If your idea of a gallery visit still involves oil paint and silence, a new show at Kuala Lumpur's Tun Razak Exchange might change your mind. Art Without Boundaries — New Voyage to Nanyang, now in its second edition, pairs AI-assisted creations with work from younger contemporary artists, and it's free to walk in and judge for yourself.
The centrepiece name is Victoria Lu, the Taiwanese-born artist, curator and critic who also goes by Viki Lulu. Speaking at the opening on October 10, she made her position clear: AI isn't the enemy of creativity but a working partner. She uses the technology directly in her practice and sees it as an unstoppable shift. 'It's already here, and it will change human civilisation, no matter you like it or not,' she said. It's her first time in Malaysia, and she's brought the platform she founded, Viki Lulu House, along with her.
The show runs until November 11 at Ruang Teduh in The Exchange 106, the striking skyscraper at the heart of the Tun Razak Exchange financial district. The aim is bigger than one exhibition: organisers, including the Qiudi Art Centre based in Xiamen, want a genuine two-way exchange between Chinese and South-east Asian art scenes — not just exporting Chinese artists to Malaysian audiences, but opening doors for Malaysian artists in China too.
One of the more charming voices at the opening was Malaysian film director Datuk U-Wei Saari, who officiated the launch. He described looking at the AI-based works like watching clouds — shapes emerge and dissolve depending on how long and how quietly you look. 'Some of the artwork I saw, when you look at it silently, it becomes something else,' he said, adding that one piece made him feel like he'd gone for a swim with the artist.
For travellers, this is a good excuse to visit a part of Kuala Lumpur most tourists skip. TRX is the city's new financial quarter, all glass towers and public space, and The Exchange 106 is one of the tallest buildings in Southeast Asia. The nearby Tun Razak Exchange MRT station puts it about 15 minutes from the Golden Triangle's hotels. Pair the exhibition with a wander through the district, then head back into town for the classic KL circuit — the Petronas Towers, Jalan Alor's food stalls and Merdeka Square are all a short ride away.
Even if digital art isn't usually your thing, Lu's argument is worth hearing in person: art belongs to everyone, crossing race, language and borders, and human creativity remains something machines can't simply replace. A free gallery hour in a futuristic tower feels like a fitting place to weigh that up for yourself.
