THE LINE
BEYOND THE FORESTS’ EDGE
A photography-led exhibition by Ian Teh exploring urban expansion and deforestation in Greater Kuala Lumpur
with Yii Kah Hoe, William Kok, and Tom White
29 SEP 26’ - 4 APR 27’
BANK NEGARA MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, KUALA LUMPUR
Kuala Lumpur was designated Malaysia’s first Federal Territory in 1974.
Half a century later, the capital city and its conurbations has experienced significant growth.
The country’s rapid development, writ large on its iconic skyline, is reflected in its increasing urban footprint in Klang Valley.
“There is nothing to fear from growth. There is from unplanned growth. And if we start to address how we make people happy, how we make our cities financially viable, the only way is to look at cities very carefully and understand how they work. We haven't got the time or money to build the infrastructure we'll need for the capacity we need in the next 50 years so we'll have to look at our city and think about how you do more with less.”
— Rob Adams, Director of City Design, Melbourne.
“First we shape our cities, and then our cities shape us.”
— Jan Gehl, Danish architect and urban design consultant.
“Bringing nature back into the city is a way to deal with urban sprawl. If cities feel a little more natural, people like to live there rather than moving out and dividing up another piece of land that shouldn’t be touched.”
— Stone Gossard, American musician.
About the exhibition
The exhibition of Ian Teh’s photographs is an ode to the majestic forests of Klang Valley and the contrasting, violent beauty of the city.
It serves as a snapshot of Greater Kuala Lumpur, a stocktake of half a century of development, and a visual document for future inquiring minds to reflect upon.
The body of work is complimented by audio and video pieces by Yii Kah Hoe and William Kok of Gema Bumi, as well as a 360-degree VR experience by photographer Tom White.