The 'Rafiee Ghani In Morocco' exhibition at G13 Gallery in Petaling Jaya showcases a watercolour series that captures Morocco’s vibrant souks, tranquil gardens, and intricate architecture. Photo: G13 Gallery
EXHIBITION: 'RAFIEE GHANI IN MOROCCO'
Venue: G13 Gallery, Petaling Jaya
Date: Jan 11-25
Last year, artist Rafiee Ghani traded in his paintbrushes for chainsaws, making a bold leap into the world of wood sculpture. His debut wood sculpture series Arca Samudera, showcased in Kuala Lumpur, marked a new chapter in his artistic journey. This month, the 62-year-old artist will kick off the year by returning to his painterly roots, showcasing nearly 50 works inspired by one of his favourite travel destinations in Africa.
His new exhibition, Rafiee Ghani In Morocco, will open on Jan 11 at G13 Gallery in Petaling Jaya.
This exhibition - a full show done with watercolours - highlights Rafiee’s signature style, inspired by his four pilgrimages to Morocco, including one last May. His journeys have taken him to iconic locations like Tangier, Chefchaouen, Marrakesh, and the Todra Valley. Through his brushstrokes, he captures the country’s vibrant hues and intricate patterns, offering a window into its soul.
His new artworks, spanning from large compositions to smaller pieces, reflect his passion for abstract landscapes that fuse spontaneity with intricate details. From sweeping portrayals of Morocco’s bustling souks and serene gardens to intimate glimpses of Fes, each piece captures the essence of the country in a unique way.
More info here.
DANCE: 'INVISIBLE HABITUDES'
Venue: DPAC, Petaling Jaya
Date: Jan 10 and 11
Dance performance Invisible Habitudes, created by Singapore’s T.H.E Dance Company, explores the quest for personal identity and belief systems in an ever more complex world. At DPAC, the show is set to feature new cast members who bring fresh perspectives to its narrative.
“What I love about this piece is how it channels an energy of openness and honesty to gently challenge some of the unspoken boundaries and limitations in our lives,” says Kuik Swee Boon, the Malaysian-born founding artistic director and choreographer of T.H.E Dance Company.
Invisible Habitudes, commissioned by Singapore’s Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay for the 2018 da:ns festival, has resonated with audiences worldwide, including a European tour in 2019. After making a return to Singapore and Taiwan in November 2024, the "reimagined" production is ready for its Malaysian visit.
Invisible Habitudes is a collaboration between Kuik, Taiwanese musician Wang Yu-jun, Singaporean lighting designer Adrian Tan, costume designer Loo An Ni, and six dancers from T.H.E Dance Company. The performance examines themes of memory, childhood, gender, culture and ethnicity, with each dancer embodying inclusivity and compassion as counterpoints to the relentless pursuit of rigid convictions.
The show also marks T.H.E Dance Company’s return to the DPAC stage after nearly a decade.
More info here.
The 'Tokyo Before/After' exhibition showcases 80 works, pairing Tokyo images from the 1930s-1940s with those taken after 2010. Photo: The Japan Foundation, KL
PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION: 'TOKYO BEFORE / AFTER'
Venue: GMBB creative mall, Kuala Lumpur
Date: Jan 11 to Feb 23
Take a trip into the Japanese capital city’s unique past - and explore its present - in the Tokyo Before / After photography exhibition, set to open this weekend at the GMBB creative mall.
This exhibition, created on the occasion of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, features a selection of 80 works, in which works by photographers who had captured images of Tokyo in the 1930s-1940s are presented in juxtaposition with those taken after 2010.
Exhibition curator Kotaro Iizawa, a Japanese photography critic, has structured the show into two distinct eras. The "Before" section features works from KOGA (Light Pictures), NIPPON, and Kineo Kuwabara, while the "After" section showcases contemporary photographers, including Nobuyoshi Araki, Mika Ninagawa, Motoyuki Daifu, SATO Shintaro, Shinya Arimoto, Natsumi Hayashi, Kenta Cobayashi, and Daido Moriyama.
The exhibition (free admission) stitches together Tokyo’s story like a cinematic montage — vintage charm meets futuristic reinvention in a city that never stops evolving. Whether you're a history buff, a photography fanatic, or someone drawn to the city of Tokyo, this exhibition has something for everyone.
