The sights and sounds of the Southeast Asian pasar will take on a new form at IMMERSIO 2026: PASAR, the seventh edition of Filamen’s new media art festival, running from 11 to 27 September across three Kuala Lumpur venues.

More than 100 artists and creative technologists from across Asia will contribute over 70 works spanning digital and interactive installations, projections, visual works and sculpture. The festival centres on the familiar world of the market — from handwritten price signs and shouted bargains to plastic bags of kopi and teh — and asks artists to reinterpret what these everyday spaces mean.

At the main exhibition at GMBB, approximately 45 works will explore different memories and observations of market culture. Among them is an interpretation of Indonesia’s once-popular batu akik gemstone trade as a playable video game, while Singapore’s disappearing wet markets are reimagined through a digital world populated by fish-headed vendors.

Closer to home, Malaysia’s familiar ikat tepi, the knot used to secure a plastic bag of takeaway drinks, becomes the subject of an artwork.

Artists and collectives from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Hong Kong will also contribute perspectives to the exhibition, reflecting the different ways markets function across the region.

Art For All

Curated by Koh Kai Ting, the GMBB exhibition runs from 11am to 8pm, Tuesday to Sunday. Early-bird tickets are RM6 until 2 September, followed by general admission at RM15. A group ticket for five costs RM55, while multiple-entry tickets with an exclusive gift are RM65. Senior citizens, persons with disabilities and children under 12 enter free.

The festival extends to Muzium Telekom, with emerging new media works including student projects from MMU, UNIMAS and The One Academy. REXKL will host artist sharing sessions and performances from 25 to 27 September.

For families, Ombak KLCC will host a separate interactive experience from 27 August to 30 October, where children can create imaginary dinosaurs and see them brought to life through projection and digital technology.

Tickets for the GMBB exhibition are available through CloudJoi. Muzium Telekom is free to enter, while REXKL performances and the Ombak KLCC experience are ticketed separately.