Wei-Ling Gallery will hold an exhibition of works of some of the top artists in India. NOEL ACHARIAM learns about the recent popularity of Indian art pieces.

HIDDEN in the far end of Brickfields along Jalan Scott is Wei-Ling Gallery.

Housed in an old colonial shop lot, the gallery is home to many paintings, sculptures and works of art by local and international artists.

The facade might look drab, but don’t let that fool you. Take a peek inside and you will find old antique furniture and abstract paintings adorning the walls.
Occupying three floors, the gallery has been transformed into an avant-garde showroom.

There I met Lim Wei Ling, gallery owner, collector, resident artist and art lover. In her early thirties, she looked radiant in a beautiful black dress.

Wei Ling is a graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Jewellery and Silversmithing from the School of Visual Arts, Charles Sturt University in New South Wales, Australia.

Upon her return to Malaysia she decided to venture into the stockbroking industry. She worked hard for 10 years in the industry and then her passion for art resurfaced.

She quit her job and started painting. In two years, she created 40 paintings. Persuaded by her husband Yohan Rajan, she put her paintings on exhibition.

“I have always loved drawing and painting. The stress of working in a 9-to-5 environment was just too much to handle. That was when I decided to leave and pursue my passion for art,” said Wei Ling.

After her exhibition, which was well received, several local artists approached her and asked if she could represent them. She was surprised; she had no plans to be a gallery owner.

But she eventually succumbed to the suggestions and opened her own gallery.

A neighbour’s place in Bangsar, KL was up for rent, and she moved her studio from home to what would eventually become her first studio, TownHouse Gallery, in Bukit Bandaraya.

From 2002 to 2005 she organised 26 exhibitions. In September 2005, she decided to move to her present location renaming it Wei-Ling Gallery.

Wei Ling Gallery is a work of art. She and her dad worked hard to preserve the original woodwork of the interior.

This month, the gallery is hosting the works of contemporary Indian artists in collaboration with the Natanjali Gallery, New Dehli, India.

“We are proud to be able to present some of India’s most exciting contemporary artists to Malaysia in this exhibition,” said Wei Ling.

Melliflious Metaphors features the works of some of India’s most sought-after contemporary artists.

The 14 artists presenting their works are Amiya Bhattacharya, Bhaskar Goswami, Dipankar Dasgupta, Durga Kainthola, Manoj Vyloor, Pratul Dash, S. N. Jha, Samit Das, Satadru Sovan Banduri, Seema Kohli, Shruit Gupta Chandra, Sourav Bhattacharya, Vinay Sharma and Zakkir Hussain.

“People are aware that there is a boom for works of contemporary Indian artists in Malaysia. I want to introduce Malaysian collectors to young Indian artists. Art is a global language, you don’t have to speak an Indian language to expose people to Indian art,” said Wei Ling.

Ridhi Bhalla, 26, and Mandira Lamba, 27, owners of Natanjali Gallery were invited by Wei Ling to promote the artists and their painting.

Mellifluous Metaphors is about individual style. Each work speaks differently, yet they flow together in a melodious way,” said Bhalla.

“I have always loved art. I got my first painting when I was 13. I joined the family business because there is a link between fashion and art which is very similar,” said Lamba, who is a fashion graduate from New York.

The exhibition will feature 34 paintings. Among the media used are acrylic on handmade paper, ink and drawing on paper, charcoal and acrylic on canvas, watercolour on paper and mixed media on canvas.

One particular painting that caught my eye is The Feelings will never Fade acrylic on canvas by Satadru Sovan Banduri.

The bright colours and red background captures the youthfulness of the painting. It’s young, hip and vibrant.

“It is done by a young artist. He uses the bright colours to signify youth, love and romance,” said Lamba.

“We have just returned from an exhibition in Hong Kong and will be heading to South Africa next. Our objective is to take these artists to an international level,” said Bhalla.

For most, it’s their first exhibition in Malaysia.

Wei-Ling Gallery will take a crossover exhibition of contemporary Malaysian art to Nitanjali Gallery in New Dehli, India later this year.

Wei-Ling Gallery is located at No. 8, Jalan Scott, Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.

Opening hours are from noon to 7pm (Monday to Friday). Saturday and Sunday is by appointment only.

Call 03-2260-1106/03-2260-1107.