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Celebrating with paint

To celebrate the country's 60th Independence Day, Malang, a town in East Java, held a mural and graffiti festival.

As many as 61 groups, comprising about 600 artists from across the country participated in the festival. Artists were required to paint the 400-meter-long wall at Gajayana stadium in six hours.

Thousands of Malang residents had fun watching the event at the stadium, which is also the home base of popular soccer team Arema. (Text and photos by Tarko Sudiarno)

Photo A:

An artist paints the wall of Gajayana Stadium.

Photo B:

Wearing a helmet, an artist draws a mural as the shadow of a spectator appears on the wall. Many artists wore helmets or hats to protect their heads and hair from dripping paint.

Photo C:

An artist prepares paint. Bright colors are a feature of most mural and graffiti art.

Photo D:

Two artists discuss their mural design while another draws an outline on the stadium wall. Planning is important when creating large works.

Photo E:

Residents watch artists drawing murals and graffiti on the stadium's wall.

Photo F:

An artist colors in graffiti incorporating the word "Aremania" -- the name of the Arema team's fan club.