Category Archives for "Blog"

0 Plastic repurposed as art at environmental event

Overuse of plastic is one of the biggest environmental concerns of the moment. From single-use shopping bags to mountains of plastic water bottles, plastic is a real problem — especially given that the material lasts a long time in a landfill. In fact, plastic is a real problem for the ocean ecosystem. There is a floating plastic waste island in the Pacific Ocean bigger than many countries of the world.

Lawmakers in Singapore are responding to plastic waste and overuse by taking aim at retailers who distribute the bags with shoppers’ purchases. In many locations around the world, single-use plastic bags are banned completely. For now, leaders are eyeing a plan to make retailers report the number of plastic bags that are used on the premises. This is on par with other current efforts to analyze how much waste businesses are producing in Singapore. Already, new dine-in options will not allow plastic disposable utensils.

The art world in Singapore has also responded, using plastic waste to construct a giant public art piece. The caterpillar volunteers created stretches 120 meters and was made from plastic bottles. Organizers aim for the installation to raise awareness of plastic waste and the way it can pile up when not recycled or purchased responsibly. A total of 18,000 plastic bottles were used to make the sculpture.

The artwork is an installation in progress. As a way to maintain public interest in the piece and topic, more and more plastic bottles will be added to the installation. Plastic bottle flowers are in the works, as are other shapes and figures.

The plastic art installations are a good way to raise awareness of the proper recycling of plastic. Seeing just what 18,000 bottles looks like all in one place is a great first step of helping people understand that they shouldn’t simply be throwing away their plastic trash after one use. Instead, they can make the extra effort to locate recycling bins and facilities, or find other ways to repurpose the plastic, such as reusing bags as lunch sacks and trash can liners, or other purposes.

Recycled and found art are just two artistic genres that you can learn more about on SGArtClass.com. Recycled art includes making new art pieces out of old materials, including the plastic bottle public art sculptures made by volunteers as a way to raise awareness of plastic waste in Singapore. Found art is art made from items the artist has found — whether it’s in forgotten boxes and drawers at their own home or in litter and other debris people have thrown away. Learn about these art forms and experience them for yourself by enrolling in such a class on SGArtClass.com. It doesn’t matter if you have little to no artistic background. Teachers will help you learn the skills necessary to complete projects you’re invested in.

To read more about the recycled plastic art and the environmental event in Singapore, go to https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/plastic-bags-targeted-as-singapore-marks-world-environment-day.

0 Gallery puts graffiti art into the spotlight in new show

Traditionally, Singapore has not been the best venue for street art and graffiti artists. But an exhibition at a Singaporean art gallery aims to celebrate the achievements in this genre of art, which has been sweeping the world. The show will feature work from a trio of street artists — all of whom are known by their artist names — and explore the importance of such art in both the lexicon of fine art and popular culture. Wherever you visit around the globe, you are likely to run into street art. It is a unifying factor — whether it’s a commissioned mural on the side of a building or a surreptitious scrawl of a street name somewhere unsanctioned.

One of the works of art that will be on display at the show is by world renowned late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, a groundbreaking creative who worked with the likes of Andy Warhol. The work here looks almost simplistic, as if a child scribbled on a paper with crayons. A red car is bordered in with orange pencil, seemingly parked outside of a house with multi-hued windows. Black curls could be writing, or perhaps a barbed wire fence. The title of the piece gives no clue about its purpose, though it is one of Basquiat’s typical works.

Another artwork features a figure dressed in full combat gear surrounded by paintball splotches. It is an odd juxtaposition. People who play paintball do it for fun. Even the most serious competitors are aware that it is a pastime. But the figure looks ready to do serious damage, clutching a club in its hands. Is there real violence at play among the colorful, dripping dots of paint? The viewer must decide.

Another piece of art features an iconic cartoon character sketched out and in motion almost as a tribute to impressionism and cubism. The rabbit’s figure, including multiple legs and arms and positions, conveys an impermanence. Perhaps the character is moving, or people’s perception of it are. The color of the carrot the rabbit typically chomps on here is shown as purple, challenging the norm.

In a similar style, a highly recognizable cartoon duck has received the same treatment. Multiple renderings of body parts show a duck in motion, gesturing wildly to an audience the viewer can’t be certain of. The character almost appears as if it wants to say something, pointing and extending its hands almost in supplication.

Learn more about street art, mural painting, and graffiti art by visiting SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com features informative articles about those genres and more, as well as offering affordable art supplies and a wealth of art classes you can easily enroll in. Find your creative passion under the tutelage of expert teachers who will meet with you at a time and place of your choosing.

