opportunity to be experienced in a new setting and by a new audience.

And I think that is something beautiful in itself.

Art moves.

Spaces change.

People encounter the work differently each time.

What began as a competition submission has slowly transformed into a travelling chapter of my artistic practice one that continues to evolve with every space it enters.

I’m excited to see where it goes next.

And more importantly, who it speaks to next.

Still In Motion

-Reena M