The nature-inspired Rimbun Dahan creative arts space in Selangor is ready to welcome visitors this Sunday with its open day programme, which includes tropical garden tours, meet-the-artist sessions and an art exhibition at its underground gallery. Photo: Rimbun Dahan
ART: RIMBUN DAHAN OPEN DAY
Venue: Km 27 Jalan Kuang, Mukim Kuang, Selangor
Date: Feb 26, 9am-6pm
Fancy a walk in a tropical garden and a chance to meet a few regional contemporary artists. Let's add a private art collection ready to viewed. This Sunday is Rimbun Dahan's open day and the independent arts space is welcoming the masses through its gates. You can meet its first South-East Asian resident artists for 2023: Eunice Sanchez (Philippines), Shwe Wutt Hmon (Myanmar) and Fajrina Razak (Singapore), who are working in a wide array of media, including batik and tie dye, medical scans printed on handmade paper, and cyanotype printing on fabric.
The artists will share their work and discuss their process in their studios. The Rimbun Dahan Underground Gallery will also be open, showing Menagerie, a new selection of works from its permanent collection. Rimbun Dahan's owner Bilqis Hijjas will give a morning guided tour of its 5.7ha site, including an introduction to the contemporary architecture and its indigenous South-East Asian garden, as well as the Rumah Uda Manap heritage house.
You can bring your own picnic! Free entry, no registration required.
More info here.
It's a big weekend for local book lovers at The KL Alternative Bookfest 2023, which is happening at Central Market in downtown Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Central Market KL
KUALA LUMPUR ALTERNATIVE BOOKFEST
Venue: Central Market, KL
Date: ends Feb 26
The Kuala Lumpur Alternative Bookfest (KLAB) is back at Central Market in Kuala Lumpur.
This is the 14th edition of this festival, which gathers local independent publishers under one roof. With the focus mainly on Bahasa Malaysia language books, visitors can expect a diverse range of titles, from fiction to graphic novels, biographies and journals. The local poetry and fanzine scene is also well-represented.
This year, there are 36 vendors, with stalls taking up the ground floor of Central Market, and also an art lane space. The vendors – indie publishers to hip bookshops – include Buku FIXI, Inisiatif Buku Darul Ehsan (IBDE), Bundusan Books, Tokosue, Riwayat Bookshop, Ilham Books, Katapilar, Maple Comics, Gerak Budaya, Hikayat Fandom, Merpati Jingga, Karangkraf, Pelita Dhihin, Dubook, Rabak-lit x Lejen, Kedai Dr Maszlee, Kedai Buku Biblio And Biblio Press, Mangosteen Books, Legasi Oakheart and others.
New book releases, talks and workshops with authors and industry players will be held throughout the festival's run. The fair is open from 10am to 8pm daily, free admission.
More info here.
A view of the 'Tikar Emoji' artwork, weaved together by Yee I-Lann and collaborators, which will be a highlight at the 'Tanah Tamu & Air' weekend at The Godown Arts Centre in KL. Photo: Yee I-Lann & Collaborators: Borneo Heart
ART: 'TANAH TAMU & AIR' MARKET
Venue: The Godown Arts Centre, KL
Date: Feb 25 and 26
As part of the expansive Borneo Heart In Kuala Lumpur exhibition programme, anchored by Sabahan artist Yee I-Lann and collaborators, this weekend's "tamu" (market) at The Godown Arts Centre offers a perfect way for you to get immersed in the cultural world of all things Borneo. It's a blend of traditional and contemporary activities, with loads to explore in terms of art, craft and community life.
This ticketed event features artists, arts activists and collectives from all across Malaysia. From Borneo Bengkel to Shaq Koyok right to Jennifer P. Linggi and Tuni Sundatang, these creative individuals will be exchanging stories, holding workshops, art presentations, music sessions and more.
Here is where you can also meet people working in community-based projects, in green agricultural and hydro technologies, right to learning about art-making, local music and poetry. Not to forget local produce and craft to take home.
The Godown Arts Centre will be divided into welcoming spaces such as Anak Tamu, Tikar Emoji, and Ruang Tamu for the masses to enjoy the Tanah Tamu & Air experience.
More info here.
THEATRE: 'HIS STORY'
Venue: Pentas 2, KLPAC
Date: ends Feb 26
Twin theatre series Her Story and His Story began as an online playwriting project helmed by theatremaker Fa Abdul during the height of the pandemic in 2021, which continued into 2022.
For the very first time, 20 insightful monologues that are colourful, surreal, humorous, and deeply introspective will be staged in two installments, with Her Story shown at KLPAC last month.
This weekend, His Story presents the works of eight new male writers from various backgrounds and age groups, under Fa's direction. The monologues are based on real life experiences, with themes touching on human conditions and masculinity.
Keeping up with the concept of powerful storytelling which has gained a strong and loyal presence for Fa and her revolving cast members. Just like its sister production, His Story offers theatre enthusiasts a refreshing blend of relatable plots and twists filled with cultural relevance and context.
Presented by The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat and KLPAC in collaboration with Big Nose Productions.
More info here.
ART: HAZIQ SYAWAL'S 'FRAME-IN-FRAME'
Venue: G13 Gallery, Petaling Jaya
Date: Feb 25 to March 11
In Petaling Jaya, G13 Gallery is presenting Frame-In-Frame, a solo exhibition by Klang Valley-based artist Haziq Syawal, which expands his ideas through a series of diptych artworks offering eye-catching concepts of duality.
"I am very curious about how colours affect the way we see something. So, I explored complementary colours such as red and green, yellow and purple, and blue and orange. When I dug deeper into colour theories, I realised that there are many ideas that we are unaware of. For example, we can see the changes in colours when combined side by side, the monochromatic and many more," says Haziq, who paints on jute as his main medium.
In this new series of works, Haziq is certainly in an experimental mood as he dives deep with the colour schemes, giving the canvases a deep afterglow. This is the fifth solo show for Haziq, who trained under Amron Omar, the famed figurative painter.
More info here.
ART: RED HONG YI'S 'MY ALLEYWAY OF MEMORIES: ONCE UPON A LONGTANG'
Venue: National Art Gallery, KL
Date: ends March 2023
The National Art Gallery has gone all old world Shanghai with multi-disciplinary artist Red Hong Yi's latest site-specific exhibition My Alleyway Of Memories: Once Upon A Longtang, which has been attracting a strong buzz since its opening last month.
The installation features a series of artworks "painted" with burnt Chinese calligraphy paper, and features scenes inspired by old alleyway houses – or "Longtang" houses in Shanghai.
"These houses are dear to me because my father and grandparents lived there, and I got to live there and reconnect with my roots in 2011-2013. These old houses are also quickly disappearing to make way for urban development," says Red Hong Yi about the new installation.
Free admission to the National Art Gallery.
More info here.
