Held for over five weeks, the second edition of the Kuala Lumpur International Arts Festival aims to showcase the rich and nuanced diversity of Malaysia and its close ties with the ASEAN community.
It will be launched on National Day by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak at Berjaya Times Square, together with several exciting performances, including street dancing, a mobile phone orchestra, syair (poetry reading) and a photography exhibition featuring work by three leading Malaysian talents.
From the performing arts to visual and literary arts, this year’s festival has it all and is set to be even grander than last year’s event which involved 1,300 participants from 24 countries, and drew 60,000 visitors, nearly a quarter of which were foreigners.
“The multi-cultural nature of Malaysia’s society offers a natural melting pot for artistic expression and we are pleased to be the channel for expanding the horizons of Malaysian residents and visitors to our beloved country through the DiverseCity festival. For 2016, we have put together an acclaimed line-up of signature performances featuring celebrated international stars and prominent Malaysian talents, which we believe will enhance Malaysia’s reputation as an artistic hub,” said DiverseCity 2016 Festival Director Datin Sunita Rajakumar.
DiverseCity 2016 Festival Director Datin Sunita Rajakumar
One of the signature performances visitors can look forward to is the critically acclaimed King of Ghosts by British Indian composer and the Asian debut of Soumik Datta, an Indian Lute or sarod, player. The contemporary re-imagining of the classic movie tells the tale of four musicians who mysteriously gain super-powers.
King of Ghosts
Another highlight is the specially commissioned Feet on Fire, a performance that showcases kathak in all its glory, a dance known for its precision of footwork. Lastly, visitors should not miss The Shankar Family Project – the unsung story of two extraordinary artists who helped bring Indian music to the West in the 1970s.
Feet on Fire
La La Luna
This together with an array of other events including Kaleidoscope 4 – HANDS International Drumming Festival 2016 by Hands Percussion, a hilarious musical production of La La Luna by Wolfe Bowart and a rare look at Any Warhol’s private polaroid collection make this year’s festival something to eagerly look forward to by adults and children alike.