A graphic novel first thought to be a biography on a real artist has emerged as a gorgeous but controversial telling of Singaporean history. Real-life artist Sonny Liew’s work, “The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye,” is a masterful and beautiful graphic novel that attempts to tackle touchy parts of the country’s formation in a palatable way. When the government withdrew a grant to help with the publishing of the work on the grounds that the work questions the legitimacy of the government, Liew’s graphic novel became even more popular. The move to withdraw funding was a marketing boost that the publishers never saw coming, and now, the book is part of one of the most important discussions on art and censorship.
Several initial printings of the graphic novel sold out completely, a testament to just how popular this important tome has become. Liew answered questions about his book recently with a reporter.
Liew described his upbringing in Singapore as being aware that some parts of history were being glossed over, revised, or left out entirely. He decided that a comic might be the best approach to address Singapore’s history, or at least his understanding of it, knowing that some people might not be entirely familiar with it. He said that he covered historical people and topics in the frame of a story about an artist, looking to convey the right tone and still remain accessible to as wide an audience as possible.
Liew also tackled the controversial parts of history, starting with Singapore’s founding. He used multiple layers of storytelling and art to explore all the different layers of reality present in history — the history the government wishes for the populace to believe, and the history the populace actually subscribes to. Liew interviewed several historians and citizens to gather all of these different versions and understandings of history, and told the narrative over decades of the fictional artist’s life.
One thing that may have confused initial readers and reviewers was that Liew used real pieces of arts, as well as many different styles, to tell his story. That’s why they thought it was a genuine biography of a single artist when it turned out to be, in fact, a biography of an entire nation.
Would you be surprised to learn that comics are an artistic form? Many graphic novels of today are also quite literary, meaning that both legitimate artists and writers can embrace this new art form. Sign up for a class on comic drawing or caricature drawing today by visiting SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com offers a huge variety of different classes and interests all in one spot. Expert teachers will work with you to develop lessons that cater to your specific tastes. If you’d like to learn how to use storyboards and dialogue to move your comic along, you will be able to work with your teacher to do so.
To learn more about the graphic novel and its author and artist, go to http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/liews-art-of-charlie-chan-hock-chye-tells-singapores-secret-history.