EXHIBITION: RAJINDER SINGH'S 'SAFFRON CROSSINGS'
Venue: Wei-Ling Gallery, KL
Date: Aug 1 to Sept 26
This Saturday, Wei-Ling Gallery launches Saffron Crossings, a new exhibition of paintings and sculptures by Malaysian contemporary artist Rajinder Singh, who alternates between his studios in Dublin and London.
Expanding on his 2024 exhibition Saffron Surrender, which examined colonial legacies and his Punjabi upbringing in Ipoh, Rajinder's latest body of work centres on the SS Rajula - a steamship built in Glasgow in 1926 that transported Indian families across the Bay of Bengal on the Straits Service linking Madras, Penang, Port Klang and Singapore. The ship bears deep personal significance: Rajinder, his father and his grandfather each travelled the same route across three generations.
Drawing inspiration from the visual language of Phulkari and Bagh textiles, Rajinder creates richly layered red compositions where figures, animals, ships, shrines, trains, plants and architectural forms coexist, reflecting the intertwined histories of migration, memory and belonging.
In the middle of the exhibition is a 2.1m bamboo model of the SS Rajula, surrounded by paintings, sculptural frames, gold spheres and hybrid forms that transform the gallery into a space that is at once ship, shrine, textile and memory.
For Malaysian audiences, Saffron Crossings revisits familiar migration histories, reflecting on the sea routes that shaped families, communities and identities across generations. Framing migration as a continuous process of exchange rather than a journey that ends with arrival, the exhibition reimagines the SS Rajula as both a historical vessel and a powerful symbol of connection, transformation and shared memory.
More info here.
THEATRE: SHAKESPEARE MEETS NOH: DESDEMONA
Venue: DPAC, Petaling Jaya
Date: ends Aug 2
This cross-cultural production reimagines Shakespeare's Othello through the refined aesthetics of Japanese Noh theatre, combining stylised movement, chant, music, and classical text into a compelling theatrical experience.
Led by acclaimed Noh actor Jinya Imai, the production brings together six Japanese artists and five Malaysian performers, exploring the intersection of traditional Noh performance with Shakespearean storytelling.
Ahead of its Tokyo premiere, the work was previewed at Masakini Theatre in KL before invited guests. It subsequently toured the Tessenkai Nohgaku Institute for four performances to enthusiastic audiences.
Returning to Malaysia by popular demand, Desdemona will be restaged in an expanded production in Petaling Jaya this weekend before travelling to the upcoming George Town Festival 2026 in Penang next weekend.
The story follows a solitary monk spending the summer on the island of Cyprus, where he discovers a white feathered robe belonging to Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Appearing before him, she recounts the tragic fate of Desdemona.
As in Shakespeare's original, Desdemona is married to the general Othello, whose jealousy is inflamed by the scheming Iago until he murders his innocent wife.
But in a mystical turn characteristic of Noh theatre, Aphrodite restores Desdemona to life. Disillusioned by mortal love, however, she asks to die once more, seeking not revenge, but release.
The 75-minute show is presented in English, Mandarin, Bahasa Malaysia and Japanese.
The show is a collaboration between The Japan Foundation, Kuala Lumpur, KL Shakespeare Players and Life Art Union.
More info here.
EXHIBITION: 'A LETTER'
Venue: PapanHaus, Section 14, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Date: Aug 1-16
If you're feeling nostalgic about handwritten correspondence, this exhibition brings together more than 100 authentic letters dating from the 1950s to the present, contributed by friends and families from all walks of life.
Curated by Papan Collective in collaboration with Loci Seed and Brandfolks, the collection spans a wide range of correspondence, including Qiaopi (overseas Chinese remittance letters), teacher-student exchanges, personal letters between friends, official correspondence, and farewell letters.
Carefully preserved over the years, these letters offer intimate glimpses into different eras through their stationery, envelopes, postage stamps, and, most importantly, the stories they tell. Together, they trace the passage of time and the evolution of human connection.
