Weekend for the arts: Tipu Sultan exhibition, Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Fest
Venue: Special Gallery 2, Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends Jan 11, 2026
The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia returns with its biggest exhibition yet, transporting visitors to 18th-century India. It spotlights two influential Mysore rulers - Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan - renowned for their fierce resistance against British imperial expansion from 1761 to 1799.
Named after Tipu Sultan's famous declaration, 'It is far better to live like a tiger for a day than to live like a sheep for a hundred years,' the exhibition features prized artefacts from one of India's most remarkable dynasties.
Visitors will see how Tipu Sultan embraced the tiger motif across weapons, armour, and army uniforms. His legacy of innovation and courage shines through a rare display of superior Mysorean armies and some of the era's most inventive, finely crafted weaponry.
With detailed craftsmanship and powerful symbolism, the exhibition vividly brings this dramatic chapter of South Asian history to life.
More info here.
YAYASAN SIME DARBY ARTS FESTIVAL 2025
Venue: Elmina Lakeside Mall, Shah Alam, Selangor
Date: Aug 9, 4pm-11pm
Here's a Saturday evening arts idea for the whole family! The Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival (YSDAF) 2025 is set to close its six-month arts extravaganza with a bang this Saturday following its first-ever Urban Tour.
Its pulling out all the stops for the grand finale – festival-goers can dive into a vibrant line-up of over 80 free activities, featuring over 300 artistes, including exciting concerts, hands-on workshops, one-of-a-kind performances, and engaging installations. Best of all? It's free and open to all.
The main stage line-up suits the park setting perfectly, with indie pop singer-songwriter Zee Avi and her band The Good Things leading a night of soulful folk, jazz, and pop. Powerhouse acts like Kyoto Protocol and Fugo will keep the energy high into the night.
Other programme highlights include Young KL Singers' Spice, Magic and Mystique , a musical journey through South-East Asian folk songs. It will also offer a sneak peek into its upcoming Coldplay tribute concert at KLPac.
For theatre, two crowd favourites from the Kampung Tour return in full form: Dollah, a coming-of-age theatre piece, and Ceritaku, a poignant monologue series based on real-life stories – both directed by Christopher Ling.
Also debuting is a bold and moving new production: Detour The Musical, a pioneering work that features deaf and hearing performers on stage together, seamlessly fusing spoken word, Malaysian Sign Language, and music while championing inclusion and accessibility in the arts.
More info here.
Zen Cho returns to Kuala Lumpur this weekend for a whirlwind tour promoting her book 'Behind Frenemy Lines'. Photo: Pan McMillan/Filepic
BOOK EVENT: ZEN CHO'S 'BEHIND FRENEMY LINES'
Venue: Selected bookshops in KL
Date: Aug 9 and 10
Award-winning Malaysian author Zen Cho delivers a sparkling and witty rivals-to-lovers romance in her latest release, Behind Frenemy Lines.
Set in the same universe as her previous rom-com The Friend Zone Experiment, we follow a new cast of characters in the high-stakes world of law and justice. When Kriya follows her boss and joins a new law firm, she's looking for a fresh start after a messy break-up. Sharing an office with her "bad luck charm" Charles was definitely not what she had in mind.
A stickler for the rules, Charles thinks Kriya can't stand him, but just as they're figuring out how to navigate this frenemy relationship, Kriya needs Charles' help in fobbing off her boss's uncomfortable advances.
The Britain-based author is back in Malaysia this weekend only, so don't miss out on the chance to catch Cho as she unpacks the slow-burn tension, funny banter and behind-the-scenes insights on the book.
On Aug 9, Cho will be at MPH Bookstore, The Exchange TRX (noon-1pm) and Lit Books' CzipLee outpost, Bangsar Village II (4pm-5pm), and on Aug 10, you can find her at Tsutaya Books, Pavilion Bukit Jalil (2pm-3pm).
More info here.
