First time here
Visited Balai Seni Negara today. 5 April 2025. At around 11 a.m. This was my first visit. I took the MRT train from Kampung Selamat and stopped at Hospital Kuala Lumpur station. If you’re taking the MRT train, this is where you stop. Hospital Kuala Lumpur. And exit at Pintu B. From there, I walked for about 5 minutes and arrived. The walk was smooth and easy. Balai Seni Negara is located right next to Istana Budaya. The gallery hosts 3 to 5 ongoing exhibitions.
NUSA, National Permanent Collection Exhibition
NUSA explores the idea of the motherland in relation to super-diversity in Malaysia and the region. 466 works from the National Visual Arts Gallery’s Permanent Collection. With selected pieces centred on themes of history, society, culture, myth, and identity. Displayed across five galleries, Reka, Tun Razak, 2A, 2B, and 3B, NUSA offers a fresh and engaging experience, focusing on relevance, conservation, interactivity, and digitisation.
A Gift from ASEAN
In 2025, as Malaysia hosts the ASEAN Summit, the National Art Gallery presents an exhibition of works from its Permanent Collection for the first time. These pieces were gifted by countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, and ASEAN +6 members. These works debuted in an earlier international exhibition here. They include a range of forms, mediums, and sizes, reflecting the creativity of international artists. These gifts now form a key part of the Gallery’s Permanent Collection.
Pameran Projek Arkib Chung Chen Sun
The Chung Chen Sun Archive Project Exhibition revives his legacy as a Chinese ink painter and influential art educator in Malaysia. Projek Arkib showcases archival materials. From photographs, sketches, catalogues, and interviews. All that illuminate his creative process. The exhibition also highlights his role in art education. Especially as one of the founders of the Malaysian Institute of Art (MIA), one of the country’s earliest art institutions.
Kenyalang Circus Pameran Hanya Satu Single
Hanya Satu ‘Single’, featuring Kenyalang Circus by young Malaysian graphic and textile artist Marcos Kueh, showcases a series of colourful, fluorescent textile works produced using industrial weaving machines. Kenyalang Circus invites visitors to explore how Marcos Kueh grapples with questions of identity—as a Chinese-born Bornean living among Europeans in the Netherlands. The ninth edition of the Hanya Satu ‘Single’ exhibition draws inspiration from Malaysia and Borneo, incorporating raw visuals like street ads, multinational logos, and fluorescent threads. The works subtly critique how some in the West and Peninsular Malaysia often misinterpret Borneo’s cultural diversity.
Enrique de Malacca Memorial Project by Ahmad Fuad Osman
I spent the most time at this exhibition. It brought back memories. Back in Form 6, my history teacher told us the first person to circumnavigate the globe was a Malay man named Panglima Awang. He urged our whole class to dig deeper into his story. Twenty years later, I’m standing at the Enrique de Malacca Memorial Project by Ahmad Fuad Osman. Wondering why isn’t there more written about this? If anyone knows of a book, please email me. Panglima Awang, also known as Enrique of Malacca or Henry the Black, was Ferdinand Magellan’s enslaved interpreter. Like many cultural figures shared across maritime Southeast Asia, his legacy is contested by Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Ahmad Fuad’s installation serves as a memorial. A portrait, a statue reimagining Enrique, video documentation, artefacts, and copies of historical documents.
A brief history of Balai Seni Negara
The National Art Gallery (BSLN) was established after the Malaya Arts Council, led by Tan Sri Mubin Sheppard and Frank Sullivan, proposed the idea between 1954 and 1956. The BSLN Board of Trustees was formed on 3 June 1958, as documented in the 1974-1975 BSLN Annual Report and the 1979 National Art Museum Annual Report.
YTM Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, officially launched the National Art Gallery. The inauguration took place at Tunku Abdul Rahman Hall, featuring an exhibition by artists nationwide, symbolising unity and solidarity through their art. The government’s support for the arts was underscored by the Gallery’s establishment.
Frank Sullivan, previously Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj’s secretary, served as the first administrator and concurrently as Secretary of the BSLN Board of Trustees until 1970. On 28 January 1987, a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Gallery building on Jalan Tun Razak took place. Built through a partnership between the Malaysian Government and Yeoh Tiong Lay (YTL) Company, it was completed in 1998.
The National Art Gallery (BSLN) relocated to its current site at No. 2, Jalan Temerloh, Off Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur on 13 November 1998. The 13th Asian International Art Exhibition launched at the same time. YAB Dato’ Seri Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad officially opened the new building on 27 September 2000.
Alam Melayu, bye and see you again
After visiting all these galleries, I went to their official shop near the lobby. They have books and merchandise like tote bags, hats, and stationery here. I bought a book, Alam Melayu. From what I understood after reading the book, here is a brief synopsis.
Alam Melayu is a book that documents the exhibition held from 10 August to 12 September 1999. The exhibition, Pameran Alam Melayu, invites visitors to explore the rich, living heritage of the Malay world. It emphasises the harmonious coexistence of the old and new in the modern age. It highlights various traditional Malay art forms. These include metalwork, weaving, carving, pottery, illustrations, and embroidery. The exhibition celebrates moderation in design, humility in execution, and balanced symmetry.
Will definitely return and buy more books. They have an interesting collection of books here that are not sold anywhere online. Only here. As I was told. See you again then Balai Seni Negara! Reels and more pictures on Instagram.
