Category Archives for "Blog"

0 Art group works to expand membership with young additions

A Malay-focused art group is looking to recruit younger members and renewed interest with an art show open to nonmembers of the group. As a majority of the art group’s members are older, and new memberships have been in decline, organizers of the group thought a good way to bring it to prominence again was to host a show that featured young Malay artists — many of whom have limited or no experience showing their artworks in a formal setting. The show itself was a success, featuring more than seventy works by over fifty different artists.

One young artist featured gorgeous, minimalistic photographs he shot of buildings. However, many of the buildings’ defining characteristics are left out, with an emphasis on composition of the canvas. The end result is almost abstract instead of true cityscape photos. A pair of his most powerful pieces highlight the top corners of pale pink buildings jutting out into a clear, blue sky. The angles, shapes, and colors combine to make the photos almost a meditation into the beauty in the mundane.

Another young artist included a lushly colored painting depicting interactions between a group of native Malays and a colonizer. The title of the piece suggests that Singaporeans have learned and continue to learn from their colonial past, especially with the advancements in culture and technology in the future. The style of the figures in the painting is notable. The colonizer is depicted as much bigger than the Malays, and everything has a cartoonish cast.

A third young artist looks beyond the traditional canvas to express her unique creative vision. This artist uses the human body as her medium, painting on the body using latex and other paint. The effects of this practice are stunning, as evidenced by photographs of two of her projects. In the first, a pair of highly realistic wings sprout from the model’s back, bedecked in tiny red blossoms. In the second photograph, however, the wings have been ripped away, leaving gaping, bleeding holes that the model reaches back to touch.

Yet another young artist who was featured at the show submitted two pieces to be exhibited that are fun, surreal takes on modern culture. In one, the body of a real cat is painted, but its head is the popular character Hello Kitty. Above it floats a metallic balloon. The companion piece also features metallic balloons, though the three work together to form a smily face, precariously suspended by a single hand.

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To learn more about the art group, as well as see some of the young artists featured in the show, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/young-talent-welcomed-into-exhibition-curated-by-association-for-malay-artists.

0 Singapore gallery to host folklore-themed group show

Folklore can be defined in a number of ways, including the desire to make sense of the part of the world that resists explanation by logic and reason. For generations and hundreds of years, nearly every culture has engaged in its own unique brand of folklore, including storytelling and art making. Now, a Singaporean gallery is hosting a large group show in which each of the artists are exploring their own personal stories through folklore. What is emerging with the special exhibit is that folklore touches each and every one of us in ways that many might find both beautiful and surprising.

In one hyper-realistic oil painting, an artist depicts a silver altar with cast figures in relief. The altar would be resplendent in a church, temple, or other holy place. However, at closer examination, there are a number of disquieting things happening on the altar. Figures are being captured, persecuted, tortured, and even killed. And instead of a holy place, the altar stands out even more sharply in a jungle clearing, verdant plants bordering it.

In another resplendent painting, surrealism merges with abstraction. The centerpiece of the richly detailed and colored painting is a ball of plumage, or perhaps petals. The colors are repeated in blossoms and puddles of colors around the canvas. These colors and interesting shapes are what holds the attention of the viewer, but upon closer examination, the soft shape of a horse emerges in the background, along with some letters of words that have lost their meaning by the new paint over the old image. Could the artist be examining the effect new beliefs have on traditionally held understandings? It’s up to the viewer to decide.

Another wildly engaging painting features two large figures with cubist features engaging with each other. There are too many limbs for the figures to be human, though each has a human-like figure in their mouths, which appear to be smiling and waving at each other rather than screaming in terror at being kept in such a perilous state. Another pair of figures engage with each other below, the viewer’s eye being drawn to pick up all kinds of fine and entertaining details.

An intricate installation that will be on display is an entrancing floor piece made out of paper collage and acrylic paint. The maze-like structure is composed of bell- or temple-like structures, all shaped and colored in the exact same orange — almost a pottery color. The end result is mesmerizing and meditative, and many viewers will likely gaze upon the work for a long time.

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To read more about the upcoming show, as well as to see a slideshow of some of the works that will be on display, go to http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/2744189/group-show-folkloristics-at-mizuma-gallery-singapore.

