All Posts by Smiley Admin

0 Talks focus on renowned Singaporean painter

The late artist Fan Chang Tien was both a pioneer and a teacher of the renowned Shanghai school of art, but the prolific painter might not always get the respect his legacy is due. That was one opinion at a symposium and art show of the artist’s works recently at The Arts House in Singapore.

Fan practiced the style of ink painting for around thirty years in Singapore, inspiring a host of students whose work is lauded more often than the original teacher’s. The symposium covered the idea that Fan deserved more credit. Not only did he spawn award-winning and highly celebrated artists who were once his students, he was also an excellent artist himself.

Fan’s artwork is traditional, the theme of bamboo recurring in many of his masterpieces. The strokes on his canvases are those of a master ink painter, celebrating the grace, honesty, and texture of such a simple but profound thing as a bamboo grove. This Chinese ink painting lived on through Fan’s students, and he is largely credited with bringing the art form to Singapore in the first place.

The artist’s genius didn’t end at just ink painting. He was also more than adept at calligraphy, writing poetry, and carving intricate seals. Everyone who knew Fan while the artist was still alive also attest to the beauty of his character — he was simply a good person.

Many of the participants in the discussion panel during the art exhibit and symposium agreed that Singapore needed to do more to remember this remarkable artist. One idea that was posed was that the recently opened National Gallery Singapore should work to collect some of Fan’s masterpieces and put them on display either as a limited engagement or permanent exhibit. This would help make the ink painting master’s works more accessible to a broader audience, bringing him and his legacy greater recognition even in death. Speakers also hoped that artists who still practiced the discipline of ink painting will explore themes that are closer to Singapore rather than painting the mountains more typical of Chinese ink painting art. The discipline could bring a renewed study of the natural beauty in Singapore, broadening the fan base for ink painting and its beautiful history.

If you’re interested in delving into the past, there’s no better way to do it than by enrolling in an art class. Art is one of the many ways history and culture can be explored within societies. Sign up for an art class today through SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a website that organizes dozens of art classes in one easy to browse place. You can take classes on everything from Chinese ink painting to pointillism painting to caricature drawing. There is an art class for every possible creative interest and level of expertise. You will be able to work with your expert teacher to craft an art course that best satisfies your desire for knowledge.

To read more about the artist’s life and works, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/singapore-painter-fan-chang-tien-deserves-more-recognition.

0 Visual artists making a splash at annual book fair

Purveyors of words might be surprised to find art at the upcoming Singapore Book Fair, but comic book artists and other art books will be there, making a splash in an affair that has typically been more about the written word.

This year’s Singapore Book Fair is a departure from the norm in including graphic novels and comic book art. Last year, the theme for the festival included Confucius, and visitors dressed in traditional Chinese garb and recited poetry in Chinese, guided by a teacher. This year is different in that organizers for the event wanted it to be more inclusive and attractive to a broader base of participants. While the wealth of books available will still be there, there will be different literary genres that could attract new visitors in the form of comic books and graphic novels. The theme of this year’s Singapore Book Fair is reflective that we all take on different lives and experiences when we immerse ourselves in books, and organizers hope to seize this idea, showing even people who might not like reading very much that there is truly a book for everyone somewhere out there. Books in both English and Chinese will be available to purchase at this event, which is free to attend.

That’s where the comic books come in to play. Along with other media personalities, writers, and literary speakers, comic artists will be on hand to talk about their craft in a series of symposiums and discussions. An association for comic artists in Singapore will also be on hand to distribute — for free — copies of their latest graphic novel, a tome about a girl who solves the mysteries behind her own nightmares.

The Singapore Book Fair will also be the place for several important new book launches, including several by the media group in charge of organizing the event, as well as a children’s book. There will be much more than books and talks at the fair, as well. Those who attend the event can enjoy such activities as making soap, sewing, printing, and coloring workshops, again bringing the theme of art back into play. There will also be food and drinks available for the duration of the Singapore Book Fair.

If you’ve always been more interested in the art of books rather than visual art as a whole, there are a number of art classes you can try to pique your creative interests. Investigate the wealth of art classes on hand by directing your browser to SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a website that organizes art class offerings for an easy and convenient way to browse dozens at once. You can take a 3-D sculpture art class and work one-on-one with an expert teacher on crafting pieces of art from books. You could also enroll in a comic art class and try your hand at making a graphic novel of your own.

To read more about the Singapore Book Fair, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-book-fair-in-june-to-feature-comic-artists-media-personalities.

