Socio-Cultural Dynamics of Contemporary Mural Art in China and Malaysia

Authors

  • Meng Zhu Faculty of Art, Sustainability and Creative Industry, University Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia
  • Mohd Zahuri Khairani Faculty of Art, Sustainability and Creative Industry, University Pendidikan Sultan Idris, 35900 Tanjong Malim, Perak, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v10iSI36.7560

Keywords:

Public Art, Cultural Identity, Visual Culture, Urban Development

Abstract

This study examines the reconceptualization of contemporary mural art in China and Malaysia since the 1980s. Through analyzing specific artworks and artists, it investigates how shifting socio-cultural dynamics reshape mural art's forms and functions in both countries, the findings reveal distinct patterns of cultural adaptation and artistic innovation, influenced by forces of globalization and local traditions, which demonstrates complex interactions, influenced by forces of globalization and local traditions. The comparative analysis demonstrates how mural art reflects broader cultural politics while contributing to urban development and community engagement, offering insights into public art's evolving role in contemporary Asian societies.

References

Abdullah, Q. D. L. (2021). Mural art as a medium of political and social commentary: A case study of mural art in Malaysia. International Journal of Art and Art History, 9(2), 1-12.

Abd Rahman, N., Ismail, A. R., & Abdul Rahim, R. (2020). Revolutions of Mural Painting. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 10(10), 1195-1200.

Abd Rahman, N. (2022). The appreciation of Malay culture of mural paintings in Malaysia (Doctoral dissertation, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)), 55-80.

Chen, C. Y. (2022). The artistic achievements and historical significance of the murals at the Capital Airport. Art Panorama, (11), 54-59.

Chen, H. (2019). "Graffiti man" Chen Yingjie: Bringing a Chinese style to street art. New Youth (True Love), (10), 26-27.

Feng, J. (2020). Research on the composition language in mural creation (Master's thesis). Northwest University for Nationalities.

Foo, R., & Krishnapillai, G. (2019). Preserving the intangible living heritage in the George Town world heritage site, Malaysia. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 14(4), 358-370.

Fu, D. (2020). Research on the regional expression of modern urban murals (Master's thesis). Northwest University for Nationalities.

Jalaluddin, S. Z. A. S. A., Tohid, M. S., Shamsudin, M. K., & Othman, M. F. (2022). #CeritaKita: The splendour of Malaysia through mural painting on petronas gas station. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 7(SI8), 105-109.

Jasmi, M. F., Abdul Ghani, I., Abdullah, M., & Bahaluddin, A. (2021). Sustainability of mural art trend in the urban environment: a review on literature. In Virtual Go-Green: Conference and Publication (V-GoGreen 2020) (pp. 488-494).

Li, J. H. (2022). Research on mural art in urban public spaces (Master's thesis). Jilin University of the Arts.https://link.cnki.net/doi/10.27164/d.cnki.gjlyc.2022.000321

Li, Y. Z. (2022). The current development of contemporary Chinese mural art (Master's thesis). Henan Normal University. https://link.cnki.net/doi/10.27118/d.cnki.ghesu.2022.000791

Liu, H. (2023). A study on the linguistic landscape of Beijing's 798 Art District (Master's thesis, Beijing Foreign Studies University).

Liu, X., Wang, Y., Zhang, J., Pan, D., & Chang, Y. (2024). National culture symbols in murals of China: Chinese public art as a synthesis of aesthetics and politics of China/Símbolos de la cultura nacional en los murales de China: el arte público chino como síntesis de la estética y la política de China. Culture and Education, 36(2), 346-369.

Wan, H. Y. (2024). A brief analysis of new directions in the development of contemporary Chinese murals. In Proceedings of the Symposium on Sustainable Social and Economic Development in the New Era (pp. 197-198). Hubei Institute of Fine Arts.

Woon, T. H. (2023). Art of Joy: The Journey of Yip Yew Chong. World Scientific.

Zhang, T. (2020). Some thoughts on modern Chinese murals. Industrial Design, (07), 37-38.

Zheng, Y. (2023). Thoughts on the "locality" of modern public mural creation. Journal of Wuyi University, (10), 65-70.

Zhu, J. (2023). Research on the "boundary" of murals in contemporary art. Art Education Research, (20), 29-31.

Zhu, M., Khairani, M. Z., & Li, S. (2025). Cultural Identity in Art: A Comparative Review of Its Role in Contemporary Mural Art in China and Malaysia. Pakistan Journal of Life & Social Sciences, 23(1).

Downloads

Published

2025-12-01

How to Cite

Zhu, M., & Khairani, M. Z. (2025). Socio-Cultural Dynamics of Contemporary Mural Art in China and Malaysia. Environment-Behaviour Proceedings Journal, 10(SI36), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v10iSI36.7560