This Sunday, Ilham Gallery at the Ilham Tower in KL is opening 'Titik Garis Bentuk', a group show exploring the role drawing plays in contemporary art in Malaysia and its place as finished works of art. Photo: The Star/Filepic
EXHIBITION: 'TITIK GARIS BENTUK: DRAWING AS PRACTICE'
Venue: Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Date: March 24 to July 28
Have you missed wandering around Ilham Gallery's main gallery space? Fret not.
This Sunday, Ilham Gallery is opening Titik Garis Bentuk, a group exhibition (the first main show of the year) exploring the role drawing plays in contemporary art in Malaysia and its place as finished works of art.
Featuring the works of 27 artists who use drawing as a centre in their practice, the exhibition examines how artists are redefining the medium by blurring the boundaries between drawing and other artforms including installation, animation, and performance.
Through their wide range of works encompassing figuration, landscape, architectural drawing, and minimalism, artists are expanding conventional definitions of drawing as mark-making on a two dimensional surface through the innovative use of materials and techniques.
From the scale of life-size charcoal figures and panoramic landscapes to the immediacy of works that embody the meditative quality of drawing as practice, Titik Garis Bentuk showcases the different directions that these artists approach drawing.
More info here.
An artwork by Mei Yu Han titled 'Among' (Risograph printing, 2024), which is part of the Malaysia Asian Exchange Print Exhibition 2024 exhibition. Photo: MEI YU HAN
‘MALAYSIA ASIAN EXCHANGE PRINT EXHIBITION (MAEPE) 2024’
Venue: d’ Gallery@ Dasein Academy of Art, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends March 31
If printmaking is a medium that interests you, here's an exhibition to check out. The Malaysia Asian Exchange Print Exhibition (MAEPE) 2024, organised by the Dasein Academy of Art (DAA), features a selection of more than 50 prints in both traditional and digital format.
The show at the art college's d’ Gallery space gathers 29 visual artists, graphic designers and academics from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia, alongside DAA's students.
MAEPE, inspired by the concept of "Dasein", see the artists participating leaning into the themes of German philosopher Martin Heidegger's key document of existentialism Being And Time (1927).
Whether you're drawn to the timeless elegance of traditional prints or the dynamic energy of digital creations, this exhibition promises to inspire and delight, offering a glimpse into the endless possibilities of printmaking creativity.
Admission is free. Opening times: Monday-Friday (10am-5pm), Saturday (10am-1pm).
More info here.
'Dusky Leaf Langur' (Chinese ink on paper, 2023), one of Eu's 25 artworks on show at his 'Things That Move' exhibition. Photo: Gene Eu
EXHIBITION: GENE EU'S 'THINGS THAT MOVE'
Venue: The Godown, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends March 31
Calling all nature and wildlife lovers – in conjunction with Things That Move, a solo exhibition by Gene Eu on Malaysia’s wild mammals, The Godown KL will be hosting a series of talks, pop-up booths and on-site games in collaboration with leading national nature and conservation groups.
Representatives from TRAFFIC, Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), Gibbon Conservation Society (GCS) and Management and Ecology of Malaysian Elephants (MEME) will give talks and answer questions about topics such as the illegal wildlife trade and what we can do about it; the challenges faced by victims of the illegal pet trade; and the importance of preserving, revitalising and connecting the fragmented green areas within the Klang Valley.
Join them on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 3pm to learn more about Malaysia’s nature and wildlife treasures. Eu will also be present to meet with visitors, so this is a great opportunity to connect with fellow wildlife enthusiasts.
More info here.
MUSIC: 'SPICE, MAGIC AND MYSTIQUE BY THE YOUNG KL SINGERS'
Venue: Pentas 2, KLPac
Date: ends March 24
For a traditional performance like no other, The Young KL Singers’ latest offering of mystical choral songs is set to take the audience on a journey across Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia.
The setlist is based on Asian folklore, and to create a communal live music setting, you are advised to dress comfortably for this show.
At Pentas 2, the audience will be seated on mats, forming a circle around the performers.
Soak in the folk songs that have been passed down for generations like Chua-ay and Cikala Le Pong Pong, or discover the paddy field songs of the Igorot tribe from the Philippines.
Zhafir Muzani, the choreographer behind this show, has also infused the show with movements inspired by South-East Asian folklore dances, such as Kedah's Mek Mulung, recently recognised as an intangible cultural heritage by Unesco, and Indonesia's Ratoh Duek, known for its strong hand movements. Zhaf will also take the stage for a solo Janger dance from Bali.
