Category Archives for "Blog"

0 Social groups for casual artists in Singapore draw interest

There are a number of ways to socialize with friends both old and new. Going out for drinks. Seeing a movie or play. Getting together for board games. Fixing and sharing a meal together. The possibilities are endless, but sometimes, something simple, intellectually stimulating, and cost effective is overlooked — art. A number of creatively minded organizers are forming groups on social media to meet to paint, draw, and create art in different locations around Singapore.

One such group that recently met in Changi Village started off small, with just a few regulars showing up every week to draw scenes from around Singapore. However, organizers for the group can now expect as many as 100 participants at each gathering. It’s not hard to understand the draw — everyone from professional artists to people just dabbling get to interact with one another, gleaning tips and tricks on art techniques and mediums. As long as participants bring their own mediums to use, which is also completely up to them, they can simply relax with other creative individuals and socialize. Some participants even go on to form lasting friendships, spending time together outside of the art gatherings.

But that group isn’t the only one meeting regularly in Singapore. There are many different groups for different interests. People can pick and choose which gatherings they go to depending on the subject matter. The subjects for their art could change with every meet-up, like depicting urban landscapes in one neighborhood or gardens and natural life in another. Or there are specialized clubs, like one devoted solely to doodling — a way, the organizer explained, to set people’s minds at ease over being anxious about their art skills. As long as they can operate a marker, they can doodle. That particular group was recently commissioned to doodle all over the wall of a business, meaning that people could show up and have their art displayed in a lasting way.

Still another group never meets in person at all. Members instead submit sketches, drawings, or other art pieces they’ve completed while commuting on any one of Singapore’s mass transit systems. These pieces are shared on a social media group, where anyone can take a look and appreciate the fact that, given the right mindset, art can be found all around us, at any time, no matter where we happen to be.

Open your eyes to the art around you by signing up to take an art class. SGArtClass.com is one of the most comprehensive art websites online today, offering informative articles, discounted art supplies, and numerous art classes you can enroll in. Professional and flexible art teachers will lead you in projects tailored to your skill and comfort level in subjects ranging from pastel drawing to portrait painting, nail art to miniature painting, pointillism painting to 3-D sculpture, and many more.

To learn more about the art groups, including when and where they meet, along with how to join them, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/affairs-of-the-art.

0 A look at key Singapore art events ahead of festival

One of the most anticipated events ahead of the Singapore International Festival of Arts has a mind-expanding lineup for visitors to take part in. Part forum and part performance art, The O.P.E.N. is a way for Singaporeans to engage with one another on a number of important topics that ultimately seek to make new and meaningful connections across gaps usually caused by differences in culture, location, and upbringing.

There are many examples of performances and art exhibits hosting a forum or panel prior to the event to ensure visitors are able to understand the themes, techniques, and context for the works they are about to view. The O.P.E.N. is different in that it requires meaningful participation from audience members. Visitors stand to gain very little if they don’t give very much of themselves over to the participatory process. Engagement is key here, contributing to the experience as a whole to make it richer for everyone involved.

One of the events many are looking forward to is a picnic where anyone can show up. The idea is to bring enough food to share with passers-by and to sample food others bring. In this way, people can interact with each other and learn more about their experiences through food — a simple way to bring people together. As one organizer put it, you might never venture into a certain country in your life, but you might be a little more likely to eat a meal at a restaurant that features that country’s cuisine. Even that small experience of a meal would open the door to a cultural experience you could have with something and someplace you might not have otherwise interacted with. Likewise, a kitchen themed event invites participants to cook different examples of food important to their culture, childhood, or religion and share them with others.

Other events include a reading and interaction with a text that examines plurality in culture in Singapore. Another event will take a look at dementia and elder care as seen through the lens of a play. All of the events are designed to create a space free from judgment or ridicule where Singaporeans and other visitors can discuss hot button topics they might have trouble hashing out otherwise. Some organizers said that Singaporeans had trouble talking about such things, deciding to practice silence rather than risk offending other people.

