Gan Siong King - All the Time I Pray To Buddha, I Keep On Killing Mosquitoes
Venue: Nero Event Space, PJPAC, 1Utama
Date: Ends Jan 23
Here’s an exhibition (free admission) fashioned like an hour-long cinema fever dream. Contemporary artist Gan Siong King is someone who tells stories through haiku-inspired video essays and his latest exhibition All the Time I Pray To Buddha, I Keep On Killing Mosquitoes is a rare visual and contemplative treat. Add experimental artistic vision to the equation.
In this non-linear video art exhibition (and dialogue series) at PJPAC’s Nero space, the audience can experience Gan’s artistic thinking process on screen. It has the technical smarts to appeal to media makers, filmmakers and sound artists, while there are philosophical questions and reflections to help it connect with the general masses. Even music anoraks will be thrilled to observe the artist's use of sound textures and music in these videos, including Radiohead and Portishead samples.
The video segment features two works - The Koganecho Gesture and Citizen, with the latter first exhibited at The Koganecho Bazaar Vol.2 (KB2020) in Yokohama, Japan.
"For the last few years, I became interested in exhibition-making as a creative act. I see ‘exhibition’ as a medium in itself, not a by-product of completed works. I see ‘exhibition’ as a site for experimentation and a platform for me to work with others and to include their voices into my work, filling in gaps that my videos or paintings create," said Gan about this exhibition.
More info here.
Red Hong Yi - Memebank Exhibition
Venue: APW, Jalan Riong, Bangsar, KL
Date and time: ends Jan 23, 10am-6pm
Hustle right up to the red carpet and brand new ATMs at the APW arts space in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, where contemporary artist Red Hong Yi and her team are printing money at the Memebank Exhibition until Jan 23 (opening hours: 10am to 6pm). This is an art project that spoofs banks, in a visually fun and "meme-centric" way. There’s no serious currency here, but the six Memebank banknotes will bring you plenty of laughs.
Inspired by the Chinese Yuan, US Dollar, Japanese Yen, British Pound, Singapore Dollar and Malaysian Ringgit, each banknote features a meme character - yes, Doge, the lovable shiba inu you see everywhere online, is one of the characters printed on these banknotes.
All six banknotes are on display at the exhibition in the form of physical copper plates and their corresponding canvas prints. The mini versions of each banknote printed on paper - 200 pieces each - are available for purchase (subject to availability).
All proceeds will go towards Mercy Malaysia’s Flood Relief Fund.
Memebank highlights the concern of continued printing of fiat money by central banks, which economists warn may lead to inflation. At the exhibition, the Memebank staff are on hand to conduct banknote printing demonstrations and discuss the process of etching and inking.
Click here to make an appointment at the Memebank or take a look at the show online.
Lam Shun Hui - In Light Of
Venue: Grey Cube KL, Wisma Central, Kuala Lumpur
Date and time: Ends Jan 30, by appointment
If you're out to discover new names in the local art scene, here's a show to investigate. Lam Shun Hui, an emerging conceptual artist, uses the language of video in her solo exhibition In Light Of at independent arts space Grey Cube KL.
Lam, a British-trained artist who specialises in photography as a medium, presents a durational video piece that depicts a traffic light, which is how this show got its title.
“By focusing on the image of a traffic light, this exhibition is trying to inspect an underlying and symbolic infrastructure of urban space,” outlines the exhibition notes.
More info here.
Bilik Sejahtera - Public Art Installation
Venue: KongsiKL, Gudang Yee Seng 2, Taman Goodwood, KL
Date and time: Ends Jan 23, (2pm-10pm)
Bilik Sejahtera is a new public art series at KongsiKL that "locks" you in a makeshift room for an intimate self exploration journey.
This free admission event is a project by Seni Tiga Lab: Unit A. In this interactive show, visitors are encouraged to actively participate in this reflective solo journey (three minutes per cycle) to contemplate the experience of uncertainty and confinement through a series of procedures, operations and simulations.
To coincide with this art project, KongsiKL is also hosting the KongsiKL Garden F&B Pop-Up to allow visitors to explore and experience this urban arts warehouse.
More info here.
Serious Play Improv Lab (SPIL 064)
Venue: The Percussion Store, Jalan Panggong, Kuala Lumpur
Date and time: Jan 22, 8pm
Experimental music is also a highlight this weekend. Serious Play Improv Lab (SPIL 064) is taking place on Jan 22 at KL’s The Percussion Store. This edition features musicians are: Charlotte Leng (vocals), John Long (flute/saxophone) and Sari Miyata (singing bowls).
As a classically-trained British musician, Leng has performed as a piano accompanist and as a violist in various chamber ensembles, orchestras and session recordings for bands. She has also collaborated on community theatre projects.
British musician Long, who has lived in Malaysia for many years, is a highly experienced performer, composer/arranger, and educator. Sari is a sound alchemist and energy harmonist using alchemy crystal singing bowls, Tibetan singing bowls and Koshi chimes as well as reiki. She runs a sound healing salon in KL.
Founded in 2014, SPIL is a monthly music series of KLEX Festival. It is an art laboratory focusing on music experimentation and improvisation.
SPIL is a ticketed event.
More info here.
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