Looking to enjoy some art over a weekend? Consider blocking off 11-13 October as the 13th edition of the International Art Expo Malaysia (AEM), the longest-running art fair in Southeast Asia, is taking place at the MATRADE Exhibition and Centre, Kuala Lumpur.
The exhibition will bring together some of the biggest names in art featuring 60 art galleries from 15 countries. As in recent years which saw the AEM grow and entrench its status as a prestigious benchmark, the focus will be on the 3Cs – Contemporary, Cutting-edge and the Curatorial.
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Some of the highlights at this year’s expo include the Southeast Asia Art Lab, Southeast Asia Art Now, Southeast Asia ‘The Artist’ Room, Art Town, the Japan Pavilion, and Tribute to Living Legend Artist.
Some of the most reputable galleries from the world will take centre stage during AEM. Among the foreign galleries are LSD (Japan); Able Fine Art NY Gallery (United States); ATR Gallery (Spain); Galerie Bruno Massa (France); Artdoor Taipei, and Estyle Art Gallery (Taiwan). It is worth noting that Mazel Galerie’s will bring in Quentin Garel’s Orang Utan, made especially for this showcase.
Within the Southeast Asia Art Lab, installations from Tan Zi Hao (Malaysia) and Mella Jaarsma (Indonesia) occupy a 100 square metre around the entrance area of the exhibition hall. As one of Malaysia’s most exciting young artists, Tan will reprise his re-creation of the mythical Hindu creature Makara, in fibreglass and metal.
The work consists of a hybrid head of an elephant and a crocodile with the tail of a fish.
Meanwhile, Netherlands-born Mella presents her trademark costume concoction in a work titled DiCabut. Mella is also the co-founder of the Cemeti Art House (now known as the Cemeti Institute of Art and Society), the oldest Indonesian art space in Yogyakarta in 1988.
To get a feel of the art coming from all around Southeast Asia there is the Southeast Asia Art Now arena where curated shows by A+ Works Of Art, Segaris Art Center, Core Design Gallery, Richard Koh Fine Art, Singapore’s Linda Gallery and Gajah Gallery, Indonesia’s Kohesive Initiatives and Lawangwangi are on display.
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Those interested in hearing from artists in the industry can attend a one-day Art Talk, which will be held on 12 October, where five professionals with diverse backgrounds in the art scene will speak.
AEM will be open from 11.30AM -9.00PM on 11 and 12 October and from 11.30AM – 7.30PM on 13 October.
Tickets can be purchased online or over the ticket counter.
