Kuala Lumpur exhibition examines plantation society legacy through 28 artists

A new exhibition called "The Plantation Plot" opened in Kuala Lumpur, featuring the works of 28 different artists and groups. Curated by Sheau Yun Lim, it explores the ongoing impacts of plantation societies, tackling themes like capital mythmaking, profit-driven motives, extractive labor, and systemic violence. The title is inspired by Sylvia Wynter's 1971 essay, "Novel and History, Plot and Plantation," which connects the plantation model to storytelling and capitalist outcomes. The word "plot" cleverly reflects both narrative frameworks and land ownership. Through various artistic expressions, the exhibition reveals how the legacies of plantations still shape our contemporary world.