To see a preview of some of the works that will be on display at the street art exhibit, go to http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/3067079/unsanctioned-voices-off-the-wall-at-opera-gallery-singapore.

0 Singaporean uses old music tech to make new art

Many people remember playing their favorite songs on cassette tapes, but that might not always be the case, especially as technology has advanced and media has become available online. However, some of that old musical technology has been kept from becoming wasted trash by one Singaporean artist.

Jessica Chuan began her odyssey of using music as visual art after she returned home to Singapore after finishing school in the United States. She found a box of her old cassette tapes, many of which had personal significance. She used the cassettes to have a way to communicate meaningfully with a friend across the world, sending them recordings she made. Chuan didn’t use or listen to the tapes anymore, but she didn’t want to let go of something with such personal memories. With the help of her mother, she extracted the tapes from the plastic casing and wove it into a sheet of repurposed fabric.

Now called MusicCloth, Chuan makes everything from dresses, blankets, purses, posters, and much more from old tapes. There is even a global movement to send old cassette tapes to her so she can continue to make her fabric for her works. Chuan has also begun to dabble in making fashion and art from other media that is swiftly becoming obsolete: DVDs and CDs. She has made jewelry out of shiny discs, incorporating shards into her other work.

While Chuan’s art is beautiful and started off as a way to embrace something sentimental to her, her work highlights an important issue: e-waste. This kind of waste, which includes cassettes, video tapes, old cellphones, calculators, CDs, DVDs, and other devices rendered obsolete by advancing technology, accounts for significant bulk in landfills around the world. More and more initiatives are pushing for recycling such waste, but efforts like Chuan’s artwork are helping make the issue more visible.

For Chuan, creating her fabric has been a way to embrace art, push for an environmental cause, and also connect with people from all around the world who have been donating their old tapes to her project. She even recalled people warning her not to listen to the tapes because they have embarrassing recordings of them singing on it.

Find a way to leave your mark on the art world by visiting SGArtClass.com today. SGArtClass.com is a comprehensive website that displays everything from cheap art supplies to informative articles. The best part about SGArtClass.com is its extensive listing of art classes you can easily enroll in. From acrylic painting lessons to 3-D sculpture classes, there is sure to be a class to appeal to everyone. Art has unexpected benefits that will help boost you in your regular life. Develop creative problem solving skills. Cope with stress and trauma better. And have fun developing a healthy hobby you might never have realized you love.

To read more about Chuan’s repurposed art, go to https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/she-weaves-art-out-old-cassette-tapes.

0 Singapore panel examines partnership between brands, art

A Singapore publication and a global company joined forces recently to examine the important relationship between business and art. While many people looking to exist in the art world would ideally want to make a living off of their own visions, it’s important to realize that the reality often doesn’t reflect that. Artists might have trouble selling their work or finding patrons or funding to allow them to do the work they’re most passionate about while making a living wage. While some purists might consider artists partnering with corporate brands as “selling out,” the panel discussion hosted by a Singapore organization examined the realities and possibilities of such partnerships.

One example addressed at the panel was when partnerships between brands and artists go right. The rock band OK Go was brought up. The band is particularly well known for its innovative and groundbreaking music videos, including one that was shot completely in zero gravity. The music video and uniqueness the band is famous for would not have been possible in this case without a partnership between the band and an airline company. The company facilitated the difficult logistics of filming in zero gravity, which was achieved aboard a plane that essentially flies in parabolas to achieve the state.

Another example of ideal working conditions between brands and artists is an effort by Airbnb as it entered the Hong Kong market. Leaders at Airbnb decided to advertise their entry into Hong Kong at an art show, putting out an open call to artists to create based on the theme of strangers coming together, meeting, and sharing life experiences. One of the artists contracted to create work was actually a pair of artists known for pushing the envelope with controversial performance art. Organizers were initially concerned of harming the brand and wanted to institute limitations, but Airbnb eventually decided that it would not censor the artists it had asked to be a part of its mission. The show was deemed a success.

One horror story of where a relationship between a brand and an artist went wrong was a recent snafu involving a graffiti artist and fashion retailer H&M. Because the graffiti artist’s work was done in public, H&M decided that it had the right to use it in the company’s advertising campaigns free of charge. However, since the artist and the piece in question were both so well known, the artist’s followers launched their own campaign to defend the artist’s right to make money off of his artwork. H&M was eventually forced to apologize.

Find your own place in the art world by visiting SGArtClass.com. Browse informative articles, affordable art supplies, and an expansive listing of art classes you can easily enroll in. Find your artistic passion through the guidance of expert teachers and engaging lessons.

