Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook's 'The Bouquet and the Wreath (Rebirth)' at Ilham Gallery explores what it means to be human

A respected artist in Southeast Asia, Thailand-based Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook presents her first solo retrospective in Malaysia, covering more than four decades of her career. It asks: What is the objective of art? And what does it mean to be human? Her fixation on desire, mortality, difference and curiosity is closely examined through recurring imagery of flowers and beds. They illustrate significant details of life such as friendship, romance as well as tragedy that are inextricably linked to each other. Pieces on view include video compositions, installations and a selection of texts — a few of which make their debut while others have not graced the public in a long time.

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Araya with her dogs, many of which are strays who often appear in her artworks

'The Bouquet and the Wreath (Rebirth)' is on display at Ilham Gallery, Ilham Tower, KL until Oct 11. Admission is free. For more info, visit here.

This article first appeared on Aug 17, 2026 in The Edge Malaysia.