S Is For Sequence

A Can-Do Attitude Always Helps

Photographs copyright: DAVID McMAHON

We were on our way to the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, four months ago when I shot this sequence of images. The twin towers were so close to our hotel that we were able to walk down and as usual I was the laggard, several metres behind the rest of the family. It’s not that I dawdle; it’s not that I don’t like walking; it’s just that I am repeatedly compelled to stop and take photographs.

You know the feeling, don’t you? You’ve got the camera around your neck and you just have to capture every interesting scene that you spot.

We were literally in the shadow of the towers when I spotted this artwork near an underpass, so of course I had to drop anchor and take the shot. I took the first shot (above) from about 100 metres away, and at that distance it looked as if the artist/s had used paint to create this mural.


Just after I took the second shot, one of the Authorbloglets up ahead (I lag like a recalcitrant keyboard, remember?) called out to me. I was too far away for him to call out a specific message above the sound of the traffic, but I could see him pointing to the mural. By this time I thought it was made up of coloured tiles or patchwork colours.

It was only as I drew closer that I began to realise the whole mural seemed to have a metallic sheen to it. Metallic paint, perhaps? But I could not reconcile that theory. Metallic paint is fine on a vehicle, but why on earth would you use it for artwork, no matter how large the display.


When I finally caught up with the rest of the clan I realised what my son had been trying to draw my attention to. The striking display had been created using cans of locally-manufactured soft drink.

I guess there’s no end to what an artist can do. But Jeez, did he or she have to consume the contents of all those cans?


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