AS the year draw to a close, there’s almost always a certain hopefulness that prevails. The year ahead is filled with unknown frontiers, paths and possibilities. The current and future state of the art world may be in a more fascinating state than it has ever been. The coming year will surely convey more changes to human expressions and culture industry than we have found in the past. New patterns and players will change our ideas and thoughts, and it seems that the future ahead will see greater accessibility to great art.
Since the beginning of time, art has been a great connector of people. It is how humans have expressed themselves, communicated and shared experiences in every society, race and culture throughout history. As such, these intrinsic fundamentals of art – the creativity, connection and communication it delivers –– will never change. But what is changing, and will continue to, is the way in which we discover, connect with and purchase art. Art lovers want richer ways to experience art. They want to be involved in it.
In 2019, we’ll see more experiential installations and opportunities to connect with the artists behind the work. Art lovers will increasingly seek opportunities to learn about the story, process and inspiration behind a piece of artwork. And while social networks increase the discoverability of art, the more time we spend online, the more we will crave the offline human interaction and storytelling that art delivers.
There is so much to look forward to next year. And here are some exhibitions to watch out for in January 2019!
GALERI PRIMA
31, Jalan Riong, Balai Berita Bangsar, KL
Contact Details: +603 2724 8300
Naive Art Exhibition
Jan 10 to 25, 2019
Giorgio dө Chirico said it best: “To beсome truly immortаl, a work of art muѕt escape all human limits… But once theѕe barriers аre broken, іt will enter the realms of childһood visions and dreams.”
The keyword here is childhood. Naive art takes the ordinary and adds enchantment. It turns the reality of adulthood into the weightless joys of youth. Simply put, naïve art turns reality into something else, something better.
Naive art is simple, unaffected and unsophisticated and is usually refers to art made by artists who have had no formal training in an art school or academy. Naïve art is characterised by childlike simplicity of execution and vision. As such it has been valued by modernists seeking to get away from what they see as the insincere sophistication of art created within the traditional system.
Galeri Prima will be hosting an exhibition on this unique art form, showcasing artists who dabble in this genre including Ali Akbar Osman, Ismail Baba, Elly Nor Suria, Amy Nazira, Ho Mei Kei, Sarah Radzi, Yuyu Roslan, Donald Abraham, Fauzul yusri, Hudry Hayat, Amierul Iskandar, Ahmad Fikril Hanif, Izzat Hamdan, Art Jamila, Hashimah Abu Hazim, Tomi Heri, Satria Utama, Koo Yean Ni.
G13 GALLERY
GL13, Ground Floor, Block B, Kelana Square, Jalan SS 7/26, Selangor
Website: www.g13gallery.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/G13gallery
Axis by Paxis: A Meeting Place
Jan 12 to 26, 2019
The second series of the joint Southeast Asia exhibition ‘Axis by Praxis: A Meeting Place’ will open the 2019 exhibition calendar. ‘Axis by Praxis’ will feature five current emerging talents from Southeast Asia, with the aim of looking into the region’s art practice through the works of Ho Mei Kei (Malaysia), Nik M Shazmie (Malaysia), Natisa Jones (Indonesia), Anchalee Arayapongpanich (Thailand), and Kittisak Thapkoa (Thailand).
Interest in Southeast Asian art over the years signals the growing reception from the global market and it shows no sign of slowing down. The demand in the big art events such as biennales and art fairs signify the importance of Southeast Asian art to the global contemporary art development.
Within the epochal development in the region’s history, the artists featured in ‘Axis by Praxis: A Meeting Place’ reflect its diversity while at the same time sharing a similar sensibility: experimentation with media; and the dynamics of identity in relation to tradition, culture and history.
Axis by Praxis: A Meeting Place is a site of progressive and passionate artistic production, set as a micro survey of Southeast Asia’s emerging artists, in the midst of urban growth, modernisation and globalisation. Furthermore, the expanding contemporary art business demands a rigorous effort in its production and distribution. Axis by Praxis is an attempt to provide an access, as well as to broaden the artist’s visibility to the art world, both locally and internationally.
TAKSU GALLERY
17 Jalan Pawang, KL
Website: www.taksu.com
Contact Details: +603 4251 4396 E
Email: kl@taksu.com
KL : Locals Only 2019
A Group exhibition of homegrown talents
Jan 30 to Feb 28, 2019
It’s that time of the year again where TAKSU Kuala Lumpur brings back the much awaited ‘Locals Only 2019’ group show! Drawn from a public open-call submission, this year’s participants include fresh art graduates and established artists to be showcased side by side in this annual event that prides itself on its wide spectrum of homegrown talents. Artists featured are Gan Tee Sheng, Mohsin Aminuddin, Trixie Tan, Fendy Zakri, Nizam Rahmat, Fawwaz Sukri, Najib Bamadhaj and more.
Wei Ling Contemporary
RT01 Sixth Floor, The Gardens Mall, KL
Contact Details:+603 22828323
Email: noel.weilinggallery@gmail.com
Paralogical Machines: Where Images Meet Us in Space and Time
Jan 10 to Feb 17, 2019
Wei-Ling Contemporary’s first exhibition of the year, ‘Paralogical Machines: When Images Meet Us in Space and Time’ is a new media exhibition presenting some of Europe’s and Southeast Asia’s leading media artists.
We live in this time and this space, yet we think of art works as being outside of time and from a different space. We look at paintings and photographs as if we are looking out the window to another world different from ours. The works in ‘Paralogical Machines’ come down from the frame and expect to engage with us in our world. They meet us to create a dialogue with us. They do not explain, but rather question.
As Marcel Duchamp said, a work is complete until it is seen by an audience. We are as much the focus of the show as any work is. Art must be conversational with and for the viewer or else it loses significance. The works in this show present us with questions of how we perceive our experiences through different contexts, be it how we experience history, our dream states or just how we encounter what we take for granted in daily life.
The exhibiting artists are internationally known artists whose works have been shown in biennales, exhibitions and museums around the world. They are Charles Lim, Erika Tan, Kenneth Feinstein, Rajinder Singh, Tintin Wulia, Nye Thompson vs. UBERMORGEN, and the All Women’s Networked Jam Session (AWNJS). The exhibition includes new works as well as pieces shown in international venues such as the Venice Biennale and the Melbourne International Arts Festival.
There will be a public talk with exhibiting artists at 5pm on Jan 10, 2019 followed by the public opening of the exhibition at 7pm. ‘Paralogical Machines’ is made possible with the support of the Goethe Institut, the Centre for Research-Creation in Digital Media at the School of Arts at Sunway University, and Pro-Helvetia.