To coincide with the exhibition's upcoming launch, a "Photography Collage Workshop" led by artist Novia Shin and photographer Jeffrey Lim (from Kanta Studio) will be held on Jan 11 and 12. It's an opportunity to learn about unique collages. Bring your old photos or meaningful images, and craft your very own black-and-white silver-gelatin print keepsake.
In Kuala Lumpur, the Tokyo Before / After exhibition is presented by The Japan Foundation, KL, and the Embassy of Japan.
More info here.
MUSICAL: TUTAS CONSERVATORY'S 'SEARCHING ...'
Venue: Pentas 2, KLPac
Date: Jan 10 and 11
The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) is gearing up for a busy 20th anniversary, and it’s starting with a bang. To kick off the celebrations, the talented up-and-coming stars of Tutas Conservatory will take the stage at Pentas 2 on Jan 10 and 11 in Searching ..., a musical production.
Searching ... presents a collection of four short musicals, from a father searching for his missing daughter to a young couple navigating love through their GPS. These personal stories explore the delicate balance between heartache and healing, shedding light on moments we often overlook.
The inspiring musical, directed by Christopher Ling and written by Nick Choo, celebrates the resilience that bridges loss and discovery.
In its mission to nurture the next generation of talent, The Actors Studio Academy @ KLPac is also opening its doors to families for an “Open Day” on Jan 11 and 12. Packed with free trial classes, theatre tours, and activities for children, the event serves as the perfect prelude to the academy’s upcoming semester, set to commence on Feb 22.
More info here.
At Sunda Shelves on Jan 11, Lam Ching Fu will presenting his MyNengajyo project, which was inspired by his time as a student in Japan. Photo: Handout
BOOKSHOP EVENT: 'NENGAJYO 2025' BY LAM CHING FU
Venue: Sunda Shelves, Petaling Jaya
Date: Jan 11, 4pm
Did you know that in Japan, it's a common tradition to send new year’s greeting cards to friends and family? Known as "nengajyo" or "nengajo", the practice dates as far back as the Heian era (794-1185).
Travel writer-bus explorer Lam Ching Fu (aka FuFu), who wrote the My Journey By Bus books, is spending the afternoon at Sunda Shelves this weekend talking about his books and experiences in slow travelling with buses. The talk will be followed by a Q&A session.
Lam will also do a sharing on his MyNengajyo project, which was inspired by his time as an engineering student in Hiroshima. Though nengajyo are typically received on Jan 1, you can still come by and create your own unique greeting postcards using rubber stamps designed by Lam himself, including a cool range of snake-shaped ones in honour of the Year of the Snake. Later, you can pass it to Lam and he will post it out for you.
Spaces are limited, so pre-registration is required. The registration fee is RM20 and includes the Q&A session, RM10 book voucher, F&B discount voucher, as well as one Nengajyo and two blank postcards for you to design your own greeting postcards.
More info here.
Chok Yue Zan's 'In Between II' (acrylic and oil on canvas, 2024). Photo: The Back Room KL
EXHIBITION: CHOK YUE ZAN'S 'BETWEEN US'
Venue: The Back Room, Zhongshan building, KL
Date: ends Jan 26
Between Us, a solo exhibition of new paintings by Chok Yue Zan, marks his third solo show and his first in Malaysia. The exhibition, showing at The Back Room gallery in Kuala Lumpur, features five new works from the Tawau, Sabah-born artist’s ongoing series, De Upside Down, which presents realistic landscapes flipped on their heads.
For the past two years, Chok, 30, has been engrossed in De Upside Down, sourcing images from open-source photography websites and blending various landscape genres into a single, collaged composition.
By incorporating upside-down elements, Chok, who is based in KL, creates serene yet unsettling worlds – uncannily perfect but undeniably alien.
His exhibition at The Back Room will run through Jan 26.
In 2017, Chok won the UOB Painting of the Year (Malaysia) award. He has since completed art residencies in Shanghai, China and Japan, as well as shown two solo exhibitions – Retrospect Of Paradiso (2018) and Throughout (2022) – in Singapore.