A visitor observes Unglehrt's mixed-media artwork titled 'The Great Malaysian Sunset', 1989, featuring Darth Vader in a series of kampung scenes. Photo: The Star/M. Irsyad
EXHIBITION: 'A THIRD EYE: A TRIBUTE TO ASKANDAR UNGLEHRT'
Venue: Harta Space, Ampang, Selangor
Date: ends Aug 31
This new exhibition at Harta Space honours the late Askandar Unglehrt (1943–2022), a German-born artist who lived in Malaysia for over five decades. A lecturer and mentor, his works blend Eastern and Western influences with wit and curiosity.
Unglehrt's colourful assemblages - crafted from old magazines and wooden frames - merge pop culture icons like Yoda, Darth Vader, and Superman with scenes from Malaysian life. Using everyday materials, he explores how media and culture shape identity.
Visitors will enjoy the playful spirit of his work while reflecting on foreign influences within local identity.
Curated by Ricardo Chavez Tovar and Adela Askandar, the exhibition previews an upcoming publication on Unglehrt's life and work, with plans to showcase more art in Penang, his longtime home.
Admission is free. Closed Mondays.
More info here.
A view of the Ryoko Kui and 'Delicious In Dungeon' exhibition at the Fahrenheit88 mall in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: The Star/Azman Ghani
EXHIBITION: RYOKO KUI AND 'DELICIOUS IN DUNGEON'
Venue: Incubase Arena, Level 2, Fahrenheit88, Kuala Lumpur
Date: ends Sept 28
This Japanese pop culture exhibition brings together the imaginative world of Delicious In Dungeon and its creator, manga artist Ryoko Kui.
The story follows adventurer Laios and his companions as they explore dungeons and cook the monsters they find. Adapted into a TV anime, it premiered in 2024.
Now in Kuala Lumpur after stops in Japan and Hong Kong, the exhibition at KL features over 150 artworks and concept pieces, giving fans a peek into Ryoko's creative process.
Step into immersive sets from the anime and check out the artist spotlight zone with interview clips and drawing videos.
After exploring, you can even eat like Laios and his party at the themed café serving monster-inspired dishes.
More info here.
A visitor views one of five windshield panels from Azim's 'Langkah Terasing' series, highlighting roadside fruit sellers in the city's busy traffic areas. Photo: The Star/Muhamad Shahril Rosli
EXHIBITION: 'OLD SCHOOL X NEW RULES'
Venue: Galeri PETRONAS, Level 3, Suria KLCC
Date: ends Sept 28
Curious about the new wave of Malaysian artists reshaping the scene? Old School X New Rules at the newly reopened Level 3 gallery in Suria KLCC is a great starting point.
Spanning installations, video works, paintings, and found objects, the show gathers diverse emerging voices exploring shifting perspectives and the balance between tradition and experimentation.
Featured artists include Zulkefli Jais, Aimman Hafizal, Azim Rodi, Yong Hui Lin, Chong Yan Chuah, Yuki Mun, Burhanuddin Bakri, Foong Yeng Yeng (with Lim Soon Hock), Afiq Romi, Haziq Syawal, Husni Osman, Syazwan Jehan, Syuhada Yaacob, and Akif Azmi.
After a pandemic-era pause since May 2021, Galeri PETRONAS marks its return with this exhibition and a series of public programmes.
Free admission. Closed on Mondays.
More info here.
