Five Malaysian artists are attempting a record-breaking feat by painting the world’s tallest mural on Penang’s Komtar tower. Sponsored by Only World Group (OWG), the World’s Tallest Mural project was officially launched on 9 March 2017. This project is also supported by the Penang State Government, with Nippon Paint Malaysia Group as the Product Sponsor.

Among the guests of honour present that day were Penang Chief Minister YAB Tuan Lim Guan Eng; Chief Executive Officer of OWG Dato’ Sri Richard Koh; General Manager of PDC Dato’ Rosli Jaafar and Assistant General Manager, Group Marketing of Nippon Paint Malaysia Group Alex Yoong Choon Kheong.

According to YAB Tuan Lim, “Komtar is indeed a befitting canvas for this historic milestone, not only because it is the tallest building in the state but also because George Town is already world-renowned for its vibrant arts and cultural scene, and this mural will definitely enhance the cityscape further in this sense.”

The mural, when completed, will measure 230m tall and 13.1m wide, which Dato’ Sri Koh hopes will earn it endorsement from the Guinness Book of World Records.

“We hope this will make Penang awesome and bright, and put Malaysia on the world map,” added Dato’ Sri Koh, sharing that at least 800 litres of Nippon Pylox spray paint, amounting to approximately RM30,000 will be used in the project. He also stated that it is “not often that [we] do something meaningful for the state of Penang” and that great results are achieved when like-minded people come together.

“This mural, set to be the world’s tallest once it is launched, is intended not only to rejuvenate Komtar, but also to draw the eyes of the world toward our city’s heritage as a whole,” said Kenny Ng, the Marketing Manager of INTACT Communications, whom is managing the project. “It is the ultimate love letter to our state and we cannot be more grateful for this opportunity to show how much Penang means to its community,” he continued.

The five artists chosen for this endeavour – Kangblabla, Sattama, IMMJN, Bibichun and The Sliz – are no strangers to creating large-scale murals, but this could prove to be their biggest challenge yet. “We are not sure if we are afraid of heights, but this project is one way to find out,” joked IMMJN.

The mural visual was unveiled toward the end of the press conference amidst much applause. From the bottom up, the mural will prominently feature artworks of varying styles that embody Penang and its people – from the seas which house dragon boats as well as the iconic ferry and Penang Bridges to the streets where Penang folk roam amidst heritage architecture to the skies above.

The World’s Tallest Mural project is scheduled to be ready by the end of the year. To follow the progress of the mural, Like its Facebook page Komtar SkyArt