Come out of your creative shell by enrolling in an art class via SGArtClass.com. Take lessons on everything from found art to charcoal drawing, comic drawing to acrylic painting, and many more. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never picked up a paintbrush in your life before, or if you’re already an accomplished artist. Stretch your creative skills in one of our classes today.

To read more about the various opportunities to take part in art ahead of the Singapore International Festival of Arts, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/a-sneak-peak-at-the-open-segment-of-the-singapore-international-festival-of-arts.

0 A sampling of the styles of ten Singaporean graffiti artists

While artistic mischief and vandalism is sternly frowned upon in Singapore, official, sanctioned calls for street art, mural painting, and graffiti art have brought out wonderful examples of the diversity of Singaporean street artists. Their work can be viewed in a number of neighborhoods and businesses around the country, and can even serve as a public art draw for tourists in Singapore. An art website recently featured the work of ten graffiti artists working in Singapore, including pictures of their work and links to their social media accounts so fans could follow their progress.

Ceno2 is one of the foremost recognizable graffiti artists in Singapore. In one of his pieces, a woman in an oversized red hat with a floppy brim looks directly into the eyes of the viewer. The woman is sipping a drink out of a mason jar mug, her fingers poised over the ombre liquid inside, hair cascading down her shoulder, working its way loose from a braid.

The work of ANTZ covers multiple canvases, including more than just walls and building facades. On a wok covered with white paint, ANTZ presents an almost cubist take on a cat or bear, dividing the shape into triangles of different sizes, colors, and patterns.

Two other artists, Jawigrafi and Scryptk, use language to create their graffiti art. Incorporating everything from everyday words and mandalas to the Arabic alphabet and calligraphy, the mesmerizing pieces beg closer examination, giving off a prayerful feel. The two artists even recently collaborated on a piece together.

Hearts and Kraft is a new artist on the Singapore graffiti circuit. She, too, uses mandalas to create arresting displays of color, pattern, and repetition. Mandalas are often used in meditation and relaxation, and her designs are especially thoughtful, incorporating jewel tones and intricate line work.

SYCO03 has completed murals around Singapore and even scored gigs for larger corporations like Converse, the shoe company. For a mural for the Singapore LNG Corporation, SYCO03 used bright colors to pay homage to the workers at the facility, punctuated with neons and primary colors. Likewise, TraseOne’s work can be found in Little India stretched over walls, celebrating the local culture there.

ZERO is another graffiti artist who takes his art to the next level by combining it with current events and themes across society. One such piece features a modern portrait of a man with a fluffy halo of hair and sunglasses. “Working Class Hero” is spray painted beside the gorgeous rendering.

Ink and Clog, a duo of graffiti artists, use grids and lines to draw interest to their wall work, including commissions from businesses to showcase their names in creative ways.

Slacsatu, when not painting gigantic graffiti takes on Care Bears, is an art teacher and the founder of a graffiti collective, spreading graffiti love to new students.

Enroll in an art class of your own today — perhaps even in graffiti art — via SGArtClass.com.

To learn more about the graffiti artists and find links to their social media accounts, go to http://www.buro247.sg/culture/news/singapore-graffiti-artists-design.html.

0 Controversial Singaporean figure gets art exhibit

A Singaporean art gallery recently featured the work of a man who had previously been known as a Singaporean political dissident and exile. Tan Wah Piow, who has started to turn to art to express his political views, has a body of work on display at the gallery, as well as a feature on his life and history as it relates to Singapore.

When Tan was a student, he took up the cause of a group of shipyard workers and was subsequently arrested. The trial spanned nearly fifty days, which angered the leadership of Singapore at the time, who had anticipated a quick trial. Tan represented himself and was eventually forced to leave Singapore. He lived for a time in England, where he became a lawyer and a vocal critic of government in Singapore. Now, though, Tan has been allowed back, and is using art as his main outlet to comment on the political history of his home country and examine his relationship and life in relation to it.