Selected letters are accompanied by bilingual (Chinese-English) translations and audio recordings, accessible via on-site QR codes.
The programme opens at 3pm this Saturday with artist Lian Kian Lek's A Paper & Pen: Letters To Annie, followed by An Open Dialogue About Letters (4.30pm).
On Sunday, theatre practitioners Lim Tiong Wooi and Jo Kukathas present Three Letters Of Love & Longings (2.30pm), while curator Nazura Rahime and musician Razlan Isa conclude the day with Dear Mama – Unfolding Stories From The Heart (4.30pm), an evening of art, storytelling, shared meals, and conversation.
A suggested donation of RM25 applies to visitors aged 15 and above, inclusive of unlimited return visits throughout the exhibition and admission to all talks and workshops, except Dear Mama – Unfolding Stories From The Heart.
More info here.
EXHIBITION: STICKY FRIENDS
Venue: A4A Gallery, Level 3A, GMBB, KL
Date: ends Aug 23
A simple sticker may seem insignificant, but this exhibition transform the medium into an art form, featuring artworks, toys, sculptures, and installations by more than 60 artists from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea, Peru, Japan, Argentina, Germany and Australia.
Blending one of the most accessible forms of visual expression with the gallery experience, the exhibition invites visitors to discover the culture of sticker art and collecting.
Highlights include works by Malaysian illustrators Aku Napie, HeyHey Brody, Gujiguji, Jazz Ton, JoanSawABook, Kurocrow, Morwyth, NKOB, Sabrina Bien, and many others. Many participating artists, who typically exhibit at art and vendor fairs, have created exclusive works available only during the exhibition.
Bringing together creators from around the world, the exhibition showcases stickers as collectible artworks, expressions of creative identity, and a means of connecting artists with audiences across borders.
Visitors can also watch a towering tree-like installation gradually covered in stickers over the course of the exhibition. Admission is free.
More info here.
COMMUNITY/ARTS: MUSIC PLAY DATE, KABUT IN THE PARK
Venue: KLPac, Sentul Park
Date: Aug 1
This Saturday, KLPac spills beyond its stages and theatres, transforming its grounds into a relaxed gathering place for families, music lovers, bargain hunters and anyone seeking a relaxed outing.
The outdoor events Kabut In The Park and Music Play Date offer just that – a chance to browse, listen and get to know KLPac from a different perspective.
From 9am to 2pm, Kabut in the Park draws thrifting enthusiasts with pre-loved clothing, books, toys, gadgets and other treasures. It is followed by Music Play Date from 10am to 11am, when the KLPac Symphonic Band performs beneath the shade of the main building’s banyan tree.
Visitors can bring a picnic, settle in and sway to familiar tunes, while children and families enjoy the open space. With free admission and ample parking, there is little pressure to do anything other than wander in and see where the morning takes you.
For a few hours, KLPac becomes less a performing arts venue and more a neighbourhood gathering place – open, lively and very much part of the community.
More info here.
Theatre: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Venue: DeStage, Jaya One, Petaling Jaya
Date: Aug 2
Performed by a cast of teenagers, this contemporary adaptation, presented by EM Drama, reimagines the Bard's timeless themes of love, identity and self-discovery through a youthful Malaysian lens.
Directed by Lok Shi Hoong and featuring live music in collaboration with Bentley Music Academy, the production brings together classical storytelling and contemporary theatrical energy.
Filled with tangled love triangles, mischievous fairies, magical mishaps, and even a man with a donkey's head, the story follows four young lovers whose journey into an enchanted forest spirals into chaos, mistaken identities, and unexpected transformations.
For this show, the approach was to treat the teenage cast as professional actors rather than simply young performers.
"When you set that standard from the beginning, the cast naturally rises to it. We weren't trying to make a good teen show – we wanted to make a good show that could entertain any audience," said Lok.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is also a part of PJ Comedy Fest 2026.
More info here.
