I appreciate sketching as one of the various ways of communicating ideas: observations, thought processes, and analysis about a certain place or people. I see it as a channel to respect and appreciate your surroundings, both therapeutic and intense, where perception and emotions mingle.
The act of sketching is relatively immediate, yet patient enough to make space for the details to be selectively captured. Travelling, at most, critically adds flavor and depth to the practice. In 2011, a group of friends and I in architecture decided to present the sights and sounds of the holy month by sketching: one for each day throughout Ramadan, one sketchbook at a time. It came with a hashtag: #ramadhansketchchallenge.
The effort bloomed, and this year, it continues to thrive under the banner of KL Sketch Nation, a budding open community of sketchers based in the Klang Valley. Joining in I sought to share a more localized content, responding to the stories in the neighborhoods I relate most to. Featured well is Shah Alam, my home ground, peppered with scenes from George Town, Penang and downtown Kuala Lumpur.
A graduate in architecture, Syukri Shairi is driven by the appreciation of the link between people and spaces. At the end of March 2014, he co-founded KL Sketch Nation with Ahmad Hakym Ahmad Hilmy — propagator of the initiative— as an open platform for sketch enthusiasts in and around Kuala Lumpur to communicate and celebrate their passion.
