Ilham Gallery’s new exhibition Boom Boom Bang: Play & Parody In 1990s KL opens this Sunday (Oct 13), promising a wild mash-up of art, theatre, comedy, protest, and punk from the decade that didn't play by the rules.
The exhibition, which runs through next March, captures the essence of a capital city in flux through thought-provoking art and sharp parody, offering a glimpse into the social and cultural rhythms that shaped the era.
Central to the show are the voices of artists, theatre performers, activists, punk rockers and writers who played a pivotal role in shaping the emerging counterculture of the time.
The exhibition's line-up includes Ismail Zain, Ahmad Fuad Osman, Wong Hoy Cheong, Bayu Utomo Radjikin, Azizan Paiman, Five Arts Centre, Instant Cafe Theatre, Yee I-Lann, Nur Hanim Khairuddin, Zulkifli Yusoff, Carburetor Dung, Raja Shahriman Raja Aziddin and others.
“Parody, with its use of humour to critique power and authority, became a potent tool for artists to push back against dominant narratives. This was a time when the city’s rapid development and globalisation were often portrayed in a positive light, yet beneath the surface and away from the mainstream, artists were challenging these ideals and suggesting alternative ways of living and working in the city,” outlined the exhibition’s artistic statement.
“Play, on the other hand, is represented through the interdisciplinary experimentation and spirit of DIY that characterised a decade of collaboration across artistic forms. As new spaces and communities emerged across the expanding city, artists from diverse backgrounds came together, often resulting in cross-disciplinary collaborations.
“These collaborations not only fostered creativity but also provided a platform for alternative voices and perspectives to thrive.”
In showcasing significant interdisciplinary art practices of the 1990s, the Boom Boom Bang: Play & Parody In 1990s KL exhibition features archival documentations across both performing and visual arts, encompassing photographs, objects, video recordings, sketches, correspondences, posters, and brochures from significant events.
“It explores the increasing visibility of diverse cultural expressions across different sites and spaces, revealing unexpected connections as artists grappled with the now-ness of their contemporary experiences that challenged conventional understandings of identities and belonging in Malaysia,” continued the exhibition notes.
Boom Boom Bang: Play & Parody In 1990s KL is showing at Ilham Gallery in KL from Oct 13 to March 9, 2025.
