We are only two months away from the end of 2018. Crazy, isn’t it? Before you know it it’ll be Christmas and New Year’s of 2019. We hope this year so far has been kind to you, and that you have learned a lot. With the annual Art Expo coming up, October looks to be another busy month for art enthusiasts in KL. From Chinese meticulous ink paintings of birds and flowers to unique aluminium sculptures and video animations, here are six art exhibitions in KL happening in October 2018.

Missing, Wei-Ling Contemporary

Indonesian artist Dadang Christanto is renowned for his ability to portray and sensitively evoke reflections on universal human suffering and communal grief. His artworks repeatedly include references to the year 1965, which was when the Suharto-backed anti-communist purge happened in Indonesia. The artist himself experienced it through the horrifying event of his father being dragged away by soldiers, never to be seen again. His artworks portray a sincerity and rawness of emotion that stems from his personal narrative.

Dates: 6 September – 4 November 2018
Hours: 11am – 7pm on Tuesdays to Sundays
Address: Wei-Ling Contemporary, RT01 Sixth Floor, The Gardens Mall, 59200, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Website: weiling-gallery.com

The Secret Garden Art Exhibition, Galeri Prima

Head over to Galeri Prima for a taste of self-taught artist Marisa R Ng’s works. The Secret Garden Art Exhibition is a representation of her personal fantasy garden coming to life. “As a child, I was enthralled by the story, ‘The Secret Garden’ by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Today, I am a grown woman on a journey to discover my own ‘secret garden’, the one that is embedded deep within my heart,” says the artist. There will be more than 55 artworks on display, including some from her previous series so visitors can better understand her style and development.

Dates: 26 September – 4 October 2018
Hours: 10am – 6pm on Mondays to Fridays, closed on weekends
Address: Galeri Prima, 31, Jalan Riong, Balai Berita Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Website: www.facebook.com/galeri.prima

Sejahtera Art Exhibition 2018, Yayasan Sejahtera

This is the first ever Sejahtera Art Exhibition organised by Yayasan Sejahtera. Yayasan Sejahtera is an NGO that has been around since 2009. They focus on poverty alleviation and community development among the targeted B40 (bottom 40 percent households) communities in Malaysia. The Sejahtera Art Exhibition runs with the theme, “Sejahtera Malaysia”, with creations by four renowned local artists – Azhar Arshad, Fauziah Yahaya, Elly Nor Suria, and Ibnoo Jalil. The artworks are for sale, with proceeds going to Yayasan Sejahtera to support their efforts.

Dates: 1 – 31 October 2018
Hours: 10am – 10pm
Address: Quill City Mall, 1018, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Bandar Wawasan, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Website: www.facebook.com/YayasanSejahteraMY/

In Awe of Things, Richard Koh Fine Art at Art Expo Malaysia 2018

Artist Zelin Seah will have a solo presentation under Richard Koh Fine Art at Art Expo Malaysia 2018. This will be the artist’s fifth solo presentation and his first with the gallery. The artworks on display will consist of painted copper and brass panels.

Dates: 11 – 14 October 2018
Hours: 11am – 8pm daily
Address: Art Expo Malaysia 2018, Booth M9, MATRADE Exhibition and Convention Centre, 50480, Kuala Lumpur
Website: rkfineart.com

HOL (Higher Order Love), Richard Koh Fine Art

Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA) presents Malaysian artist Hasanul Isyraf Idris’ third chapter of his Higher Order Love series which started in 2016. His works are in the form of large mixed media drawings on paper, accompanied by unique aluminium sculptures. For the first time ever, there will also be complementing video animation.

Dates: 12 October – 2 November 2018, Opening reception is from 5 – 8pm on 12 October 2018
Hours: 10am – 7pm on Tuesdays to Saturdays
Address: Richard Koh Fine Art, 229 Jalan Maarof, Bukit Bandaraya, Bangsar, 59100 Kuala Lumpur
Website: www.rkfineart.com

Guān Zhǐ2018 Gongbi Art Exhibition, Oriental Art and Cultural Centre

Enter the world of Chinese meticulous ink (Gong Bi) paintings at the Guān Zhǐ 2018 Gongbi Art Exhibition by Quah See Hoong and his students. Gong Bi is an ancient Chinese art form that emphasises delicacy and precision of details. This will be the largest exhibition of its kind in Malaysia, with approximately 120 pieces of carefully curated artworks on display. Those who appreciate art depicting flora and fauna should definitely visit as the exhibition theme is birds and flowers on rice paper and silk fans.

Dates: 18 October – 4 November 2018, Opening reception is from 2 – 4pm on 21 October 2018
Hours: 11am – 6pm on Tuesdays to Sundays, closed on Mondays and public holidays
Address: Oriental Art and Cultural Centre, No. 10 & 12, 2nd & 3rd floor, Yayasan Elken, Jalan 1/137C, Batu 5, Jalan Klang Lama, 58000 Kuala Lumpur
Website: Chinese Meticulous Ink Painting

we will have been young, Ilham Gallery

we will have been young is a contemporary visual-anthropological photography exhibition by 12 emerging Southeast Asian photographers. The photographers examine the fragility of youth and the ambiguity and transience of the future. These works were developed over the span of 12 months during a photography masterclass programme facilitated by German photographers, Jörg Brüggemann and Tobias Kruse, of the Ostkreuz Photographers’ Agency (Berlin) at the OBSCURA Festival of Photography between 2016 and 2017. Themes explored in the photos include belonging, family, love, identity, mental health, history, and oppression through a still-developing yet unique visual language from the Southeast Asian region.

Dates: 20 October – 18 November 2018
Hours: 11am – 7pm on Tuesday to Saturdays, 11am – 5pm on Sundays, closed on Mondays and public holidays
Address: Ilham Gallery, Level 3 and 5, Ilham Tower, No. 8, Jalan Binjai, 50450 Kuala Lumpur
Website: www.ilhamgallery.com

Every month, we put up a list of art exhibitions that take place in Kuala Lumpur. Check if there are any you might still be able to catch of these art exhibitions in September 2018. If you would like to share about an upcoming art exhibition in KL, drop me an email at [email protected].