Cloakwork, Nicol David and Red Hong Yi share their defining moments (All photos: Art of Time)
Five Malaysian personalities, well known for passion and expertise in their respective fields, have partnered with Swiss Watch this year. In line with the Art of Time theme, Defining Moment, each of them was asked about theirs.
Datuk Nicol David
Former world No 1 squash player
My defining moment was winning my first world title at the age of 22 in 2005 in Hong Kong. That was the day when all my dreams came true; and, at that moment, I was speechless, in a daze, and so were my parents. I was floating, just floating for a long, long time ... and then I started losing my following tournaments and that was when I realised that I had to make new ground and continuously work hard at being No 1. It was only after I won my second world title that I understood what being a world champion was and that it was my place to be, and I wanted to take on more.
Cloakwork
Graffiti artist and illustrator
The day I looked at a boring concrete wall and inspired to bring life to it with my artwork. That is without doubt one of my most precious defining moments. Till today, it remains my favourite canvas. It’s my avenue to add vibrancy and colour to a place, infuse joy, tell a story and send positive vibes without a word or text!
Scha Alyahya
Actress and style icon
Having started out as a model in my younger years, one of my proudest moments was being named Tatler’s Most Stylish recently. It was recognition for what I love doing. Yes, I love dressing up and I enjoy my modelling stints. Hailing from a small town in Kedah and taking the tough route into the fashion scene, being named a style icon was indeed my defining moment.
Kid Inn
Breakdancer
When I won the Astro Battleground competition in 2016, that was the moment when I knew my skills were recognised and that I was a good dancer. It spurred me to do more for the local dance scene — to elevate its status and so people will take this art form seriously. My journey started very simply due to my passion for breaking and for as long as I can, I will continue to be a professional dancer and participate in competitions.
Red Hong Yi
Artist and architectural designer
I have always wanted to be an artist, but it was always a pipe dream. While working as an architect, I pursued my artistic endeavours in my leisure time and started posting videos of my work online. One of my videos went viral and people started enquiring about my work, asking me to create works for them. I realised then that my creations had a demand. That boosted my confidence, and I knew then that I could no longer ignore the artist in me anymore.
Defining Moment by Art of Time 2022 is presented by Swiss Watch and will run from October 12 to 23 (10am-10pm) at the Pavilion Kuala Lumpur Centre Court. See here for more.
This article first appeared on Oct 10, 2022 in Art of Time by Swiss Watch.
