Just one glance at someone’s personal space – be it a bedroom, living room or desk – can reveal a lot about who they are.
In his latest solo exhibition, Paintings For The Observer And The Observed, jet-setting artist Justin Lim offers a nuanced exploration of observation, memory and everyday environments, uncovering the emotional and psychological resonances embedded within private spaces.
“Our living spaces are like mirrors into our personality,” says Lim, 43, during a recent interview in Kuala Lumpur.
On view at Richard Koh Fine Art’s newest space at A Place Where in Bangsar, KL, until July 18, the exhibition comprises two works, one of which is the nine-painting series from which it takes its title.
Through carefully composed scenes depicting domestic interiors filled with artworks, objects, books, plants and curiosities, Lim transforms familiar environments into contemplative and richly articulated pictorial spaces.
The piece Paintings For The Observer And The Observed portrays a real-life art collector’s home through multiple perspectives of the same interior, while A Home Is A Universe depicts Lim’s own studio, drawing subtle parallels between the personal worlds of both individuals.
Drawn from a larger body of work exhibited over the past five years, these pieces make their first appearance in KL, marking Lim’s first solo exhibition in the capital since 2019.
“I’m excited to finally show these works in KL, but I’m also nervous, as it’s been a while since I’ve exhibited here,” he says.
The exhibition represents a timely homecoming for Lim, following high-profile appearances at Art Basel Hong Kong in March and New York Art Week in the United States in May.
Next on Lim’s itinerary is a residency at Art Omi in New York’s Hudson Valley, even before this new exhibition concludes.
Shades of solitude
Developed during the pandemic from his Bangsar studio, the series is characterised by vibrant hues and intimate interiors layered with details that reward close viewing.
For Lim, a practice typically defined by solitude assumed a different character during the lockdowns.
“I was trying to make sense of the isolation I was feeling and started painting my immediate surroundings and objects around me, going back to still life and more formalistic painting.
“That period of time really taught me how to deal with solitude or at least think about it,” explains Lim.
Concurrently, the scenes he painted on canvas provided an escape from the uncertainty and anxiety of a doomscroll-driven environment.
“Nowadays, we’re hyper-connected with our devices, but the act of painting allows me to disconnect from all that. Instead, I’m fully immersed in imagining the character whose space I’m painting,” he says.
Marked by a bright, domestic sensibility, the series departs from Lim’s work from a decade ago, including Modern Absurdity And The Superficial Abyss (2015) and Honey Trap Arcadia (2017), where darker social themes were explored through allegory, symbolism and a more muted palette.
“I’m always trying to mirror society in some way through my art, so my earlier works tended to engage with the political and social issues of the time,” says Lim.
“Then Covid happened, and it felt like we were living in an episode of Black Mirror or The Twilight Zone. Because of that, I felt the need to go to the other extreme, as a way of countering the surrealness of reality. When things felt dark, I turned to bright colours.”
An intimate space
Lim’s Paintings For The Observer And The Observed also inaugurates Richard Koh Fine Arts’ new gallery space, marking a new chapter for the gallery after several years focused outside KL on its art outposts in Bangkok, Thailand and Singapore.
Located at A Place Where or more commonly known as APW – a former printing factory turned retail and F&B hub – the space adopts a “window gallery” concept centred on focused presentations of a small number of works.
Conceived as an intimate exhibition environment, it departs from conventional large-scale shows in favour of a more deliberate viewing experience.
“It’s a new model we’re testing out,” says gallerist Richard Koh.
“The art world is constantly in flux, so we wanted to introduce a concept where you slow down and take your time to really look at the work.
“You can’t do that if we’re showing 20 or more pieces, so instead, we curate it to show the best two or three works. The artist is also not pressured to create so many pieces in order to put on a show,” he adds.
The format also allows for more experimental and spontaneous programming, giving the gallery space to explore specific aspects of an artist’s practice rather than staging a full series of new works.
In many ways, Lim’s return to exhibiting in KL serves as a reintroduction to a new generation of art lovers who have not encountered his work locally. The contemporary, more alternative platform also provides a fitting context for presenting his new works.
Lim’s current series align closely with the gallery’s window-like concept, offering visitors a glimpse into imagined interiors filled with knick-knacks and decor that subtly suggest the traits of their unseen occupants.
“In some ways, psychologically, I think these works might all actually be self-portraits, because I’m also arranging things and painting on a scale for myself at the same time. I like this notion of how a form or an interior is like a vessel for memory and the human experience,” he says.
Lim has described the series as “private vanitas”, referencing 17th-century Dutch still life paintings that served as reminders of life’s transience and the search for meaning beyond surface desires.
While he values presenting his work internationally and engaging with global artistic communities, Malaysia remains home.
“There are some things that are just priceless, you know? Being in a place that you’re comfortable and familiar with. It’s also an inspiring place to practise compared to other cities, which are a bit more challenging, to be honest,” he admits.
“In this day and age where everything is so globalised and connected, you can keep up with what’s happening around the world while being based in KL. So that’s the beauty of it.”
For viewers, Lim says the exhibition is open to all, whether seasoned art audiences or TikTok content creators, encouraging them simply to take a moment with the works.
“They’re an invitation to ponder ideas of solitude and observation, and how awareness and presence within one’s space can open up introspection,” he says.
“The paintings are essentially an entry point into personal realities.”
Justin Lim’s Paintings For The Observer And The Observed is showing at Richard Koh Fine Art at APW, Bangsar in Kuala Lumpur until July 18. More info: rkfineart.com.
