Experience the beauty of batik with Maybank Group’s curated batik exhibition featuring 43 works (Photo: Balai Seni Maybank)
These are our top picks for the week of December 2 to 8. For more event listings and reviews, pick up a copy of Options at your nearest news stands.
Priscillia Xavier — The Holiday Show
Singer-songwriter Priscillia Xavier is a familiar face on the local independent music scene. Influenced by the likes of Alicia Keys, Alanis Morissette, Joss Stone and Coldplay, Xavier is a mistress of soul rock, R&B and indie jazz, though she enjoys dabbling in other genres as well. Her knack for storytelling through music and diverse repertoire has taken her to many well-established venues across Southeast Asia. Xavier brings a whole lot of energy, heart and soul to the stage. To celebrate the festive season, the songstress will treat the audience to an eclectic line-up of Christmas classics and contemporary jazz tunes.
Alexis Bistro Ampang, Great Eastern Mall, 303 Jalan Ampang, KL. 03 4260 2288. Dec 6 & 7, 10pm. Buy tickets here.
Painting Batik: An Exhibition and Tribute
Experience the beauty of batik with Maybank Group’s curated batik exhibition featuring 43 works by Abdul Rahman Abdul Rani, Ahmad Tajuddin Ahmad, Fauziah Yahaya, Amir Arshad, Hishamuddin Ahmad, Azhar Arshad, Siti Hasmah Taiban, Ahmad Fauzi Arshad and Mat Dollah. This exhibition is part of Maybank’s Balai Seni Art Series 2019, which strives to empower the development of local artists and promote Malaysia’s cultural heritage through traditional art forms. Guests can also look forward to batik painting demonstrations held daily at varying times.
Balai Seni Maybank, 1st floor, Menara Maybank, 100 Jalan Tun Perak, KL. Until Dec 6. See here for more info.
Domestic Bliss
The English word “domestic”, meaning house, always denoted more than just bricks and mortar. It captures the psychological ideas of a home, including the family unit and dependents. By the 17th century, the word was used expansively to mean “something made in the home”. With this definition, two disparate artists entered a shared quest to unpack the fragile and precarious notion of home and belonging. Wrapped in the social confines of being Malay, Malaysian artist Izat Arif explored the modern, myth-making institutions of nationhood. For Australia-based Vietnamese artist Hoang Minh Duc, it was about the assimilation of Vietnamese culture and customs in a foreign country and the notion of the outsider-insider mindset that haunts his professional and personal life. This exhibition is part of Pollination, a programme initiated by The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre in Vietnam to support the artist-curator community in Southeast Asia. Co-developed with Ilham Gallery, the exhibition is curated by Khatijah Rahmat (Malaysia) and Le Thuan Uyen (Vietnam).
Ilham Gallery, Level 3, Ilham Tower, 8 Jalan Binjai, KL. 03 2181 3003. Until Jan 19, 2020. For more info, see here.
