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The Two Journeymen
Photography Exhibition
- Date: 23 August 2025 - 12 September 2025
- Venue: Pentago House
How I Was Conned Into an Exhibition—and Sold 100 Pieces
It started, as most misadventures do, with a casual breakfast and a cunning friend. Greg Dall – a part-time art pusher – floated the idea of a joint photography exhibition with one of his neighbours, Captain Sim. I have had always avoided and refused any idea to do any exhibition as I do not think my photography warrants one. Captain Sim, whom I met for the first time then, did not object and being polite and not wanting to offend, I didn’t too. That’s how the Two Journeymen was born.
Greg, an architect by profession but a salesman by nature, is persuasive. He spoke of how good our photos were and promised to handle “everything.” That last part was a lie. A charming, well-meaning lie. Before I knew it, I was knee-deep in initially conceptualising and selecting and curating the images with a very talented Ong Kar Jin, and subsequently managing the VIP party and attendance list (with mobile numbers and emails) and the existential dread of public exposure. Of course after the exhibition we are still burdened with the printing and its logistics.
We called it the Two Journeymen – a nod to the trips taken, the roads imagined and the journeys still ahead. The exhibition unfolded over two weekends in Kuala Lumpur.
What a ride it’s been. The response was overwhelming—to say the least—and I’m still trying to process how we ended up achieving more than twice my initial target. I mean, I thought I’d be lucky if a few prints found loving homes… instead, it felt like a full-blown adoption drive.
People came. Friends, strangers, collaborators. They lingered. They asked questions. They listened to my stories and laughed at my stupid jokes. They bought prints—lots of them. Indeed three of my limited edition images were sold out, eight copies of each. I personally sold 100 pieces. One hundred. With a gross sales value that exceeded my wildest expectations. I had to triple-check the numbers. Then I had to sit down.
But the real success wasn’t financial. It was emotional. It was the warmth of friends flying in from Singapore and taking time just to be there. Beng Hua and my other travel companions—standing beside images they helped create. It was the quiet nods from strangers who saw something in the lions, cheetahs, elephants, tigers and other wildlife on displayed. And ultimately it was the generosity of friends and strangers in contributing to a good cause. All proceeds after expenses has been pledged to the National Autism Society of Malaysia.
Special thanks to Greg Dall, Wendy Khaw, Ong Kar Jin and Mark Liaw—your guidance, encouragement and occasional tough love kept me from spiraling into artistic madness. I swear I suffered burnt out on two separate occasions before the exhibition itself. And to the incredible team at Pentago: you were the unsung heroes behind the scenes, managing every detail, every hiccup and the delivery of prints with ninja-like precision. I owe you more than just coffee.
Finally it was my late father, Richard Ng, whose love for nature, still guides my lens and whose memory was woven into every frame. This exhibition is dedicated to my father.
When pushed by Greg for a second exhibition, I have maintained that I’d never do another. That this was a one-time fluke. But the truth is, I’m deeply grateful. Not just for the outcome, but for the journey. For the vulnerability it demanded. For the community it revealed.
The Two Journeyman was never meant to be loud. It was meant to be true. And in that, I think we succeeded.
For A Common Cause
All net proceeds from The Two Journeymen was donated in full to the National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM). As a father of three—two of whom are on the autism spectrum — Ng Wymin knows firsthand how vital early intervention and community support can be. NASOM, being an NGO, needs funding to finance their effort for the education, therapy and advocacy programmes of the autistic children in need.
Autistic individuals often perceive the world through unique lenses, noticing details and patterns others might miss. Our photographers share that gift: Captain Sim’s eye traces the hidden currents between sky and sea, while Ng Wymin’s patience reveals the charged moment when predator and prey meet gaze. This exhibition celebrates those alternative ways of seeing and invites every visitor to challenge and expand their own perspective.
Media Coverage
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