KUALA LUMPUR.- The inaugural Gallery Weekend Kuala Lumpur launched last weekend providing audiences with a unique insight into the Malaysian and South East Asian art scene. Envisioned as an annual event, the second edition will take place December 8-11, 2017.

The weekend was carefully developed to reveal the rich heritage and contemporary multidisciplinary narratives at work in Malaysia, combining outstanding public and private spaces with cultural tours. This was supported by the Luminary Pulse Series of talks, endorsed by the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, which featured discussions on cross-disciplinary work in the arts, architecture and culture sectors by luminaries including Hanif Kara (Founding Director AKT II, UK) and Christopher Phillips (contemporary curator, International Center of Photography, NY).

“The GWKL is a great initiative and will undoubtedly help reinforce the identity of KL and draw strong attention over time.” Hanif Kara, Founding Director AKT II, UK

The weekend provided both an introduction to and an in depth exploration of the Malaysian art scene. Organised tours of the 11 participating galleries and 5 participating institutions offered opportunities for all to explore the spaces. GWKL is supported by a comprehensive website mapping the participating galleries and enabling future visitors to more easily explore the Malaysian cultural landscape on a physical and intellectual level.

Gallery Weekend Kuala Lumpur shares lineage with other successful weekends in Berlin, Paris, Barcelona and Mexico City, but presents a unique program specific to the cultural and urban terrain of Kuala Lumpur and the geopolitics of Malaysia. Exhibitions comprised exclusively Malaysian talents – both established and emergent voices – and galleries were selected on outstanding practice and output over the last five years.

“This year’s inaugural GWKL is the gold nugget that will start the gold rush, providing a platform for meaningful exploration and discovery of a new region, Malaysia, with its contrasts, compliments, controversies and distinctiveness.” Shalini Ganendra, Founder and Director of Shalini Ganendra Fine Art and GWKL