Shifting futures of Malaysian art glimpsed in 'ber{SEMANGAT}' exhibit

A close-up detail of deaf artist Lim Anuar's 'Challenge Of Lockdown' (batik art, 2021). Photo: Lim Anuar

A multidisciplinary group exhibition ber{SEMANGAT} at the newly-opened Galeri Putih at KL Eco CIty Mall in Kuala Lumpur offers a poignant, bittersweet and oddly celebratory gallery experience.

Rushed or not, the exhibit manages to gather the thoughts, hopes and dreams of artists who have been a part of Cendana’s Visual Arts Production Funding Programme (parked under the National People’s Well-Being and Economic Recovery Package (Pemulih), a pandemic stimulus package by the government).