October 22, 2019Imaginary worlds can also have gravity holding them together. In Justin Lim’s continued exploration of the concept of Utopia, he looks at how as fantasy, it serves a great conceptual mirror to reflect contemporary society and the issues that plague it.
Utopia is a central destination in Planet Shangri-La, his latest exhibition at...
September 23, 2019There are porcelain urchins - each unglazed - lying on the floor of The Back Room KL gallery. Each one looks unique in colour, shape and detail. These urchins - 48 in total - are arranged on what appears to be beach sand.
A broken tree branch, painted in white, lies next to the urchins, giving the gallery space a beachside vibe....
September 10, 2019In Icelandic artist Georg Oskar’s own words, it was like getting a knife twisted in his heart. No doubt, many others enjoyed his paintings of a tropical paradise with its eternal sunny days and palm trees swaying in the breeze.
But a university professor described the works as boring.
That was enough to yank Oskar out of his...
July 10, 2019Amin Taasha’s art is a unique fusion of Asian cultural influences alongside post-contemporary art ideals, featuring ancient Persian script, Buddhist iconography and figures referencing 7th to 11th century Afghan miniature paintings; which join forces with Chinese ink-styled modified strokes.
March 24, 2019There is a special kind of fragility in a mannequin stripped bare, fused with a pillow filled with all the sadness in the world. Or a chair slumped in a corner, defeated and deflated, with its legs like blue tentacles sprawled over the floor.
A nearby mirror reads: “Bet You Will Break Before I Do”, the words stare back at you in...
March 19, 2019If there is a description to sum up the irrepressible artist Anne Samat, it would probably be “dare to be different”.
She has, in many ways, an artistic career just as intricate and colourful as her works, the result of taking the roads less travelled in life. This defiantly bold attitude is illustrated through her art, which...
January 23, 2019Contemporary artist Yeoh Choo Kuan’s monochromatic works on canvas have an uncanny resemblance to traditional Chinese landscape paintings.
May 7, 2018Acclaimed contemporary Thai artist Natee Utarit presents his 'Optimism Is Ridiculous' exhibition at the National Visual Arts Gallery in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, part of the art institution's 60th anniversary celebration.
April 15, 2018Sarawakian artist Tan Wei Kheng presents the rich diversity in his homeland by using portraitures to highlight the elders from tribal villages.
February 18, 2018In March, Hong Kong will celebrate its arts month with a diverse and edgy programme of international events and community arts happenings.
December 30, 2017Multidisciplinary artist Haffendi Anuar has had a busy year, with a residency programme, a solo show and a commissioned sculpture in London.