0 Late Indonesian artist, activist in spotlight at Singapore gallery

An important and world-renowned Indonesian artist who died in 2005 will be the spotlight for a show at a Singaporean gallery. The artist was both a creative and an activist, his work offering commentary on political happenings in both his home nation of Indonesia and around the globe. Visitors will get an opportunity to see a collection of his meaningful and cerebral works at the gallery show, including a piece that is rarely exhibited. It’s a show that fans of the artist — and of political and activist art in general — should take care not to miss. The show extends through the middle of January.

One piece that will be on display is a highly popular work that takes on global leadership. The octagonal artwork separates into eight slices, looking like a pie or a pizza, and along with the title, examines the Group of Eight. Instead of thoughtful leaders this political gathering should include, it looks like a scene from a dinner in hell. Behind the figures seated around a table, faceless masses lurk. Are they people who the leaders represent? Or people they have forgotten? It is up to the viewer to decide, aided by shadowy, winged figures behind each chair.

In another highly emotional, visceral piece, a Christ-like figure hangs on a cross, but upside down, denoting an upheaval of expectation. Beside the fallen figure, whose face is obscured from the viewer, the partially butchered body of a pig hangs, hooks through its legs. The title of the piece references a tragedy in Genoa, but viewers can take away their own interpretations of the painting — as well as what transpired to inspire it.

Another oil painting uses bright colors to highlight its subjects. A blond, light-skinned nude woman reclines in front of a number of darker-skinned people surrounding her. Many of the people seem agitated, though she is in complete relaxation — sunglasses covering her eyes, a single strand of pearls around her neck, and red stilettos on her feet. She’s even drinking something refreshing out of a flower-decorated watermelon.

A piece of found art — art where either part of the medium or the artwork in general has been scavenged or reclaimed from nature or even a garbage dump — is also included in the exhibit. The artist found a piece of cardboard, and then used charcoal to draw workers with an abstract series of lines and shades to denote them. The resulting effect is both eerie and evocative, causing the viewer to wonder where, exactly, the artist found the cardboard and what it was once used for.

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To read more about the exhibition, and to see a sneak peek of the works that will be on display, go to http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/2704896/semsar-siahaan-art-liberation-at-gajah-gallery-singapore.

0 Opinion article addresses dearth of Singapore’s art events

With a recent push to boost the arts scene in Singapore, including the opening of National Gallery Singapore for the nation’s 50th birthday, no one can say that there isn’t a wealth of arts programming to attend. From free festivals attended by thousands to smaller, paid events, there are multiple art events going on even within the same weekend. However, some people are of the opinion that there might be too many art festivals, leading to a sort of art exhaustion among the art fans of Singapore.

While the boost in art events was important to raise awareness of and bolster the art scene in Singapore, people only have so much free time on their hands. So when there are a multitude of art programs happening all within the same time, participants must pick and choose which they can go to. And since there are free events competing with paid events, it could often make more economic sense for visitors to attend free events and save their money. However, this causes the paid events to suffer, and some of them have been forced to close early, limit their showings, or simply accept the dip in revenue from paying customers.

In another theory about this lack of growth in smaller, paid art events, attendees of these events might suffer from a sort of fatigue. While it is important to have quality art programming scheduled throughout the year, many people would probably enjoy broader events that embraced their varied interests. In other words, most people don’t want to attend art events day after day, requiring more of a variation on the ways they spend their free time. In that vein, it might make more sense for there to be less art events on tap — or at least more spread out in the scheduling sense. It could be a classic case of supply versus demand. If there are too many art events supplied to the public, the saturation of them might lead to a decrease in demand since they are so widely available. A decrease in supply — less art events to choose from — could go a long way in inspiring more people to attend one of a few exclusive and exciting events.

Make art a part of your life by visiting SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com offers everything from affordable art supplies to informative articles about different art topics and happenings. Perhaps its most exciting offering is the wealth of art classes you can quickly and easily enroll in. No matter what your passion or ability, expert teachers are on hand to develop a curriculum to help you learn more about art. Teachers can even meet with you in the comfort and convenience of your own home, and in accordance to your busy and varied schedule. Sign up for an art class today on SGArtClass.com.

To read more about the opinion that Singapore might host too many art events, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/are-there-too-many-arts-events-in-singapore.

0 Former Singaporean henna artist has renowned contracts now

A young Singaporean woman who got her first taste of henna after visiting Singaporean neighborhood Little India used that inspiration to launch an art career. Now, after rising in her own rights as an artist, illustrator, and henna tattooist, Tiffany Tan has started to land big clients — including international companies Guinness and Urban Decay.

