EXHIBITION: SYAHBANDI SAMAT’S 'SILENT PERSISTENCE'
Venue: Harta Space, Ampang, Selangor
Date: June 6-28
This weekend, artist Syahbandi Samat presents his latest solo exhibition at Harta Space, following
In Silent Persistence, the 34-year-old self-taught artist, known for his intricate ballpoint-pen works, invites viewers into a surreal and unsettling realm.
Featuring 35 drawings, six sculptures and 20 miniature works, the exhibition journeys through pale, morbid renderings of familiar imagery. Recurring motifs of red threads, distorted anatomical forms, knives and other menacing objects construct a series of metaphorical predicaments, resembling a continuous visual narrative in which viewers are left to contemplate the outcome.
Curated by Filipino artist Dennis Bato, the exhibition is arranged to create a sense of continuity across the gallery. Works appear to echo and connect with one another, reinforcing the familiarity of the spaces depicted and their parallels to lived experience.
In contrast to his previous exhibition's larger-format works, Silent Persistence presents a greater number of smaller pieces, including sculptures and drawings no larger than PSA-graded trading cards. The shift reflects the artist's daily constraints while underscoring his persistence in expanding his artistic practice.
Syahbandi's new show is presented by Harta Space, in collaboration with Artemis Art.
Admission is free. The opening ceremony takes place on Saturday at 2pm and will be officiated by Lee Khai, chairman of the Penang State Art Gallery.
More info here.
THEATRE: 'OSTRICH MUTTAI'
Venue: Hush The Theatre, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Date: June 5-7
Ostrich Muttai, which opens tonight at Hush The Theatre, is a production showcasing emerging contemporary Tamil voices through four distinct works that explore hidden pain, emotional resilience, longing, and the quiet ways people navigate life's struggles.
Written by Piravina Ragunathan, the compilation features Yuthes Umadevi Navarathinam’s dark comedy Pothikko, Paduthukko on body insecurity and vulnerability; Santhiagu Thiagu’s physical theatre piece Ostrich Muttai on silent suffering and distraction; Yanu’s surreal Naduvula Konjam … Kaanom, which follows a girl whose imaginary boyfriend mysteriously disappears; and Gaaji, a spoken word and musical work directed by Thivaraggan that examines artistic obsession and burnout.
Performed by Piravina, Nandagopal, Deena Dakshini and Perassath, the production blends comedy, physical theatre, spoken word and surreal storytelling to create a deeply human and emotionally resonant experience.
More info here.
KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR 2026
Venue: World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL)
Date: ends June 7
The Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair 2026 (PBAKL 2026), which concludes its 10-day run this Sunday, is on track to set a new attendance record while introducing several new attractions, including the Special Gallery of Madani Leaders’ Book Choices and the Children’s Literature Festival, both aimed at nurturing a stronger reading culture.
Held under the theme “Malaysia Reads: Celebrating Books”, the 43rd edition underscores the organisers’ commitment to building a knowledge-driven society through reading.
This weekend’s programme includes book talks by acclaimed author Hanna Alkaf and South Korean writer Bora Chung, alongside a wide range of literary activities for readers of all ages. The National Art Gallery is also hosting a pop-up booth featuring a selection of art catalogues, books and journals, offering visitors an opportunity to explore Malaysia's visual arts landscape through its publications.
Featuring hundreds of local and international publishers across some 1,000 booths, the fair offers an extensive selection of reading materials while serving as a key platform for promoting literacy and supporting the national publishing industry.
PBAKL 2026 is open daily from 10am to 10pm. Free admission.
More info here.
SUNDA TALKS: 'MINDFULNESS TRAVEL IN THE KELABIT HIGHLANDS, SARAWAK BY ETHAN PANG'
Venue: Sunda Shelves, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya
Date: June 7
Nature bookshop Sunda Shelves begins June with a "Sunda Talks" session this Sunday at 3pm that takes book lovers and travellers into the highlands of Sarawak. In a remote corner of the Upper Baram, the Kelabit Highlands reveal Long Lellang - a little-known village of abundance, where towering tapang trees hum with bees and pitcher plants carpet the forest floor.
The experience offers quiet lessons in place and perspective. At Sunda Shelves, naturalist Ethan Pang of the Habitat Foundation will share insights from his travel experiences in Long Lellang, reflecting on the region’s landscapes, communities and ways of life.
For many Malaysians unfamiliar with this region, the landscape appears at once familiar and strange, from makeshift umbrellas stitched by the Penan community to the distinctive raincoats crafted by the Kelabit people. A visit also becomes a culinary journey, where wild vegetables rival meat in flavour and coffee is brewed from Liberica beans grown on forest-fringed farms.
Registration and entry fee are required for the event.
More info here.
EXHIBITION: 'BERAPA SEKILO? RHYTHM OF THE WET MARKET'
Venue: Awegallery, Petaling Jaya
Date: ends June 8
Something rather fishy is taking place at Awegallery. And it is the last weekend to experience it.
In Ryzalman Misran's debut solo show Berapa Sekilo? - Rhythm Of The Wet Market - featuring 30 works - familiar pasar basah scenes are transformed into poetic hyperrealistic watercolours rich with atmosphere.
“Through this exhibition, I hope viewers may come to appreciate the poetry woven into the rhythms of daily Malaysian life,” says Ryzalman, who has created a seafood feast on canvas.
In a place many hurry through because of the smell, noise and slick wet floors, the 50-year-ol watercolour artist chose instead to take things slow and notice the beauty others often overlook in a local wet market: the glimmer of melting ice, the sheen of freshly caught seafood, and handwritten price tags asking, “berapa sekilo?”
What Ryzalman captures on canvas are the small details ... a patient painter's world where fish scales shimmer against beds of crushed ice, market parcels sway from customers’ hands, and everyday exchanges light up the canvases
At the gallery, visitors can observe his meticulous watercolour technique and sharp attention to detail, as the works reimagine the wet market beyond commerce, revealing its layered emotional texture. Installation props - ice boxes, fishing nets, weighing scales and rubber boots - further heighten the atmosphere.
More info here.
EXHIBITION: 'UNTITLED' GROUP SHOW
Venue: GMBB creative mall, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends June 7
It's the last weekend to catch this unique exhibition. Untitled is a visual art group exhibition under KL Festival that invites audiences to respond to works – no labels, no titles, no artist names – through personal interpretation, without prior context from the artists.
Viewers can write reflections on site using purchased “gift letters” (RM2) and place them alongside the artworks, with all proceeds channelled directly to participating artists.
In a rare intervention in the exhibition ecosystem, Untitled offsets the typical financial burdens of emerging artists — including submission fees, production costs and logistical constraints — positioning itself as a more accessible platform for early-career practice.
Launched through an open call across mediums, the (ticketed) art show features 127 artists and 329 works, with admission fees also pooled and redistributed to support the participating artists.
The exhibition – held on the 5th floor of GMBB – is curated by a young team including Danielle Lin, Jakob van Klang, Nurunnuha Md Alwi, Haymie Yu Xin Yi, Lorrain Tan and Kimberley Boudville.
Untitled is one of the supporting arts, culture and heritage initiatives under Arts for All Seasons (ArtFAS 2026), an initiative by Yayasan Hasanah.
More info here.
