EXHIBITION: 'THE POETRY OF LIGHT: A RETROSPECTIVE OF CHONG HON FATT'
Venue: Harmoni Soka Gallery, Wisma Kebudayaan SGM, KL
Date: Aug 8 to Sept 20
Few Malaysian artists have painted the country's landscapes as memorably as Datuk Chong Hon Fatt.
Born in Penang, the veteran artist has spent more than six decades painting outdoors, capturing the changing light, colours and character of his home state and places across Malaysia. His impressionist works have earned him recognition at home and abroad.
Long before heritage conservation gained wider attention, Chong documented Penang’s streets, pre-war buildings, clan jetties, fishing villages and neighbourhoods – many of which have since disappeared or transformed. His paintings now serve as a valuable visual archive, preserving the city’s architecture, memories and character.
Now, Kuala Lumpur audiences have a rare chance to experience Chong's journey. Opening tomorrow at Wisma Kebudayaan SGM, Soka Gakkai Malaysia's The Poetry Of Light: A Retrospective Of Chong Hon Fatt features 99 paintings created between 1959 and 2026.
The exhibition not only brings together some of his best-known works (including his China and Penang Second Bridge series), but also charts his growth as an artist, offering visitors a glimpse of how his style and vision have evolved over the decades.
Divided into three sections – "Walking Through the Alleys of Penang", "Witnessing the Second Penang Bridge" and "A Journey Through the World in Pursuit of Light" – the exhibition, curated by Vicky Ho, is an open welcome to rediscover familiar places and witness how light can transform ordinary moments into timeless works of art.
Free admission.
More info here.
Date: Theatre: 'Bebenang'
Venue: Black Box, DPAC, Petaling Jaya
Date: ends Aug 16
As Merdeka season approaches, even the theatre is joining the conversation. Bebenang is a verbatim theatre production built from the ground up, shaped entirely by real-life interviews with ordinary people.
Using a devising process that transforms unscripted testimonies into performance, it traces the threads of identity, belonging, and inherited histories through deeply personal stories.
The ensemble cast comprises Anitha Abdul Hamid, Amelia Tan, Ang Jeremy, Han Zalini, Nephi Shaine, Perassath, Sidhart Joe Dev, Sukania Venugopal and Yon Lynn.
Blending movement, music, and ensemble storytelling, the production connects individual memories to the broader social and historical forces that have shaped Malaysia, prompting audiences to reflect on their own place within the nation's evolving narrative.
Directed by Farah Rani, with production support from Karrenaishwarya Selvadorai, Leysha Al Yahya, and Sidhart Joe Dev, Bebenang runs until Aug 16.
More info here.
KUALA LUMPUR ZINE ETC
Venue: KL and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall (KLSCAH), KL
Date: Aug 7-9
For those drawn to independent voices and handmade creativity, Kuala Lumpur Zine Etc (KLZE) offers a timely look into the world of zines, small press and DIY publishing. The three-day festival, starting today, brings together zinesters, artists, writers and creative collectives, celebrating print as a personal and powerful form of expression.
Featuring more than 50 vendors, including independent publishers, indie booksellers and art collectives, KLZE highlights works that explore identity, storytelling and alternative ways of sharing ideas.
Beyond browsing zines, photobooks and prints, visitors can take part in workshops, talks, screenings and discussions that explore the processes behind independent creative practices.
More than a marketplace, KLZE reflects the growing energy of Malaysia’s grassroots arts scene – where experimentation, collaboration and community remain at the heart of creativity.
KLZE, now in its second edition, has also attracted an international line-up, with vendors and creators from Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, China, Myanmar and Taiwan.
Entry to KLZE is RM10, which includes a RM5 voucher redeemable towards the purchase of zines.
More info here.
EXHIBITION: 'ANCESTORS OF THE FUTURE'
Venue: Temu House, Petaling Jaya
Date: ends Aug 16
Sarawakian filmmaker and curator Sarah Lois Dorai presents Ancestors Of The Future, an exhibition at Temu House, Petaling Jaya.
Curated by the Kelabit arts activist, the exhibition explores how ancestral knowledge continues to shape contemporary Bornean art, presenting indigenous identity as an evolving cultural force rather than a fixed inheritance.
Featuring works by Sabahan and Sarawakian artists including Hannah Bhatt, Alena Murang, Allie Jabing, Fay Ulrica, Jesse Joy, Saerah R. Kunjan, Antonia Isabelle, Dumowongi, Loretta Livan Milang, Ayue Juman, Catriona Maddocks and Gindung McFeddy Simon, the exhibition spans mixed media, embroidery, beadwork, music, film and textiles.
Through these diverse practices, Ancestors Of The Future examines the dialogue between tradition and innovation, highlighting the continuing relevance of indigenous knowledge in contemporary creative expression.
The exhibition is accompanied by artist talks and workshops, including sessions this weekend with Allie Jabing, Bethany Luhong Balan and Alena Murang. Admission is free, while talks and workshops require ticketed entry.
More info here.
BOOK EVENT: 'POETICS OF THE MUNDANE'
Venue: Tintabudi, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL
Date: Aug 9, 3pm
London-based artist and writer Rajinder Singh’s new book, The Fugitive Gesture, is a compelling work of theoretical fabulation that explores the undercommons through cloth, muscle, memory and gesture.
Moving between poetry, speculative narrative, diagrams and critical theory, Rajinder, born in Ipoh, reimagines the turban as portable architecture, a fugitive archive and a material practice of care.
The book, steadily finding a Malaysian audience, offers a thoughtful meditation on how forms of collective life are carried, folded and sustained through everyday acts of persistence.
This Sunday, KL-based Tintabudi bookshop will host Poetics Of The Mundane, a conversation between Rajinder and literary advocate Nazir Harith Fadzilah exploring the turban as a way of moving through, experiencing and seeing the world. The talk takes place at 3pm, where The Fugitive Gesture will also be on sale at Tintabudi.
For those unable to attend the event, the book is also in stock at Wei-Ling Gallery. Rajinder’s latest exhibition, Saffron Crossings, is currently on view at the gallery until Sept 26.
More info here.
EXHIBITION: 'A LETTER'
Venue: PapanHaus, Section 14, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Date: ends Aug 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.
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.
More info here.
EXHIBITION: 'STICKY FRIENDS'
Venue: A4 Art Gallery, Level 3A, GMBB, KL
Date: ends Aug 23
A simple sticker may seem insignificant, but this exhibition transforms 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.
