The fourth and final volume of the Narratives in Malaysian Art series, launched in September 2019, considers how we look at Malaysian art, and the forces and motivations that have shaped our understanding of its role and development.

Perspectives brings together the voices of members of the public, activists, art workers, critics, curators, academics and artists in a collection of commissioned interviews, conversations, essays and short reflections. It seeks to stimulate alternative ways of thinking about art and its significance in the past, present and future.

Volume 4 is edited by Nur Hanim Khairuddin, Beverly Yong, Yap Sau Bin and Simon Soon, and is presented in three sections, considering three distinct, at times overlapping, domains in which the values of art are appreciated and also critically appraised.

Art and the Public includes essays and reflections by Art KL-itique, Rachel Jenagaratnam, Ili Farhana with Tan Hui Koon, Hardesh Singh, Mark Teh, and Carmen Nge; interviews with Yuarajah Kandasamy (“Uncle Rajah”), labDNA, and Janet Pillai and Voxpop: Some Views on Art and Its Usefulness, a public survey by Jason Tan and Danny Lim.

Between Practice And Discourse: Curatorial Frameworks and Agendas includes essays by Patrick D. Flores, Seng Yu Jin and Simon Soon; interviews with T.K. Sabapathy, Laura Fan, Valentine Willie and Nur Hanim Khairuddin; and Curatorial Practice in Malaysia Post 2010: Motivations, Approaches, Ideals, documenting a young curators’ forum.

The Writing Of Art History: Looking Back and Prospecting New Grounds includes reflections and essays by Lai Chee Kien, Emelia Ong Safrizal Shahir,Hasnul J. Saidon, Beverly Yong, Zainol Shariff, Yvonne Low, Ray Langenbach, Roopesh Sitharan and Au Sow Yee.