0 There’s art to be found under the sea during annual show

Two art exhibits focusing on the ocean will be on display for the sixth iteration of the Imaginarium event at the Singapore Art Museum. One will be more geared toward children, with fun and hands-on displays, while the other will offer contemporary musings on the sea for adults. The displays will take place in both the Singapore Art Museum and one of its annexes, coinciding with the museum’s 20th anniversary.

The exhibitions include a wide and varied body of art sure to attract the attention of many visitors to the Singapore Art Museum, including a tall, towering ship made of collected wood and secondhand cargo boxes. The ship teems with life and detail, seeming more like a busy skyscraper than a loaded boat, and may offer some sort of commentary on how we use the sea, including as transportation, commerce, and all of the possible repercussions of those practices.

Another piece is a mechanical mudfox, a moving sculpture of a fish complete with machinery, lights, and interacting parts. Suspended from the ceiling, this lively sculpture has a number of fins that lets viewers imagine they are seeing a gigantic specimen never before seen swimming through the air.

Still another interesting piece in the seafaring show is a jumbled tableau of people, skeletons, and other items breathing together and occupying the same, small, cramped space. The artist uses interesting mediums to construct the artwork, including car paint and oil, insects and shells, cables and lights, and much more. This might reflect on humans and pollution in the ocean, or the way that humans and modern life affects all other things.

Other sculptural artworks include a many-eyed white porcelain and terracotta whale breaching through the floor, as well as fluffy and friendly sea animals and plants that have been crocheted and knitted to construct a soft reef ecosystem.

Besides all of the artwork that will be on display during the Imaginarium event, organizers hope to bring ecological issues such as conservation, climate change, pollution, and more into the spotlight.

Have you always wanted to explore your creative side, particularly after visiting an inspirational museum exhibit? If you’re not sure about where to start your artistic journey, it can be as easy as visiting a website — SGArtClass.com. This website is home to a variety of informative articles as well as an exhaustive listing of different art classes. Even if you’ve never taken an art class before, professional teachers are on hand to direct you through a number of projects in the genres that interest you the most. Learn how to draw your friends with a class on portraits, or impress even the most fashionable people in your life with a class on fashion drawing. Celebrate your love for graphic novels by taking a class on comic drawing, or practice sustainable art by taking a class on found art.

For more on the upcoming exhibit, go to http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/1344699/imaginarium-to-take-singapore-on-an-odyssey-over-the-ocean.

0 Artist examines relationship with the sea in body of work

A Singapore artist and former Olympic sailor is challenging fellow Singaporeans to appreciate something important to anyone who lives on an island nation: the ocean. A sea-centric exhibition of the artist’s works is the first major show for a Singaporean artist to be hosted at the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore.

Most Singaporeans have an ambivalent relationship with the body of water that surrounds their home, doing leisure activities beside of it, having it serve as a backdrop for buildings or photos, and not much else. This exhibit seems to reflect and prod this notion at the same time, encouraging viewers to really examine their own relationships with the sea. Overall, the artist’s body of work is diffused in an ocean-like light, lending a cool and serene atmosphere to the show space. Many visitors to the gallery might feel suspended or weightless when walking around, almost as if they are floating in the ocean themselves. The artwork itself is placed cerebrally around the space, giving all of the pieces ample room to breathe and float along, as well.

Charles Lim, the artist, is well known for videos on plasma screens, and this exhibition is no different. A number of these screens are anchored to the ceiling, reminiscent of a previous display in a Venice art show. The suspension of these videos from the ceiling allows for a wildly varied viewing experience. Instead of being forced to view the video from a certain angle, visitors to the exhibit can walk around, wandering while the videos play, experiencing their own perspectives of Lim’s work. Each of the videos plays something different, but one of the more notable works is of a number of workers carrying a large sailboat deep into a cave, perhaps simulating the idea that water or its basic elements is all around us at all times.

Another theme of the exhibition is the idea of land reclamation and what it means in regards to the sea. Some may think that dumping sand into the ocean in order to gain more land disrespects the natural beauty of the ocean. To pay tribute to this idea and to reflect on an island that was submerged again after being reclaimed originally, Lim submerged a buoy for a period of time and recovered it, rotting and speckled with sea life, to display at the show.

Art is a wonderful way to reflect on all themes great and small, from the largest ocean to the tiniest sea creature living within it. Celebrate your favorite theme by taking an art class today. Visit SGArtClass.com to explore all the artistic offerings, from found art to oil paintings and everything in between. Even if you’ve never had any formal artistic training, a teacher will work with your already available skill set to develop lessons tailored to your interests.

For more about the exhibition, go to http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/arts/art-review-charles-lims-sea-state-examins-our-oddly-blase-relationship-sea.

