Pembungaan

Pembungaan

OUE Bayfront Plaza, 2011

Pembungaan, meaning “blossoming” in Malay, is a monumental mural that celebrates the vitality of nature and its eternal cycles. True to Kumari Nahappan’s practice, the use of a local term grounds the work in Southeast Asian identity, reinforcing the region’s deep ties to land, language, and tradition.

The mural is a visual meditation on life’s rhythms—where every ending carries the seed of a new beginning, from germination to growth and eventual renewal. Inspired by the rich, organic forms found within the chili pepper and the intricate patterns of the nutmeg, Kumari’s flowing vegetal motifs evoke movement, breath, and quiet transformation.

Gracefully unfurling from the façade of OUE@Bayfront into its lobby, the mural creates a sense of continuity between the natural world and urban space. It invites viewers to pause and reflect—on the subtle power of nature, the interconnectedness of all things, and the beauty that emerges when art, culture, and place come together. Pembungaan is more than a decorative work; it is a living, breathing tribute to the regenerative force that underlies all life.