Weekend for the arts: An Odissi dance duet, Nor Tijan Firdaus' e-waste marvels
EXHIBITION: NOR TIJAN FIRDAUS' SEEK'

Venue: Core Design Gallery, Subang Jaya City Centre (SJCC)

Date: ends Feb 26

After her debut solo exhibition New Formal back in 2021, which focused on Western artworks and tributes to legendary Malaysian artists, contemporary artist Nor Tijan Firdaus has decided to hit the "reset" button and plug into a different game (literally) for her new solo show in Subang Jaya.

The new material sees the adventurous Klang-born sculptor taking a deeper dive into the world of discarded e-waste materials and curiously, video games, while addressing issues of sustainability, and materialism.

In the Seek exhibition, Tijan creatively repurposes discarded electronics into thought-provoking works – some inspired by popular imagery from Pac-Man and Super Mario – that serve as powerful warnings about the perils of consumerism.

Tijan’s new works, seven in total, were made out of e-waste that she sourced from a collection centre near her home.

In Keperluan Ada Keperluan, one of the show's highlights, she uses an industrial crop - rubber trees. Despite rubber trees providing a green landscape, the plantation creates deforestation, and its byproduct, rubber, is one of the hardest waste products to dispose of.

At the gallery, visitors can also take a closer look at how materials such as motherboards, cables, keypads and other forgotten computer parts have been pieced together to drive home powerful environmental messages.

These artworks, says Tijan, not only showcase the environmental impact of our insatiable desire for the latest gadgets and development, but also serve as poignant reminders of the need for sustainable and responsible consumption.

Tijan's Seek exhibition - free admission - is open Monday to Sunday, 9.30am to 6pm.

More info here.

Gabriela Giroletti's 'Surroundings' (oil on canvas mounted on panel, 2022). Photo: The Back Room

EXHIBITION: 'FOLDED LINES'

Venue: The Back Room, Zhongshan building, KL

Date: Feb 17 to March 10

The Back Room returns with a group exhibition featuring Gabriela Giroletti, Laura Porter, Lee Mok Yee, and Mark Tan.

Folded Lines brings together the works of Britain-based artists Giroletti and Porter with those of Malaysia-based artists Lee and Tan, spanning 3D and 2D works including sculptures, reliefs, drawings, paintings, and prints.

The body of work explores personal and universal interactions with urban environments, man-made materials, and architectural spaces through a process-driven approach to making. All four artists transform shape and form through simple gestures, exploring in-between spaces that feel both static and alive, organic and inanimate.

Folded Lines also focuses on the transformation of materials and forms, and the hand-made processes that are at the root of the artist’s explorations. Against the backdrop of an urbanised, digitised culture, these artists choose a physical, slow approach to making, pushing the boundaries of their mediums and the traditions of their craft.

More info here.

At Bobo KL, dance lovers can catch a traditional Odissi dance in a club setting with 'The Perfumed Garden', featuring January Low (left) and Divya Nair. Photo: Handout

DANCE: 'THE PERFUMED GARDEN'

Venue: Bobo KL, Bangsar

Date: Feb 16 and 17, 8pm

Embrace the elegance and spiritual depth of traditional Odissi dance with The Perfumed Garden, featuring January Low and Divya Nair, both talented Indian classical dancers in their own right.

The exquisite dance performance, which promises to be an evening to remember, evokes the eternal love story of Lord Krishna and his beloved Radha.

From the intricate movements and expressions of the dancers to the captivating stories they tell, every moment of this Odissi dance duet is designed to enchant and inspire. Don’t miss this chance to witness live entertainment that combines the artistry of Odissi classical dance with the rich narratives of Indian mythology.

More info here.

This Saturday's 'Sunda Talks' series will see children's book author Cassandra Lau hosting a reading session, with her book 'Nyatoh, The Guardian Of The Rainforest' as the main pick. Photo: Handout

BOOK READING: 'NYATOH, THE GUARDIAN OF THE RAINFOREST'

Venue: Sunda Shelves, Petaling Jaya

Date: Feb 17, 4pm

Looking for children’s activities to check out with the kids during the school holidays? Head over to Sunda Shelves to enjoy a storytelling session by Sarawak-based author Cassandra Lau this Saturday.

Lau will be reading the second book from her Nyatoh trilogy, titled Nyatoh, The Guardian Of The Rainforest, about a hardwood tree that protects the rainforest from illegal hunters.

Following the storytelling session is a fun, hands-on activity. Children should be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

All three books from the Nyatoh trilogy are available for purchase at Sunda Shelves and you can get them signed by the author.

Registration fee is RM20 per person; registrants will also receive a RM10 book voucher and a 10% discount voucher for F&B. Recommended for children aged five to 10-years old.

More info here.