More info here.
A view of the 'Jom Kita Bincang!' exhibition and reading area at the Raja Tun Uda Library in Shah Alam. Photo: The Star/Azlina Abdullah
CHILDREN'S BOOK EXHIBITION: 'JOM KITA BINCANG!'
Venue: Raja Tun Uda Library, Shah Alam
Date: ends April 10
How can children’s literature further the dialogue on sustainability, health, rights and social issues? Parents and children can now visit Raja Tun Uda Library in Shah Alam to explore this topic at Jom Kita Bincang! (Let’s Talk About It), an exhibition (free admission) aimed at highlighting the importance of providing children with great stories by drawing from the rich tradition of children’s literature in Sweden.
Organised by the Embassy of Sweden in Malaysia, Raja Tun Uda Library and the Malaysia Board On Books For Young People (MBBY), the exhibition includes the "Swedish Little Library", a cozy corner that’s been transformed into a sleek Scandinavian reading space.
The library features Swedish children’s picture books that have been translated to Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin. There are also two other exhibitions: one on beloved Swedish children’s book author Astrid Lindgren, best known as the creator of Pippi Longstocking, and another on the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (ALMA), an international children's literary award established by the Swedish government in 2002 to honour Lindgren’s legacy.
More info here.
Dexter Sy's 'Untitled' (mixed media on canvas, 2021). Photo: The Back Room
EXHIBITION: DEXTER SY'S 'A PATCHWORK OF IDENTITIES'
Venue: The Back Room, Zhongshan building, KL
Date: ends March 31
The Back Room is showing a new exhibition, A Patchwork Of Identities, the first solo exhibition in Kuala Lumpur of Filipino-Chinese artist Dexter Sy. The exhibition will feature several new mixed-media paintings along with two painted found sculptures made with vintage acupuncture models.
Lying at the heart of Sy’s art practice is the intersection of Chinese and Filipino heritage. Born to a Chinese father and Filipino mother, this makes the artist a “Tsinoy”, the name for Chinese-Filipinos in the Philippines.
Sy constructs his self-identity along these two cultures, working, on the one hand, to pay homage to and celebrate the rich legacies of both lineages, and on the other, to express the difficulties of growing up with a mixed cultural background.
More info here.
While Gomes' new exhibition is whimsical and playful with an emphasis on birthday paraphernalia, there is an atmosphere of world-weary heaviness to his sculptures, which are presented as parts a tongue in cheek commentary on millennial woes. Photo: The Star/William Gary
EXHIBITION: JOSHUA KANE GOMES' 'VIOLENT DELIGHTS'
Venue: Temu House, Petaling Jaya
Date: ends March 24
They say 30 is when your carefree days are over. You should have your life in order. For artists, however, they have barely scratched the surface of their potential at that age. These two contradictory emotions are what make up the Violent Delights, a solo exhibition of Joshua Kane Gomes.
The gallery space of Temu House now becomes an intimate playground for Gomes’ birthday paraphernalia, as he comes to terms with growing up as both a person and an artist. Pink and black colour up this exhibition, along with banners and text engraved pieces.
Among the 10 art installations in this exhibition, the most striking are the black steel unicorns with pink horns, which are part of his series All That Glitters Isn’t Gold. These creations are cut like a pinata, unleashing a stack of candy. Don’t be shy to eat them (unless you’re fasting).
This exhibition is supported by the Khazanah Nasional Associate Artist Residency.
Admission is free.
More info here.
A view of the 'Can She Do It?' group exhibition, featuring the works of 22 women artists. Photo: The Star/Yap Chee Hong
EXHIBITION: ‘CAN SHE DO IT?’
Venue: Sime Darby KL East Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends March 31
Gallerist Nazura Rahime, curator of this exhibition has brought together an array of thought-provoking artworks from Malaysian women artists, to answer a prevailing question – Can She Do It?
Coinciding with International Women’s Day, A.P Art Gallery and Manggis Group collaborate in this group exhibition, with 22 female artists featured.
There is no shortage of diversity, with sculptures, paintings and other curious mediums being used to describe the female experience.
Illustrations of female characters (some from Asian urban legends) are also prominent, as artists look to inspire a new generation with role models closer to the local experience.
The space of Sime Darby KL East Gallery (right next to KL East Mall) offers a pleasant experience for visitors, with its nature-inspired entrance and glass wall interior setting up a bright showcase for these inspiring artworks.
The gallery is open (daily) from 10.30am to 5pm. Admission is free.
More info here.