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The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
How murky world of ticket touting is making life a misery for Hong Kong concert fans
Keith Rumjahn was immensely frustrated after failing to get tickets to recent shows in Hong Kong by American comedian Jimmy O. Yang and British band Coldplay. Tickets were available in the secondary market – but cost at least twice their face value. Trying to book a public basketball court is another great source of irritation for Rumjahn, as he and his friends are only able to secure slots from touts who mark up the charge tenfold, from HK$100 to HK$200 to HK$1,000 to HK$2,000. Rumjahn, the founder of a fitness and sports apps and games company, attempted to counter the scalpers with a self-made automated booking agent but it proved futile. He said scalpers' sophisticated bots – software applications designed to perform automated, repetitive tasks – entered the system within 10 seconds of bookings opening and snapped up all the courts, while his own programme took a few minutes. 'We have a group that plays three times a week and we still buy from the scalpers. I guess that's the only way anyone is getting to play, right?' Rumjahn said. But Rumjahn, who is in his forties, said he refused to support concert ticket touts even though it had become the norm for anyone wanting high-demand experiences to buy from them. 'The whole ticketing system is not very transparent. Getting tickets was impossible,' he said. 'Every single Kai Tak show has been sold out, so obviously there are scalpers. 'I think the culture of making fast money, that flip mentality, in Hong Kong is so deep and people just got accustomed to buying from scalpers.' From buying tickets for pop concerts to booking sports venues, scalping has become a part of everyday life for many in Hong Kong, with residents resigned to paying extra for sought-after experiences. Insiders said the concert business had become opaque, with show organisers contractually obliged to reserve a large proportion of tickets for sponsors and commercial partners. Tickets reserved for public sale were swept up by scalpers using bots, leaving fans in despair without ever making it to the ticketing page, they said. But shortly after performances were listed as sold out, fans would see stacks of tickets being advertised on social media at exorbitant prices, leaving them to wonder where all the tickets had gone. The bigger question though is: how do you deal with a challenge where market forces, technology and limited regulation intersect? Ticket scalpers being arrested outside concert venues have made headlines in recent months, as authorities ramped up efforts to fill Hong Kong's concert calendar following the opening in March of the 50,000-seater Kai Tak Stadium, the city's largest venue. Big-name acts such as Coldplay and Mandopop stars Jay Chou and JJ Lin have performed at the stadium, while K-pop girl group Blackpink and GEM's coming shows are sold out. Under the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance, it is an offence for any person to sell, offer for sale, or solicit the purchase of tickets at a price exceeding the amount fixed by the organiser at public entertainment venues. Offenders are liable to a fine of HK$2,000. Mike Ko Lep-kei, CEO and co-founder of event platform Timable, said that scalping had escalated with the opening of the stadium, affecting not only local fans but also those who had travelled from outside Hong Kong to watch big acts. Ko, who is in his forties and has worked in the entertainment industry for more than a decade, said ticket resellers were mainly divided into two types. The first was a small group of people who had established relationships with concert organisers to get tickets meant for internal distribution. People who programmed bots to sweep up tickets on platforms during public sales made up the second group. Ko said these 'officially endorsed resellers' would help concert organisers ensure their shows sold well and price the tickets according to demand in the resale market. Ko said that while tickets being sold at exorbitant prices often made headlines, resellers also suffered losses if demand for a concert was poor as they had to swallow the costs. 'They earn so much usually, so they also have to help concert organisers clear the inventory, because officially, organisers cannot offer discounted tickets,' he said. 'The resellers function as a proxy during downtimes and offer huge discounts to ensure enough members of the audience show up. 'But many organisers will not reveal these details due to non-disclosure agreements signed.' An industry insider agreed, saying that most of the time, organisers had to reserve up to 60 per cent of concert tickets for their sponsors' internal distribution or sales through other channels as part of their contract. For major concerts, most of the sponsors are insurance companies, credit card firms or banks, which tempt fans to buy financial products in exchange for a pair of tickets. 