Flora Playground

Set against the backdrop of 100-year old train depot, Flora Playground is a colourful installation for Urbanscapes Festival, an annual art and music festival in Kuala Lumpur. Collage Artist Nee Wong worked with Newcleus to bring her vision of tropical leaves, jungle vines, and florals into a cohesive form of art. The geometric abstract motifs in the installation are derived from Nee’s artistic process of spontaneously cutting coloured paper with a pair of scissors.

Two green structures hover above music festival goers, one over an existing steel scaffolding and one standalone erected 4 meters high above the festival’s food area.

“I wanted the materials to visually contrast with one another. We cut suede fabric into long strips, letting the lightness of the material sway in the wind. Larger materials like plywood and steel sheets on the other hand act as a grounding backdrop to this experience. It feels like collaging, but with building materials”

Being a highly urbanised city, we felt that Kuala Lumpur was a concrete jungle that needed reminding of its natural beauty. Flora Playground was created as a reminder for people to take a moment to stop and observe their surroundings. The term ‘Flora’ was coined from the scientific name of Flower, while ‘Playground’ refers to a space to let loose and enjoy.

The vibrance of hues come from a careful colour palette selection, distilled from local plant species like the Ixora flower and Palm tree. Fluorescent green and vivid orange ‘leaves’ burst through organic motifs painted in emerald green and dark crimson, bringing to mind a thick lush tropical forest but with an accentuated touch.

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FLORA PLAYGROUND
Exhibited Sept 2019
Sentul Depot, Kuala Lumpur
Steel, CNC Plywood, Suede Fabric.

Design Team : Nee Wong , Newcleus
Photography : Fareez Siva