Much of the art on display at the gallery exhibit can be classified as conceptual. This includes a giant sculpture of a fist made by wrapping and shaping chicken wire, a collection of bottles with colored liquid inside with different branding featuring one of Singapore’s former leaders as the model on the labels. Many of the pieces in the exhibit are plays on words, or literal takes on what Tan views as ongoing injustices against certain people and groups in the region. For example, a broken scale represents justice not being served. A book of law with bullet holes in it represents another piece that criticizes violence and intimidation getting in the way of truth and justice. Other pieces disparage what Tan perceives as the whitewashing of politics and justice in Singapore, including the call for a Malay president to be elected in the country.

Though Tan was never formally trained as an artist, and bears the signs of hard work on his hands in the form of scrapes, scars, calluses, and stains, he said that he accepts the pain and believes he speaks for a number of people who would be otherwise too frightened to share their political views. The exhibit is by appointment only, and the gallery is warning people about the content of the display prior to their visits.

Art is a wonderful way to explore your life, as well as the topics and concerns surrounding it. And now you can enroll in an art class as easily as visiting SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a website devoted to art, including hosting informative articles on different creative genres, offering discounted art supplies, and organizing a plethora of classes to connect professional art teachers with aspiring art students. Take a class in anything from assemblage art to oil painting and everything in between.

To read more about the exhibit, as well as Tan Wah Piow’s history, go to https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2017/07/13/the-rebranding-of-the-singaporean-political-dissident-tan-wah-piow/.

0 British painter Hockney to have solo show in Singapore

One of Great Britain’s most celebrated artists will enjoy a solo show at a Singapore art gallery. The collection of prints by artist David Hockney will be on display starting at the beginning of July. Visitors can enjoy the free exhibit, which is mostly intended for educational purposes, through the beginning of September.

The collection of prints is mostly taken from what the Singapore Art Museum had in stock, which was a portion of a collection from the American founder of a print institute in Singapore. Most art fans know Hockney’s work as challenging, bold, and modern, particularly his series of bright treatments of pools in Los Angeles, California. Hockney himself, though about 80 years of age, continues to be influential in the art world. Continually evolving his creative style and practice throughout his career, the print collection is just one facet of Hockney’s body of work. He now dabbles in painting via art applications on Apple iPads, for example, embracing everything technology has to offer.

The American print enthusiast who donated the prints for the exhibit used to work with Hockney in his studio. Hockney, experimenting with cutting-edge technology even then, used fax machines to put his own fingerprint on printing, sending his art pieces through them to create the prints.

The show at the Singapore gallery comes on the heels of other Hockney retrospectives held around the world, including in the United States, Paris, and London. At the London show, the exhibit was the most popular in the history of the museum. The facility even had to make arrangements to stay open until midnight the last weekend of the Hockney show to fulfill visitor demand.

The prints that will be on display at the Singapore gallery showcase Hockney’s dabbling in his different ideas of perspective. One of the prints, which will be on display for the first time at the gallery, challenges viewers on their preconceived notions of just what makes a good photograph. In the print, people mill around an art opening. There are pictures hanging on the wall of the exhibit displaying even more people milling around. Surprisingly, what draws the viewer’s eye are a serious of blue stools scattered around the exhibit space. Some of them display flowers, while others are empty. It is obvious that they are not supposed to be the focus, but somehow, the viewer simply can’t look away, challenged to find meaning and significance.

Explore different art genres and techniques by enrolling in an art class via SGArtClass.com. At SGArtClass.com, you can learn about different kinds of art, decide what genre most appeals to you, and connect with expert art teachers skilled in teaching students of all ages and abilities. Take a tutorial on printmaking, a lesson in acrylic painting, or a class in ink drawing with an instructor who will work with your busy schedule to meet with you.

To read more about David Hockney’s art and the solo exhibit in Singapore, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/new-look-at-perspectives.

