Two KL exhibitions showcase stories and creative ideas between the pages

An artwork from illustrator Mohd Khairul Azman Ismail's wordless book 'Left in Silence', which is part of the 'Illustrations As Visual Essays' exhibition at GMBB in KL. Photo: Handout

This weekend you can add two off-the-radar art exhibitions in KL to your "must-visit" list. Both don't offer a line-up of the usual painters and multimedia artists. They aren't even blockbuster in size. But they are all passion and heart.

At the their respective galleries, you will find these exhibitions taking different routes: one by highlighting visual storytelling from a cast of illustrators, and the other a "notebook/diary" showcase - in two indie venues - that gives visitors a glimpse of artistic processes, late night ideas, doodles and sketches from a variety of creative minds, filmmakers, poets and artists.

ILLUSTRATIONS AS VISUAL ESSAYS

Venue: Level 3, GMBB KL

Ends: March 31

Can you see the stories? At this all-ages exhibition, you can! The Museum of Picture Book Art winds down another busy month with the Illustrations As Visual Essays exhibition. It features 80 prints and books from 20 illustrators, who are presenting a wide range of stories, including fairytales, folk favourites, nature, environmental stories and more.

The line-up includes Anis Puteri, Awang Fadilah, Azman Md Noor, Basari Mat Yasit, Chooi Ling Keiong, Elly Nor Suria, Emila Yusof, Ida Sri Sulo, Jainal Amambing, Khairul Azmir Shoib, Leong Yoke Mee, Lim Kay Koon, Mohd Khairul Azman Ismail, Najidah Mohamed, Nor Azhar Ishak, Nor Azmi Mokhtar, Sanae Yamada, Tang Yeok Khang, Umi Kalthum Ngah and the late artist Yusof Gajah.

Not to be missed by publishing and visual art students and picture book lovers.

More info here.

A sketchbook from Lim Paik Yin featured at the 'Artist’s Books Exhibition' at Lostgens in KL. Photo: Handout

ARTIST'S BOOKS EXHIBITION

Venue: Iron River Studio (weekends) and Lostgens (Thursday-Sunday)

Ends: June 12

Two independent KL arts spaces Lostgens and Iron River Studio are collaborating on this unique exhibition, which highlights the intimate world of art sketch books, notebooks, diaries, scrapbooks, journals, theatre scripts, filmmaker drafts, design planners and architecture plans from a diverse line-up of more than 60 creative minds and thinkers.

"In this exhibition, we are inviting creators and artists from different fields – visual arts, dance, music, writing, performance art, video art, and architecture, etc. Let’s take a peek and discover the ocean of thoughts and dreams! We will get the chance to look at different ways of thinking and working from various creators, experience their joy and pain, and above all, the passion!" outlines the exhibition statement.

The exhibition line-up includes Low Pey Sien, Ayam Fared, Lim Paik Yin, CC Kua, Mah Jun Yi, Ridhwan Saidi, Goh Lee Kwang, Hishamuddin Rais, Gan Sze Hooi, Gogularaajan Rajendran, Benz Ali, Rat Heist and others.

More info here.