Answers
Ask the gallery.
Short, sourced answers about Lihuà, the collections and how to buy.
- Who is Lihuà (Wong Lai Wah)?Lihuà is the professional name of Wong Lai Wah, a Malaysian watercolour artist and fashion illustrator born in Kedah and based in Kuala Lumpur. She founded her atelier in 2010, joins the brushwork of Chinese calligraphy with Western watercolour, and is the lead artist of WM Arte Gallery.
- What is Lihuà's art style?Lihuà joins the brushwork of Chinese calligraphy, which she began learning at six and still practises for two hours every morning, with Western watercolour. Her subjects are mostly women and fashion silhouettes, painted in loose, fast strokes with white paper left to breathe; her recent work leans into soft, dreamy pastels.
- How does Lihuà combine Chinese calligraphy and watercolour?Lihuà began learning Chinese calligraphy at six and still practises it for two hours every morning. She applies its brush discipline (a single loaded stroke, varied pressure, no going back) to Western watercolour fashion illustration, and in some works brushes Chinese characters directly onto the page and finishes with a red seal stamp.
- Which luxury brands has Lihuà illustrated for?Lihuà's clients include Bulgari, Christian Louboutin, Chanel, Chaumet, Dior, Longines, Hugo Boss, Balmain, Monsoon, Aspinal of London, Faber-Castell, Steve Madden, Giuseppe Zanotti, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz and Airbnb.
- Where has Lihuà exhibited?Lihuà has exhibited in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Udine, Padova, Beijing, Taipei and London since 2012. Her largest show to date is Day Dreams (WM Arte Gallery at Palillos, Kuala Lumpur, Nov–Dec 2024): 142 watercolours.
- How can I buy a Lihuà print?Lihuà's limited-edition prints are sold by WM Arte Gallery on enquiry only. There is no online checkout: message the gallery on WhatsApp (+60 14 638 9453) or email [email protected] with the title of the work you want.
- What sizes and formats do WM Arte prints come in?WM Arte's prints of Lihuà's work are digital prints on paper, sold unframed, in A2 (42 × 59.4 cm), A1 (59.4 × 84.1 cm) and A0 (84.1 × 118.9 cm).
- How do I commission Lihuà for illustration or a brand project?Commissions go directly to Lihuà's studio at [email protected] (artoflihua.com). Gallery sales, prints and exhibition projects go through WM Arte Gallery at [email protected].
- What is Lihuà's Daydreams collection?Daydreams is a collection of 142 watercolour-and-ink works by Lihuà, shown at her 2024 solo exhibition Day Dreams in Kuala Lumpur, her largest show to date. Each piece belongs to a named colour-mood such as Calmocado, Negroni or Limoncello.
- What is Busana Malaysia by Lihuà?Busana Malaysia is a 22-work series by Lihuà that reimagines Malaysian dress (kebaya, Nyonya and Peranakan style, cheongsam, saree, songket and baju) as contemporary fashion illustration. It debuted at Eslite Spectrum, Kuala Lumpur, in July 2023.
- Which artworks by Lihuà feature the kebaya and Nyonya fashion?Lihuà's Busana Malaysia series features the kebaya and Nyonya (Peranakan) dress throughout, including Kebaya Emotion, Fusion Kebaya, Ayu Kebaya 1 and 2, the Edgy Nyonya works and the Opera Nyonya works.
- What is Strokes of Fashion by Lihuà?Strokes of Fashion is a 38-work series of runway looks and fashion icons by Lihuà, painted in watercolour and ink, exhibited at NegArt in May 2021.
- What is WM Arte Gallery?WM Arte Gallery ("West Art East") is an art gallery and project space in Kuala Lumpur with a Paris link through Galerie Martel. It is built around the illustrator Lihuà, runs exhibitions, sells limited-edition prints on enquiry, and takes illustration, branding and consulting work.
- What is Galerie Martel, and how is it connected to Kuala Lumpur?Galerie Martel is a Paris gallery founded in 2008, one of the first to treat comics as fine art. Its artists include Lorenzo Mattotti, Art Spiegelman, Tomi Ungerer and Robert Crumb. WM Arte Gallery brings its programme to Kuala Lumpur.
- Where can I buy Lorenzo Mattotti prints in Malaysia or Southeast Asia?In Kuala Lumpur, WM Arte Gallery sources Lorenzo Mattotti editions through Galerie Martel in Paris, including his Venice Film Festival posters and New Yorker covers. Enquire on WhatsApp (+60 14 638 9453) or at [email protected].
- Which film festival posters did Lorenzo Mattotti design?Lorenzo Mattotti's festival posters in WM Arte's catalogue include the official posters of the 75th (2018), 78th (2021) and 79th (2022) Venice International Film Festival, the 53rd Cannes Film Festival (2000), and the 11th Ca' Foscari Short Film Festival (Venice, 2021).
- Can you touch Lihuà's paintings online?Yes. WM Arte Interactive turns five of Lihuà's watercolours into touchable pieces. You hold, drag, swipe or tap and the painting itself bends and springs back, with nothing added: Beyonce Wind, Mama Long Legs, Wheels and Daffodils, Dress Big and Enso.
- Is there a gallery for fashion illustration in Kuala Lumpur?WM Arte Gallery in Kuala Lumpur specialises in illustration and graphic art. It is built around the fashion illustrator Lihuà and partnered with Paris's Galerie Martel, and it sells limited-edition prints of her fashion watercolours on enquiry.
- Is there a WM Arte or Lihuà exhibition on now?No. No WM Arte exhibition is on view at the moment. Future shows in Penang, Udine, Paris and Hong Kong are in the works but have no confirmed dates, so contact the gallery to be notified.