0 Art plays a role in making every country home, especially Singapore

Art can be as essential to the success of a nation as its economy, infrastructure, and defense. That’s according to an essay written recently by an official in Singapore’s National Arts Council. While things like a strong economy and good infrastructure are important, it’s arts and culture that help strengthen the social fabric of society, and Singapore is no different in that regard.

The official remembered an art experience in Japan from 2013, where, with the support of the Singaporean government and an art collective, a Singaporean artist participated. Taking place in a building that used to house a school, the art did much more than attracting visitors and potential buyers. It brought people together. The Singaporean artist’s installation was made from millions of tiny plastic strings normally used to attach price tags to clothing. The artist enlisted help in constructing the sculptures from Japanese people living near the festival, including young kindergarten students and older individuals living in retiree homes. Being able to help construct such art brought the community together. Other special events scheduled as a part of the art festival included participants having the opportunity to learn how to cook food and dishes typical to Southeast Asia.

While this particular art experience took place in Japan, the author of the essay saw a chance to apply some of the lessons learned from it in Singapore. By making the art scene more interactive and immersive in Singapore, organizers can connect artists and residents seamlessly, turning what already is an educational experience into something even more valuable — an emotional experience. When artists collaborated with residents to make building-sized mural installations recently, residents remarked that not only did they enjoy participating in the artistic process, they actually felt prouder of where they lived because of the addition of the art. Art has a way of building confidence and boosting quality of life, which are intangible necessities that are required for a country’s happiness and health overall. If Singapore can continue this level of community engagement with the arts indefinitely, the culture of the nation will continue to grow, making it attractive for residents and visitors alike.

Investigate art on your own time by enrolling in an art class via SGArtClass.com. Whether you’re interested in acrylic painting or 3-D sculpture, mural painting or assemblage art, SGArtClass.com is sure to feature an art class you’ll enjoy taking. Expert teachers with experience in teaching art students of all ages and abilities will be on hand to help you work around your busy schedule to meet at your convenience. You can even enroll in online-only art classes that you can begin and pause at your leisure, maximizing the convenience of art learning. There’s no excuse to not sign up for an art class today.

To read more on the perspective of art and its influence on shaping Singapore and other countries, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/the-role-of-the-arts-in-making-a-nation-home.

0 Singaporean artist collaborates with fashion photographer for show

In a stunningly beautiful and culturally meaningful display, a Singaporean artist has collaborated with his friend, an Indonesian fashion photographer, to create an exhibit that examines a text and aesthetic important to a key historical text — the Bhagavad Gita.

While the Singaporean artist and the Indonesian fashion photographer have been friends for a while, this is the first time they have collaborated on an exhibit, the fruits of which were on display at a Singaporean gallery. Both the artist and the photographer have pursued their own, individual projects up until now. Each creative brought in important insights and viewpoints from their respective genres, making this collaboration truly shine.

Most of the work features nude models painted in blue paint or resting on uncomfortable-looking sculptures, such as one model who appears to be sleeping on a gleaming metal pillow made of painful spikes. Each of the pieces in the exhibit were photographed by the Indonesian photographer, meaning that the images are of the highest possible quality. When it came to styling and developing the message behind each image, the artist and photographer worked together.

The Bhagavad Gita is a cultural and historical text that examines a battle in which Hindu god Krishna talks to Hindu icon Arjuna. The pair discuss everything from strategies of war to philosophy, and has remained an important educational text. As the god Krishna is often represented in blue, the artist decided to paint some of the models who were photographed for the exhibit blue, representing the god himself or an idea of the text. The title of the exhibit was also taken from the Bhagavad Gita, detailing how time is the enemy of all things, including getting old and dying. This quote was also popularized after one of the American creators of the atomic bomb witnessed the destruction his work wreaked in a nuclear test.

