MARAT DANILYAN (MORIK)
NOVOSIBIRSK, RUSSIA
Born in 1982, Marat Danilyan, better known as Morik, studied philology and economics at Novosibirsk State University before pursuing his interest in visual arts. His journey into graffiti began in 1998, when he discovered hip-hop culture and graffiti through the Internet and started developing his skills in spray painting and experimenting with typography.
In the mid-2000s, Morik and fellow artist Andrey Berger (Aber) began organising graffiti and street art events, including the Paint Methods festival in major cities across Siberia. His work later evolved through experimentation with different subjects and techniques, combining abstract and figurative elements with a strong focus on texture and typography. Morik has exhibited in Russia, Europe and the United States, collaborated with street art galleries internationally, and participated in major street art festivals across Europe.
KONG CHAK KIONG (ARIES KONG A.K.A. JAGUNG)
SIBU, SARAWAK, MALAYSIA
A self-taught artist from Sibu, Sarawak, Kong Chak Kiong, also known as Aries Kong or Jagung, left his day job to pursue his passion for art as a full-time muralist. Armed with brushes, spray cans and paint, he created his first mural at a shopping mall in his hometown, attracting local attention and leading to commissions in towns and cities throughout Sarawak and other parts of Malaysia.
Jagung’s murals can be found on a variety of spaces, from cafés and lounges to kindergartens and shopping malls, with many created around themes commissioned by his clients. His work has also taken him beyond Malaysia, with mural projects in Taiwan, Melbourne and Shanghai.
SIAW QUAN CHENG (LEONARD)
KUCHING, SARAWAK, MALAYSIA
Based in Kuching, Sarawak, Siaw Quan Cheng (Leonard) is a mural artist specialising in human figures, animals and portraits. His murals often draw on local art, culture and heritage, contributing to the growing street art scene in his hometown.
Leonard’s interest in mural painting grew from his passion for illustration and a desire to transform his digital artwork into large-scale pieces that could be enjoyed in public spaces. His choice of subject is often shaped by the connection he develops with the people, places and themes behind each work. Alongside his involvement in mural art events in Kuching, Leonard was selected to participate in the Wall to Wall Festival Benalla in 2018, where he painted a mural in Victoria, Australia. His works can also be found in Sarawak and Massachusetts in the United States.
JUDITH DE LEEUW (JDL STREET ART)
AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS
Born and raised in Amsterdam, Judith de Leeuw began spray painting on the streets at the age of 15 after being introduced to the medium by graffiti artists. She received her first commissioned project in 2015 and went on to establish her own studio in Amsterdam. With a passion for realism, expression and public art, Judith has developed a career as a street artist, participating in street art events and festivals in cities throughout Europe.
In 2017, Judith became the youngest recipient of the Young Talent award at the Dutch Street Art Awards. That same year, she travelled to Asia to create public art, with Penang as her first destination. She later painted a mural in Kulim, Kedah, which was included in the “Collection of Best Street Art 2017” by I Support Street Art (ISSA). Her public artworks can be found in Malaysia and numerous locations internationally, including France, Greece, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, the United States and Kosovo.
ABDUL RASHID B. ABDUL RAHMAN (ABDULRASHADE)
BALIK PULAU, PENANG, MALAYSIA
Raised in Balik Pulau, Penang, Abdul Rashid B. Abdul Rahman, better known as Abdulrashade, is a contemporary graffiti artist who began working full-time in 2014. In 2016, he was selected as one of eight Malaysian artists invited to create 24 large-scale murals in the Karama district of Dubai. His distinctive style draws on elements of Nusantara (Southeast Asian) culture, combining floral motifs with imagery inspired by local wildlife.
Abdulrashade also uses his art to raise awareness of endangered local wildlife and the threats these species face. His work combines wildstyle lettering with abstract, large-scale compositions, while also incorporating characters and folk stories into his creations. His public murals can be found in Malaysia and internationally, including Indonesia, Dubai and Taiwan.
AMIR ANDHAR B. ABU SAMAH (ANDHARAS)
MALACCA, MALAYSIA
Andharas is a Malacca-based street artist and practitioner of mural and graffiti art. Working primarily with spray paint, he specialises in portraits and figurative works, creating much of his art on public walls. His practice also extends to canvas, and he has participated in fine art exhibitions in Malaysia. He is also a member of the international graffiti crews B.A.M.C. from Los Angeles, United States, and Z.N.C. from Singapore.
Andharas has participated in numerous street art festivals and events in Malaysia, creating murals in towns and cities around the country. In 2019, he took part in the Balik Pulau Festival in Penang and the Borneo Arts Festival in Labuan, producing works at both events. His creations can also be found internationally, including in Singapore and Indonesia.
