Category Archives for "Blog"

0 Artist illustrates everyday interactions in Singapore

In one scene, a worker weighs a bag of of small goods — it could be anything from candy to nuts to dried grains — as a customer looks on, brightly colored bottles and boxes and supplies lining the shelves in the background. The viewer watches this everyday scene as if it is a scene in a book or movie, colorful and detailed, but ordinary.

The next scene is a little more fantastical. A rock face decorated with multi-colored polygons looms over a cityscape, a trio of trees perched on top. The buildings towering in the city are colorful, too, inundated with green spaces and a vibrant ferris wheel.

The third scene is perhaps the most surreal of all — a portrait of a girl with her hair in pigtails, a gas mask obscuring her face. She stands amid a clash of patterns and colors, all of which are rendered in painstaking embroidery — a black and white checkered floor, polka dots in coral on a peach wall, two olive green plant leaves extending outward, and a strange doorway featuring green and gray clouds and a fuchsia ground. She gazes at the visitor expressionless — or, if she does have an expression, it is hidden by her mask.

The last scene is a deconstructed view of a city, the different facades of different buildings regularly found there, including government buildings, religious monuments, parks, and other places. However, instead of forming a traditional city landscape, each item is laid out like a pattern on a wallpaper, abstracting the view of the city.

All four scenes can be found at a new exhibition celebrating illustrators at a hotel art space in Singapore. All of the artists use either pen and ink or needle and thread to illustrate everyday life in Singapore. Whether the illustrations deal in ordinary interactions or widespread questionings of identity, each artist has poured intricate details in their illustrations, showing visitors just how gorgeous illustrations can be. While several of the illustrators on display in the exhibit have worked with prominent companies headquartered in Singapore on multiple campaigns, they agree that illustration is not generally accepted as fine art. They’re hoping that the new exhibit will help visitors understand that illustration is just another form of fine art rather than something different entirely.

Are you interested in trying your hand at illustration? Are you always doodling in the margins of your notebooks and textbooks? Visit SGArtClass.com today to explore all the different art classes you can take to help boost your skills and discover new interests. Try everything from figure drawing to comic drawing, fashion drawing to sketching. An expert teacher will work closely with you to help you build your illustration skills in the medium of your choice — from charcoal or pencil to pens and ink. SGArtClass.com will help you realize your illustration dreams.

To learn more about Wee’s vibrant illustrations and explorations of the day-to-day life and culture in Singapore, go to http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/arts/realities-life-dark-and-past-singapore.

0 Don’t miss Singapore gallery’s showing of Indonesian artists

All interested art aficionados should hurry to Singapore’s Mizuma Art Gallery as soon as possible, as a fantastic group showing of contemporary and important Indonesian artists will only be on display until Dec. 23. The masterpieces on display are visceral explorations of visual emotion, and are not to be missed.

One of the art pieces that will be on display at the exhibition is a large square canvas featuring long streaks of acrylic paint. The background of the piece is a midnight blue, reminiscent of the sky after dark, and the streaks themselves are light blue, black, red, and yellow. The title of the painting, “City Lights,” leaves the viewer to wonder just how, exactly, they are seeing these lights. Are they zooming by in a car or plane, the lights from the city streaking by? Are they descending a skyscraper in a glass elevator, the lights of surrounding high rises blurring? Or are the streaks in the painting perhaps reminiscent of traffic passing by on busy roads, headlights and taillights making patterns in the night?

Other intricate works are shapes created by acrylic paint and needles pressed into the canvas. The artist on these pieces has taken much time to painstakingly render abstract shapes by creating pointillism with literal points — the heads of thousands of tiny pins. Each one has been individually pressed in to the canvas with varying frequency. At the edges of the shapes, the pins are denser, creating a darker area of shading. In the middle, though, the pens are sparse, creating an illusion of light within the shape. The end result is a highly texturized rendering of positive and negative space with a simple but engaging medium.

Another large painting on display looks obsessive and intense, reds and magentas in acrylic to create a highly textured landscape. What appears to be maps or crossings or intersecting lines of some kind create a unique topography in this painting, which curves across the rectangular canvas but doesn’t quite reach the edges in some places. The effect looks almost like a collage artwork, though the piece is painted entirely in acrylic.

One of the oil paintings of the show is a celebration of the artist’s — or someone’s — accomplishments. A lush spray of greenery spirals upward in the center of the canvas, cutting through an ivory background. Many shades of greens, as well as different shapes and textures, make this dense greenery come to life. Vines spiral outward, as leaves back them up, and the viewer is left dazzled and wondering just what was being celebrated.

