USUAL SUSPECT CITY CENTRE Your first stop is the National Visual Art Gallery, the official treasure house of over 3000 works of art including permanent paintings by Wong Hoy Cheong, Ahad Osman, Zulkifli Dahalan and GALLERY HOPPING batik artist Chuah Thean Teng. Its architecture, The must-visit art spaces in Kuala Lumpur respectful of the Malay heritage, intermingles with modern design features. By SHARMILA RAJAH See: ‘NEGARAKU’ features artworks of 72 artists on patriotism, until September 30; ‘KL Biennale’, 1 November – 31 March 2018. Perfectly positioned at Suria KLCC, the Petronas Gallery is a popular stop along the city’s Line Rail Transit (LRT). Artworks reflect cultural diversity and identity by key traditional artists, as well as experimental works of young, emerging talents. See: ‘JULANG’ depicts Malaysia’s relationship with PETRONAS, until 17 October. Within close proximity, the sleek ILHAM Gallery invites you to contemplate some of the finest local and regional artworks in a vast space, spread over two floors, occupying a building designed by Foster + Partners. ILHAM kicked off its inaugural show in 2015 with works by Hoessein Enas, a pioneer of portrait painting. Outside, get up-close with Ai Weiwei’s giant copper-clad sculpture, his first permanent public artwork in the region. Kuala Lumpur (KL) as an art capital has been, for the longest See: A commemorative group exhibition time, overshadowed by neighbouring cities. Scratch below Clockwise from featuring the works of modern art pioneers top: Wei-Ling its surface and you begin to get an inkling of the creative Contemporary Ibrahim Hussein, Yeoh Jin Leng, Latiff Mohidin energy simmering beneath, fuelled by its colonial past, is located in and Anthony Lau from the 1950s-1970s, 21 political controversies and cultural contrasts. a mall, making October – end February 2018. art accessible; Shalini Ganendra Elite art institutions and emerging galleries jostle for the Fine Art gallery The newly relocated Vallette Gallery occupies is built to be attention of the savvy collector, and small-scale, alternative energy efficient a 1940s shophouse that’s been transformed spaces are popping up in unexpected pockets beyond the using experimental into a bright modern space at The Row, a strip features to keep city’s perimeters, harnessing the power of social media to temperatures even; home to first-rate bars, restaurants and cafes. reach a growing creative class. ‘Urat Naga’, an Vallette Gallery embraces emerging local and artwork by Jolly international talent showing an innovative Koh, a prime mover The launch of ‘Gallery Weekend Kuala Lumpur’ in of modern art in collection of paintings, sculptures, photography, November last year brought established institutions and Malaysia at the street art and installations. Check out the quirky, MAP this December. edgier galleries together for specially curated exhibitions Photo Credit: colourful flourishes of self-taught street artist and commissioned works. And come November, KL is set Jolly Koh. All Donald Abraham. images courtesy to spark creative discourse on the international platform the respective See: ‘Look This Way’ showcases personal with its inaugural art biennale. galleries. narratives in expressionist art by four upcoming Here’s an overview for the art lover of KL’s diverse galleries. artists, 30 September – 28 October. 62 62-63_USU SUS_MalaysianArtGalleries.indd 62 8/9/17 3:46 PM USUAL SUSPECT ON THE FRINGES Located in an inconspicuous 1950s building, the independent OUR ArtProjects has a distinctly Asian inspiration, exhibiting artworks with a strong focus on socio-cultural issues and political commentary by artists such as Mark Tan and Nirmala Dutt. See: ‘Hey Malaysian, Something Clockwise BANGSAR & BEYOND You [ ] Leave Behind!’ is a solo from top: Richard Koh Fine Art, a private, studio – MAP is easily adaptable. Patriotism by Phuan Thai Meng examining is the theme appointment-only gallery, has a See: ‘Kuala Lumpur International personal relationships to ones’ of ‘Seni simple modus operandi: to showcase Photo Awards’, a public exhibition Negaraku’ at homeland, until September the National a wide range of practices with of photography by winners and 16; ‘Between States’ is a group Visual Art attention to ingenuity. An appearance finalists centred around defining Gallery; exhibition exploring politics and Shalini at Art Basel 2017 featured works from family, September 9-19; ‘ARTAID17’, territory, September 22-October Ganendra Fine Hasanul Isyraf Idris and Yeoh Choo a charity art exhibition, 21 – 27 7; ‘Sometimes When We Touch’ is Art gallery Kuan, with Anne Samat’s intriguing September; ‘Warm heARTs Vol.2’, an is in itself a solo by Chi Too highlighting an a work of woven structures. exhibition showcasing artworks by alternative medium in painting, art; ‘Seni See: ‘Malaysian Art A New Perspective’ artists with disabilities from Japan, Negaraku’ at 13 October – 4 November. the National is a group exhibition on new ideas 21 – 24 September; ‘The Kuala Lumpur Visual Art and approaches of young artists, early Photography Festival’, an event Gallery The 26-year old Taksu is one of the brings September; A solo by Haffendi Anuar, promoting emerging photographers, region’s leading contemporary together 72 end September. 24 – 26 November; ‘Jolly Koh@76’, a art dealers representing a top leading local solo by artist Jolly Koh, 30 November – artists in selection like Fawwaz Sukri an exhibition Wei-Ling Gallery blurs the lines between 17 December. and Wong Chee Meng, and that runs past and present in a lofty three- through hosting artists-in-residence in its September; floor shoplot. Representing leading Somewhat surprisingly, Artemis Art suburban space. Artist Wong artists like Ivan Lam and Anurendra began as a nod to Yogyakarta artists Hoy Cheong’s See: ‘Fauzul Yusri Solo’, 7 – 23 recent Jegadeva, the gallery has enjoyed but has since developed into a hotbed September. works at the rounds in international art fairs such for local contemporary artists such as independent as Art Basel Hong Kong. Its sister Ajim Juxta, winner of the Young Art hub, OUR Close to attractions like the ArtProjects; gallery, the minimally designed Wei- Awards at Young Art Taipei 2016. National Mosque and Lake ‘Projek Ling Contemporary occupies the 6th See: ‘Primer Of A Language’, a group Angkat Rumah’ Gardens, the Islamic Arts Museum is by Liew Seng floor of the Gardens Mall, making art exhibition, until 16 September. a modern complex with decorated Tat at ILHAM accessible. G aller y. domes and glazed tile work, All images See: ‘Central Market’, a photo exhibition Located in residential Petaling Jaya, dedicated to art from the Islamic courtesy the by Hari Ho, until 10 September (Wei- Shalini Ganendra Fine Art may be a hike world. Discover exquisite ancient respective Ling Gallery). from the city but it’s worth it. The galleries. jewellery, hand-written Korans, gallery is a striking piece of energy- models of famous mosques and MAP is a playground where everyone’s efficient tropical architecture that fabulous textiles. invited to play: guest curators, exists, in tandem with the art it exhibits See: ‘A Spiritual Journey’, a visual artists, illustrators, graphic by some of Malaysia’s best like Zulkifli photography exhibition, until 14 designers, musicians and filmmakers. Lee and Fadilah Karim. October; ‘Islamic Bookbinding’ Comprising of two spaces – White Box, See: ‘COIR Pavilion’ is a design honours the art of bookbindery, a 6000-square feet gallery, and Black exhibition by POW Ideas, 15 September until 31 December. Box, an experimental theatre and – March 2018. 63 62-63_USU SUS_MalaysianArtGalleries.indd 63 8/9/17 3:47 PM.