The Space

Wei-Ling Gallery, previously known as the Townhouse Gallery was set up by Lim Wei-Ling and Yohan Rajan in a townhouse in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur in May 2002 to showcase the works of contemporary artists in Malaysia. The gallery moved to its current premises in Brickfields in 2005. The objective of the gallery is to nurture and promote contemporary art in Malaysia.We represent a core stable of artists who are dedicated to their artistic journey and vision and are some of the most prominent and exciting artists working in Malaysia at the moment.In recent times, we have expanded our stable to include several young and talented artists. Programs have been put in place to support and develop their careers so that they may form the next generation of contemporary artists in the country. We cater to the needs of both local and international collectors interested in Malaysian contemporary art by providing educational talks about art investment as well as art consultancy services for new collectors. Wei-Ling Gallery plays host to up to 12 exhibitions annually. In 2004, the gallery opened its doors to prominent foreign artists, and has since hosted several international shows at its space. They include solo exhibitions by the revered Cuban artist Nelson Dominguez, the renowned Pakistani sculptor Amin Gulgee, paintings by the celebrated Australian artist Stewart MacFarlane and most recently the ground breaking photographic works of Michal Macku. We have also held group shows by some of Indias top artists including MF Hussain and Sunil Das. In February 2007, Wei-Ling Gallery hosted a group exhibition of works by Tasmanian artists, entitled, From An Island South, in collaboration with the Australian High Commission. The Gallery has been fortunate to work closely with numerous corporations and organizations who have supported and encouraged it in achieving its goals. Wei-Ling Gallery has also embarked on a bolder approach in bringing Malaysian contemporary art to an international audience. In December of 2006, we presented the works of 18 Malaysian artists in an art exhibition in Karachi, Pakistan. This momentous

exhibition, entitled "18@8, Kuala Lumpur-Karachi" was held at Pakistani sculptor, Amin Gulgees gallery space - Amin Gulgee Gallery. The exhibition was the first of its kind on many levels. It was the first time Pakistan had seen such a major show of contemporary Malaysian art, and it was also the first time that such a significant show of contemporary Malaysian art had been taken abroad by a private gallery. In April 2008, Wei-Ling Gallery became the first Malaysian gallery to participate in the China International Gallery Exposition (CIGE), a prestigious international art fair in Beijing, which focuses on global contemporary art. At Wei-Ling Gallery, we are committed to bring you the best of what Malaysian contemporary art has to offer.

Related Articles Wei-Ling Gallery opening

Opening of Wei-Ling Contemporary

In April 2011, Wei-Ling Gallery embarks upon a bold expansion programme to bring even more contemporary art events to the public by opening Wei-Ling Contemporary at The Gardens Mall, Kuala Lumpur. This new 3800 square foot space will showcase both new exhibitions as well as exhibitions held at the Wei-Ling Gallery and it is hoped that by being in this public space, there will be greater access to the works and a greater awareness of the Malaysian contemporary art scene.

Brickfields uber chic: Wei Ling Gallery

Lim Wei Ling, owner of the gallery appreciates the historical and artistic value of old buildings. Transforming colonial shophouses into bars, cafes, budget hotels and galleries has become a trend in Kuala Lumpur for the past few years. Take for instance the ultra-chic stretch along Changkat Bukit Bintang or Jalan Doraisamy. Such a makeover was hardly seen in Brickfields until Sept 2005. Socialite, artist and gallery owner Lim Wei Ling made her mark when she decided to open an art gallery in Brickfields. Whats unusual about the Wei Ling Gallery is not only its curious location, but also Wei Lings decision to refurbish a damaged and old structure.

The colonial shophouse, which was her fathers office for a number of years, was burnt down in 2004. The second and third floors were reduced to ashes. Despite that, the beautiful gallery owner and her architect father saw a fabulous opportunity to turn the firerazed shophouse into a modern gallery. Almost five years after its opening, Wei Lings gallery remains one of Kuala Lumpurs chicest galleries despite being located at one of the roughest areas in the city. The beautiful building it occupies is still the talk of the town today. And if the number of exhibitions held at a gallery is any indication of its success, then the Wei Ling Gallery is definitely one of the most successful galleries in town. Like father, like daughter Colonial shophouses are quintessentially Southeast Asian as it has Oriental influences such as the internal courtyard. Its unique 19th century architecture easily accommodates a business on the ground floor. The shophouse that houses Wei Ling Gallery has a typical colonial structure and is a little over 19 feet wide with living quarters built on its second and third floors. Back in 2004, the building burnt to the ground and a spacious vertical void was all that was left of the upper floors. Wei Lings family was devastated. As I stood in that structure, looking up at the lofty ceiling, I made a comment to my dad that this place would make a really beautiful gallery, says Wei Ling, who at that time was running a gallery in Bangsar called Townhouse Gallery.

The gallery is set up to promote local contemporary art to the public.

To my surprise, my dad liked the idea and suggested that he would build a gallery here for me. I guess it was therapeutic for our family to rebuild the building, she adds. Still standing with pride Wei Lings father is internationally-acclaimed architect Jimmy Lim, who still runs his office on the ground floor of the gallery. He has always been a firm supporter of the idea that a building must evolve to address the real needs of its occupants, Wei Ling says of her father, And the gallery that you see today was rebuilt by him from scratch. Many consider Wei Ling Gallery a work of art as it was resurrected from the gutted ruins of a razed structure. Today, the gallery stands with pride, character and style that is both classic and elegant. The handsome exterior of the building is impressive, but its inside is even more remarkable. The ground floor has an antique warehouse ambience as colonial-era trinkets line the walls. A flight of stairs towards the back of the building leads to the upper floors, where the exhibition space is located. The multi-leveled space mainly consists of wide glass panels, whitewashed walls and wooden plank flooring. Yes, Wei Ling Gallery is a breathtaking concept that successfully marries modern architecture with its historical structure.

Wei Ling Gallery, which was resurrected from the gutted ruined of a razed structure, currently stands with pride as the chicest gallery in town Fragments of the charred beams are preserved and can be seen peeking out among the newly-laid rafters. This lends a quaint charm to the place as visitors are able to see some of the remains from the fire.

Wei Ling considers herself very lucky to have her father design the gallery and cherishes the healthy mix of history, eccentricity and artistry of the building.

The nostalgic feel on the ground floor (far left and mid-top) and the excellent flooring and ceiling system (mid-bottom and far right) Way before it became a trend to refurbish colonial shophouses in KL, my father has had offices in Changkat Bukit Bintang! His dedication to heritage building conservation and adaptive reuse is innate, Wei Ling says. We mustnt throw our past away. If we can find a balance between the old and the new, then we can appreciate the historical and artistic value of old buildings, which is obviously lacking in KL. Who knows, one day, Brickfields will become trendy too, she adds. Wei-Ling Gallery is a must see not only as an example of form meeting substance but also for their upcoming event entitled 'The Tiger Show' on 3 February. "This event is organized in line with the year of Tiger in the Chinese Zodiac Calender in 2010, with no conotation to the 'tiger show' performances originated from Thailand," says Wei Ling with a chuckle. 'The Tiger Show' will be a thematic exhibition where artists showcase their individual interpretations towards tiger. Some of the participating artists are Yusof Ghani, Marvin Chan and Justin Lim.