Tan didn’t expect to make a living out of her art. But once that path presented itself, she knew that she had to give it all she had in order to succeed. She was a former owner of an art gallery, as well as a part-time teacher on the side to support that endeavor. But she was forced to quit both of those career paths in order to devote as much time and effort into art as she could. Still, life as a full-time artist isn’t as glamorous as it sounds. Tan rarely receives regular paychecks or works regular hours. She often has to stay on top of multiple job requests while managing her time on a day to day basis, but she wouldn’t trade it for the world, she says. Tan gets to express herself creatively while engaging in lucrative partnerships with a number of businesses.

It was her henna work that first launched her to stardom. After experiencing the art of temporary and beautiful henna tattoos in Singapore’s Little India, Tan learned how to make them herself. By posting these works on social media, she eventually gained a following and was able to charge a small sum for completing such projects. It was her art’s exposure that was the true gain in that period of time, though. She was able to showcase projects of different mediums and styles on her social media accounts, proving that Tan was a multifaceted and talented artist. Everything from empty tequila bottles painted with Day of the Dead skulls to tattoo-like black and white ink drawings became her wildly varied canvases, and Tan flourished. Tan is excited for what the future holds for her art, and encourages everyone to pursue their dreams — no matter how big they may be. Since life is short, there is no excuse not to do the things you love.
If you’ve always been curious about the art world but haven’t been sure of where to start, begin by visiting SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a comprehensive website that gathers together everything from informative articles covering all different types of art genres to deeply discounted art supplies for completing projects of all shapes and sizes. The main draw of the website, however, is its listing of art classes you can easily browse and sign up for. Including everything from watercolor painting classes to instruction on recycled art and everything in between, you’re sure to find a class that will ignite your creative passion and inspire you to make art.

To read more about Tiffany Tan’s artwork and life, go to http://www.asiaone.com/singapore/she-started-henna-art-now-sporean-artist-serves-big-name-clients-sk-ii-guinness.

0 Young artist winner explores ideas of failure

Most of us would like to put our own failings behind us — and keep them there. However, Kray Chen, the youngest ever winner of Singapore’s Young Artist Award, makes his art in part by exploiting his own weaknesses, as well as personal features that many would count as failures.

Chen is an artist with experience in working with a number of different mediums and practices. One of his most interesting works, in which he posits that he has a body that would not fit a regular coffin, includes a looped video of him exercising. Every angle is examined, every jiggle unflinchingly portrayed in the video, which was inspired by a play.

Other works also highlight what many people would consider to be absurd items masquerading as art. Chen used 4-D experiences to highlight losing lottery tickets that featured numbers from his birth certificate. In another display, the birthday for a pet dog is displayed. While many of these items might make viewers cringe, it calls up a deeper, more cerebral question — what is a person who doesn’t look like an average human being supposed to do to be accepted by the wider society.

Especially as Singapore modernized rapidly in the later decades of the 20th century, good health and normal-sized bodies became something akin to conformity, Chen posits. With his body, which is likely heavier than the average person in Singapore, Chen is an oddly shaped cog in the machine that is society. Does he make things work better, differently, or worse? His own particular experience is explored in his body of work.

When Chen served in the armed forces, his position was a logistics manager. He recalled that he felt monstrous when compared to the muscular, macho men who made up the rest of his unit, and that the idea of his own inefficiencies inspired him to study art. However, he incurred a large student debt when in college. This, too, culminated in art — a performance art experience in which he sold fried eggs for 50 cents to help fund his education. That effort failed, too, but he expected and accepted it. It was more of a commentary on hurdles students face in getting educations than a real effort to earn money for his education.

Winners of the Young Artist Award are artists likely to wield great influence in shaping the future of art in Singapore. The honorees also receive S$20,000 in grant money, which will help them pursue interests and fund projects they have had in mind but perhaps lacked the resources for.

It’s never too early — or too late — to pursue art experiences. Visit SgArtClass.com today to learn about all the different art classes you can enroll in to add another creative facet to your life. From acrylic painting to charcoal drawing, portrait painting to 3-D sculpture, pointillism painting to recycled art, there is sure to be an art class to inspire you.

To learn more about Kray Chen’s art and creative views, go to https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/young-artist-award-winner-goes-heavy-themes-failure-imperfection.

