This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on January 24, 2020
5 chinese new year events
A Red Radiant Celebration
Spend your new year over at Pasar Seni — also known as Central Market — for a fun-filled afternoon. There will be acrobatic lion dances today at 11am and on Feb 1 at 12pm, a lion dance and big head Buddha walkabout tomorrow at 1pm, Fu Lu Shou mascot walkabout on Sunday at 1pm, and a lion dance walkabout on Monday at 1pm. Central Market, Jalan Hang Kasturi, Kuala Lumpur. For more information visit centralmarket.com.my.
Reading Lounge
Treat your children to a chance to improve their reading skills and vocabulary. From tomorrow to Monday, the Scholastic Reading Lounge is celebrating the year of the rat by giving kids the chance to meet their favourite story characters, Geronimo and Thea Stilton. There will also be storytelling sessions at 2pm and 6pm, and other festive activities such as Chinese New Year arts and crafts, angpow and balloon giveaways and more. Scholastic Reading Lounge, Sunway Pyramid, No 3, Jalan PJS 11/15, Sunway City, Petaling Jaya. For more information visit sunwaypyramid.com or visit their Facebook page, @SunwayPyramid.
Give the Gift of Play
Over at Mid Valley Megamall Lego is hosting a range of exciting activities to keep you occupied this Chinese New Year. Until Feb 2 join the Lego rat building competition, awaken the lion with your very own Lego drum, hang your deepest dreams onto the Wishing Tree, watch a creative Lego shadow play, and enjoy all kinds of amazing promotions. This Lego Village Market has something for everyone. Mid Valley Megamall, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur.
Lion and Dragon Dance Cultural Exhibition
How much do you know about lion and dragon dances that happen every Chinese New Year? Want to know more? Check out the Lion and Dragon Dance Cultural Exhibition which will take you through the different types of dance and the nuances of the costumes and traditions. This informative cultural experience is on until Feb 9. Located on Level 7, Dining Loft, Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, 168, Bukit Bintang Street, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. For more information visit pavilion-kl.com.
The Great Lunar New Year Celebration
Right until Feb 2, Suria KLCC hosts a great splendour of Chinese New Year decoration as well as entertaining activities for all. Go and see Malaysia’s tallest Pagoda replica at Esplande, listen to the interactive zodiac reading at Centre Court, or take part in the lucky angpow pick and win. Tomorrow and on Sunday, there will be a great fortune telling, a prosperity photobooth, a lion dance at 2pm, chinese calligraphy workshop at 4pm and today there is a drum performance at 12pm. Lot No 241, Level 2, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre. For more information visit suriaklcc.com.my.
3 excellent exhibitions
An Introduction to Islamic Calligraphy
The history of Islamic calligraphy lends an interesting perspective of the developments of the Islamic world from over a thousand years ago. Covering an expansive area — from the Iberian Peninsula in the west, to Sourtheast Asia and China — this exhibit, titled An Introduction to Islamic Calligraphy, examines how calligraphy plays an integral role not only in religion but in everyday arts and crafts, looking at different styles and how they developed — including Kufic, Naskh, Thuluth, Muhaqqaq, Rayhani, Tawqi, Riqa’, Nasta’liq, Diwani and Maghribi scripts. This exhibition is open until May 31 from 9.30am to 6pm. Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia, Jalan Lembah Perdana, Kuala Lumpur. For more information visit iamm.org.my.
Encounter
The solo exhibition Encounter by Amer Ismail comes after his show in Dubai, Chance. The artist focuses on his ongoing narrative of the life of a pen. The lines drawn take you on a journey, creating abstract landscapes from obsessive drawings. Amer uses his works to document the passing of time, recording every minute of it, spanning days, weeks and months. This New York-born, Malaysian artist is now based in London. Visit this exhibit until March 17, from 10am to 6pm. National Art Gallery, No 2, Jalan Temerloh, Titiwangsa, Kuala Lumpur. For more information visit their Facebook page, @NationalArtGalleryMalaysia.
M2
Wei-Ling Gallery is finally reopening its Jalan Scott space and to mark the occasion, the gallery is presenting a solo exhibition by contemporary Malaysian artist Sean Lean. A continuation of his 2015 works, M2 explores further the contradictions of his own cultural past by taking a magnifying glass to Chinese bedtime stories and Sunday morning comic books. Unlike his 2015 Motherland, Lean has more playfulness and light-heartedness for these works. Playing with materials and colour, the artist also looks closely at symbolism in relation to tradition. This exhibition is showing until Feb 29 from 10am to 6pm on Tuesday to Friday and 10am to 5pm on Saturday. Wei-Ling Gallery, 8, Jalan Scott, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur. For more information visit weiling-gallery.com or call (03) 2282 8323.
2 comedy shows
Matt Davis
Returning to the Malaysian stage is international comedian Matt Davis today and tomorrow. Here he will be previewing his show for the Fringe World Festival in Perth, Australia. Laugh all evening long at Davis’s masterful jokes about language, nationality and regional customs. The show kicks off at 9pm at both nights and tickets are RM50 online or RM60 at the door. Crackhouse Comedy Club KL, 1st Floor, 24A, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, TTDI, Kuala Lumpur. For more information visit their Facebook page, @CrackhouseKL.
Officially Harith Iskander Live!
Watch the famous Malaysian man of comedy himself for one night only on Monday. The live audience will get a chance to ask comedian Harith Iskander questions, send comments and more, as he jokes about the week’s top stories and trends. Touching on a variety of topics, Harith will have you laughing in stitches. It is also free entry. The show starts at 9pm. The Joke Factory, Lot 26, Level G3, Publika Shopping Gallery, Jalan Dutamas 1, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur. For more information visit thejokefactory.com.my.