An immersive art exhibition currently on view at the KL Illustration Fair 2025, held at the GMBB creative mall in Kuala Lumpur through May 4. Photo: Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR ILLUSTRATION FAIR 2025
Venue: GMBB creative mall, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends May 4
Since opening on Thursday, KL Illustration Fair 2025 has drawn thousands to its expanded edition at GMBB creative mall.
With over 180 artist booths across two floors, the fair is a youthful showcase of South-East Asian and international illustration, from zines and prints to posters, toys and art books.
Visitors can chat with artists, pick up custom sketches, or catch live demos and drawing sessions throughout the day. There’s also a packed line-up of talks, workshops, and exhibitions exploring illustration’s role in art, publishing, fashion, and animation.
A highlight this year is the showcase of emerging Malaysian illustrators, and digital art mavericks adding fresh local voices to the mix.
More info here.
Howard Tan’s paper collage artwork titled 'Wanderlust'. Photo: Harta Space
EXHIBITION: 'MORE MEN (AND A WOMAN) WITH PLANTS'
Venue: Harta Space, Ampang, Selangor
Date: ends May 30
If you love nature, art, or both, here’s an exhibition worth checking out. More Men (And A Woman) With Plants is a group show featuring seven Penang-based artists, each presenting works inspired by plant life - a vital yet often overlooked part of our ecosystem.
The line-up includes fused glass artist and co-founder of the series, Fuan Wong, alongside Ch’ng Kiah Kiean, Esther Geh, Howard Tan, IMMJN, MK Cheah, and Thomas Powell.
Together, their artworks celebrate Malaysia’s rich biodiversity - especially its flora - while also reflecting the nation’s cultural and social diversity, something Penang is well known for. This marks the third instalment of the Men In Plants exhibition series, following earlier editions in George Town.
With a mix of mediums and visual styles, the botanical exhibition is a gentle but vivid reminder that diversity, both natural and social, is what makes Malaysia truly unique. Keep an eye out for workshops and artist-led tours happening throughout the exhibition period.
More info here.
Ramlan Abdullah (right) shares insights on his work 'Multiplicity' during the opening of Tali Art Gallery and the 'Transmapping' exhibition last weekend. Photo: Danny Stones
EXHIBITION: 'TRANSMAPPING'
Venue: Tali Art Gallery, Petaling Jaya
Date: ends May 24
If you find yourself wandering around Petaling Jaya in search of a fresh art spot, you're in luck. Tali Art Gallery, a new addition to the local art scene, is located in a corner lot of the Jam PJ lifestyle hub, just behind Gasket Alley Art in Section 13.
It opened its doors last weekend with a debut group show titled Transmapping. Founded by Frenchman Thomas Martin, the exhibition brings together a diverse line-up, featuring local artists Ramlan Abdullah and Syahnan Anuar alongside Jean-Bernard Barsamian, Alice Dixon, Eunice Jack, Kathleen Paddoon, Agung Pramana, Kitikong Tilokwattanotai, Lea Valentin, and Marina Vandra.
The show presents contemporary works from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, and France in a cross-cultural dialogue.
Featuring installations, paintings, sculptures, and prints, Transmapping - curated by Martin - highlights art as a medium that connects spaces, geographies, and individual perspectives. Admission is free.
More info here.
Husband-and-wife duo Dany Che and Danica Airish, co-founders of Dany Che Comics, are all set to relaunch their indie comic store this weekend with a fresh space and big plans for local fans. Photo: The Star/Daryl Goh
BOOKSHOP EVENT: DANY CHE COMICS BOOKSHOP RELAUNCH
Venue: Dany Che Comics, Amcorp Mall, Petaling Jaya
Date: May 4 and 5
Dany Che Comics in Petaling Jaya is relaunching this weekend in a brand new, bigger space - and it’s looking like a must-visit for comic book fans. The upgraded indie store now houses thousands of titles, ranging from classic superhero sagas to indie favourites and local comics. Whether you’re a longtime reader or just getting into the scene, you’ll find something to spark your curiosity.