To read more about some of the topics brought up during the panel discussion, go to http://www.thedrum.com/news/2018/05/07/brandalism-hp-bbh-goodstuph-brands-enabler-art-and-creativity.

0 Singapore artist embraces embroidery

Singapore artist Teresa Lim didn’t think that she would be looking to make a living off of embroidery, which was a talent she picked up while attending art school in Singapore. But she is now a talented embroidery artist who works both with brands and on commission through her many social media followers.

After she graduated art school, Lim decided to take an entire year to devote to her new passion: embroidery. She didn’t want to get a job she hated just so she could stay afloat. It was more important to her to do something she loved: art. She experienced a lot of pushback for that decision, including significant criticism from her parents, who were concerned that she wouldn’t be able to support herself. During her yearlong exploration of what she could make with embroidery, Lim decided not to accept monetary support from her parents to prove to them that she could be independent. In the end, and down to the very last of her own money, Lim was forced to start giving music lessons in order to earn money to continue funding her embroidery.

It might have been a sacrifice, but it taught her a valuable lesson: Sometimes, something that is worth doing is difficult. Lim stuck with it and started selling her embroidery works.

Her embroidery is intricate, detailed, and colorful, and inspired by her worldwide travels. But instead of snapping quick pictures and posting them to social media like many of her contemporaries might do, Lim recreated the sights she saw with needle and thread. With incredible patience and painstaking detail, she has amassed nearly 50 scenes from these travels. It is this series that helped launch her into visibility.

Now, she accepts portraits and other commissions from followers and fans. Lim is also experimenting with telling stories through her embroidery, inspired by some of the comments she has come across online. She has been addressing everything from a child’s experience of their parents’ divorce to body image issues of teen girls.

This success has translated into relationships with big fashion brands and other companies interested in using Lim’s talent and artwork in their various advertising and marketing campaigns. Sticking with her art — even when times got tough — ensured that Lim was eventually able to make a living doing the thing she is most passionate about.

Have you always been curious about discovering your true artistic passion? Visit SGArtClass.com to learn more about all the options there are available to you. From textile arts to assemblage art, oil painting to charcoal drawing, and everything in between, you are certain to find a new hobby — or even a new stream of income. Once our expert teachers have helped you to master anything from nail art to portrait drawing, you could easily begin making artwork to help support you and your family — or simply to give as gifts to loved ones.

To read more about Teresa Lim’s work and life, go to https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/teeteeheehee-teresa-lim-embroidery-artist-10277992.

0 Singapore art show to commemorate art school anniversary

Art school can be one of the most defining moments of a young artist’s life. It’s a chance to be involved in a kind of creative incubator, tossed together with other talented and creative individuals. It’s also an opportunity to learn from expert teachers and receive constructive criticism on their process and projects. Art school is an environment for intellectual and creative growth, a place to learn new skills and artistic genres. And in that vein, it makes sense for a Singapore art gallery to laud a Singapore art school’s anniversary as a part of a new show featuring multiple artists.

All of the artists whose work will be on display graduated from the art school within the last decade, a conscious choice by the curators of the show. The end result is a sampling of the kinds of talents the art school produces.

In one piece that will be on display at the exhibit, an artist has photographed a stunning composition that appears to be a snowy mountain illuminated in an otherworldly sunrise or sunset. Instead, the artist constructed the scene from powder, pigment, dust, ice, fog, and lighting effects. The overall effect is still wonderful, enchanting the viewer with the array of colors.

A sculpture that will be a part of the exhibit features a dried pink flower enclosed in a wedge of plaster. It’s as if nature is suspended in a slice of cake the viewer can’t eat, a marriage of real and unreal, soft and hard. The fact that the flower was once living and still contains some of that color provides an even more interesting juxtaposition to the fact that the plaster will never change — once it is shaped and dried, only its destruction will change it.

Another work that’s cross between performance and sculptural is a trio of flower arrangements within bell jars. The catch? It’s not flowers the viewer is looking at. It’s the artist’s skin flakes, preserved in resin. The effect is unsettling but beautiful, a minimalist approach to something that should, by all rights and purposes, feel monstrous. Instead, it functions as a meditation on creation and the artistic process. Artists put so much of themselves into their work. Why not a literal part of their bodies?

In an additional foray into the minimal, another artist has sculpted a series of cones out of marble. The cones are arranged to fit together, opening to tip, in a line that highlights the shape and smooth texture of the sculptures themselves.

Experiment with different genres of art by signing up for multiple art classes via SGArtClass.com. Our expert teachers will work with your busy schedule to meet you for your art lessons wherever you need — even if it’s in the comfort and convenience of your own home.

