CLASSICAL FOR KIDS SERIES: 'THE MAGIC FLUTE'
Venue: Pentas 1, KLPac
Date: Jan 4, 11am and 2pm
It’s all about family fun at KLPac this Sunday. The KLPac Orchestra’s 'Classical For Kids' series opens the year at Pentas 1 – this time in collaboration with Fiamma Opera Studio – to introduce young audiences to Mozart’s The Magic Flute.
As Mozart turns 270 this month, there could not be a better moment to discover his much-loved comic opera. Presented in a child-friendly format and without the commitment of a full-length concert, this edition offers the perfect first step into the world of classical music.
Designed especially for young listeners, these lively and interactive performances allow children to enjoy an orchestra up close. The concert is recommended for children aged three to nine, though those outside this age range are also welcome – including the young at heart and neurodivergent audiences who may enjoy the relaxed concert environment.
A world of adventure and mystery unfolds in The Magic Flute. Guided by a narrator, children follow Prince Tamino and the bird-catcher Papageno on their quest to rescue Pamina, the daughter of the Queen of the Night, from the clutches of the evil Sarastro.
Along the way, young audiences chant spells, cheer on the characters and learn as the story comes to life.The concert experience concludes with a meet-the-orchestra session.
More info here.
Visitors view an immersive film showcase at Galeri Filamen in Muzium Telekom in KL. Photo: The Star/M. Irsyad
DIGITAL ART: 'CINIMERSIVE'
Venue: Galeri Filamen, Level 2, Muzium Telekom, KL
Date: ends Feb 1
If you’re keen to discover emerging talent in digital art and film, Cinimersive at Galeri Filamen is right up your street.
This immersive mini showcase (free admission) features six short films by 12 new media students, created through an intensive programme by the homegrown digital collective Filamen.
Projected across three walls and the floor, the works break free from the traditional screen, inviting you to turn, explore, and catch details from every angle.
Paired with enveloping spatial sound, the installation allows you to fully engage with a diverse range of powerful subjects.
In just 15 minutes, these student films navigate themes of mental health, environmental concerns, personal liberation and the exploration of memory through movement, offering a striking sensory experience that showcases the innovative possibilities of immersive cinema.
Located at Muzium Telekom in Kuala Lumpur, Cinimersive is a short yet contemplative stop in the heart of the bustling city.
More info here.
Danielle Lin will be one of the 40 artists taking part in the live painting event at The Greybox, GMBB in KL on Jan 4. Photo: Handout
LIVE PAINTING: 'ART IN MOTION'
Venue: The Greybox, GMBB, Kuala Lumpur
Date: Jan 4
This Sunday, The Greybox space in GMBB transforms into a live painting hub, featuring 40 artists and illustrators – including Soefara, Danielle Lin, Michael Chuah, Katun, Vanessart, Jean Lynn, Janggut Bear and more.
This is part of the creative mall’s ongoing effort to bring art closer to the public, with many participating artists already well-acquainted with its past activities and exhibitions.
Step inside this "live studio" session and watch colourful pop art take shape before your eyes. From bold, graphic iconography and playful character design to intricate, narrative-driven scenes and abstract reflections on contemporary culture, there’s a distinct artistic voice for every visitor to discover.
Perfect for new collectors, the event offers a relaxed space to meet artists, ask questions, and learn about the value of original work firsthand. With an accessible pricing structure, it’s the ideal opportunity to take your first step into owning a work of art.
Free admission. The session begins 1pm, ends 8pm.
More info here.
Nizam Rahmat's 'Dear Leonardo DiCaprio, Happy Belated Birthday! This gift is for you' money clip (stainless steel, digital print on canvas, 2025). Photo: Galeri Puteh
EXHIBITION: 'MONEYFESTO'
Venue: Galeri Puteh, KL Eco City, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends Jan 17
Galeri Puteh’s group exhibition Moneyfesto brings together over 30 artists to explore money as power, value, contradiction and consequence. In doing so, the show – especially after the recent 1MDB verdict – offers a reflection on the state of the nation, revealing how art can mirror and question the world we live in.
"Moneyfesto examines how money builds, destroys, feeds, and steals – shaping personal ambition, social structures and moral choices. The exhibition brings together established and emerging voices in a timely reflection on value beyond price," reads the exhibition notes.
The inter-generational exhibition spans a variety of mediums – paintings, installations, sculptures, and mixed media – revealing a multilayered view of perspectives on wealth, influence and culture.
The exhibition features a strong line-up of established artists, including Jalaini Abu Hassan, Ahmad Fuad Osman, Amir Zainorin, Ahmad Shukri Mohamed, Tengku Sabri Ibrahim, Azrin Mohd, Mastura Abd Rahman, Masnoor Ramli Mahmud and Nizam Rahmat, presenting socially incisive works.