To mark the occasion, Dany Che Comics is also taking part in the international Free Comic Book Day event for the first time. Visitors can look forward to free issues, limited-edition releases, and a few exclusive surprises - perfect for discovering new series or picking up something special.
On Sunday, local comic artists David Sundra and Uzair Rashid will be making an appearance for a meet-and-greet session, complete with signings and conversations about their creative process and upcoming projects.
And yes - since it’s May the 4th, you’re absolutely welcome to show up in cosplay, especially if you’re repping the Star Wars universe.
More info here.
A view of 'The Plantation Plot' exhibition at Ilham Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Ilham Gallery
EXHIBITION: 'THE PLANTATION PLOT'
Venue: Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends Sept 21
The Plantation Plot is an art exhibition featuring the work of 28 artists from South-East Asia and the Americas, showing how plantations shaped the world we live in today. The exhibition, curated by Lim Sheau Yun, looks at plantations, which were big farms that grew just one kind of crop, like sugar or rubber, to sell across the globe. These farms were part of European empires that grew wealthy by using people’s labor to harvest crops.
The exhibition takes inspiration from Jamaican writer Sylvia Wynter, who thought of plantations not just as places, but also as stories about power and control.
Plantations needed a lot of workers, many of whom were forced to travel far from their homes. For example, workers from India and Sri Lanka were sent to harvest tea, while people from the Amazon were made to collect rubber on land they already owned. Many of these workers were treated as less important than the crops they were forced to grow, and their lives were changed forever.
This exhibition is a collaboration between Ilham Gallery and Kadist, a global non-profit arts organisation that uses art to spark conversation about important social issues.
More info here.
Kameelah’s 'Air Shaft Study I–III', suspended in Wei-Ling Gallery’s atrium, uses overlapping banners to explore language, space, and perception. Photo: Wei-Ling Gallery
EXHIBITION: 'A COLLOQUY'
Venue: Wei-Ling Gallery Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends May 17
Wei-Ling Gallery presents A Colloquy, a group exhibition featuring eight contemporary artists whose practices investigate the complexities of language and typography as forms of expression. Among the highlights are the Malaysian debuts of Kameelah Janan Rasheed (United States) and Cian Dayrit (Philippines), both internationally recognised for their critical engagement with text-based art.
On view through May 17, the exhibition spans the entire gallery space in Brickfields and includes works by Choy Chun Wei, H. H. Lim, Ivan Lam, Marcos Kueh, Tan Zi Hao, and Yin Yin Wong (Netherlands).
Through diverse approaches - ranging from installation and painting to print and mixed media - the artists examine typography not merely as a vehicle for clarity, but as a mutable, expressive medium shaped by cultural and technological shifts.
More info here.
A close-up view of 'A Pop Up Book Of Endangered Wildlife In Malaysia'. Photo: Matt Made Studios
BOOK LAUNCH: 'A POP UP BOOK OF ENDANGERED WILDLIFE IN MALAYSIA'
Venue: Sunda Shelves, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya
Date: May 4
Papercraft studio Matt Made Studios is launching its debut children's pop-up book, A Pop Up Book Of Endangered Wildlife In Malaysia this Sunday at Sunda Shelves at 4pm.
Full of colourful visuals, tactile pop-up elements, and fun facts about 10 iconic animals, such as the Malayan tiger, the tapir and the sun bear, this educational book was thoughtfully crafted to ignite curiosity and appreciation for the country's endangered wildlife among children - and the young at heart.
The book is also printed on recyclable and biodegradable paper, and each copy is produced in small batches based on pre-orders to encourage mindful, sustainable production.
Author Matthew Lee will be present to share his creative process and journey in papercraft. He will also be doing a demonstration on the art of papercrafting. Spaces are limited, so pre-registration is required.
More info here.