All in all, the exhibit is aesthetically pleasing and complicated. Everyone who visits it should enjoy the juxtapositions of the models’ soft bodies with the sculptural elements, which are hard, shiny, and sharp. Meaningful conversations and ideas will arise on viewing the exhibit first from a visual art standpoint, and second from a fashion commentary. With the lens of the Bhagavad Gita coloring all of the creations, the exhibit might just inspire visitors to pick up the historical text and find their own meanings with in it.

Art is one of the best ways to examine life and the ideas within it. No matter what language you speak or texts you grew up studying, art can span many different cultures and make it easier to relate to people you might not have otherwise been able to understand. Sign up today for an art class via SGArtClass.com. Whether you’re intent on taking 3-D sculpture lessons or classes on watercolor painting, our expert teachers will work with your schedule and skill level to develop appropriate curriculum for your art adventure.

To read more about the important collaboration and show, go to http://www.todayonline.com/lifestyle-friendship-art-fashion.

0 Singapore’s Waterloo neighborhood becoming trendy art destination

There’s something about Singapore’s Waterloo Street, and it’s bringing artists and other creative types out in droves. Historically, the region has been important for the arts. It’s the site of the Singapore Art Museum, after all, as well as other art facilities and art educational institutions. But other, smaller operations have been popping up, which are especially important as vacancies will need to be filled with the upcoming closure of the Singapore Art Museum for significant upgrades.

The secret behind just how attractive the area is to artists and visitors alike is the special blend of creative bustle and stillness balanced in Singapore’s city center, one theater official estimates. There are a number of groups featuring performing artists taking up residence in the Waterloo Street area, including film and theater organizations. Other visual art collectives are looking to fill the vacuum that will be created when the Singapore Art Museum closes are edgier and more indie than others, including an organization devoted to street art, which will help draw in younger fans of art from different backgrounds. Street art is also an important facet of transforming a city, including incorporating murals for a vibrant and refreshed look. As Singapore is angling to become more of an art destination, street art and other public artworks will become key players in drawing in tourists and other visitors — as well as engaging residents of Singapore and reminding them how beautiful their home is.

Another chance to engage younger generations of potential art fans will be due to the proximity of several art schools in the neighborhood. As students attend these institutions, they will have the chance to participate in art they find meaningful. That could become some of the newer and edgier galleries and organizations on Waterloo Street, continuing an appreciation for art for years to come.

Featured programs for creative groups on Waterloo Street range in interests. In one series, an organization will be hosting an event that examines the mental health needs of individuals in the art industry — an important and perhaps often overlooked feature of that world. With so much drive and motivation to create in Singapore’s bourgeoning art world, it would benefit everyone involved to take a step back and care for the mental health of artists and people immersed in that world.

Begin your own explorations into the art world today by enrolling in an art class via SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a comprehensive website that offers everything you need to know to investigate the arts world more fully. From articles covering all different types of creative genres to discounts on art supplies for the projects you have in mind, SGArtClass.com is an excellent resource for all creative types. You can easily browse our selection of art classes, covering everything from oil painting to digital photography, mural painting to figure drawing, and much more.

To read more about the different artistic offerings of Waterloo, go to http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/arts/somethings-abuzz-waterloo-street-burgeoning-indie-arts-scene.

0 Singaporeans debate need for art institute

Recent information released by Singapore’s The School of The Arts has caused something of an uproar in the nation. Called Sota for short, the academy enrolls students around the age of 12 and lasts for six years, guaranteeing an in-depth artistic education. The institution revealed that of the students it educates and graduates, a majority do not go into art-related careers. This has opened a sometimes contentious debate on the purpose of art-focused schools and education, with both people supportive of the work schools like Sota do and critical of the resources that goes into such experiences.

First of all, it takes time, money, and considerable resources to adapt curriculum to adhere to a true artistic educational experience. Teachers must be adept at both art and teaching, and must approach all classroom instruction from a creative standpoint. The training necessary to ensure quality teachers is probably intensive and expensive. If a majority of students graduating from such institutions with such a strong artistic background aren’t pursuing art careers, perhaps time and resources would be better spent on other programs.