Explore your emotions and accomplishments through art by enrolling in an art class via SGArtClass.com. From oil painting to acrylic painting, collage art and 3-D sculpture, there is sure to be an art class that will pique your creative interest.

To read more details about the exhibit, including seeing a selection of pieces on display, go to http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/1785103/last-chance-how-it-feels-at-mizuma-art-gallery-singapore.

0 Singaporean sailor translates passion for boats into art

Former sailor Charles Lim has always been in love with life on the water. He even competed for Singapore during the 1996 Olympics in sailing. But now he is celebrating his passion for watercraft with art and a new documentary film on sailing in a traditional craft called the kolek. The film can be seen at the National University of Singapore Museum as a facet in the facility’s latest exhibition.

Screen grabs from the film highlight Lim’s love for sailing, and the kolek specifically. He recognizes that he believed that kolek racing — once a pastime that defined part of the Southeast Asian region — was on its way out. It was only after returning to his country from competing in the Olympics that Lim witnessed a kolek race, which piqued his curiosity about hte history and culture of the sport.

His film is breathtaking, including overhead shots of crews in an active kolek race, leaning on one side of the watercraft or the other, directing its course across the water to win the competition. Lim himself tried out kolek racing, saying that it’s not for the faint of heart. Those on the boat must be in excellent shape in order to be able to direct the craft to respond to their directions, including wrestling with the sails. Also, the kolek is always in danger of capsizing and spilling its crew into the water, a scene that plays out with much suspense in the documentary itself.

Kolek racing is something that defines the history of the region, and something Lim admits that he fears is dying out. This sport was most prevalent prior to land reclamation, and it fell out of popularity in the seaside communities. However, pockets of kolek racers persisted, giving Lim the sense that it was something he wanted to preserve for posterity.

Another artist was inspired by Lim’s work on kolek racing and introduced himself to a small community with two old koleks lining a village path. Those two crafts had won competitions, and were honored now on dry land, in the community’s way. This other artist soaked in the community’s stories on kolek racing, and the eventually gave the two koleks to him for use in his artwork. In combination with Lim’s kolek documentary, the other artist is building his own kolek by hand. His progress can be seen at the same exhibition as Lim’s film.

Art can be made on the things we’re most passionate about, whether they’re kolek racing or some other hobby. Sign up for an art class via SGArtClass.com to explore your various passions through art. SGArtClass.com can lead you on an artistic journey specific to your interests. Whether you’d like to delve into pointillism painting or if you’re more interested in 3-D sculpture, expert teachers will be on hand to help you create projects you’re most interested in.

To read more about Charles Lim’s new art project, go to http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/from-national-sailor-to-filming-sailboats-for-art/3254990.html.

0 Playful events add color to National Gallery festivities

A new festival planned to celebration National Gallery Singapore’s first anniversary is set to return year after year, bringing a playful vibe to the renowned museum. The Gallery Light To Night Festival brings together musical performances, interactive art exhibits, and a lot of fun for visitors to the facility, ensuring that the event will be on tap for years to come, entertaining both newcomers and repeat fans of the museum.

The majority of the exhibits that will be on display as a part of the celebratory event are inspired by the works contained in National Gallery Singapore, which houses the biggest collection of Southeast Asian art in the entire world. A museum official says that the festival is something special the museum planned to give back to its supporters, whose visits made the facility a resounding success. The museum saw a million and a half visitors in its first year of being open.

While National Gallery Singapore has seen some challenges with visitors touching artworks that aren’t meant to be interacted with in a hands-on way, many of the works for the Gallery Light To Night Festival welcome interaction with participants. There are also many humorous references to more serious masterpieces inside the museum. One piece is a cardboard rendering of a pagoda-style robot, which echoes an oil painting with pagodas as the subject within the museum.

Another homage to a painting of an artist and his model has undergone the yarn-bombing treatment by a Singapore chapter of the movement, which uses art and crochet work to cover everything from trees and bicycles to apparently works of art. This exhibit is organized in conjunction with an interactive workshop that shows participants how to create their own yarn-bombed masterpieces.

Yet another exhibit wouldn’t be as special if people didn’t touch and interact with it. “Affinity” is a multi-colored piece with giant spheres attached to each other with long poles, almost like a molecular representation of a substance. Visitors touch the globes to have them change colors, constantly changing the look of the sculpture.

Other high points of the festival include an enormous light show featuring tubes of paint and paintbrushes in the city hall area of National Gallery Singapore. Film screening and musical acts will help round out the special event.