JULIA VOLCHKOVA
NIZHNEVARTOVSK, RUSSIA
After completing her Diploma in Arts in 2010, Julia Volchkova based herself in Saint Petersburg, where she developed her practice in graffiti and street art with a focus on portraits and figurative works. Her participation in a street art festival in Ukraine in 2013 marked the beginning of further travels in Asia, including Indonesia and Malaysia, where she explored the cultures and communities that would influence her work.
Inspired by Malaysia’s multiculturalism, Julia returned to the country on several occasions to create large-scale murals portraying people from different local communities. In 2016, her mural “The Loving Sisters” in Muar, Johor, was recognised by The Malaysia Book of Records as “The Largest Portrait Mural in Malaysia”. Her works can also be found internationally, including in Indonesia, Australia, Dubai and Mexico.
CHAI VUI YONG (KENJI CHAI)
SANDAKAN, SABAH, MALAYSIA
Based in Kuala Lumpur, Kenji Chai is a graffiti artist and muralist whose work is known for its vibrant colours, playful energy and elements of humour and mischief. His artistic imagination was shaped from an early age by comics, cartoons and storybooks, influences that continue to find expression in his work. A recurring character in many of his creations is “Chaigo”, his signature turquoise dog inspired by street strays and representing resilience and survival.
Kenji has created commissioned murals for major brands and painted works in cities in Malaysia and internationally. Through his art, he seeks to bring elements of nature into the urban environment, reflecting his belief in art as a form of meditation and a way of life. His works can be found in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and the United States.
SASHA KORBAN
KIROVSK, UKRAINE
Born in Kirovsk in 1987, Sasha Korban began working as a graffiti artist in 2009, gradually developing a distinctive focus on portraits and figurative works rather than traditional graffiti lettering. His practice brings together a range of styles and techniques, including photorealism, pop art, decorative painting and expressive conceptualism, using mediums such as spray paint, oil and acrylic. Since 2014, he has participated in street art projects and graffiti festivals in Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Georgia and Turkey.
Sasha has created large-scale murals internationally, with works that often explore themes of self-belief, harmony between one’s inner and outer self, and the freedom to make choices in life. Beyond his own artistic practice, he has also collaborated with organisations including the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Sky Art Foundation on social and urban projects.
KHOR ZEW WEY (BIBICHUN)
GEORGE TOWN, PENANG, MALAYSIA
Based in George Town, Penang, Bibichun is an artist whose work explores themes of authorship, identity and the meaning of public space. He sees public walls as a way of bringing art directly to urban communities and is particularly interested in how people respond to artworks in different settings. These interactions form part of his exploration of the relationship between art, audiences and the spaces in which works are presented.
Alongside his involvement in urban and street art projects, Bibichun is also a fine artist who has participated in group exhibitions and festivals internationally, including Urban Folklore at Kunstraum in Innsbruck, Austria; Weapon of Mass Change, G40 at Art Whino in Maryland, United States; and the Beyond Pressure Contemporary Art Festival in Yangon, Myanmar. His murals can be found in several Malaysian cities, including George Town, Kuala Lumpur and Kuching, as well as in Medan, Indonesia, and Shanghai, China.
EMMANUEL JARUS
TORONTO, CANADA
Emmanuel Jarus is a Canadian artist and muralist whose work is inspired by the human experience. Known for his large-scale portraits and figurative works, he creates murals that reflect the people and communities he encounters. While formally trained in art, Jarus also credits his grandmother, fellow graffiti artists and resources on the Internet as important influences on his artistic development.
Working with acrylic, latex and aerosol paint, Jarus often portrays individuals whose stories and character connect with the neighbourhoods in which his murals are created. His works can be found in both urban and rural settings internationally, including Malaysia, Canada, India, Germany, Belgium, Ukraine, Australia and France.
KOH HOOI SAN (CARYN KOH)
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
After previously working in the medical field, Caryn Koh rediscovered her passion for art and went on to study at Dasein Academy of Art, where she received the Outstanding Achievement Award in Fine Arts. She is also a member of Titikmerah, an art collective based in Kuala Lumpur. Deeply personal in nature, Caryn’s work draws on her past and explores themes surrounding life and death, often reimagining moments from her adolescence through different situations, experiences and perspectives.
Caryn has participated in fine art exhibitions and created murals in Malaysia and internationally, including the United Kingdom, Spain, the Philippines and Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Her involvement in international art events includes Swindon Open Studios and Another Fine Fest in the United Kingdom, Torrefarrera Art Festival in Spain, and Bring the Paint in Leicester, United Kingdom.
