The “Palette And Pen” exhibition, currently running at the Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery (BNM MAG) in Kuala Lumpur, showcases a vibrant intersection of art and literature. This one-of-a-kind event features 159 outstanding works of art. It showcases more than 50 works from 38 local featured artists, plus 14 regional emerging artists. The exhibition, as yet untitled, is up through October 12. It marks Malaysia’s role as ASEAN chair this year and seeks to stimulate discussions across poetry, art, and literature.
Datuk Dr. Siti Zainon Ismail is a distinguished figure among the established luminaries. An accomplished poet and writer, Amelia, as Malaysia’s 14th National Laureate, magnificently intertwines visual art with literary concepts in her work. Her work “Seri Trolak” is exhibited with other National Laureates A. Samad Said and Muhammad Haji Saleh. At 90 years old, A. Samad is one of the country’s most lauded artists, and he is the creator of a series of ink-on-paper drawings from 2006. His artistic education started in the studio of one of Indonesia’s master painters.
Syed Thajudeen’s oil painting “The Eternal Love Between Puteri Gunung Ledang And Hang Tuah” enriches the exhibition by illustrating how visual art can elaborate on Malaysian mythology. Syed describes, “It’s no mystery that Western folktales and myths are much more popularized via television and film. Do you think this artwork showcases the metaphysical aspects of Malaysian folklore? It is a celebration of the dance-rich traditions of South-East Asia’s mythology.
In addition to these prominent artists, the exhibition features Sharmiza Abu Hassan’s wire mesh installation “Alegori I: Tujuh Dulang Hati Nyamuk,” which draws inspiration from traditional Malay culture. Laotian artist Savanhdary Vongpoothorn’s 2019 artwork Broken Sutra (Naga Paths) brings an out-of-state, international perspective.
Notably, Indonesian artist and poet Arahmaiani contributes her piece “I Love You – After Joseph Beuys Social Sculpture,” further emphasizing the cross-cultural dialogues present in this exhibition. Filipino artists demonstrate their artistic prowess with Hernando R. Campo’s 1951 painting, “Abstraction (Birds),” and Ramon Peralta’s 1905 work, “Courtship In An Azotea.” Taken as a whole, these artworks illustrate a disproportionately vibrant tapestry of regional artistic expressions.
With “Palette And Pen,” Wexler hopes to spark the dreams of a new generation of artists. It prompts them to dive deep and swim around in the depths of their cultural stories’ pasts. As Siti Zainon reflects, “Through the resurgence of Malay literary forms such as sajak, syair, hikayat, and folktales, these artworks and writings can inspire the new generation of artists to carry on the legacy.”
Melor, a key organizer of the exhibition, highlights its significance in the context of Malaysian cultural heritage: “South-East Asia’s art and literary history is relatively young compared to our Western counterparts. That’s why it’s vital to support and nurture future collaborations between neighboring countries.” He continues that this recent resurgence of 1970s aesthetics in contemporary art spaces around Kuala Lumpur was a fitting backdrop for such an exhibition to take place.
This exhibition is more than a cantus firmus for the visual arts—it is intended as a deliberate catalytic framework for interdisciplinary dialogue. This cross-pollination between film and immersive media provides artists the opportunity to convey more intricate concepts that may be lost in conventional formats. A. Samad Said notes the connection between writing and art, stating, “I feel that writing is more from and to the heart. Art is a deformed heart that is sincere and loyal.”
The interplay between provocative artistic practices and experimental literary forms make for a uniquely powerful experience for attendees. The exhibition encourages audiences to interact as much with the works of art as with their backstories. Melor emphasizes this idea: “Art has always been a way to express what cannot be said in words. Conversely, poetry and rhythm can spark visual imagination.
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