0 Singapore art market worries some experts

The Singapore art market that had exploded onto the scene near the 50th birthday of the nation has now slowed to a crawl, plagued by a small audience, growing pains, and the closures of a recently opened art museum and a number of small galleries. While some in the art world are worried about the state of affairs for the creative market in Singapore, others say there’s still reason to be hopeful.

Though Singapore itself is only 50 years old, expectations for a grand art scene were high, particularly with the opening of National Gallery Singapore, a behemoth of an art museum occupying the two buildings that formerly housed Singapore’s city hall and supreme court. Art festivals, fairs, shows, and galleries abounded, encouraged by various initiatives and promotions from art and culture committees within the government. However, art museums and galleries that opened during this time period had a singular challenge: attracting more business in an audience that was already small.

That led to the shutting of a recently opened art museum, the Singapore Pinacotheque de Paris, on the grounds of poor attendance and criticisms about management of exhibits. The facility had only been open for two years prior to folding. In addition to this artistic loss, a number of galleries closed, many of the owners opting not to renew their leases in an art commons on the basis of a lack of business. Once popular art fairs, such as the Singapore Art Fair, have also disappeared from the scene.

Some in the art world say that art in Singapore isn’t quite in crisis despite these worrying signs. Because Singapore is a country that is only 50 years old, developing a lasting and sustainable art world might take time. Some of the existing art events, such as Singapore’s Affordable Art Fair, can act as a springboard for future art investment. The Affordable Art Fair is geared toward fans of art who might not have started collecting art yet because they’re intimidated by the prices or the actual operation. The most recent iteration of this event even organized a “speed dating” opportunity for participants to get to know several galleries and receive a primer on just what it takes to collect art.

Art isn’t going anywhere yet in Singapore. Help support the arts today by enrolling in an art class via SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is an informative website that tells you everything you need to know about art as well as organizing a comprehensive listing of art classes in every genre. You can take a class on everything from charcoal drawing and acrylic landscape painting to nail art and making art videos. The expert teacher leading your class will be open to developing a curriculum with you for projects you are most interested in, and will tailor lessons to your level of artistic expertise.

To read more about the state of the art market in Singapore, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/growing-pains-for-singapore-art-market.

0 Art experts examine meaning of modernism at museum

When the modernist art movement hit the Philippines, most people didn’t know what to think about the paintings being produced. Art that had previously been stylized in both technique and subject matter had reached a new moment in time with modern subjects such as labor and regional interests reflected on the canvas. Modernism was an important movement reaching across the world, and art in the Southeastern Asian region of the globe was no different. However, when one thinks of modernism, one is often more likely to consider the works of such Western artists such as Picasso and Kandinsky. Many experts consider modern art to have originated in Europe and then spread to other locations, but that is a centrist way of looking at things. Modernism was happening all over the world at the same time, and a new exhibit on the artistic movement aims to correct beliefs that modernism is exclusively European.

The National Gallery Singapore’s first international collaborative exhibit is titled “Rethinking Modernism,” and the title fits the exhibition nicely. National Gallery Singapore, which just opened in November of 2015, worked with other museums across the Southeastern Asian region to bring all different modernist artworks together in one space. Visitors to this exhibit will be treated to the sight of Picasso right next to Southeastern Asian artists, Western and Eastern pieces side by side for the first time. Though Western modernism is perhaps better known in the wider art world, Eastern modernism is just as important to the movement as a whole. It is impressive to see all of the modernist artworks presented in the same context for the first time at National Gallery Singapore.

Pieces that are well known in the Southeastern Asian are complemented by pieces of wider acclaim because it helps viewers to put the pieces they know best into the same timeframe of other modernist works. Curators of the exhibit hope to initiate discussions and analyses of just why some artworks are more memorable than others and what it modernism might mean from culture to culture before contributing to a broader understanding.

If you’re inspired by “Rethinking Modernism,” modernist artworks, or any other kind of art but aren’t sure what to do about it, visit the website SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com offers a variety of resources to help you get started on your own artistic journey. Learn more about different genres of art or sign up for an art class today. Expert teachers work with artists of all levels and experience to complete projects and work on existing pieces. Teachers can meet you in the comfort of your own home or at a common art studio depending on your schedule and convenience. Think about getting a group of friends or coworkers together to take a group art class — you never know what kind of skills and fun you’ll discover.

To read more about modernism at National Gallery Singapore, go to http://www.philstar.com/arts-and-culture/2016/05/02/1578820/what-modernism-and-why-national-gallery-singapore-reframing-it.

