THE striking, turtle-shaped Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery has officially opened its doors to the public, adding a bold new cultural landmark to Penang’s waterfront.
Located at The Light Waterfront in Gelugor, the eight-storey art museum rises gracefully above the sea and is founded on the powerful mission of ‘Art for Peace’.
The gallery houses a collection of more than 1,000 artworks, with over 400 pieces on display at any given time.
Through a dynamic rotation of exhibitions, it presents diverse visual narratives and humanistic reflections that engage audiences across cultures and generations.
Its comprehensive facilities include an art education centre, permanent exhibition floors, a special exhibition hall, and an international collaboration conference room.
The sixth floor serves as a dedicated international exhibition platform, welcoming leading artists and curated projects from around the world, and positioning the gallery as a hub for cross-cultural dialogue and artistic innovation.
Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who participated in the unveiling ceremony today, described the gallery made possible through the vision and generosity of its founder, Prof Lin Xiang Xiong as a significant addition to the state’s cultural landscape.
“Penang has always been known as a place where heritage, art, and culture grow naturally.
“Our murals, historic buildings, traditions, and creative communities have made Penang famous around the world,” he said.
Chow noted that the gallery aligns closely with the Penang2030 vision, which emphasises creativity, education and strong community bonds.
“Penang may be small, but its impact and creativity reach far beyond our borders.
“With the opening of this gallery, we take another important step towards strengthening Penang as a hub for the arts,” he added.
He further highlighted the growing global trend of cultural tourism, where travellers plan their journeys around major galleries and cultural institutions.
“This could be a new venture for Penang, a hub for art and art-related activities.
“If Penang builds a strong identity around the arts, it will make our state even more attractive to visitors,” he said, adding that the gallery’s international standard signals Penang is on the right path.
Chow also hopes that the new gallery will become a welcoming space for everyone, a place where ideas flourish, creativity is celebrated, and future generations are inspired to dream and create.
Among those present at the opening ceremony were Penang State Speaker Datuk Seri Law Choo Kiang, Deputy Chief Minister II Jagdeep Singh Deo, former French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, former Penang chief minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon, and Prof Lin himself.
Prof Lin expressed his hope that the gallery would serve as a platform for cultural dialogue, promoting peace and unity across diverse traditions while elevating Penang’s cultural standing on the global stage.
He also underscored the importance of art in an increasingly turbulent world.
“In a world confronted by tension and conflict, art can steady emotions, elevate awareness and deepen understanding.
“Art cannot directly stop wars, but it can illuminate the mind. When countless points of light converge, darkness will eventually be dispelled,” he said.
To mark its opening, the gallery is presenting a special exhibition, titled Picasso and Lin Xiang Xiong: A Dialogue Across Time.
Centred on the theme of dialogue, the exhibition explores the artistic resonance between Picasso’s modernist language and the Eastern cultural perspectives embedded in Prof Lin’s works.
It addresses universal themes such as anti-war, anti-poverty and environmental consciousness, in line with the gallery’s mission of Art for Peace.
The Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery is open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday and is closed on Mondays. Tickets are currently available for on-site purchase, with online ticketing and reservation systems to be introduced progressively.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Alissala Thian and courtesy of Lin Xiang Xiong Art Gallery
Video by Muhammad Iqbal Hamdan