In need of a culture fix? These five art galleries and museums in Malaysia are now offering virtual tours of their exhibits and much more
The easing of the movement control order (MCO) is a welcome reprieve for many from all the weeks spent in lockdown, although, unfortunately, activities like museum and art gallery visits remain off the cards, at least in the physical sense. Thankfully, while cultural spaces across Malaysia have yet to reopen, you can still sink your teeth into a variety of virtual exhibitions and other online offerings. From an Islamic art tour to a wayang kulit (shadow puppetry) exhibit, here are five digital museum and art experiences in Malaysia you can now enjoy in the comfort of your home.
1. Artemis Art
This KL-based gallery has collaborated with Indonesia’s Art Serpong Gallery on a joint virtual exhibition called “Monochrome”, which features works from six Malaysian and Indonesian artists. As its name suggests, all the featured artworks are monochromatic. Take a virtual walkthrough of the exhibit here.
2. Segaris Art Center
In April, KL-based gallery Segaris unveiled its first digital exhibition called “No(w) Showing!” featuring artwork from over 60 artists, with a portion of sales proceeds going to a Covid-19 relief fund. The gallery also has a pretty active Instagram page that’s worth a follow; you can get a glimpse of its many art pieces, catch short interview clips with its artists and access a QR code which you can use to view the e-gallery.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_ypu-4p9y7/
3. G13 Gallery
With an exhibition entitled “Mending Fence: Tales From an Isolation”, G13 has brought together 30 artists from Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand for a virtual showcase of artwork created by the artists during their time spent in lockdown. This isn’t the gallery’s first foray into the world of digital exhibitions – in 2018, it launched its virtual Viewing Room, and has since hosted several exhibitions in it. You can experience the exhibit for yourself via the Viewing Room on G13’s website.
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4. Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM)
The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) in KL is home to 12 permanent galleries and carries over 10,000 artefacts from around the Islamic world. Most of these galleries, including one devoted entirely to Islamic architecture and another focused on artefacts from Southeast Asia, can be toured virtually on its website.
5. Department of Museums Malaysia
Virtual exhibits, wayang kulit and live Q&A sessions with curators – these are just some of the offerings the Department of Museums Malaysia (DMM) has rolled out. Past exhibitions, like “Shadow Puppets Exhibition: Symbolism Behind the Screen” – which details the history behind the wayang kulit artform – are now available on its website. The museum is also hosting regular “Tanya Kurator” sessions (“Ask a Curator”) on Facebook Live, where a panel of curators from institutions like Muzium Negara and Muzium Etnologi Dunia Melayu will take any questions viewers might have on exhibits.
