Botany of Belonging: Forests of Southeast Asia in KL
The recent revival of the botanical art movement in Southeast Asia has birthed many an artist who produces stunning artworks in the genre.
And for Malaysian appreciators of this unique form of art, which seamlessly fuses scientific precision with aesthetic beauty, here’s some good news: the Forest House Learning Centre in Kuala Lumpur is currently hosting an exhibition called Botany of Belonging: Forests of Southeast Asia.
It gathers botanical illustrations by artists around the SEA region in a rare showcase highlighting familiar and hidden forest plant species.
What is Botany of Belonging?
Botany of Belonging: Forests of Southeast Asia features over 60 high-resolution art prints highlighting endemic and widely distributed plants across Southeast Asia.
Among the 45 artists featured are well-known names from around the region, including Malaysian illustrators Esther Geh and Syarifah Nadhirah, co-founder of the Indonesian Society of Botanical Artists Eunike Nugroho, Teo Nam Siang from Singapore, and Mieko Ishikawa from Japan.
What to expect at the Botany of Belonging exhibition?
The artworks in the exhibition are displayed suspended from lightweight wooden frames around the light-filled exhibition space, accompanied by detailed text about each piece and their respective artist.
The fact that they are only prints of the originals should not deter you from checking this showcase out, as the prints are of exceptional quality and represent some of the finest works of each artist.
One corner is dedicated to the artwork of Paridah Mokshin, a self-taught botanical artist who is a familiar face around the Perdana Botanical Gardens. Here you can see a variety of her artworks drawn on everything from sketchbooks to cardboard boxes, interspersed with dried specimens of the plants she has illustrated.
There is also a mini exhibit of a botanical illustrator’s tools, and a selection of books and papers on regional plant species on view.
And before you conclude your visit, you should not miss trying your hand – and eye – at illustrating a botanical specimen at a dedicated desk complete with paper, pencils, and a magnifying glass.
When & where is the exhibition?
This unmissable exhibition runs from 25th September to 30th November 2026 at Forest Learning Centre in KL’s Perdana Lake Gardens. It opens Fridays to Sundays, from 10am to 4pm.
Appreciate botanical artworks at Botany of Belonging
Appreciating beautiful artwork is something almost anyone can enjoy, and the Botany of Belonging: Forests of Southeast Asia exhibition certainly offers that. But more than just aesthetics, it invites the public to look closer at the natural world and raises awareness of environmental issues threatening many plant species.
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Cover image adapted from: TheSmartLocal Malaysia