Datuk Lat will join moderator Pauline Fan for the 'Kalam' literary arts session 'Lat: A Life In Lines And Laughter' at Dewan Pak Sako, Muzium Telekom in KL on Nov 2 at 2pm. Photo: Filepic
BOOK EVENT: 'KALAM: CONFLUENCE OF WRITERS AND IDEAS'
Venue: Muzium Telekom, various venues in downtown KL
Date: Nov 2 and 3
Need a literary weekend checklist? Join a conversation with Datuk Lat on cartoons, celebrate the launch of poet Jack Malik’s first English collection, and discover the posthumous release of K.S. Maniam’s final novel. The line-up also features Goenawan Mohamad on literary and political life, a tribute to A. Samad Ismail and the late poet Pyanhabib, the unveiling of Dina Zaman’s new memoir, vibrant poetry and spoken word performances, and a pop-up exhibition on Brazilian novelist Clarice Lispector.
The inaugural Kalam: Confluence Of Writers & Ideas festival, with free admission, promises a vibrant weekend of literature and writing for KL book lovers. This community-driven gathering brings together writers, scholars, publishers, and cultural figures from Malaysia and neighbouring countries, including Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
As part of the Kreatif KL Festival by Think City, Kalam explores the evolving literary landscapes and untold stories of KL and South-East Asia.
With over 40 speakers from nine countries, Kalam’s main events will be held at Muzium Telekom, alongside book launches at Riwayat Bookstore and Mountbatten Cafe, plus a literary exhibition honouring Lispector at Bartolo Lisboa Bakehouse in Central Market. All venues are within walking distance for easy exploration.
More info here.
EXHIBITION: TIMELESS PATTERNS: TRADITIONAL CHINESE HANFU AND ART IN THE MODERN ERA
Venue: Museum of Asian Art, Universiti Malaya
Date: ends Dec 31
After The Forgotten Tradition of Limar Weaving exhibition earlier this year, the Museum of Asian Art returns with another textile-focused showcase, celebrating the rich heritage of centuries-old Chinese clothing.
The Hanfu exhibition, featuring reproductions, celebrates one of China’s oldest and most elegant traditional garments, Hanfu, or “Han people’s clothing,” worn by China’s largest ethnic group for over 4,000 years.
This exhibition guides visitors through the evolution of Hanfu from the Qin to the Ming dynasties, showcasing unique design shifts – from the flowing robes of the Tang Dynasty to the layered sophistication of the Ming.
In addition to authentic garments, informative displays delve into Hanfu’s cultural significance, illustrating how each garment reflects social rank, occasion, and values like harmony and prosperity. With videos, interactive activities, and costume displays, this exhibit highlights Hanfu's resurgence in modern culture and its enduring role in Chinese identity. Fashion enthusiasts and history lovers alike will find inspiration in Hanfu's timeless artistry and heritage.
Free admission exhibition. Open only on weekdays: Monday to Thursday, 9am-1pm, 2pm-4.30pm, Friday, 9am-12.15pm, 2.45pm-4.30pm.
More info here.
A view of Hasanul's painting, 'Durio', inspired by four years documenting the rich biodiversity around his studio in Selama, Perak. It earned him the 2024 UOB Painting of the Year award. Photo: UOB
EXHIBITION: 14th UOB PAINTING OF THE YEAR (MALAYSIA) WINNERS' SHOWCASE
Venue: L2 Event Space, The Linc, KL
Date: ends Nov 4
Contemporary artist Hasanul Isyraf Idris has long infused his work with natural elements, using creatures like crabs, moths, and birds as powerful symbols of life, death, and environmental interconnection.
His recent gouache painting, Durio, inspired by four years documenting the rich biodiversity around his studio in Selama, Perak, earned him the 2024 UOB Painting of the Year (UOB POY) award.
This piece is among the highlights at the 14th UOB Painting of the Year (Malaysia) Winners' Showcase, displayed at The Linc in Kuala Lumpur until Nov 4.
The exhibition also features winners from the Established category, including Hug Yin Wan (Gold), Muhamad Amsyar Ramly (Silver), and Mairul Nisa Malek (Bronze). In the Emerging Artist category, Nurul Shahida Ibrahim received the Most Promising Artist award for her piece Baruh, which contrasts life’s harsh realities beneath a tranquil rural landscape.