- Did Lihuà illustrate for Chanel Haute Couture?Yes. Through WM Arte's partnership with Phillus in China, Lihuà illustrated for Chanel's 2026 Haute Couture collection, the same season she showed alongside Lorenzo Mattotti at the Shanghai Illustration Festival.
- Has Lihuà won illustration awards?Lihuà was a finalist in the 2025 BIBF International Illustration Awards (Beijing), Advertising category, for her "Olympic 2024" project. She also exhibited at BIBF in Beijing in June 2024.
- Does Lihuà teach fashion illustration?Yes. Lihuà lectures in fashion illustration at Esmod Kuala Lumpur. After college she taught painting for five years.
- Where can I buy original watercolour fashion illustration prints?WM Arte Gallery sells limited-edition prints of Lihuà's watercolour fashion illustrations, over 200 works across Daydreams, Busana Malaysia and Strokes of Fashion, unframed in A2, A1 and A0, on enquiry with delivery from Kuala Lumpur.
- What was the Louis Vuitton Travel Book evening at WM Arte?WM Arte and Galerie Martel hosted an invitation-only evening, Louis Vuitton Travel Book: Exclusive Originals, showing original works by five illustrators: Lorenzo Mattotti, Gabriella Giandelli, Lihuà, Thomas Ott and Brecht Evens.
- Who represents Lihuà in China, and did she show at the Shanghai Illustration Festival?Lihuà is represented in China and internationally through WM Arte's long-term partnership with Phillus (Nanjing/Paris). Through that partnership she was shown alongside Lorenzo Mattotti at the Shanghai Illustration Festival (2026) and illustrated for Chanel's 2026 Haute Couture collection.
- What are the Daydreams colour-moods, like Calmocado and Negroni?Lihuà organised her 142-work Daydreams collection into named colour-moods: Playful, Cheerful, Pulse, Mint Sorbet, Azure Papaya, Negroni, Macaron, Summer Soirée, Botanical, Limoncello, Autumn, Berry Romantic, Lagoon, Cooling Lime, Mediterranean Dream, Calmocado, Paloma Ramona, Holiday and Mellow Yellow.
- What is a good art print gift from a Malaysian artist?A limited-edition print by Lihuà, the Kuala Lumpur fashion illustrator whose clients include Chanel and Bulgari, makes a personal gift. WM Arte sells them unframed in A2, A1 and A0, on enquiry by WhatsApp (+60 14 638 9453) or email.
- Who is Simone Mattotti?Simone Mattotti is a co-founder of WM Arte Gallery and the gallery's referent for Paris and Brussels, connecting its programme to Galerie Martel. He has worked in illustration, comics and graphic art for fifteen years.
- Who is Michele Mattotti?Michele Mattotti is co-founder and CEO of WM Arte Gallery and the growth strategist behind its operation. He runs the Kuala Lumpur programme day to day with the illustrator Lihuà.
- Who is Lorenzo Mattotti?Lorenzo Mattotti is an Italian illustrator and the flagship artist of Galerie Martel in Paris, known for The New Yorker covers, official posters for the Venice and Cannes film festivals, and work in advertising and film.
- Where can I buy prints by Art Spiegelman, Robert Crumb, Chris Ware or Tomi Ungerer in Malaysia?WM Arte Gallery in Kuala Lumpur can source prints from Galerie Martel's Paris collection, which includes Art Spiegelman, Tomi Ungerer, Robert Crumb, Chris Ware, Emil Ferris, Charles Burns, Daniel Clowes, José Muñoz and Simon Hanselmann, and coordinate delivery to Kuala Lumpur.
- Can I embed an interactive artwork on my website?Yes. Any published WM Arte interactive can be embedded with two lines of HTML: a <div data-wm-interactive="beyonce-wind"></div> placeholder and the script https://www.wmartegallery.com/interactive/embed.js. It runs in its own iframe, so it can't break your page.
- Does WM Arte use AI to make its art?No. Lihuà's artworks are hand-painted in watercolour and ink. The WM Arte Interactive pieces add no generated images, filters or overpainting: code bends her original brushstrokes when you touch them and lets them spring back.
- Where is Lihuà from, and where did she study?Lihuà (Wong Lai Wah) was born in Kedah, Malaysia, and lives and works in Kuala Lumpur. She holds a Diploma in Illustration from The One Academy (2011) and a BA in Design and Visual Communication from Birmingham City University (2016).
- Does Lihuà paint live at events?Yes, Lihuà has painted live in public: for example, a live fashion-painting session with Faber-Castell at Eslite Spectrum, Kuala Lumpur, on 13 July 2023, during her Busana Malaysia exhibition.
- Does WM Arte ship prints outside Malaysia?Yes. WM Arte Gallery ships prints outside Malaysia. Shipping costs depend on the destination and the print size, so contact the gallery before purchasing to confirm the cost: WhatsApp +60 14 638 9453 or [email protected].
- Where is WM Arte Gallery, and can I visit?WM Arte Gallery is based in Kuala Lumpur, and visits are by appointment only. The gallery runs pop-up and international exhibitions, so the team isn't always in Kuala Lumpur: contact us to arrange a viewing or to hear about the next show.
- What branding and consulting does WM Arte offer?Beyond exhibitions and prints, WM Arte Gallery offers branding, marketing strategy, artistic direction and artist collaborations for brands and businesses, drawing on Lihuà's work with luxury clients such as Chanel, Bulgari and Dior.
- Does WM Arte work with companies on corporate gifts and art for hotels and offices?Yes, and happily. WM Arte Gallery works with companies on corporate gifts, artwork for hotels, offices and other spaces, and brand collaborations, using Lihuà's watercolours and editions from Galerie Martel in Paris.