Celebrate a year of National Gallery Singapore by enrolling in an art class today. Visit SGArtClass.com to see the wealth of art classes available to you. Whether you’re interested in oil painting or assemblage art, digital art or portrait drawing, there is a class that you will enjoy. Instead of going out with your friends for another night out on the weekend, consider signing everyone up for an art class. Together, you can complete projects and make lasting memories while possibly uncovering a passion for art you were never aware of before.

To read more about what will be included in the new festival at National Gallery Singapore, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/party-till-3am-at-national-gallery-singapore.

0 Controversial shows characterize Singapore Fringe Festival

Art is often controversial, but the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival is known for showcasing some of the year’s most debate-worthy exhibits, shows, and events. The upcoming festival, slated for January, is no exception, particularly with its theme of Art & Skin.

A Facebook group has targeted several showings for the fringe festival, saying that they went against moral values. The shows have since been excluded for the lineup due to these same concerns. One of the shows featured the performer and a random audience member undressing in front of each other, but in private, exploring the idea of clothing as a protective skin layer over people’s actual skin, which protects the vital organs that keep us all alive. The other event that will not take place as a part of the festival any longer was a lecture whose speaker would give points on considerations of the female body while completely naked.

Supporters of the art have decried the exclusion, saying that the moral policing has no place in the art world. The entity that excluded the shows defended its decision, saying that art for art’s sake without regard for widely held beliefs and morals isn’t worth the controversy of it being seen.

This isn’t the first time that acts at the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival have been targeted for their controversy. Five years ago, an act that featured a tribute to a 1990s performance of an artist cutting his pubic hair in front of an artist gave rise to much outrage. Acts at this particular festival have continued to push the artistic envelope ever since, tackling a wide range of subjects and controversies.

This year’s theme is no different, with many artists interpreting the theme of Art & Skin as a subject of racial, political, or other forms of identity. Gender, nationality, and modes of fashion all come into play with this theme, with artists and performers looking for their own answers during performances and exhibits. One particularly promising area of the festival is a portion where new and emerging artists present works of art in promise, which gives audiences a chance to voice their opinions on the work and possibly even influence the final masterpiece. Feedback is a critically important part of the artistic process, and this special event will highlight that even more.

Explore your own take on art by enrolling in an art class today. SGArtClass.com is a one-stop website that provides informative art articles, discounted art supplies, and a wide variety of art classes that you can easily sign up for. Meet expert teachers in the security and convenience of your own home, or choose a nearby art space to receive lessons on art genres of your choice, including watercolor painting, nail art, comic drawing, and many more classes. It doesn’t matter if you have all the art experience in the world or if you’re just beginning on your creative journey.

To read more about the shows on display as a part of the event, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/taking-on-tough-issues.

0 Abstract artist celebrating professional anniversary with regional tour

Singaporean artist Yeo Hoe Koon is celebrating 60 years of being an artist with a tour across Southeast Asia. The artist will be accompanying an exhibition of almost one hundred of his abstract oil paintings and Chinese ink paintings. The first show will be at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Singapore, and from there he will tour Indonesia, China, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Yeo himself is excited at the prospect of showing his life’s work to an audience throughout the region.
Yeo, who is in his 80s and recovering from a recent heart operation, is eager to celebrate his lifetime of achievements. He started his career in Paris in the 1960s and hasn’t looked back since. He has tens of solo exhibitions under his artistic belt, though this is the first show that is a celebration of his full body of work. The show will include masterpieces from those early days and span through later works, including after he returned to Singapore to start a family and be a full-time artist. The influences of Europe are on display in Yeo’s work, and he is among a special group of artists who returned to his place of birth to further influence the art scene in the country.
Overall, the structure of the show encompasses two parts. One part will be his early work, heavily influenced by his time in Europe, and featuring his abstract oil paintings. One such painting is a large gestural piece full of warm golds, oranges, and yellows. Blue streaks and shapes highlighted with yellow-tinged whites recall the sky, and the warm colors and title of the piece, “Golden Earth,” could be reminiscent of a sunset landscape anywhere in the world — or the artist’s imagination. The other part of the show will treat his modern ink paintings. Because so many of the works are on loan from private collections, only a few will be for sale during the international tour.
Are you stuck in a rut and are not sure how to get out of it? Think about enrolling in an art class to bring in some color and vitality to your life. Even if you’ve never considered taking an art class before in your life, a wide selection of different genres of art classes tailored to students of all skill levels is available at SGArtClass.com. Art can help you in your life in a number of unexpected ways. You can develop creative problem solving skills, relieve stress that builds up from family duties, work responsibilities, or heavy studying and class work, and discover a new passion that can help you pass the time in a healthy and beautiful way. Whether you’re interested in decorative painting, watercolor painting, or assemblage art, you will be sure to find that art class that most benefits you.
To learn more about Yeo Hoe Koon’s career and the upcoming tour for his 60th anniversary as an artist, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/singapore-artist-marks-60-years-with-asian-tour.