To see a sneak peek of some of the artworks that will be on display during the commemorative show, go to http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/3065084/alma-matter-at-chan-hori-contemporary-singapore.

0 Exhibit exploring creation, destruction of identity on display

A Chinese-born artist will be exploring the notion of people’s own perceptions of their identity — and the various ways they create and destroy it — at an art exhibit at a Singapore gallery. The title of the show, which is the name for perhaps the most-used room of a house, suggests that the artist is inviting people in to try to make sense of the living space — which includes the physical space that we occupy as well as the bubble of identity we make around us.

In one of the paintings that will be on display during the show, a group of white figures stands against the wall of a room painted completely in black — walls and floor. The white figures are featureless, their arms only discernible from the rest of the shape of their bodies with rudimentary shading and shadows. What is apparent is the disconcerting notion that all of the figures are facing toward the viewers — even without the viewer being able to pick out any facial expressions or even parts. It is up to the viewer to decide whether this group is menacing or curious, projecting whatever thoughts and feelings they have onto the painting.

In another painting, a pair of figures again faces out toward the viewer. They appear to be holding hands and wearing skirts, but not much more is easily apparent about their identities. Their figures themselves only barely stand out, gray figures on a gray background. The figure on the left holds a ball, and perhaps they are simply children looking for a playmate or a fun game to past the time. From the title, it becomes apparent that the two figures are twins.

Another painting featuring twins is a little more ominous. Again, faceless girls look toward the viewer, gray figures on a gray background. However, the distinction between the figures and the background is much more apparent, now, as if they are coming into focus — or coming closer, out of the fog, toward the viewer. Now, both twins hold a ball, but it looks like it is less for play and more for foretelling. Indeed, with long, gray robes dragging on the gray floor, and dark, shadowed faces, it seems like these twins have something to show the viewer.

Still another painting purports to show a figure with a halo, but the shapes are so deconstructed that they appear abstract. The figure could be a gourd or a slightly rounded cylinder, the halo a simple circle highlighting the area where the face should be. Again, there are no features and expressions — though the viewer does have the odd sense that the figure is looking down at them.

Express your own message to the world by enrolling in an art class today. Visit SGArtClass.com to see just how simple it is to sign up for an art class that you’re passionate about.

See a sneak peek of the exhibit by visiting http://sea.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/3069519/lin-shan-living-room-at-shanghart-singapore.

0 Singapore Airlines to feature autistic artist’s works

A person might be forgiven if they didn’t immediately notice the art on a box of snacks, but they would surely miss out on a special initiative meant to give a fighting chance to special artists in Singapore.

Singapore Airlines is partnering with Singapore’s Changi Airport and an organization that aims to help differently abled artists share their artworks with the public. One of the most visible successes is a young autistic artist’s work being included on snack boxes for economy passengers on Singapore Airlines flights. The artist’s drawings of typical Singaporean food will be featured on the boxes, meaning that his art will travel around the world and be seen by all kinds of people from different backgrounds.

The organization that helped get this artist’s work on the map is working with others like him to try and create more visibility for the abilities of artists with experiences that might be different from the typical person’s. The organization looks to help differently abled artists show and sell their work. Another artist who currently attends college in Singapore has a collection of pouches with mermaids printed on them featured through the organization. She says she knows her pouches will sell and is glad to have them on the market. Other products on sale include cushions and prints featuring the distinctive skyline of Singapore.

Leaders within the organization hope that by bring more visibility to these artists, people will understand that just because they are differently abled doesn’t mean they are any less capable of anyone else of achieving great success. It is just one example of recent efforts to enhance inclusiveness within Singapore’s art scene. Another example is the inclusion of differently abled artists’ work on transit trains. The organization hopes that more institutions within Singapore — and even the rest of the world — will work harder to give these artists the spotlight they deserve, and a platform to share what they’re capable of.

If you’ve always wanted to try your hand at art but weren’t sure where or how to start, it’s as simple as visiting SGArtClass.com. At SGArtClass.com, you can read articles about different artistic genres, browse deeply discounted art supplies, and scroll through many different art classes perfect for people of all different interests and abilities. Signing up for an art class with a group of friends is the perfect way to have fun and socialize while doing something productive and educational. Who knows? After a single lesson, you might discover a new passion or hobby that you never knew you had. Enroll in everything from watercolor painting to caricature drawing, nail art to miniature painting, recycled art to mural painting, and everything in between. Soon, you’ll develop the skills necessary to complete the projects you’re most interested in, impressing everyone around you.

To read more about the autistic artist’s artwork and other efforts to show more art by differently abled artists, go to https://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/singapore-airlines-sells-products-artists-special-needs.

