KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 25 — The notion of spending time in art galleries might not be a traditional Malaysian thing to do, but there are interesting exhibitions curated in town, especially during this Merdeka month.

One such place is the National Art Gallery in Jalan Temerloh, Kuala Lumpur.

Located next to Istana Budaya, it is open every day except on public holidays. Admission is free.

Currently, it is hosting two Merdeka-related show — A Place Called Home: Negara Kita and Teh Tarik with The Flag.

According to the gallery, A Place Called Home is dedicated to all Malaysians and will end its run on August 31.

Located on the first floor, it is a mix of digital reproductions and actual works.

As visitors enter the space, they will see a large projection of a traditional Malay house with a small physical anjung (verandah) for photo-taking.

It is also a reminiscence of times spent in villages where the verandah is an area for socialising.

Once past that, there are plenty of scenes of idyllic kampung life, faces of multi-racial Malaysians and a digital portrait of Bapa Kemerdekaan Tunku Abdul Rahman, which takes up an entire wall.

‘A Place Called Home’ is dedicated to all Malaysians and will end its run on August 31.

There are also animated scenes of farming, immigrant workers sharing a meal and even a portrait of a Sikh family.

Visitors will also find a wau (traditional kite) and some modern art pieces heavy with patriotic themes.

However, much of the exhibition is Malaya-centric while East Malaysia is notably missing.

Despite that, it is still a good show for gallery first-timers to experience or even for tourists to take in.

'Teh Tarik with The Flag' features 14 Malaysian artists, who explore the symbolic power of the flag and as a marker of identity, unity, belief and division. — Pictures by Ham Abu Bakar

Flag as art

Meanwhile, the Teh Tarik with The Flag exhibition is an invite to think critically of what the Jalur Gemilang means to you personally and the artists as well.

A flag of a country is often associated with feelings of national pride and a uniting tool in good and distressing times.

It is also treated as a precious object where mishandling of it will usually result in a backlash.

In this group exhibition curated by Wei-Ling Gallery, it features 14 Malaysian artists, who explore the symbolic power of the flag and as a marker of identity, unity, belief and division.

The power relations built into the symbol can sometimes create a hierarchy between the flag and the people it represents.

The exhibition curators hope to bridge this gap and bring the flag closer to the public.

The artists reference the Jalur Gemilang to negotiate and investigate ideas relating to identity, nationalism, citizenship, as well as delve into the power structures they represent, and possibly conjure new images for alliances and allegiances.

The 'Teh Tarik with The Flag' exhibition is an invite to think critically of what the Jalur Gemilang means to you personally and the artists as well.

Participating artists are Anurendra Jegadeva, Cheng Yen Pheng, Chong Kim Chiew, Choy Chun Wei, Fauzan Omar, Hamidi Hadi, Hasnul Jamal Saidon, Hayati Mokhtar, HH Lim, Ivan Lam, Rajinder Singh, Sean Lean, Sulaiman Esa and Yau Bee Ling.

The exhibition will end on September 17.

The National Art Gallery is also celebrating its 60th anniversary.

For details, visit artgallery.gov.my.