0 Historic ink painting collection to enjoy limited display

A collection of nearly one hundred modern Chinese ink paintings worth untold millions will be on display in Hong Kong as a part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of Christie’s auction house in Hong Kong. A number of pieces in the show are on loan from a Singaporean collection that boasts paintings from a time period of more than a hundred years.
A Singapore collector recently made waves in the art world by auctioning off a modern Chinese ink painting for nearly $50 million, drawing renewed interest into the collections and offerings of this genre of painting in Singapore. Many of the attendees of the Hong Kong festivities expressed surprised that such a fine collection of ink paintings came from Singapore. What is even more special is that a number of Chinese ink painting aficionados traveled from Singapore to see the unique display in Hong Kong.
The ink painting exhibit is being held in conjunction with another show that features work from well-known Western artists such as Monet, Van Gogh, and Picasso. The duality of these shows is an offering of fine work encompassing traditions from the entire world, and is a true international celebration of Christie’s work in bringing art to new places all the time.
Chinese ink paintings cover a variety of themes and subjects, but they are all united in basic similarities, such as the use of ink of various hues to complete the works of art. Sweeping brush strokes and abstract, gestural lines suggest anything from mountains to dense foliage of trees, leaving it up to the viewers’ imaginations to believe in the suggestions of shapes and things. Figures present in these paintings are generally wearing traditional garb and might represent simple, everyday activities. There might even be Chinese characters included on the work of art, recording a poem or observations of the artists in one of the corners of the piece. These types of works are often celebrated for their minimalistic nature, employing the use of negative space to give the sense of peace and intense focus on the subject matter. Some of the more historic pieces were even used as aids in meditation practices.
Delve into the history of art by taking a class on Chinese ink painting today. Learn the tips and techniques necessary to complete ink paintings of your own, and you might even find that your stress from everyday life will melt away as you put brush to paper and canvas. Even if ink painting might not be your particular interest, you can visit SGArtClass.com to find a variety of different art classes available, from portrait painting to cityscape photography to pastel drawing. Teachers will be on hand to help you complete projects that inspire you and ignite your artistic imagination.
For more on the priceless collection of Chinese ink paintings and the anniversary celebrations for Christie’s in Hong Kong, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/priceless-spore-collection-of-paintings-on-show-in-hk.

0 Performance artist returns to roots for new show

Singaporean artist Amanda Heng has been out of the spotlight for a while now, in part because she needed to care for her ailing mother. But the performance artist is back with a new exhibition, and it’s even more special because it revisits her roots as a printmaker — a history that many fans of her performance art might not know.
For Heng, printmaking presents a tactile body of work that lasts, whether through the prints themselves or the material they’re carved from, physical things that people can touch and hold in their hands, if they so choose. In performance art, the art itself is often fleeting, ephemeral, and very much in the moment. If the performance isn’t recorded in some manner, it is a onetime experience, shared only by the people who witness it at that moment. That is why it is so interesting for Heng to be so invested in these two different genres.
Heng participated in a one-month residency that expanded into nine months as a part of the undertaking of her project. As a part of her time at the Singapore Tyler Print Institute, she was able to investigate the facility and all of the bells and whistles it offers. However, the prints that she produced as a part of her time there engaged with her subjects and her audience in a way that is usually more suited for performance art pieces.
After conducting interviews and in-depth conversations with twelve people in varying degrees of closeness to her in her life, Heng helped them create highly personal works that explore everything from memories and stories to urban living and interpersonal relationships. It is the interaction between the artists and these people that is translated into the end works, the conversations preserved in the prints. The close relationships were just a part of the creative process.
Heng’s last major show was a look back at her body of work in 2011. She has since then traveled abroad for performance art, but especially with her mother, she felt like she needed to take a break after the 2011 exhibit. She also filled the time with teaching art classes.
Explore the world around you and your personal relationships by enrolling today in an art class through SGArtClass.com. Art is one of the best ways to make sense of everyday activities and more groundbreaking occurrences, such as new romantic relationships or illnesses in the family. Many people take note of just how valuable art therapy is in helping participants work through their various feelings. Whether you decide to take an ink drawing class, a found art class, or a 3-D sculpture class, you will be sure to find the art genre that speaks to you and your own personal experiences. Visit SGArtClass.com today to see the variety of classes you can take to unlock your creative potential.
To read more about Amanda Heng’s legacy and upcoming show, go to http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/arts/swinging-by-the-past-for-her-latest-work.

