OUT OF more than 400 submissions, only 54 artworks made the final cut for the “Equatorial Art, Nanyang Breeze: Malaysian Painting Elite Exchange Exhibition 2026”.
The selected pieces are now on show at the Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery in Gelugor, Penang.
The exhibition is a collaboration between the Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery, Penang State Museum Board and Art Gallery (LMNPP) and Global Chinese Arts and Culture Society.
It opened to a lively crowd of over 200 artists and art lovers, all drawn by its celebration of the Nanyang spirit and diverse visual languages it continues to inspire.
A total of 66 works, including 12 pieces selected from the state art gallery’s own collection, are showcased.
The result is a rich cross‑ section of Malaysian artistic expression spanning landscapes, cultural memory and contemporary reflections on place and identity.
For gallery founder Prof Lin Xiang Xiong, the exhibition marks an important moment.
He described it as both a milestone for the gallery and a meaningful platform for Malaysian artists to exchange ideas.
Prof Lin reminded visitors at the exhibition that art has always carried responsibilities beyond aesthetics.
“Human civilisation has endured not because of wealth or power, but because culture and art have been passed down from generation to generation,” he said, emphasising the artists’ role in documenting social change and capturing the spirit of their time.
Prof Lin, a long‑time advocate of the “Art for Peace” movement, also highlighted the potential of art to foster peace, environ-mental awareness and humani-tarian values.
His gallery’s international “Art for Peace” initiative has gained global traction, including a Paris exhibition last year drawing participation from nearly 100 countries.
Prof Lin also spoke about the realities of running a private art gallery.
While it cost RM100 million to build, it requires several million more each year to operate – an undertaking he noted as purely cultural, not commercial.
Penang tourism and creative economy committee chairman, Wong Hon Wai, who launched the event, echoed those sentiments.
He said Malaysia’s multi-cultural heritage remained one of its greatest artistic strengths, and Penang continued to serve as an important window into that diversity.
Wong praised the gallery for becoming a cultural landmark and a bridge between local artists and the wider art community.
Also present were LMNPP director Haryany Mohammad and National Art Gallery curator Erry Arham Azmi.
Haryany selected 12 works from the state’s 1,500‑piece collection to complement the exhibition’s theme, adding another layer of depth to the showcase.
The exhibition is until July 7. Opening hours are 2pm to 5pm from Tuesdays to Thursdays, and 10am to 5pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
(From left) Prof Lin chatting with artist Teh Ming Yang in front of Teh’s painting titled ‘Sashimi’, together with Wong.
(From second left) Haryany, Wong, Prof Lin, Erry Arham and other guests posing for a group photo at the exhibition’s opening ceremony.
An oil-on-canvas painting titled ‘The Sunset Infinitely Beautiful’ by Loo Hooi Ham.
A watercolour-on-paper piece titled ‘Thean Hou Temple’ by Datuk Chuah Kooi Yong.
Visitors having a closer look at the artworks featured in the exhibition.
‘Fishing Village’ is an oil-on-canvas painting by Datuk Chong Hon Fatt.
