On Monday, the 13th of April at 4 p.m., I will be opening a small exhibition at ChinaHouse. This is an open invitation, and I would really love for you to come by.

This exhibition is a starting point. A first step towards a larger exhibition that will take place later this year on the 15th of November.

The works are centred around Malaysian herbs and their flowers. Things we see and use every day, but rarely stop to look at. Coriander, for example, has an incredibly delicate flower. Nutmeg as well. Once you isolate them, enlarge them, and really look, they become something else entirely.

It’s a reminder that beauty is often hidden in what we consider ordinary.

This is not a Nala exhibition.
This is personal.

It’s about returning to the act of painting itself. With everything that comes with running a business, I realised I had stopped making time for it. And this is my way of changing that.

This exhibition only happened because of two people who gently pushed me.

Narelle McMurtry invited me to host this first showing, and Kee E-Lene invited me to create a larger exhibition later in the year, on the 15th of November. I said yes to both, which means I will be painting a lot this year.

The works themselves were created across three places. I started in Singapore, continued in Kuala Lumpur, and finished in Penang. Each location left its own mark, which I quite like.

And because I’m drawn to fabric and movement, the paintings are done on unstretched canvas. They hang more like textiles, with our patterns sitting behind them, creating a layered backdrop.

For this opening, we will have archival prints, postcards, and selected works available.

It’s simple. No big production. Just a moment to share the work.

Monday, 13th April
4 p.m.
ChinaHouse, Penang

Everyone is invited.
I hope to see you there.