Maybank has officially opened its private art collection to the public for the first time through the exhibition "Held in Time, Built on Trust." Located at Balai Seni Maybank in Kuala Lumpur, the showcase features 90 artworks acquired over four decades that were previously restricted to the bank's private offices and hallways. The exhibition is organized into three rotating cycles curated by Liu Cheng Hua in collaboration with Kakiseni, featuring works by prominent Malaysian artists such as Ibrahim Hussein and Ismail Abdul Latiff.
This initiative marks a significant shift toward accessibility in the Malaysian art scene, transforming a corporate asset into a public cultural resource. By opening its archives, Maybank Foundation is reinforcing its role as a major patron of Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art. The move reflects a broader global trend of corporate collections seeking public engagement and transparency, while providing a rare historical overview of Malaysian art history through a previously hidden institutional lens.