0 Female experience under examination of Fringe Festival

There will be a number of exhibitions and performance art pieces at next year’s M1 Singapore Fringe Festival that will take on the task of examining just what it is like to be a woman both in Singapore and around the world. A number of the performances and shows have taken inspiration from a female Singaporean artist whose 1999 performance artwork invited members of the public to navigate walking a street backward, using mirrors to guide their steps, and with the added challenge of holding high heeled shoes in their mouths. This performance art itself was inspired by an economic downturn that affected all workers. However, in an effort to keep their jobs, a number of women began to get beauty procedures done, or purchase makeup and clothing to enhance their appearances.

For the Fringe Festival, a number of performances will also utilize high heels. A group of theater students recently rehearsed with a collection of stilettos as props, holding them up to their ears and placing them on their hands as they crept around. In another exercise, a group of women catcalled the sole male member of the group, flipping stereotypes and experiences on their heads. Another dance organization will be conducting performances in tight pencil skirts and high heels, examining workplace dress codes for women and how, exactly, they limit comfortable and natural movement.

One interesting facet to the rehearsals and performances, though, is the fact that many of the students performing as a part of the festival don’t own heels of their own. Since they need them for the performance, though, they borrow them from their mothers, who still own high heels. Still, a number of the young women in the theater group acknowledge the power of the shoes, saying that they take female colleagues more seriously when they wear stilettos. They also say they feel better about themselves when they wear them, saying that high heels inspire them to stand up straight or feel more feminine.

It’s this idea of femininity that artists and performers are looking to explore at the festival. One part of this includes the pervasion of the mermaid in popular culture. With everything from mermaid-themed beauty products to mermaid coffee drinks at international chains, there is something about mermaids that speak of female desire, beauty, and experience. When a woman wishes to exist in a realm that is not her own, she must make a sacrifice — mobility, comfort, or some other caveat.

Explore the world around you by enrolling in an art class. By visiting SGArtClass.com, you can experience a number of different art classes led by talented art teachers. Art classes would make for great holiday gifts for friends, family members, or coworkers, as well, offering a thoughtful and unique present. You can also take an art class with a group of friends as an alternative way to socialize.

To learn more about the performance art pieces and exhibits that will be on tap for the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/walk-in-their-shoes.

0 National Museum of Singapore to host virtual reality experience

Visitors to the National Museum of Singapore have the exciting chance to take part in an immersive learning experience that is on the cutting edge of technology. Participants will have the opportunity to take part in a number of virtual reality exhibits as a part of a bold and special initiative by leaders in the museum to embrace more digital and virtual reality or augmented reality exhibits.

The virtual reality experience is the latest technologically forward opportunity the National Museum of Singapore has organized. The museum has already hosted hologram exhibits and even transformed famous drawings of plants and animals into an interactive digital experience that inspired more people to want to see the actual drawings themselves. The virtual reality event will offer a sampling of future possibilities for not only the National Museum of Singapore but for museums around the world.

For example, some visitors to the event got the chance to roam other museums around the world, seeing exhibits that they might never have had the means or ability to see otherwise. A museum in Russia offered VR visitors the opportunity to tour a room filled with statues of Roman gods and goddesses. They are works of art that Singaporeans might not have had the chance to see in their lifetimes. Likewise, another VR exhibit gave visitors a virtual tour of the historic ruins of a market in Aleppo, Syria — a site that is currently too dangerous for many fans of art and history to visit. Other experiences were more fanciful than educational — an immersive fantasy film that featured the voice work of a famous American actress set to images of mythical beasts, an experience with a UFO, and other stories.

Museum officials are also seeing virtual reality as a way to share Singapore’s unique art and history with the rest of the world. For example, visitors from around the globe could get an up close and personal look at the Singapore Stone, examining it from all angles. They could also have the opportunity to view the stone where it was found on the river, including a background of just what the region looked like in those days.

Another way to immerse yourself in art is to enroll in an art class via SGArtClass.com. Visit SGArtClass.com to learn about all the different art genres that exist in the world, as well as to pick a class that interests you. From fashion drawing to comic drawing, watercolor painting to oil painting, assemblage art to video art, there is sure to be an art class that will inspire you to create art of your own. Expert teachers with background in teaching students of all ages and abilities will help you learn the skills and techniques you need to excel at the artistic genre of your choice.

To learn more about the virtual reality experience scheduled for the National Museum of Singapore, go to https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/explore-virtual-reality-at-the-national-museum-of-singapore-this-9481696.

0 Traveling international exhibit to make a splash in Singapore

Singapore’s ArtScience Museum will be the site of an incredibly immersive traveling exhibit that has been making its way around the world. Curated by a museum in London, the exhibit includes hundreds of objects from art, history, and the natural world. There are a number of highlights that visitors can look forward to seeing as a part of the exhibit, and the display is not one to be missed.

