By Amanda L
KUCHING, Jan 10: The ‘Kita Orang: Blue & White 400 International Art Exhibition 2025’ brings together 400 artists from more than 20 countries to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Wanli Shipwreck, a 17th-century Portuguese vessel that sank off the coast of present-day Terengganu in 1625 while carrying blue-and-white porcelain from Jingdezhen, China.
Recognised under the UNESCO Silk Roads Programme, the shipwreck represents historic maritime trade routes that linked China, Southeast Asia, and Europe, facilitating the exchange of goods, people, ideas, and artistic traditions across these regions. The exhibition uses contemporary art to explore this shared history and show how cultural connections continue to unite people today.
Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts (MTCP) Datuk Sebastian Ting Chiew Yew said the exhibition reflects the meaning of Kita Orang, or “We, the People,” by emphasising connection and collaboration.
“This exhibition is not only about history or aesthetics, but about connection, bringing people together across cultures, generations and borders through a shared artistic language,” he said during the opening ceremony here today.
The exhibition features paintings, sculptures and mixed-media works that reinterpret the symbolism of blue and white, colours historically associated with porcelain and maritime trade.
Visitors can also take part in a participatory artwork titled ‘The Pieces of Us’, painting on broken porcelain fragments that are later assembled into a collective installation symbolising unity and shared experience.
Curated by Calvin Chua, Abu Zaki Hadri and Alice Chang Guerra, the exhibition marks its Sarawak edition following earlier presentations in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.
Kita Orang: Blue & White 400 International Art Exhibition 2025 is open daily at Artavern Art Space, Kota Samarahan, until Jan 25, 2026. Admission is free. — DayakDaily