0 Art class addresses mental disorders, brings people together

The Singapore Association for Mental Health has found an innovative way to address both the importance of art therapy and the stigmas surrounding mental illnesses with a one-of-a-kind art class. During the session, which completes various projects across several different artistic genres, ordinary participants sit right next to and interact with people who have mental illnesses. What’s the catch? The ordinary participants don’t know going in to the art class that their fellow artists have these disorders.

The point of these sessions are to use art projects as a sort of icebreaker, obliterating any preconceived notions that ordinary people shouldn’t interact with other people suffering from mental illnesses. One of the participants in this unique art session said that if she had known ahead of time that the person sitting next to her at the table suffered from schizophrenia, she would have had trouble talking to them normally, afraid that she would say something to trigger the illness or harm the individual.

The Singapore Association for Mental Health is using these art therapy sessions to illustrate that individuals suffering from mental illnesses are just like ordinary people, especially when those illnesses are being regulated with medicine and other forms of treatment. One of the participants in the sessions who suffers from mental illness spoke about how afraid she is and how worthless she feels, wondering about what other people think of her and what she suffers from. However, after the art class and interacting with others, the individual said she now had new and lasting friends who help her feel more supported and more normal than ever.

The art project that participants completed in this particular session was a jar of memories. Artists were encouraged to delve deep into the idea and have their bottles and jars reflect what that notion meant to them. After the time to complete the project had passed, participants were encouraged to share the significance of their jars. For example, one woman whose loved one suffers from dementia included a cutout of a car in her jar as a remembrance of happier times when they would go on driving adventures together. Another individual tied a string around her jar to illustrate how she tends to bottle up her emotions and restrict others from seeing how she truly felt.

Art therapy classes and art in general can be an important and effective tool to help combat everything from mental illnesses to preconceived notions to all sorts of various personal problems. If you’d like to address ongoing issues in your life or if you’re working through your own creative block, consider signing up for an art class today via SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com includes a comprehensive listing of classes in all sorts of different artistic genres, including sculpture, found art, 3-D art, and many more. Classes are available for participants with varying degrees of artistic expertise.

To read more about the art therapy classes, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/the-art-of-making-friends.

0 Singapore Star Wars fans celebrate franchise’s day with art

The date May 4th might not seem like a particularly special day for most people — unless you’re a fan of the Star Wars franchise and appreciate of puns. Saying the date out loud — May the Fourth — is a play on words of one of the film phenomenon’s most famous catch phrases: “May the Force be with you.” Many fans of the movies celebrate the stories and characters on May 4 in many different ways. For a group of aficionados in Singapore, paying tribute to Star Wars every year takes the form of art.

A group of artists called Band of Doodlers created artwork to be auctioned off as a part of Singapore’s third annual May the Fourth celebration. The group, which includes artists who enjoy drawing and illustration, create often humorous takes on all the various Star Wars characters. Many of the artistic styles they use to complete their art can be described as caricatures and comic drawing, breathing new life in their interpretations of a popular franchise. The founder of the group said that experiencing Star Wars at a young age was formative for him and that he jumped at the chance to include his art group in the annual celebration. The group had fun, but the art they made was for a good cause — the proceeds of the auction go toward charity.

Another artist involved in the Star Wars celebration creates caricatures of participants but with Star Wars-themed costumes, accessories, and other items. His creations were enormously popular, and he continued to draw caricatures without a break because he didn’t want to disappoint any children who had been waiting in line. The artist, who is also a Star Wars fan, said that he was most excited to see parents who had been fans of the original trilogy take children who were new fans of more recent installations of the franchise to celebrate. He has been collecting Star Wars memorabilia for quite some time.

Other features of the Star Wars celebration held in Singapore include fan-displayed toys and collectibles, costumed performers, light saber shows, and a special presentation by the Singapore crew involved in the latest Star Wars movie: “The Force Awakens.”

Art is a wonderful way to pay tribute to the things you like the most. If you’d like to celebrate your favorite hobbies, films, or pastimes with art but aren’t sure where to start, consider signing up for an art class via SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is one-stop shopping for all your artistic needs. From informative articles about different genres to an exhaustive listing of classes, you’ll be sure to find exactly what you need on our website. Browse such classes as comic drawing, illustration, caricature drawing, and many more. Expert teachers will help you learn about the art genres you are most passionate about.

To read more about the art on Star Wars Day in Singapore, go to http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore-news/art-force-awakens-star-wars-day.

0 New body of work from renowned sculptor surprises

Late sculptor Ng Eng Teng is well known for his most visible works of art, such as the sculpture located at Singapore’s airport or the piece located outside a shopping mall for many years. However, Ng’s fuller body of work is less known than these very famous pieces, which he completed as a part of commission requests for public works.

