Four August events in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya spotlight contemporary art, Indigenous Bornean perspectives, Malaysian female filmmakers, and immersive performance. (Image from @tanqianwen.art)
August brings plenty to see for culture lovers in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya, with exhibitions, short film screenings, and immersive events highlighting contemporary art, Indigenous Bornean perspectives, and Malaysian female filmmakers. Here are the events taking place across the month.
Tan Qian Wen’s ‘Unseen Perspectives’ explores observation and privacy
Ever caught yourself observing a stranger on the train, in a lift or across a room, only to wonder whether someone might be doing the same to you? That familiar feeling sits at the centre of Unseen Perspectives, the debut solo exhibition by contemporary artist Tan Qian Wen at ZHAN Art | Space.
A graduate of Dasein Academy of Art, Qian Wen turns everyday acts of observation into figurative paintings that explore the shifting relationship between the viewer and subject. Hotels, elevators, trains, cinemas, public restrooms and homes become spaces where the boundaries between public and private begin to blur.
When: Until 16 August 2026
Where: ZHAN Art | Space, Petaling Jaya
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 10am–5pm
More information on Unseen Perspectives available here.
‘Ancestors Of The Future’ reimagines Indigenous Bornean identity
Over at temu house, Ancestors of the Future brings together Bornean artists exploring Indigenous identity not as something fixed in the past, but as something that continues to evolve with each generation. The exhibition draws inspiration from the ingenuity of Borneo’s ancestors, whose artistic practices developed from the materials around them and evolved through migration, trade, agriculture, and changing ways of life.
Participating artists include Hannah Bhatt, Alena Murang, Sarah Lois, Allie Jabing, Fay Ulrica, Jesse Joy, Saerah R. Kunjan, Antonia Isabelle Dumowongi, Loretta Livan Milang, Ayue Juman, Catriona Maddocks, Gindung McFeddy, and Simon. Together, their works draw on ancestral knowledge while reflecting contemporary materials, experiences, and realities.
Beyond the exhibition itself, the programme includes artist talks and creative workshops exploring subjects ranging from mixed-heritage Indigenous identity and cultural evolution to Ngajat dance and weaving. Upcoming highlights include Defining Cultural Identity on Your Own Terms on 15 August and Objects, Memory, Meaning & Why They Matter on 16 August, with both talks priced at RM30 per person.
When: 7–16 August 2026, 10 am–5 pm
Where: temu house, Petaling Jaya
Selected talks: 15 & 16 August, 3pm–5pm, RM30 per person
View the full exhibition programme here.
Four Malaysian female filmmakers explore girlhood and womanhood
For film lovers, the August edition of SKRIN @ TEMU turns the spotlight towards four Malaysian female filmmakers: Amanda Nell Eu, Mickey Lai, Ekin Kee Charles, and Amirah Arshad. Screening for one evening on 22 August, the programme brings together four short films — Kapal Kertas, It’s Easier To Raise Cattle (Lagi Senang Jaga Sekandang Lembu), Pace and WAShhh — which explore girlhood and womanhood across distinctly Malaysian settings, from rural Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia to the regimented environment of a National Service camp.
Amanda Nell Eu’s 23-minute It’s Easier To Raise Cattle, for example, follows two teenage girls in a remote village, weaving Malay folklore and body horror into its story. The film was an early work that preceded Eu’s Cannes-winning feature Tiger Stripes. The programme also moves between the childhood dreams of Kapal Kertas, gender expectations in Pace, and menstrual stigma and institutional authority in WAShhh.
When: 22 August 2026, 7.30pm–10pm
Where: temu house, Petaling Jaya
Tickets: RM25 screening only; RM35 with refreshments
View details and book SKRIN @ TEMU here.
‘Water Has Her Way With Us’ explores our connection to water through art
The Dia Space and poet-performer Emina Ashman present Water Has Her Way With Us, an immersive afternoon art salon exploring our relationship with water through poetry, dance, live performance, visual art, and sound healing. Taking place through a contemporary Southeast Asian Nusantaran lens, the experience invites audiences to reflect on their connection to themselves and the landscapes around them.
Evolving from Ashman’s poetry single of the same name, the multidisciplinary salon also brings togethermusicians and sound artists Santosh Logandran and Zarul Albakri, dancer and somatic facilitator Luvenia Kalia, and visual artists Haris Rashid and Sofia Haron. Performances and artist talks will anchor the afternoon, leading into a shared interactive installation later in the programme. A portion of ticket proceeds will also go towards coral reef restoration efforts.
When: 16 August 2026, 1pm–6pm
Where: The Dia Space, Kuala Lumpur
Tickets: RM220 per person
Sign up for Water Has Her Way With Us here.