'Even before ticket sales open to the public, some parties with close ties to the organisers will already have placed orders on how many tickets they want reserved for them,' the source said. Battling the bots For public sales, ticketing platforms would be flooded by 'tens of thousands of bots' trying to enter their website at the same time, with popular shows held at Kai Tak Stadium bearing the brunt of large-scale attacks, the insiders said. Platforms blacklist the IP addresses of such bots and block them, only to have resellers switch them to get around the blocks, requiring time and resources to fight them off. On top of commercial partnerships making the distribution of concert tickets an opaque business, Ko said scalping was severe as concerts held in Hong Kong not only served the local audience but also a 1.4 billion-strong market in mainland China. 'No matter how many shows they put on, there is demand from among 1.4 billion people. It is commercially beneficial because concert tickets will always be bought, but organisers don't care that Hongkongers are unable to get in,' he said. In 2019, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced that organisers of concerts with more than four shows at the Hong Kong Coliseum and Queen Elizabeth Stadium, venues it operated, must limit internal and priority sales to no more than 70 per cent, leaving only 30 per cent for public sales. In response to queries from the Post, the department said its upgraded Urbtix ticketing system could accommodate up to 20,000 users, up from 2,000 in 2022, and could scale up to 100,000 if needed on the first day of sales for popular events. The system was also equipped with security provisions and multilayered settings and programmes to prevent ticket purchases by bots, a department spokesman said. 'Besides, [the department] encourages organisers to increase the ratio of tickets for public sale. A number of presenters of events at the Hong Kong Coliseum offered tickets for public sale at a ratio higher than 50 per cent,' he said. In comparison, Ticketmaster, one of the world's largest ticket marketplaces, was ready to handle 3.5 million Taylor Swift fans who had registered for the presale of her 'Eras Tour' in 2022 at the same time. Despite being able to 'manage huge volumes on the platform historically', the website still crashed after 'a staggering number of bot attacks' and other fans drove 'unprecedented traffic' to it, resulting in 3.5 billion total system requests, which was four times its previous peak, it said. Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said her bureau had met several major concert organisers to understand their perspectives but shows were commercial activities and 'need to be financially viable' while large-scale productions required a certain level of sponsorship. 'It is not something government action can easily change. As long as it's not illegal, the government's hand should not be too far-reaching as Hong Kong is a free market,' she said. While venues managed by the government have to follow the guidelines, private locations, such as the newly opened Kai Tak Sports Park and Asia-World Expo, home to Hong Kong's largest indoor concert venue before Kai Tak Stadium opened, can decide their own hire terms. In response to queries by the Post, AsiaWorld-Expo said it had consistently asked event organisers to allocate 50 per cent or more of tickets for public sale at public ticketed events. 'The execution of ticketing arrangements, including allocations and sales channels, is managed by organisers and their appointed ticketing agents,' it said. Booming market Kai Tak Sports Park said that, like other commercially operated venues, ticketing arrangements were primarily managed by event organisers and that it encouraged them to increase the ratio of public sale tickets where possible. 'We noticed that organisers have allocated a comparatively sizeable portion of tickets for public sales and are pleased that public access tickets have generally been available, either as individual tickets or in package deals,' it said. 'Additionally, fans often have the opportunity to preregister for presales, and these have also been heavily used also.' Ko of Timable said that holding up tickets for sponsors was not unique to Hong Kong, but elsewhere the distribution of internal tickets was more transparent and smaller in scale. The global secondary ticketing market is a booming yet contentious industry, estimated to be worth US$28.2 billion in 2024 and projected to reach US$73.44 billion by 2033, according to a report by research firm Global Growth Insights. Platforms like StubHub, Viagogo and Ticketmaster facilitate resales, profiting from fees of 10 to 25 per cent charged to both buyers and sellers, ensuring stable revenue regardless of price fluctuations, according to the report. The Asia-Pacific region is the fastest-growing market, with ticket resale transactions up by 50 per cent in the past year, driven by expanding concert and festival scenes. South Korea's K-pop market alone accounts for 30 per cent of all secondary resales in the region, while Chinese and Indian fans increasingly travel