However, it is difficult for students at such a young age — 12 — to be able to commit to eventually getting a job in the art field. As young children, likes and dislikes are still prone to change the more they grow. It would be perfectly natural for a 12-year-old to want to be an artist or work in a museum, and an 18-year-old to instead want to be a lawyer simply based on shifting perspectives and the educational process. But does that mean that six years in an institution like Sota was a waste? According to one of the school officials there, no. People with backgrounds in art education bring unique perspectives to their workplaces. They might be more creative than their peers in solving problems and completing projects, meaning they might be able to contribute valuable assessments and insights to their workplaces. Their creativity will also be off the charts, meaning that employers can be all but guaranteed excellent workers with skill sets that others might not have — all thanks to their specific education.

There isn’t a ready solution to reconcile those who find Sota and institutions like it to be wasteful if they’re not producing graduates ready to emerge into art careers with those who don’t have a problem with it. Perhaps one place to start is to change how one measures success — instead of the quantity of graduates who enter art careers, the quality of graduates Sota and art institutions produce.

Even if you’ve never had any instruction in art before, it’s never to late to start. Visit SGArtClass.com today to browse a wide selection of art classes in all kinds of genres that you can enroll in and fit easily into your schedule.

To read more about the opinions on The School of The Arts and its place in Singapore’s education system, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/debate-over-arts-schools-purpose.

0 Curator from Singapore comments on state of arts in nation

Khai Hori is no stranger to the arts scene in Singapore — or the world. The talented and creative curator, who has an eye for artistic talent, previously worked in Singapore’s art world in the form of being a part of the National Heritage Board and the Singapore Art Museum. After leaving his tenures there, he was invited to Paris to head up an exciting and important institution there. Now, though, he’s back in Singapore, in charge of a newly revamped gallery that is looking to shed perceptions in the art world and build new opportunities for artists in Singapore. Khai recently sat down with a reporter to discuss his life, career, goals, and the state of the art scene in Singapore.

Khai is using his vast knowledge and experience in the art world to bring a new concept of art gallery to Singapore — one that can bridge that gaps among government art organizations, museums, galleries, and artists to make sure that all possible resources are directed toward the promotion, preservation, and growth of art in Singapore. Right now, Khai says he is concerned about a perceived lack of diversity in different types of visual art in the Singapore creative world. While highly polished, finished pieces are the norm, Khai says that art comes in all shapes and sizes. He believes that it would be to Singapore’s benefit if the public was exposed to all kinds of different forms of art — from gritty to experimental. Part of the artistic process is seeing projects that fail. Oftentimes, new and wonderful conversations and projects can emerge from such failures.

During his time in Paris, Khai saw firsthand the government working together with galleries to make sure that artists were given every opportunity to succeed. He notes a disconnect between Singapore’s governments and the country’s numerous galleries. While he cited concerns over conflicts of interest as the main deterrent between such entities, Khai believes that for the greater good of art in Singapore, such relationships are needed. Artists need more resources and venues for the public to discover their work.

Khai eschews, however, the idea that people in the art world need to be concerned about a lack of a certain level of art collector. He waved off reports that there are only ten professional art collectors in the nation, saying that the more important thing was to engage casual collectors’ support of Singaporean artists. That way, a greater number of people from a more diverse background can promote and enjoy art within the nation.

If you’ve always wanted to develop a new hobby, taking art classes and becoming more creative is a great start. Visit SGArtClass.com to explore the many classes available to enroll in —from Chinese ink painting to oil pastel drawing, charcoal sketching to nail art, assemblage art to found art, and many more.

To read more of the interview with Khai Hori, go to http://thepeakmagazine.com.sg/lifestyle/curator-khai-hori-singapores-art-scene-need-trust-ownership-leadership-curatorial-teams-artists-engage/.