Nearly 15 years after Ng’s death, a new exhibit turns previous understandings of the sculptor on their heads, offering a unique insight into lesser-known works and tendencies. The exhibition, aptly titled 1+1=1, has many surprises in store, including an almost illogical approach to the expectations placed on the artist based on his more public works.

Hosted at the NUS museum, the exhibit starts of with a sculpture made up of fake orchid flowers arranged in the shape of a pineapple. This nonsensical approach can be a bit shocking for those more accustomed to Ng’s traditional works. However, the fact that the organizers of the exhibit included this piece in a prominent position works to help unmoor the expectations viewers have of Ng based on the pieces they often see. The work, titled “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” is reflective of meditation techniques. The flowers are all right there, though they form the shape of something different entirely.

This theme is present in the works throughout the rest of the exhibit. The name of the exhibit, 1+1=1, is a strangeness, as well. Many of the works present in the show border on the surreal, many of them never achieving a more palatable symmetry. It is said that Ng didn’t include any instructions on how to display these pieces, leaving the compositions up to the organizers of the exhibit. There doesn’t seem to be any direction or flow to the arrangement of the pieces on the walls of this exhibit, either, only vague similarities present from artwork to artwork.

One of the most notable pieces in the exhibit is one that was completed after Ng’s death. He imparted instructions for the work to his relatives just before dying. The artwork, titled “The Last Masterpiece,” contains a syringe, rubber tube, and pieces of cotton stained with the artist’s own blood. This piece symbolizes the amount of medical care required toward the end of Ng’s life, and the blood in the cotton seems to form some kind of figure.

Do something unexpected by signing up for an art class today via SGArtClass.com. If you and your friends have been bored recently with no idea of what to do, think about enrolling in a group art class. You can work with your art teacher after signing up on where to host the sessions, which can be done in the privacy and convenience of your own home, surrounded by friends and fun.

To learn more about the surprising collection, go to http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/arts/arts-reviews/art-review-surprises-store-nus-museums-ng-eng-teng-show.

0 It’s easy to get a taste of Singapore in a single day

Singapore has a lot to offer travelers, and so much to do that you’d be hard pressed to see it all even in a vacation that lasts two weeks. However, if you’re really strapped for time and want to see everything that you can in a day, one writer fit a full schedule of sightseeing in Singapore into a single 24-hour period.

She started off with an afternoon tea with a Singaporean servant, talking about the rise of the country’s tourism industry as well as other growth areas while enjoying the historical Fullerton Building. Today a luxury hotel, the Fullerton Building used to be one of the bastions of Singaporean independence, housing several government entities during the 1960s. Completed by the British in 1928, the Fullerton Building is located by the Singapore harbor and represents colonialist dreams of the United Kingdom. It is a fitting and beautiful old building to try and understand Singapore’s colorful and, at times, rancorous history.

Singapore itself is a place of many cultures, all of them artfully blended in various neighborhoods around the city-state. Though these various quarters are representative of the melting pot of Singapore, many of them are undergoing a rebranding that is on par with the rest of the country’s leap into modernism as well as art and cultural appreciation. For example, the Arab quarter, replete with gorgeous arches and architecture, is the place to shop for vintage clothing, homewares, and more. Wherever the writer found herself, she was able to enjoy loads of retail opportunities.

The writer also enjoyed a river tour of Singapore on a traditional bumboat. She was able to take in the art of Singapore’s glittering high rises, as well as the stunning architecture of the ArtScience Museum, which takes on the shape of a blooming flower, as well as the art center nicknamed, aptly, the Armadillo because of its unique shape.

The writer took in some lunch by grabbing some pandan cake in a street stall. Singapore increasingly has the reputation of a foodie culture, but she didn’t want to waste time in a restaurant, preferring to continue her explorations with the cake and kopi, a traditional Singaporean coffee.

A traveler would need much more time than one day to fully immerse themselves in Singapore’s vibrant culture, including its recent art boom and opening of National Gallery Singapore. Many say that a visitor needs more than one day in the new museum alone.

Art is a wonderful way to celebrate travels and experiencing new cultures. Think about enrolling in an art class today via SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a comprehensive art website that educates as well as organizes dozens of art classes to choose from. Whether you’re interested in cityscape art or photography as an art form, there is sure to be an art class for your own creative tastes.

Read more about the author’s day of Singaporean experiences by visiting http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-3555142/Have-Singapore-fling-Pack-luxury-art-history-shopping-single-day-amazing-city.html.