for international events. Taiwan has significantly tightened its anti-scalping laws. As of May, the maximum penalty for reselling entertainment tickets through online and offline methods for profit increased from NT$18,000 to NT$30,000 (US$1,000). Under the 2023 amended Cultural and Creative Industries Act, reselling cultural event tickets above face value incurs fines of 10 to 50 times the original price. Large-scale scalping using bots can lead to three years in prison and a fine of up to NT$3 million. Japan's 2019 anti-scalping law prohibits online commercial resales above face value and acquiring tickets for illegal resale, with violators facing up to one year in prison or a 1 million yen (US$6,780) fine and potential entry denial for buyers. Ticket brokering is banned in the streets and other public places under local ordinances. Individual states in Australia have anti-scalping legislation where touts can only sell tickets for 10 per cent more than their original sale price across all venues. In Victoria, advertisements must also include the original price, intended resale price and seating information. Duncan Chiu, lawmaker for the innovation and technology sector, said Hong Kong could take reference from Australian laws, which target high-demand events, to strengthen enforcement and crack down on scalpers. 'But penalising consumers would not be useful, because those who bought resale tickets would not out themselves to authorities, since they really want to attend the event,' he said. Chiu added that while real-name verification was a frequently proposed solution, implementing it at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium could pose logistical challenges. 'Reselling should not be banned outright as there should be flexibility for those with last-minute plans. Having too strict purchasing procedures like requiring ID numbers or checking passports would also complicate matters for tourists,' he said. Chiu pointed to the Rugby Sevens app as a positive example, as it allowed users to transfer tickets a maximum of three times while tracing the path of the transactions, with accounts registered using verified phone numbers. Top-down approach Concerts by Hong Kong boy band Mirror in 2022 required real-name registration for publicly sold tickets after fans complained that the reselling situation had got out of hand, with scalpers demanding up to HK$400,000 a seat. Ko said a top-down approach was needed as a solution since it is not profitable for organisers to voluntarily regulate themselves. For starters, authorities could require organisers to reserve 10 per cent of publicly sold tickets for real-name verification. He cited Cantopop singer Terence Lam Ka-him's coming 'White Summer' series of eight concerts this month as a positive example of organisers trying to protect fans. Lam announced that 38,000 tickets meant for the public at the 12,500-seat Coliseum would be sold through a ballot. Applicants registered with their full name, verified phone numbers and payment details on Urbtix beforehand, and if selected, could only buy a maximum of two tickets. Concert director Alex Fung Yee-pak revealed that around 180,000 people had registered for the lucky draw. Fung said he hoped the ballot would weed out scalpers' accounts by requiring a verified phone number and credit card details. 'The response has been positive and fans were able to buy tickets through this method,' he told the Post. Fung said they tried to diversify the distribution of tickets to ensure as few as possible would be snapped up by scalpers during public sales. 'Forty per cent of tickets are available for public sales, while the remaining tickets will be distributed to partnering companies or sponsors to sell these tickets to their members through their own means,' he said. 'If we put all our eggs in one basket, scalpers could potentially wipe out the tickets and audiences would have no choice, so we hope to distribute the tickets through different channels.' Fung said scalping in Hong Kong was at a 'white heat', as ticket prices were relatively low and most singers held multiple shows, leaving much room for touts to make a profit. 'For example, a ticket costs HK$1,000 ... but scalpers can resell it for HK$2,000 and fully bag the profit,' he said. 'Profits will go into researching new technology and finding new ways to circumvent any detection on the platforms so they can sweep up more tickets.' Ko said the issue with scalpers was that no one truly knew how much they were earning from ticket sales, given the opacity of the industry. While some fan clubs elsewhere had started campaigns to boycott scalpers, Ko said Hongkongers would always show demand for resold tickets despite the price. Rather than banning commercial reselling, regulating and taxing the practice could be a solution just as authorities did during the property boom, Ko said. 'For example, if I earn HK$100 from reselling, HK$20 could go to the government, and the profit could be split with other stakeholders,' he said. If authorities did not act to regulate the situation, Hong Kong's reselling phenomenon would ultimately be corrupted to the core, Ko warned. 'It will be impossible to watch any shows at the original price any more, and audiences will be left in despair,' he said. - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