Other Emerging Artist winners include Ahmad Muhamad Mohamed Kamal (Gold), Lee Yaw Chu (Silver), and Aer Loo Xin Theng (Bronze).
Free admission exhibition.
More info here.
A video installation work by Korean artist Ayoung Kim is seen at the 'fffluid apparatus' exhibition at Rumah Tangsi in KL. Photo: Rogue Art
EXHIBITION: 'fffluid apparatus: AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE HUMAN, THE NATURAL AND THE MACHINE'
Venue: Rumah Tangsi, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends Nov 3
It may sound like a mouthful, but fffluid apparatus: At The Intersection Of The Human, The Natural, And The Machine stands out as one of the most intriguing shows from this year-end exhibition season.
Winding down its final weekend at Rumah Tangsi, the group exhibition – part of the Asean-Korea Partnership Project for Innovative Culture (PIC) – brings together artists and collaborative projects from Korea and South-East Asia. The showcase explores diverse forms of intelligence and their intersections as we navigate present crises and future possibilities.
The line-up includes Ayoung Kim, Aw Boon Xin and Koh Kai Ting, Bagus Pandega, Candasuara and KAE, Chong Yan Chuah, Jinjoon Lee, Kamal Sabran, Lim Kok Yoong, Nawin Nuthong, Rosemainy Buang, Vacharanont Sinvaravatn, and Zai Tang.
Hosted by Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, fffluid apparatus is organised by KOFICE in collaboration with IndoArtNow, RogueArt, Filamen, and Multimedia University's Faculty of Creative Multimedia. Free admission exhibition.
More info here.
HK painter and printmaker Cho Wing Ki’s debut Malaysia exhibition, 'A Small Little Place Called Hong Kong', is now showing at The Back Room in KL. Photo: The Back Room
EXHIBITION: CHO WING KI'S 'A SMALL LITTLE PLACE CALLED HONG KONG'
Venue: The Back Room, Zhongshan building, KL
Date: ends Nov 24
Hong Kong-based painter and printmaker Cho Wing Ki's first exhibition in Malaysia, titled A Small Little Place Called Hong Kong, features eight prints and six paintings celebrating the overlooked elements that sustain the city's spirit.
Her work highlights the quieter, often unnoticed stories of Hong Kong – street vendors, janitors, security guards, and even wandering animals – that form the fabric of daily life in this vibrant metropolis, reminding us that the heart of the city lies in its small, everyday moments.
Cho, an alumna of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, has been showcased in galleries across Hong Kong and South Korea.
She is also a member of Prinhow, a printmaking collective that works with marginalised groups to address social issues.
More info here.
A view of an interactive video display at Ilham Gallery’s new exhibition, 'Boom Boom Bang: Play & Parody In 1990s KL'. Photo: The Star/Shaari Chemat
EXHIBITION: 'BOOM BOOM BANG: PLAY & PARODY IN 1990s KL'
Venue: Ilham Gallery, Ilham Tower, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends March 9, 2025
Ilham Gallery’s new exhibition, Boom Boom Bang: Play & Parody In 1990s KL, serves as a time capsule of this restless decade where art, theatre, comedy, protest, and punk converged in a creative outburst.
The exhibition features works from Ismail Zain, Ahmad Fuad Osman, Wong Hoy Cheong, Bayu Utomo Radjikin, Azizan Paiman, Five Arts Centre, Instant Cafe Theatre, Yee I-Lann, Nur Hanim Khairuddin, Zulkifli Yusoff, Carburetor Dung, Raja Shahriman Raja Aziddin, and others.
This show, with an array of mediums, takes visitors back to when cultural and social experimentation thrived, and artists used humour and rebellion to challenge the status quo.
Curated by Ilham Gallery's Rahel Joseph, Simon Soon, Azzad Diah, and Ridhwan Saidi, the exhibition includes monthly public programmes featuring film screenings of three Malaysian films from the early 1990s, each exploring different themes of the era.
Free admission exhibition.
More info here.