Adding further appeal is Kide Baharudin, whose presence brings star power to the show. Emerging voices also make a notable impact, particularly Lee Soon Hock, Ika Sharom, Al-Khuzairie Ali, Alisya Fahmi, and Amad Sarol.
Free admission exhibition.
More info here.
EXHIBITION: 'CROSSING THE THIRD BRIDGE'
Venue: Wei-Ling Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends Jan 24
Wei-Ling Gallery's Crossing The Third Bridge is a diverse group exhibition that looks at how identity shifts across time, distance and memory. It centres on the idea of Hua Qiao, a term once used for Chinese migrants from Qing China, and how its meaning continues to change across generations who are shaped less by migration itself and more by what is remembered, translated and inherited.
The exhibition brings together local artists, including Lee Mok Yee, Sean Lean, and Wong Chee Meng, as well as artists from across the region and beyond like Kenneth Tam (US), Ming Wong (Singapore), MM Yu (Philippines) and Tintin Wulia (Indonesia/Australia).
Working across video, installation, photography and performance, the artists reflect on family histories, cultural inheritance and contemporary life.
Some explore personal archives of absence or interiors filled with sentimental objects. Others trace emotions across generations, engage with Cantonese soap operas, or revive nearly lost linguistic forms.
A highlight is Ming Wong’s video, first shown in his 2022 outdoor installation ‘Wayang Spaceship’ commissioned by the Singapore Art Museum.
For anyone interested in diaspora, cultural memory, and the subtle ways history shapes daily life, this exhibition offers an engaging, grounded experience.
More info here.
A view of Marcos Kueh's 'Divine Favor Holdings Berhad' (industrial weaving, 2025) artwork series at the Ilham Art Show 2025 at Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur. Photo: The Star/Low Lay Phon
EXHIBITION: ILHAM ART SHOW 2025
Venue: Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends April 5, 2026
Ilham Gallery ongoing Ilham Art Show 2025 delivers a handy survey of contemporary artists and collectives across painting, drawing, printmaking, photography, installation, textiles, film and video.
The exhibition has been drawing enthusiastic weekend crowds and brings together established names and exciting newcomers, including Gan Chin Lee, Wong Perng Fey, Roopesh Sitharan, Tiga Tawai, Eiffel Chong, Marcos Kueh, Joshua Kane Gomes, Kim Ng, Arikwibowo Amril, Syarifah Nadhirah, Kimberley Boudville, Yvonne Tan, Hieng, and Afiza Abubakar.
An open-call exhibition, the show welcomes artists based in Malaysia or abroad, regardless of background or experience. From over 270 submissions, 20 artists and collectives were selected last March by a regional panel including Gridthiya Gaweewong, Sharmini Pereira, Wong Hoy Cheong, and Rahel Joseph. Each received a production grant to realise works they might not have pursued otherwise.
While the exhibition isn’t tied to a theme, recurring ideas emerge: reflecting on history, exploring the fragility of nature, the fluidity of identity, and shifting social and familial ties.
Launched in 2022, the triennial Ilham Art Show continues to champion contemporary voices in Malaysia and beyond.
More info here.
Juhari Said's artwork 'Today Rooster, Tomorrow Feather Duster' (2025). Photo: Ruang Teduh
EXHIBITION: 'SIASAH: NARATIF POLITIK DALAM CAT AIR'
Venue: Galeri Ruang Teduh, Menara Exchange 106, TRX, KL
Date: ends Jan 22
This group show, curated by artist-poet Abdullah Jones, brings together artists who use watercolour not just as an artistic medium, but as a tool to engage with politics.
Often seen as light or decorative, here watercolour addresses weighty, everyday political questions.
Politics, the exhibition reminds us, is not only about politicians or elections – it exists in daily decisions, shaping how we think, choose, and act. Similarly, knowledge only gains meaning when internalised, otherwise, it changes nothing.
The exhibition features two groups of artists. One includes names like Juhari Said, Rafiee Ghani, Elly Nor Suria, Tajali Abdullah and others, who are not traditionally associated with watercolour, exploring it as a new language.
The other group consists of established watercolour practitioners, including Zamri Ismail, Calvin Chua, Ruzaidi M. Nor, and Padil Osman, who expand the medium through techniques like batik.
The deliberate dialogue between these groups challenges the medium’s romanticised perception, centering political themes.
Siasah thus becomes both a site for artistic experimentation and a platform where watercolour is pushed beyond comfort zones, serving as a critical, reflective lens on contemporary society.
Free admission exhibition.
More info here.