The Star
15 hours ago
- The Star
Weekend for the arts: Tipu Sultan exhibition, Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Fest
EXHIBITION: 'MORE THAN A DAY AS A TIGER' Venue: Special Gallery 2, Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur Date: ends Jan 11, 2026 The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia returns with its biggest exhibition yet, transporting visitors to 18th-century India. It spotlights two influential Mysore rulers - Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan - renowned for their fierce resistance against British imperial expansion from 1761 to 1799. Named after Tipu Sultan's famous declaration, 'It is far better to live like a tiger for a day than to live like a sheep for a hundred years,' the exhibition features prized artefacts from one of India's most remarkable dynasties. Visitors will see how Tipu Sultan embraced the tiger motif across weapons, armour, and army uniforms. His legacy of innovation and courage shines through a rare display of superior Mysorean armies and some of the era's most inventive, finely crafted weaponry. With detailed craftsmanship and powerful symbolism, the exhibition vividly brings this dramatic chapter of South Asian history to life. More info here. YAYASAN SIME DARBY ARTS FESTIVAL 2025 Venue: Elmina Lakeside Mall, Shah Alam, Selangor Date: Aug 9, 4pm-11pm Here's a Saturday evening arts idea for the whole family! The Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival (YSDAF) 2025 is set to close its six-month arts extravaganza with a bang this Saturday following its first-ever Urban Tour. Its pulling out all the stops for the grand finale – festival-goers can dive into a vibrant line-up of over 80 free activities, featuring over 300 artistes, including exciting concerts, hands-on workshops, one-of-a-kind performances, and engaging installations. Best of all? It's free and open to all. The main stage line-up suits the park setting perfectly, with indie pop singer-songwriter Zee Avi and her band The Good Things leading a night of soulful folk, jazz, and pop. Powerhouse acts like Kyoto Protocol and Fugo will keep the energy high into the night. Other programme highlights include Young KL Singers' Spice, Magic and Mystique , a musical journey through South-East Asian folk songs. It will also offer a sneak peek into its upcoming Coldplay tribute concert at KLPac. For theatre, two crowd favourites from the Kampung Tour return in full form: Dollah, a coming-of-age theatre piece, and Ceritaku, a poignant monologue series based on real-life stories – both directed by Christopher Ling. Also debuting is a bold and moving new production: Detour The Musical, a pioneering work that features deaf and hearing performers on stage together, seamlessly fusing spoken word, Malaysian Sign Language, and music while championing inclusion and accessibility in the arts. More info here. Zen Cho returns to Kuala Lumpur this weekend for a whirlwind tour promoting her book 'Behind Frenemy Lines'. Photo: Pan McMillan/Filepic BOOK EVENT: ZEN CHO'S 'BEHIND FRENEMY LINES' Venue: Selected bookshops in KL Date: Aug 9 and 10 Award-winning Malaysian author Zen Cho delivers a sparkling and witty rivals-to-lovers romance in her latest release, Behind Frenemy Lines. Set in the same universe as her previous rom-com The Friend Zone Experiment, we follow a new cast of characters in the high-stakes world of law and justice. When Kriya follows her boss and joins a new law firm, she's looking for a fresh start after a messy break-up. Sharing an office with her "bad luck charm" Charles was definitely not what she had in mind. A stickler for the rules, Charles thinks Kriya can't stand him, but just as they're figuring out how to navigate this frenemy relationship, Kriya needs Charles' help in fobbing off her boss's uncomfortable advances. The Britain-based author is back in Malaysia this weekend only, so don't miss out on the chance to catch Cho as she unpacks the slow-burn tension, funny banter and behind-the-scenes insights on the book. On Aug 9, Cho will be at MPH Bookstore, The Exchange TRX (noon-1pm) and Lit Books' CzipLee outpost, Bangsar Village II (4pm-5pm), and on Aug 10, you can find her at Tsutaya Books, Pavilion Bukit Jalil (2pm-3pm). More info here. A visitor observes Unglehrt's mixed-media artwork titled 'The Great Malaysian Sunset', 1989, featuring Darth Vader in a series of kampung scenes. Photo: The Star/M. Irsyad EXHIBITION: 'A THIRD EYE: A TRIBUTE TO ASKANDAR UNGLEHRT' Venue: Harta Space, Ampang, Selangor Date: ends Aug 31 This new exhibition at Harta Space honours the late Askandar Unglehrt (1943–2022), a German-born artist who lived in Malaysia for over five decades. A lecturer and mentor, his works blend Eastern and Western influences with wit and curiosity. Unglehrt's colourful assemblages - crafted from old magazines and wooden frames - merge pop culture icons like Yoda, Darth Vader, and Superman with scenes from Malaysian life. Using everyday materials, he explores how media and culture shape identity. Visitors will enjoy the playful spirit of his work while reflecting on foreign influences within local identity. Curated by Ricardo Chavez Tovar and Adela Askandar, the exhibition previews an upcoming publication on Unglehrt's life and work, with plans to showcase more art in Penang, his longtime home. Admission is free. Closed Mondays. More info here. A view of the Ryoko Kui and 'Delicious In Dungeon' exhibition at the Fahrenheit88 mall in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: The Star/Azman Ghani EXHIBITION: RYOKO KUI AND 'DELICIOUS IN DUNGEON' Venue: Incubase Arena, Level 2, Fahrenheit88, Kuala Lumpur Date: ends Sept 28 This Japanese pop culture exhibition brings together the imaginative world of Delicious In Dungeon and its creator, manga artist Ryoko Kui. The story follows adventurer Laios and his companions as they explore dungeons and cook the monsters they find. Adapted into a TV anime, it premiered in 2024. Now in Kuala Lumpur after stops in Japan and Hong Kong, the exhibition at KL features over 150 artworks and concept pieces, giving fans a peek into Ryoko's creative process. Step into immersive sets from the anime and check out the artist spotlight zone with interview clips and drawing videos. After exploring, you can even eat like Laios and his party at the themed café serving monster-inspired dishes. More info here. A visitor views one of five windshield panels from Azim's 'Langkah Terasing' series, highlighting roadside fruit sellers in the city's busy traffic areas. Photo: The Star/Muhamad Shahril Rosli EXHIBITION: 'OLD SCHOOL X NEW RULES' Venue: Galeri PETRONAS, Level 3, Suria KLCC Date: ends Sept 28 Curious about the new wave of Malaysian artists reshaping the scene? Old School X New Rules at the newly reopened Level 3 gallery in Suria KLCC is a great starting point. Spanning installations, video works, paintings, and found objects, the show gathers diverse emerging voices exploring shifting perspectives and the balance between tradition and experimentation. Featured artists include Zulkefli Jais, Aimman Hafizal, Azim Rodi, Yong Hui Lin, Chong Yan Chuah, Yuki Mun, Burhanuddin Bakri, Foong Yeng Yeng (with Lim Soon Hock), Afiq Romi, Haziq Syawal, Husni Osman, Syazwan Jehan, Syuhada Yaacob, and Akif Azmi. After a pandemic-era pause since May 2021, Galeri PETRONAS marks its return with this exhibition and a series of public programmes. Free admission. Closed on Mondays. More info here.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Acclaimed play 'Someone Who'll Watch Over Me' returns to KLPAC on Aug 15
KUALA LUMPUR: As part of the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre's (KLPAC) 20th-anniversary celebrations, The Actors Studio Foundation and The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat are restaging Someone Who'll Watch Over Me from Aug 15 to 24. The revival of this acclaimed play is supported by the Embassy of Ireland in Malaysia and the Australian High Commission in Malaysia, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Malaysia. In a recent statement, playwright Frank McGuinness expressed his happiness that the play would be performed in Kuala Lumpur again. He highlighted that its message is especially significant in today's turbulent world. "In this world still driven by violence and wars, I hope its message, to survive, we need to learn to live with each other, to acknowledge and to celebrate, even enjoy our differences," he said. Orla Tunney, Ireland's Ambassador to Malaysia, emphasised the play's role as a "cultural bridge." She said that McGuinness's "reflections on resilience, identity and memory resonate across cultures," and she is "excited to see how this production will land with a new audience." Based on the real-life story of Brian Keenan, the play ran on the West End and Broadway, where it won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Foreign Play. Keenan was abducted on his way to work in 1986 and held hostage for four and a half years. During this time, he befriended his fellow cellmate, British journalist John McCarthy, and they helped each other stay sane and afloat. A year after his release, Keenan recounted his harrowing experience in his autobiographical book, An Evil Cradling. The book won the Irish Times Literary Prize and was later adapted into a film. This re-staging, directed by Joe Hasham, reunites the original international cast: Charles Donnelly from the UK, Kingsley Judd from Australia, and Malaysia's own Gavin Yap. Danielle Heinecke, Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, spoke about the deep connections between the two countries. "As we celebrate Australia's 70 years of diplomatic presence in Malaysia, our support for this play reflects our continuous commitment to building our vibrant partnership with Malaysia," she said. "We are pleased to support the involvement of Australian actor, Kingsley Judd, in the re-staging of this fantastic play."
