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Open Studios Penang 2020: Penang gets ready for an art explosion at the end of March

Open Studios Penang will be held over two weekends at the end of March and the beginning of April — Pictures courtesy of OSP
Open Studios Penang will be held over two weekends at the end of March and the beginning of April — Pictures courtesy of OSP

GEORGE TOWN, Feb 18 — Ever wondered about the thought process behind the creation of a painting or a piece of sculpture?

Or have you always wanted to meet the talented artists behind some of your favourite paintings, murals and sculptures?

Then mark your calendar for the last weekend of March and the first weekend of April because Open Studios Penang (OSP) will be back for a second year.

This time around, more than 1,000 artworks by 100 artists will be showcased in 60 different venues all around the island.

Open Studios Penang will feature more than 1,000 artworks by 100 artists
Open Studios Penang will feature more than 1,000 artworks by 100 artists

This year the art festival is themed "Art Scenes Unfold" and it will be spread over the two weekends of March 27 to 29 and April 3 to 5.

OSP Chair Louise Goss-Custard said the festival is a celebration of the creativity of local and international artists.

"It’s an explosion of art happenings in Penang: exhibitions, site-specific installations, workshops, art trails, thought-provoking talks, and artists opening the doors of their studios for the public," she said.

She said this festival will see a variety of artists of different disciplines gathered in Penang to showcase their masterpieces and talk about their work.

Veteran artist Datuk Chong Hon Fatt will be exhibiting his impressionist oil landscapes at his private gallery on Jalan Dharma while a Singaporean collective will display a site-specific kinetic sculpture at Narrow Marrow along Carnavon Street.

Fans of Penang Urban Sketchers can catch Ch'ng Kiah Kiean and Koay Sheng Tat at their working studios in Prima Tanjung while other sketchers will set up temporary group studios at Gudang Cafe.

Open Studios Penang is back for a second year and artists will open their studios to the public to visit and talk to them about their artworks
Open Studios Penang is back for a second year and artists will open their studios to the public to visit and talk to them about their artworks

The Penang Watercolour Society will organise their individual exhibitions and open studios at Paramount Hotel.

You can also watch sculptor Low Chee Peng, Japanese wood block painter Ralph Kiggell, photomontage creator Kerry Godfrey and other artists at work over at Hin Bus Depot over the two weekends.

Award-winning local artists Fazz Ramli and Leong Khong Wai will set up their studios over at the Art E Space in Straits Quay.

There will also be a group exhibition titled "Art Scenes Unfold" by artists involved in OSP at the event space in Black Kettle.

Many other emerging and established participating artists will also be opening their studios, setting up exhibitions and organising workshops at cafes and galleries all over Penang during the festival.

A full programme along with a map will soon be available on  www.openstudiospenang.com. You can follow Open Studios Penang on Instagram and Facebook @openstudiospenang