KOTA KINABALU: Installation Art by the Bay @ KK (IAKK) makes its 13th annual appearance from 16 to 20 September, transforming the Segama Waterfront Boardwalk in Kota Kinabalu into an open-air gallery celebrating creativity, environmental awareness, and community spirit.
This year’s theme, “Second Chance – Nature Reimagined,” challenges artists and the wider community to see discarded materials in a new light, viewing them not as waste but as potential resources for artistic expression. The exhibition will showcase eleven locally crafted upcycled installations alongside two international pieces from Singapore and Denmark, presenting a diverse array of perspectives on sustainability and the environment.
The artworks are fashioned from a variety of reusable, recyclable, and discarded materials, including scrap metal, polycarbonate sheets, plastic bottles and containers, CDs, plastic bags, and natural garden waste. By transforming everyday rubbish into large-scale, three-dimensional artworks, the installations prompt viewers to reflect on consumption, waste, and our relationship with nature.
Each piece conveys a unique message about environmental issues and sustainability, creating a visual dialogue on the choices made by individuals, communities, and society at large. In a world facing climate change and escalating waste management challenges, IAKK2026 seeks to inspire change through creativity. The event promotes awareness of environmental issues, encourages sustainable lifestyles, supports eco-art tourism as a key attraction in Sabah, and fosters meaningful connections both locally and globally. This dialogue is extended online through Facebook and WhatsApp, ensuring conversations about art and environmental stewardship continue beyond the exhibition.
Supported proudly by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment Sabah (KePKAS), the event is organised in partnership with Kota Kinabalu City Hall (DBKK), Sabah State Cultural Board (LKNS), Sabah Art Gallery (BSLS), and the Sabah Tourism Association (STA). It involves a broad spectrum of participants including community groups, schools, artists, NGOs, tour operators, and international collaborators from Singapore and Denmark via online participation.
The core committee comprises distinguished representatives from academia, arts, and local government, including Professor Dr. Awangku Hassanal Bahar Pengiran Bagul of Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Christianne Goonting of Lavinia Private Art Gallery, and Fauziahton Awang Samad from DBKK, among others.
The public is warmly encouraged to visit the Segama Waterfront during the week to experience the artworks and discover the stories behind them. Organisers expect to welcome more than 3,000 visitors, whose engagement will be amplified through photographs and videos shared on facebook.com/installationartkk/. This digital outreach aims to broaden the conversation around sustainability and inspire action across a wider audience.
Participants for 2026 include a diverse range of creative teams, from GB Prime-Creation and Arts by Dion to Ecohearts, Upcycle Shack, and Tampines Secondary School’s TaPeSStry 2.0 from Singapore, as well as Danish artist collective SAARA and Family / SH-Art Studio.-BNN
