Turning conventional exhibition-making on its head, Untitled, now showing at Level 5 of GMBB creative mall in Kuala Lumpur, questions an art system often shaped by invisible hierarchies while obscuring the personal costs artists bear in participating in gallery exhibitions.
A modest admission fee, redistributed directly to participating artists, helps sustain the exhibition, while the absence of artwork labels reshapes how visitors encounter the works.
One of the few visual art programmes under KL Festival, the exhibition runs through June 7. Visitors are also invited to purchase RM2 "gift letters", with all proceeds going directly to the emerging artists.
Through these letters, they can share personal reflections, thoughts or emotions and place them in envelopes beside the artworks – a simple yet symbolic gesture that gives viewers an unusually active role in the exhibition experience.
Curated by a young team comprising Jakob van Klang, Nurunnuha Md Alwi, Haymie Yu Xin Yi, Lorrain Tan and Kimberley Boudville, under the lead of Danielle Lin, the exhibition draws on the perspectives of artists familiar with the workings of the contemporary art world.
Developed through an open call spanning multiple disciplines, Untitled brings together 127 artists and 329 works.
"It's not every day that artists receive direct encouragement for their work, or that visitors have the opportunity to engage so closely with so many artists in one space. I hope this sets a precedent for how exhibitions might be organised in the future," said Lin in a recent interview.
She added that the artists had embraced the exhibition's concept from the outset, including the decision to showcase their palettes alongside their works.
"Many have told me they're genuinely pleased with how it has turned out. The public response has also been overwhelmingly positive. People seem to appreciate the idea of an exhibition where the artwork comes first and the information follows."
Accompanying the exhibition was a series of public forums that opened up accessible conversations on what defines art, how artists sustain their practice and how exhibitions come together. Even seemingly simple questions – such as why a banana taped to a wall can be considered art – were placed on the table.
"Rather than telling the public how to view art, the sessions responded to genuine, crowdsourced questions," said Lin.
"The discussions also touched on issues such as artist labour rights and gaps in curatorial practice."
Industry figures including CC Kua, Ajim Juxta, Karl Rafiq, Tan Sei Hon and William Tham shared insights into the power dynamics of the art world, offering a candid look at the realities behind exhibiting and sustaining artistic work.
For artist Edwin Seng, who works in architectural design, Untitled marked his first experience exhibiting an artwork after coming across the open call.
"Collaborating with the team gave me the encouragement and opportunity to explore a new extension of my ideas through my first installation work," said Seng.
"I owe the beginning of my artistic journey to this exhibition. It has made me far more aware of the considerations involved in developing future works."
He added that the exhibition's diverse mix of artists helped bridge the gap between the public and different artistic disciplines.
"Because of Untitled, I realised there is an appreciation for architectural and conceptual ideas beyond the architecture world, where such work is usually exhibited. That was both surprising and encouraging," said Seng.
Another participating artist, Jxinart, whose works from the Dialogue With The Inner Child series are featured in the exhibition, said the experience of showing alongside such a diverse group of practitioners has been inspiring.
"Really grateful to share this exhibition alongside so many talented artists, each with different stories, emotions, and perspectives. Walking through the exhibition feels like entering hundreds of different inner worlds at once," said Jxinart.
Untitled runs at Level 5, GMBB creative mall in Kuala Lumpur until June 7. The exhibition is part of Arts for All Seasons (ArtFAS 2026), an arts, culture and heritage initiative by Yayasan Hasanah. More info here.
