KOTA SAMARAHAN: Hoan Gallery, one of Sarawak’s prominent art spaces, is exploring international collaborations and organising statewide art camps.
The initiative is part of efforts to strengthen the region’s tourism sector through creative industries.
Hoan Gallery’s Director, Hoan Kee Huang, said the gallery has recently received enquiries from Taiwanese art curators interested in showcasing artworks inspired by Sarawak’s tropical beauty.
“This is still at a very early stage. I hope to bring Sarawak’s two rare flora and fauna to an exhibition in Taiwan. I cannot reveal too much yet, but we are cautiously optimistic,” he said during the gallery’s 2026 opening today.
“The development has helped shape the gallery’s direction for the year ahead,” he said.
“Tourism is seen as a key angle to highlight Sarawak’s artistic and cultural richness, particularly during Visit Malaysia Year.”
Hoan Gallery will be coordinating a mid-year art camp involving several art societies.
“Up to 20 artists are expected to travel across the state from Miri to Kuching to explore Sarawak,” he said.
The artists will produce artworks inspired by the state’s landscapes, culture and stories.
“There is genuine and growing interest in Sarawak art. We have so much richness and beauty here,” he added.
The gallery’s latest exhibition, ‘Fragments: Perceptions of Sarawak’, features six artists including Kedahan Lee Choon Kooi, Bornean sculptor M Shazy and oil painter Brandon Ritim.
Also featured are new works by Sarawakian watercolourist Marvin Chew, who is currently based in Singapore.
All artworks from ‘Fragments: Perceptions of Sarawak’ are available for sale, while admission to Hoan Gallery, located at La Promenade Mall along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway, is free.
