The third time just might be the charm for Singaporean artist Priyageetha Dia.
The first two times Dia installed her artwork, which wasn’t approved by the proper officials or organizations, they were taken down again. But it’s a testament to Dia’s persistence that this third project has even more personal meaning to her artwork.
The first project that got Dia recognition — and perhaps a little infamy — was a set of stairs at her place of residence. Last year, the artist covered a flight of stairs using gold foil. Though the work was deemed as public art rather than graffiti, it was removed soon thereafter because it wasn’t properly authorized. The installment and its quick demise gained some recognition online and in some art circles, which decried the art piece’s removal.
Dia’s second piece, a collection of gold mylar flags, was hung from the top floor of the same building. Residents and passers-by complained, taking photos of the installation and posting them online in outrage. In a roundabout way, however, that negative attention gave Dia a web boost. More people knew her name and what she did, meaning that her art was spread further than she could’ve achieved by herself. Though her gold flags were taken down and confiscated by a local organization, she embraced the organization’s actions and the conversation taking place around her public art installations.
In an ironic turn of events, the organization that took possession of Dia’s flags lost them. They paid to replace the mylar material, and in turn, Dia created a third artwork, titled Upgraded. In this installation, which is on display at a Singapore art gallery, Dia combined the mylar material into ten large flags, reminiscent of her second installation, and emblazoned red words in contemporary fonts on the front of the flags. The combination of red and gold is visually arresting, adding to the feel of importance to the work. For Dia, it’s essential to continue the conversation about what really constitutes art, including what can and cannot be considered to be art. The artist says she feels that many art is undervalued and overlooked, making this show particularly poignant. It’s the first time that the art will come down when the artist is ready for it to move on, and represents a new beginning for Dia’s work.
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Read more about Priyageetha Dia’s personal art history at https://www.timeout.com/singapore/news/meet-singapores-golden-girl-priyageetha-dia-042718.