0 National Gallery Singapore marks first year in existence

National Gallery Singapore, which opened in the country to much fanfare this time last year ahead of 50th birthday celebrations, is now taking a sober look backward to see just what it can count as its successes over the last twelve months. While many positive things can be said about its early efforts, there have also been a series of lasting criticisms that have sent facility administrators looking for solutions.
Much of the good surrounding National Gallery Singapore has been on the high attendance numbers. To date, more than a million and a half visitors have traversed the combined space of the former supreme court and city hall buildings. The architectural masterpiece itself is one for the books, preserving the facades of the historic facilities while combing the space inside in a modern and stunning fashion. National Gallery Singapore has also been lauded for its permanent exhibits, which include the largest collection of Southeast Asia art in the world. However, some say that the facility would do well to expand more upon the performances and workshops they have. Since Southeast Asia is a broad region, there is much to be done to include broad programming for art from Singapore and its neighbors. Another boon to the operation is a center for youngsters, giving children a place to learn about art and be exposed to it from a young age.
Areas of improvement include being more sensitive to delicate issues. For example, in a recent gala organized to celebrate a new exhibit examining imperialism, National Gallery officials originally called it the Empire Ball. Decried on social media as being insensitive to controversial practices of colonialism, organizers swiftly revised the name. There have also been complaints that National Gallery Singapore is too focused on the marketing nature of museums, doing everything it can to attract new visitors and keep previous visitors coming back, but neglecting to focus on the one thing it’s there for — art. There is also much to be done in the way of educating visitors on how to behave in art museums. National Gallery Singapore has experienced unique issues in visitors touching art that is not meant to be interacted with in that fashion, running the risk of damaging historic and expensive works.
If you’ve been to National Gallery Singapore and found yourself inspired, harness that creative energy by signing up for an art class. Visit SGArtClass.com to see all the different art classes you can choose from. Start with a class on portrait drawing to impress your friends and family, and graduate to a class on caricature drawing to make them laugh. You might even surprise yourself and find a new passion, hobby, or even career in the art world. Classes on everything from nail art to fashion design could see you employed in a new job that you’re passionate about.
To look back on a year of National Gallery Singapore events and exhibits, go to http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/a-year-of-crowds-criticism-and-creativity-national-gallery/3306410.html.

0 Many new interactive events on tap for Singapore Art Week

So far, there are nearly one hundred special events and exhibitions on tap for the upcoming Singapore Art Week, but that number may continue to climb in the coming weeks. Singapore Art Week is scheduled to sprawl for eleven days during January, and a number of unique experiences will be on hand to push the boundaries of understanding of what, exactly, constitutes art.
One prevalent exhibit this year will examine the culture of going to the gym. Where this activity used to be perceived as a healthy habit, it has become more of a vanity and social routine. One exhibit space will be completely transformed into a surreal and artistic jungle gym that visitors will be able to interact with. There are also talks of workshops on bodybuilding and wrestling in the works for even more hands-on art opportunities. Another roving exhibit will include bicycles made specifically for the event with all the artistic trappings of their creators. Visitors will be able to ride and use the moving works of art, or simply admire them whenever they are not in use.
This exciting art event will hopefully get people used to the idea that there are lots of creative things to look forward to in January, one of the organizers of the art week said. While some critics might decry the lack of art programming in Singapore, the reality is that there are openings and showings of exhibits every single week. Singapore Art Week itself will be chock full of things to do for art fans of all ages.
Other exhibits that will be on display include an analytically artistic look at the differences and similarities between Singapore and nearby island Batam, whose fortunes diverged some time ago. Another U.S. artist well known for prismatic and futuristic sculptures constructed as a part of the desert Burning Man festival will be on hand to share that slice of culture with visitors. Everything else — from shows devoted to tigers to other exhibits that are uniquely Singaporean — will be on hand. All the public has to do is show up on one or all of the days during the Singapore Art Week to truly experience everything the event has to offer.
Get started a little early for Singapore Art Week by signing up for an art class via SGArtClass.com. You can take classes in everything from fashion art to nail art, charcoal drawing to landscape painting, performance art to contemporary art, and everything in between. As an alternative to doing the same old thing with your circle of friends, you could consider taking a group class. Teachers can meet you in a place of your choosing to lead you all in a fun and educational project that might inspire you for years to come in ways you didn’t expect.
To learn more about all of the various offerings during Singapore Art Week, go to http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/riding-bicycles-and-going-to-the-gym-at-singapore-art-week-2017/3308888.html.