Contributors

Deborah Germaine Augustin is a writer and educator born and raised in Malaysia. She dreams of a world where we all have freedom of movement.

The main exhibition space at Hin Bus Depot. Image credit: Wael Qarssifi.

Building Practice: Arts Spaces in Malaysia

The arts ecosystems in many parts of Southeast Asia are under-resourced. In this environment, independent arts spaces provide invaluable opportunities and support to the wider community. Deborah Augustin interviews the people behind four arts spaces in Malaysia to learn more about their work and how they have survived in an evolving landscape.

Covid-time-capsule – drawn by Narumol Thammapruksa

Image credit: Narumol Thammapruksa.

“Covid Time Capsule”: Memories and Regret and Echoes from the Stars

Artists from the region created a virtual time capsule to capture the objects and memories of the past two years.

Image credit: Sao Sreymao.

Echoes from the Stars: A Collective Map of Love, Memories and Regret

Jean Baptise Phou’s work My Mother’s Tongue began as a way for the artist to examine his relationship with his Teochew-speaking mother. Through collocations with other artists and audiences, the work has undergone different manifestations, but remains an “an exploration of the barriers to connection that transcend language” writes Deborah Augustine.

Jerome Kugan, The Sign (2019), acrylic on wooden chopping board, 30 x 57 cm (triptych). Image credit: The Back Room KL..

Hurt Need Undo Live: A Mantra of Possibilities

In his latest exhibition, Jerome Kugan embraces his amorphous self and allows themes of religion, sexuality and nudity to intertwine ever so delicately.

The Roof that Collapsed_Saleh Sepas_2022_1

Amin Kamrani

Parastoo Theatre: Art, Refuge, Action

The pioneering theatre company, founded and run by Afghan theatre maker and refugee, Saleh Sepas, is creating a practice that enriches the cultural landscape for all Malaysians.