KUCHING: Art lovers in Kuching can look forward to a vibrant celebration of local identity as Hoan Gallery prepares to launch its largest exhibition yet this weekend.
Titled ‘Fragments: Perceptions of Sarawak’, the exhibition will open to the public at Hoan Gallery in La Promenade Mall on March 7 at 2.30 pm.
“Hoan Gallery is kicking off 2026 with a bang,” said gallery director Hoan Kee Huang, describing the exhibition as an ambitious season opener.
“For this opening exhibition, we have a mix of paintings, small objects and room-filling installations by artists from different backgrounds, united by one theme – Sarawak,” he said.
The exhibition brings together more than 70 works by six artists, showcasing diverse artistic expressions through oil, acrylic and watercolour paintings, sculptures, dioramas and installations.
Visitors will encounter both established artists and emerging Sarawakian voices, creating a dynamic dialogue between generations, experiences and cultural influences within the state’s creative community.
Kee Huang said the exhibition reflects six distinct interpretations of Sarawak, offering audiences different perspectives on the region’s natural beauty, cultural heritage and personal memories.
“Visitors will see how naturally, culturally and historically rich Sarawak is through paintings of nature and heritage buildings, installations made from timber, and intricately assembled dioramas,” he said.
Among the participating artists is Brandon Ritom, a Dayak painter whose oil works explore cultural continuity and ancestral heritage amid modernisation.
Ritom, who studied Art and Science at Central St Martins in London, is currently working on his largest piece titled ‘Dayung Borih Gawea Nguguoh, Kupo’ Raso II’.
Sarawak-born artist Marvin Chew, now based in Singapore, contributes atmospheric water colour and acrylic works depicting familiar Sarawak cityscapes shaped by nostalgia and memory.
Veteran artist Lee Choon Kooi, a self-taught painter from Kedah known for his Chinese ink techniques, presents works that reinterpret Sarawak landscapes through delicate brushwork.
Other featured artists include Nolan Chee, whose miniature dioramas recreate childhood memories of Kuching, alongside Chen Li Li (LEE) and M Shazy, who explore mixed media installations and organic sculptures.
“All six artists will be present during the opening ceremony and will guide visitors through their works, offering deeper insight into their inspirations and creative processes,” Kee Huang added.
Hoan Gallery, supported by HSL and located along the Kuching-Samarahan Expressway, opened in 2022 and hosts about four exhibitions each year.
All artworks featured in ‘Fragments: Perceptions of Sarawak’ will be available for sale, while entry to the exhibition is free to the public.
