This Colonial Building in KK Was Burnt Down in The ’90s But Now It’s an Insta-Worthy Tourist Spot!

Kota Kinabalu is full of fun things to do. With its gorgeous beaches and bustling nightlife, it’s one spot in Malaysia that’s a great getaway for those who don’t want to stray too far away from home!

One of KK’s underrated attractions, however, is its local arts scene. Created by designer Melissa Lo, artist Red Hong Yi, and filmmaker Jared Abdul Rahman, Pillars of Sabah sheds a spotlight on Sabah’s local artists using possibly one of the oldest structures in the state.

Utilising pillars left by a former Land and Survey building (built during World War II) that was burnt down in the 1990s, Pillars of Sabah showcases the work of 30 local artists, whose work is displayed on each pillar in an open, street art gallery space.

View this post on Instagram

Have you checked out these gorgeous pillars yet? Name the animals! . Thanks @fluffysox @cassidyyshim for the photos! . #wwfmy #wwfxpos #earthhour #connect2earth #nipponpaint #pillarsofsabah #streetart #mural #wildlife #colours #colorpainting

A post shared by Pillars Of Sabah (@pillarsofsabah) on Mar 26, 2019 at 6:56pm PDT

After the success of Pillars of Sabah 1 back in September 2018, Pillars of Sabah 2 gathered Sabahan artists who spent the entirety of March 2019 personalising their respective pillars. An excerpt from their press release announcing this second installment reads,

“In January this year, 30 artists were chosen to paint an endangered or threatened Bornean animal on each pillar, to raise awareness for biodiversity conservation. This project was also supported and sponsored by WWF-Malaysia and Nippon Paint Malaysia.”

Photos provided by Pillars of Sabah

Photos provided by Pillars of Sabah

“Featuring a range of different artistic styles from pop art, cartoons to hyper-realistic art, the artists painted their pillars over 10 days on site.”

The finished product was definitely worth the wait. Check out what these artists managed to pull off below!

Photos provided by Pillars of Sabah

Photos provided by Pillars of Sabah

Photos provided by Pillars of Sabah

Photos provided by Pillars of Sabah

What a great way to conserve a historic landmark while also creating a platform for local artists to show their work! Want to check out Pillars of Sabah if you’re in KK? Here’s where you can find it;

Pillars of Sabah
Address: Lorong Bank 3, Pusat Bandar Kota Kinabalu, 88000 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Also read: Meet Filamen: The Malaysian Artists Behind This Trippy Light Exhibition in KL