A gallery view of H.H.Lim's new exhibition 'The Gaze Of The Sleepwalkers' at Wei-Ling Gallery in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: The Star/Glenn Guan

EXHIBITION: H.H. LIM'S 'THE GAZE OF SLEEPWALKERS'

Venue: Wei-Ling Gallery, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur

Date: ends March 30

Malaysian artist H. H. Lim, based in Rome, returns to Kuala Lumpur after a decade with an evocative collection of artworks and installations. It is also Wei-Ling Gallery's first major show of the year, fitting the gallery's profile of exhibiting daring and bold works.

In this exhibition, Lim adeptly draws connections between the human experience and the surrounding ecosystem, utilising wild animals in isolated habitats as symbolic observers, reflecting contemplatively on the current state of humanity.

His narrative dissects the dichotomy between the observer and the observed, unveiling our collective role as involuntary "sleepwalking" participants in a world marked by turmoil and unrest.

"The exhibition subtly addresses socio-political themes, particularly the pervasive influence of materialism and its impact on our ethical compass. In essence, it prompts a thoughtful reconsideration of behaviour, urging any observer to awaken from a metaphorical dream and contemplate their shared responsibility in shaping a more conscientious and equitable world," reads the exhibition notes.

Visitors are encouraged to schedule an appointment to enjoy complimentary admission to the gallery.

More info here.

EXHIBITION: 'THREE EPISODES OF MOURNING EXERCISES'

Venue: Ilham Gallery, Kuala Lumpur

Date: ends May 26

Taiwanese video artist Hsu Che-Yu's Three Episodes Of Mourning Exercises multimedia show is Ilham Gallery's first exhibition of the year.

The show - free admission - is a collaboration with the Han Nefkens Foundation, which is working alongside Ilham Gallery to spotlight emerging talent in the field of video art in Asia.

Presented at Ilham Gallery's Level 3 space, Hsu's Three Episodes Of Mourning Exercises comprises three works: Gray Room, Blank Photograph, and Zoo Hypothesis.

Hsu, whose practice focuses on the research and revisiting of historical moments, as well as the reconstruction of private and collective memories, collaborated with a forensic team specialising in 3D scanning of crime scenes, navigating the body, space, and memory as part of an investigation into the ‘politics of death’.

Hsu was a recipient of the Han Nefkens Foundation – Loop Barcelona Video Art Award Production Grant in 2020.

More info here.

Visitors taking a look at the exhibits in the 'Pameran Terbuka' show at Galeri Shah Alam. Photo: The Star/Azlina Abdullah

EXHIBITION: 'PAMERAN TERBUKA GALERI SHAH ALAM'

Venue: Galeri Shah Alam, Laman Budaya Seksyen 14, Shah Alam

Date: ends Feb 29

Located right by Tasik Shah Alam, you can plan for a morning outing going through the gallery’s space, before heading for a brisk walk around the lake.

On the art front, Galeri Shah Alam is presenting its "open call" exhibition, which attracted 166 participants. A total of 52 artworks were selected for this show, all of them completed in 2023.

Visitors can look out for works from five artists who received awards for this open call exhibition – Zaki Zakaria, Mohamad Hassan, Ikmal Danieal, Ng Yen Te, and Noor Syuhada.

Highlights include Mohamad’s work called Bebas, an acrylic depiction of the freedom of birds, whereby their feeding areas are open to all, regardless of the colour of their feathers. Syuhada tells “you are what you eat” in her depiction of growing flowers within the human intestine with her mixed media work Darah Daging. Meanwhile, ‘Nelayan Dalam Lautan’ by Zaki depicts the relationship between fishermen, their boats and the sea in this oil on canvas painting.

This is Galeri Shah Alam’s first exhibition to start off the year after a long period of renovation of the gallery space.

Admission is free.

More info here.

POETRY AND MUSIC: ‘JALAN DALAM’ OPEN MIC NIGHT

Venue: Folk Kofi, Taman Melawati, KL

Date: Feb 17, 8pm

For this month's edition of the "Jalan Dalam" series, a mix of 15 poets and musicians will grace the stage, including crowd favourite – singer-songwriter Rauf Yusuf, who will be closing the show with his tender-heart melodies.

This is Jalan Dalam’s second show of in the alleyway that connects Folk Kofi and A.P Art Gallery. The project is also known for spotting grassroots talent, providing a platform (and safe space) for poets, musicians and other creatives to hone their craft. Apart from the live performances, audience participation is also encouraged.

If you ever wanted to share your talent with the masses, sign up for Jalan Dalam's next open mic show, which happens once a month. Admission is free.

More info here.




Arts,exhibition,art,Ilham Gallery,video,performing arts,Wei-Ling Gallery
A list of arts and culture events to check out in the Klang Valley this weekend and beyond