0 Wild moving sculptures arriving in Singapore

A Dutch artist renowned for his moving sculptures will be feted with a show focused on the achievements of his artistic life. Theo Jansen originally conceived his wind-powered sculptures as a way to help prevent beach erosion and flooding during storms. But these useful and whimsical creations eventually took on lives of their own as the artist became more emotionally invested in them, referring to them as his beach animals.

In a touching decision that highlights just how much each work means to him, Jansen refers to the older models of his sculptures that no longer move as fossils, showing just how alive he actually believes them to be. When they are moving, however, the sculptures are a sight to behold. Jansen uses a deep understanding of biology and engineering to ensure that these sculptures move effortlessly along shorelines with topography of all kinds. The spindly framework — often made of ordinary plastic piping — coupled with billowing sails to harness the wind call to mind something out of a fantasy, an artistic machine built for a purpose.

The show at Singapore will reflect on Jansen’s life’s work. Though there will be no wind inside the Singapore Art Museum to highlight the movement of the creatures, the exhibit will be immersive and interactive. Participants will be able to drag one of the sculptures along the exhibit space so they can witness for themselves how the beasts come to life. Visitors will also get an inside look at Jansen’s creative process as well as the work that goes in to creating the creatures.

Many of the creatures indeed appear to be alive, accounting for Jansen’s belief that they are a new species. Their flexible spines and bones move with the wind, sails undulating in the breeze, or appendages propelling them along. Jansen said that someday, he will set them free on the beaches they were originally designed to protect, allowing them to live out the rest of their existence in whatever way they choose. Perhaps in hundreds of years, future humans will discover the fossils of Jansen’s work and marvel at the beasts who used to roam the shores.

Find your own passion in art by visiting SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a comprehensive website that includes everything from education art articles to affordable supplies. The jewel of the website is its extensive listings of art classes anyone can easily enroll in. From 3-D sculpture to found art, oil painting to acrylic painting, portrait drawing to comic drawing, there is a class for every interest. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never practiced art professionally before. Art teachers with experience teaching students of all ages and abilities are on hand to help you realize your dreams of experiencing art the best way a person can: by actually doing it. Go to SGArtClass.com today to begin your creative journey.

Read more about the moving sculptures — and see a video featuring them in action — at https://www.star2.com/culture/2018/05/21/theo-jansen-strandbeests-insallation-machine-wind-artscience-museum-singapore/.

0 Exhibit to unearth treasures in museum’s permanent collection

National Gallery Singapore boasts the biggest and most important collection of Southeast Asian art in the entire world. A collection that size, while impressive, is surely a little daunting, especially for first-time visitors to the museum. That’s why it’s ingenious for curators at the facility to organize a show that focuses on the gems and hidden stories of that very special collection.

More than one hundred works will be on display with contexts that will reveal stories that have as of yet been untold about the museum’s collection. The show will also weave a narration about the ever-changing collection the museum has amassed and understood over the course of the two years it has been opened. Due to feedback from visitors and critics, the collection at the museum has been displayed in different ways, seeking to appeal to both repeat visitors and people who have not yet enjoyed the items on display there.

It’s a difficult job to sift through nearly 8,000 individual artworks and boil it down to an essential 100-piece show. The history of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art is so rich that curators have struggled to distill it, trying to ensure visitors are connecting to the art on display. It tells a history of the region while celebrating art. One intriguing facet of the seven-part exhibit will include photography, which is often overlooked as an art form in many major museums.

One of the paintings that will be on display as a part of the exhibit is a renowned family portrait by artist Georgette Chen. A five-member family sits, each engaged in an activity. The bespectacled mother is reading a newspaper, while the father reads the articles over her shoulder. The eldest daughter knits, while the youngest daughter is engrossed in a book, her bare feet kicking up in the air. The young son is seated on the floor, immersed in playing a game that involves a bow and arrow — along with a traditional headdress. In the portrait, each of the members of the family have their own personality ranging from pensive to happy and even a little mischievous, especially when it comes to the three children.

Find your place in art and history by visiting SGArtClass.com today. SGArtClass.com essentially functions as a one-stop shopping website for all things art. Browse a selection of educational art articles covering all the various genres of art, or shop a curated collection of deeply discounted art supplies for finishing your next projects. One of the best parts of SGArtClass.com, however, is the vast variety of art classes you can easily enroll in. From figure drawing to portrait painting, mural painting to assemblage art, miniature painting to nail art, there is an art class for every creative passion.

To read more about the National Gallery Singapore exhibit that will be featuring key gems from the Southeast Asian collection, go to http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/3030879/recollect-the-making-of-our-art-collection-at-national.