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Free Malaysia Today
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
Best friends' Mew Movement art store is quirky to the core
Melissa Ng Li Xiang (left) and Yew Yiqin are best friends and founders of 'Mew Movement'. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle) PETALING JAYA : Live-drawing photobooth? Colourful socks packaged like ice cream? Tufted coasters sold in sushi plates? If that sounds like the quirky chaos your soul's been craving, then head over to the art store called Mew Movement. This whimsical wonderland was dreamt up by two best friends, 26-year-olds Melissa Ng Li Xiang and Yew Yiqin. Every wall in the art store is coloured differently – pink, yellow, purple – and every nook bursts with artwork, whether it's painted mirrors or a life-sized cardboard cake house. 'Ever since I was four years old, I'd beg my mum to take me to art classes every weekend. I would get really excited about art competitions too,' Ng told FMT Lifestyle. The art store bursts with bright pastel colours. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle) Yew, similarly, never let go of her childhood creativity. Though the physical store only opened in 2023, the duo launched 'Mew Movement' online back in 2021. 'We had just graduated, and I wanted to start a business,' recalled Ng. 'She was making her own stickers, and we both decided to give it a shot and start something together.' 'We didn't know if there was a market for this,' Yew added. 'But after a year, we realised people were interested – and that we could actually do this full-time.' Strike a pose in their photobooth and receive a live sketch in under 10 minutes. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle) And so they did, kicking things off with quirky, one-of-a-kind stickers – think internet memes, grumpy cats, and even Patrick from SpongeBob. The stickers gained traction, which led to postcards, printed art, and more creative ideas. The photobooth, tucked into one corner of the store, is hard to miss. But it's no ordinary photo booth – this one involves live sketching. Here's how it works: you and your friends step in and pose for five–ten minutes. Behind the mirror, either Yew or Ng is secretly sketching your portrait in an animated style. The finished drawing is then slipped out through a slot – like magic. Inspired by similar concepts overseas, theirs is possibly the only live-drawing photobooth in Malaysia. It became so popular that they now get commissioned to bring it to events. Despite calling themselves an 'art store', 'Mew Movement' is more of an experience. One highlight is a wall of mailboxes, each labelled by month from January to December. Write a postcard to your future self which can be mailed to you a year later. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle) 'Many people come here just for that,' said Yew. So what is it exactly? Mew Movement lets you write and post a message to your future self – up to a year in advance. Pick one of their in house-designed postcards, pen your thoughts, and drop it in the month you want. While you'll probably forget all about it, months later your future self gets a sweet surprise in the mail. And there's so much more to discover throughout the store. Heard of a blind date with a book? Well, they offer something similar – with art pieces. You pick a package without knowing what it is, and unwrap it later for a surprise. Then there's the 'Mew-racle' wall – a large cardboard installation with a theme that changes every month, from Barbie to Monet. Basically, it's everything your inner child could ever dream of. Ng and Yew continue to dream up creative ideas, building a fun and safe space for all. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle) 'Some of our work is quite personal,' said Yew. 'So if you want to get to know us, or connect on a deeper level, our canvas paintings will show you that.' 'We've known each other since we were 13. After starting 'Mew Movement', we realised we're kind of opposites,' said Ng. Their contrasting personalities show up in their art styles too – Ng prefers bright, warm colours, while Yew leans towards paler, earthy tones. Their next big goal is to bring 'Mew Movement' to a shopping mall, in the hope of attracting the attention of passers-by. 'We want people to know that we're all the same, and art connects us,' said Yew. 'So if you ever feel alone because of something, you're not. Mew Movement can be your safe space.' Mew Movement No. 28-1 (2nd Floor) Jalan SS2/61, SS 2 47300 Petaling Jaya Selangor Business hours: 1pm-9pm daily Contact: 03-74802578 Follow Mew Movement on Instagram
CBC
14-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Owner of Robertson Trading surveys wildfire damage that burned historic building to the ground
Scott Robertson said the store held a lifetime's worth of Indigenous artwork, beadwork and history.
