KUALA LUMPUR, April 4 (Xinhua) -- Beneath the quiet grace of brush and ink, a striking cross-cultural dialogue unfolds in Kuala Lumpur: Chinese seal script curls elegantly alongside Jawi, the Arabic-derived alphabet of Malay, weaving together traditional Malaysian pantun poetry.
That vivid fusion of civilizations has become an eye-catching work of the "LANTING Culture Salon" China-Malaysia Calligraphy and Painting Art Exchange Exhibition, which opened on Friday in Kuala Lumpur and brought together artists and cultural institutions from both countries to promote people-to-people exchanges and deepen cooperation in calligraphy, painting, and the integration of culture and tourism.
ART AS BRIDGE
The work was jointly created by Malaysian Chinese calligrapher Ong Wee Chong, who is also secretary-general of the Federation of Calligraphy Society Malaysia, and famous Malay artist Ustaz Baki Abu Bakar.
"We believe this work is not only an artistic creation, but also a bridge connecting different cultural traditions, demonstrating resonance and mutual respect among civilizations," Ong said.
Jointly organized by institutions and associations from China and Malaysia, the exhibition features 63 works by 50 artists, showcasing the richness of northern Chinese grassland culture alongside the diversity and vibrancy of Malaysia's Nanyang artistic heritage.
For her part, Katy Yu Guo Qin, chairman of the Asia Artists Association Malaysia, said that art transcends borders and culture builds bridges. She added that the exhibition aims to deepen artistic collaboration and enhance cultural and tourism exchanges between the two countries.
Han Ning, director of the China Cultural Center in Kuala Lumpur, expressed hope that the event would further inspire artistic exchanges and inject new vitality into China-Malaysia cultural cooperation.
INSPIRING NEW EXPRESSIONS
Taking the Year of the Horse and Visit Malaysia 2026 as an opportunity, this exhibition adopts the "horse" as its cultural motif. Featuring works from north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Malaysia, it highlights the longstanding friendship between the two countries.
Ng Swee Kheng, president of the Federation of Calligraphy Society Malaysia, noted that the exhibition combines the spirit of China's Mongolian grassland horses with the expressive traditions of Nanyang ink art, vividly illustrating the concept that "calligraphy and painting share the same origin."
Among the highlights, Ye Manyu, a representative artist from Inner Mongolia, presented 15 works at the exhibition, describing the exhibition as a vivid platform for cultural dialogue and a valuable opportunity for artists from both countries to deepen friendship and mutual learning.
The exhibition runs for one month and will last until early May. A series of interactive art exchange events will also be held during the exhibition to further promote exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and Malaysian art communities.
"We hope to create an inner connection between the artwork and the audience, allowing viewers to complete the meaning of the work through their own understanding," said Iszuan Ismail, a Malaysian artist and art curator from Galeri Shah Alam, a contemporary art gallery in Selangor. ■
