Wei Ling Contemporary is moving! The prolific gallery is launching into 2015 with gusto by relocating to a new space, still housed within the confines of one of KL’s most chic retail havens – The Gardens Mall – but elevated to the sixth floor where a 9,000 square foot space (up from the previous 3,800 square foot ground floor lot) houses two major exhibition areas and an art foundation.
To inaugurate the new space, the expansive gallery is hosting a showcase by one of the country’s foremost contemporary artists, Ivan Lam, in a survey exhibition dubbed IVAN LAM: TWENTY. The comprehensive display spans two decades of his work featuring 45 pieces, providing a sweeping snapshot of what can be considered one of the most influential careers in the local contemporary art scene.
The Contemporary Maestro
As one of the core group of artists that gallery owner Lim Wei Ling has cultivated over the years, Lam has always pushed the boundaries of his art practice while maintaining a purity and honesty in his art.
A milestone in the artistic landscape of Malaysia, this exhibition will be the first time that this amalgam of Lam’s work will be showcased together, tracing his developmental path through time from early light boxes, silk-screens and prints to the instigation of paintings and their evolution to the present day.
Charting the progress of Lam’s work reveals an ever more experimental edge, utilising new mediums and techniques which give rise to epic pieces. Some of his exhibitions, ‘Machines’ for example, contain only three pieces, monumental in size and always visually arresting in style. His usage of diptychs and triptychs are a trademark of his and some of his latest examples were recently showcased at ‘Ho Mia’ (2014) at Wei Ling Contemporary.
From day one, Lam’s illustrious career has seen milestone after milestone realised, producing iconic works on a regular basis. His fearlessness in exploration and obsessive perfectionism has made him one of the country’s most relevant contemporary artists. He continues to produce highly collectable and sought after pieces to this day.
There could be no better way to ‘christen’ Wei Ling’s new gallery, and if this promising start to 2015 is anything to go by, we look forward to what exhibitions are in store for the remainder of the year.