Malaysian artist's cultural tug-of-war with splintered identities

A work titled 'Oracles' (automotive paint on aluminium, 2024), featured in Lean’s new exhibition 'Colored' at Wei-Ling Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: The Star/Glenn Guan

Six larger-than-life “porcelain” works from artist Sean Lean greet you as you step into Wei-Ling Gallery in Kuala Lumpur.

But beyond their size, what stands out is that they’re each cut into three precise sections – either vertically or horizontally – and arranged in such a way that none of the pieces are perfectly aligned.