There are a number of fossils of extinct animals that will be on display, highlighting the effect of climate change, the impact of human beings on the natural world around them, and other causes. Visitors can look forward to seeing a model of a dodo bird, which became extinct after sailors hunted it too much on its island home. Other animals, including skeletons of an ancient giant sloth and the animal that used to hunt it, the saber-toothed tiger, will be displayed by each other. This will help visitors understand the scale and size of predator to prey, as well as boost the imagination for what such a hunt would look like all those thousands of years ago.

Visitors will also need to look out for written examples of exploration, evolution, and the scientists who enabled modern discoveries that shape our understanding of the world. People can look forward to seeing handwritten pages of Charles Darwin’s seminal “On the Origin of Species,” which sparked evolutionary theory. They can also view one of the rarest books in the world — John James Audubon’s “Birds of America,” which includes meticulously detailed paintings of different species of birds in North America.

Art has a special place in the scientific world, especially in the study of the natural world. From Audubon’s watercolors of different bird species to other sculptors and painters of animals, drawings and models of animals and plants were sometimes all scientists had to go by in their studies. Nothing is more of a breathtaking example of this than a wonderful glass sculpture of an octopus that will be on display. Made by a father and son team of modelers, the octopus is minutely detailed and accurately reflects the color of the specimen in question. While many organic materials can be preserved in alcohol for further study, many animals will lose their color in the preservation process. The glass sculpture ensures that scientists will be able to study the color for generations to come.

Bring another facet of knowledge into your world by enrolling in an art class today via SGArtClass.com. It doesn’t matter if you have limited artistic abilities and experiences or if you are already a talented artist. Learn new creative skills or hone your existing talents under the tutelage of experienced teachers. If you’re too busy for a traditional class, there is also the option of an online-only course designed for maximum convenience.

To read more about the upcoming exhibit at ArtScience Museum and all of its highlights, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/bone-up-on-nature.

0 Trimmed Art Stage Singapore will put Thai artists in spotlight next year

As Art Stage Singapore struggles with dwindling attendance, participation, and purchasing power, Thai artists will be in the spotlight, hopefully drawing more interest from collectors and visitors alike.

One of the most visually arresting installations from the 2017 installment of Art Stage Singapore was from a Thai artist. The installation included a number of brightly painted automatic rifles suspended from a grid work ceiling. The shadows cast on the wall contributed to an otherworldly, almost ethereal experience. Each of the weapons was painted in different colors and patterns, many of them looking more like colorful sweaters or bright, woven blankets instead of deadly guns. The installation called to mind both the commodity of weapons as well as the personalization of the retail experience, making viewers of the piece carefully consider their own choices in life.

However, even with dynamic exhibits from artists from all over the world, Art Stage Singapore is still struggling. Established in 2011 from one of the minds behind the renowned Art Basel event in Switzerland, Art Stage Singapore has been in decline recently, most likely due to economic drawbacks. When the economy is challenged, art collecting often stymies. Many of the galleries that used to show work at previous installments of the festival declined to return, citing poor sales and a lack of growth of art collectors.

The founder of Art Stage Singapore also laid blame on Singaporean art collectors, saying that since they do not buy art in the country, Singaporean artists and other creative minds on display at festivals like Art Stage Singapore suffer. Though Art Stage Singapore was seen as a hub for Southeast Asian art, recent festivals from around the region could be to blame for an increase on art competition. Because of what is likely a combination of reasons, next year’s Art Stage Singapore will see less than one hundred galleries in attendance — the lowest since it was established.

Art Stage Singapore is not the only art festival in Singapore suffering from a lack of sales and collectors. The Affordable Art Fair, which was once so popular it was scheduled for twice every year, recently had to shrink again to an annual event. Sales were poor, even though the majority of the art averaged at a price designed to attract both first-time art collectors and new and emerging artists who had never sold or displayed their pieces before.

If you’ve always wanted to have a more creative life but weren’t sure where to start, visit SGArtClass.com at your earliest convenience to begin your art journey. SGArtClass.com connects talented art teachers with aspiring art students in a variety of different classes and educational opportunities. No matter what genre of art you pick, teachers are available to meet with you at a time and location of your convenience.

To read more about Art Stage Singapore and future plans for the festival, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/fewer-galleries-at-next-years-art-stage.