Devotion - By John Ang

8 June - 29 June 2024

A Journey of Devotion: John Ang: A Lifetime of Devotion

John Ang’s story of devotion spans over 51 years, beginning with a profound experience during his first trip to Bali in 1973, when he was only 17 years old. Now 68, John has spent decades collecting pieces that reflect acts of devotion. This journey has led to his upcoming fashion show and art exhibition, “Devotion.”

During that pivotal trip to Bali, John visited the Monkey Forest and witnessed a scene that left an indelible mark on him. Amidst the playful monkeys, two Balinese women, adorned in traditional dance attire, gracefully danced to live gamelan music. Surprisingly, apart from the monkeys, there was hardly any audience. When he asked his guide who they were dancing for, the guide replied, "For God." This revelation—that they were expressing gratitude for the blessings in their lives through dance—sparked John's lifelong journey to document and celebrate acts of devotion.

  • A Journey of Devotion: John Ang: A Lifetime of Devotion.

    Exhibition & Talk

    John Ang’s story of devotion spans over 51 years, beginning with a profound experience during his first trip to Bali in 1973, when he was only 17 years old. Now 68, John has spent decades collecting pieces that reflect acts of devotion. This journey has led to his upcoming fashion show and art exhibition, “Devotion.”

  • Interwoven Realities

    Exhibition

    a group exhibition at HARTA – where the boundaries of reality blur and intersect in a mesmerising display of artistic expression. Interwoven Realities brings together the works of 32 talented artists, each offering a unique perspective on the intricate tapestry of existence.

  • Keris Pageantry: The Art of the Embellishment

    SEMINAR & WORKSHOP

    Izuan's upcoming talk will unravel not just historical narratives but also visual discoveries, providing a deeper understanding of the embellishments, materials, and ornamental features that characterize selected historical Keris.

  • The Making of Wayang Kulit

    SEMINAR

    Jufry's upcoming session will unravel the history of shadow play, its narratives and puppet playing figures between the lamp and the screen, to bring the shadows to life.

  • daZZling

    Explore the contemporary metal design in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam.

Featured Artwork

Jom Makan

Azzah Sultan (August 2023)

Pictures of home cooked food sent through WhatsApp, packages of rempah in my kitchen and making teh-tarik to start my mornings: these are the few things that have helped me cope with my home sickness. I believe food plays a huge role of bringing people together, so I started to think about what are the colors, flavors, and smells that I craved.

Being away from home during the pandemic was incredibly hard for me, I was constantly missing my family, stressed about work and didn’t pay attention to what I ate. I would reminisce about the food my parents would prepare to make me feel at ease. Every time I tried to make a dish like my mom, I would struggle with the process. I wasn’t a master like my mother on how to agak-agak my ingredients.