Hoan Gallery eyes foreign ties, Sarawak art camps to boost tourism

Hoan Gallery, where the arts gather the artists. Photo credit: HSL

By DayakDaily Team

KUCHING, March 8: Hoan Gallery, Sarawak’s premier art space, is looking to strengthen links with foreign exhibitors and organise art camps across the State as part of efforts to support Sarawak’s tourism sector.

Its director, Hoan Kee Huang, said Taiwanese art curators had recently approached the gallery with enquiries about showcasing artworks inspired by tropical landscapes and biodiversity.

“This is still at a very early stage. I hope to bring Sarawak’s flora and fauna to an exhibition in Taiwan. Fingers crossed. I cannot reveal too much yet, except to say we are cautiously optimistic,” he said during the gallery’s 2026 season opener show on March 7.

Hoan said the enquiry had helped shape the gallery’s focus for the year ahead, particularly in highlighting Sarawak’s natural beauty and cultural stories through art.

“Tourism is a great angle for me to focus on. This is also Visit Malaysia Year 2026. For this mid-year, I and several art societies are coordinating a state-wide art camp,” he said.

The planned programme could see up to 20 artists travelling from Miri to Kuching to explore the State and produce artworks inspired by their experiences.

“There is genuine and growing interest in Sarawak art. We have so much richness, so much beauty here,” he added.

The gallery’s season opener exhibition, Fragments: Perceptions of Sarawak, is a joint showcase featuring six artists, including Kedahan artist Lee Choon Kooi, Bornean sculptor M Shazy, and oil painter Brandon Ritom.

Also featured are new works by Marvin Chew, a Sarawakian watercolourist currently based in Singapore.

Hundreds attended the opening, including writers, academics and members of the public. One highlight of the event was a live portrait-painting session featuring retired Special Branch officer Peter Lim Chian Seng, who served during the communist insurgency in Sarawak from 1962 to 1990.

Hoan said stories such as Lim’s reflect the richness of Sarawak’s history and culture.

“To me, these are all great Sarawakian stories. Art can help unearth history, retell stories to reach more people, help preserve our nature and celebrate Sarawak.

“I think the rise of art in Sarawak is increasingly gaining the attention of the tourism industry,” he stated.

All artworks in Fragments: Perceptions of Sarawak are available for sale and admission is free.

The gallery, supported by HSL, is located at La Promenade Mall along the Kuching–Samarahan Expressway. For more information, visit hoangallery.com or follow @HoanArtGallery on social media. — DayakDaily