Category Archives for "Blog"

0 National Gallery Singapore sponsors Malaysian artist’s works in Paris

Southeast Asian art is going global thanks to National Gallery Singapore.

The gallery is sponsoring a Malaysian artist’s work at a special exhibition in Paris. The show covers a period of history, but does it in a unique and comprehensive way by featuring art representative of that time from around the world. So while Western audiences might be accustomed to associating a modernist period with paintings by fixtures like Pablo Picasso, this show aims to broaden that understanding of modernism with paintings by Eastern artists active in that period, as well.

A number of works of art from the Malaysian artist will be on display in the Paris collection, including a number of important works that highlight his unique place in art history. The artist’s unique creative voice and artistic process adds a rich dimension to Western art expectations.

In one of the paintings that will be on display as a part of the collection, a trio of figures dominate the canvas. It is difficult for the viewer to pinpoint what they should be looking at, as each of the figures is constructed by a number of abstract shapes, lines, textures, and colors. The overall effect is a group of abstract, vaguely monstrous statues. The central figure is yellow, gold, and orange. Curved crescent shapes at the top move the viewer to recall claws or horn, while circular bulges protruding from just below could be eyes. The possible mouth is full of jagged, sharp teeth, while a single paw grabs the figure to the left. This figure has a rounded top, complete with two eyes. Its limbs look more like tentacles and thick, sweeping blades. This figure also appears to be more menacing, as its colors are darker and cooler than the central figure. The third figure, which occupies the rightmost third of the canvas, features the darkest colors of all. One appendage looks like a clawed hand, extended upward toward the sky in a pose of desire or supplication — it’s up to the viewer to decide.

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To read more about the international art partnership, go to https://www.theartnewspaper.com/news/national-gallery-singapore-brings-major-show-of-works-by-latiff-mohidin-to-europe-with-70-strong-survey-at-paris-s-centre-pompidou.

0 Singaporean filmmaker’s documentary to be shown on Netflix

Fans of documentaries will get a treat by the end of 2018: A quirky and unique film by Singaporean director Sandi Tan viewable on Netflix.

The documentary itself was inspired by a series of strange events in Tan’s younger years. She and two other friends had an American filmmaking mentor who helped them to make a movie about a young assassin played by Tan herself. However, once filming was complete, the mentor disappeared — and so did the movie. He took the reels the movie had been filmed on and went on to live out his life in parts unknown.

Tan didn’t let the setback define her. She went on to have a successful career as a film critic, wrote a novel, and went back to school to learn even more about how to make a film.

The mentor who disappeared with her first film, however, popped back up in an unexpected way. After his death, his wife discovered the film reels while going through his belongings. She sent them, along with a note, to Tan, who was finally reunited with her first film. She used the footage to apply to a documentary film program at school, and crafted a documentary along with two other friends who had starred in the film.

The end product won a prestigious directorial award at Sundance, and Tan has plans to show the documentary at other film shows around the world. Netflix will feature the film on its online streaming service by the end of the year, bringing the interesting and engaging production to an even wider audience. Tan used the footage from the film itself, along with interviews from her two friends who had taken part in the project, to make the documentary. A Netflix official has lauded the film, saying that it speaks both to the bold rebellion one experiences during teen years to the experience of coming home and maturing — just like the original film Tan had planned to make did eventually.

Art can be found in any experience or place in life and the world — even in mistakes. The next time you experience a setback in your work or school projects, closely examine it before giving up. Is it a happy accident, meaning an unexpected step that could elevate your project to the next level? Just as Tan found award-winning art within the lost footage of a movie she made early in life, you, too, can find art within your existing work through taking an art class. Visit SGArtClass.com today to learn more about art and your own creative journey. From informative articles to discounted art supplies to a listing of different classes you can easily enroll in, SGArtClass.com is a comprehensive website dedicated to all things art. From film art to watercolor painting, there is sure to be a class to pique your creative curiosity.

To learn more about the strange story behind the documentary, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/netflix-buys-singapore-film-makers-work.

0 Repeat competitors earn first place at animation competition

A group of girls from a Singaporean school have won first place at an animation competition the third time they competed. They also won first place the first time they entered the competition, though they had to settle for second place during their second competition ever.

The quartet of girls were excited that their hard work paid off in the competition, which had the theme of Singapore’s total defense practice. The girls’ animation was made completely with stop-motion, which is a time-consuming and intricate practice. Scenes included firefighters making rescues and soldiers displaying teamwork.

Another part of the competition included older entrants who submitted story ideas which were then turned into animations by college-aged students. The college student group that won showed how Singaporeans overcame the racial riots in the 1960s as well as the Sars outbreak of the early 2000s. The winners of both competitions for the age groups were awarded an all-expenses-paid trip to Japan, which will include a tour of a renowned animation studio. A couple of members of the winning team of older-aged participants even earned internships with a media organization.

Total defense encompasses five main tenets that ensures the survival and thriving of Singapore through any situation. With military defense, both the Singaporean Armed Forces and citizen soldiers maintain readiness to respond and deter any threat. With civil defense, Singaporeans themselves are educated and trained in how to react to emergencies, including how to help each other in dire situations. In economic defense, protections are put into place to help keep the national economy of Singapore itself on par within the larger global economy. In social defense, Singaporeans are tasked with staying peaceful and harmonious within the fabric of society, which is particularly important since Singapore’s society is so diverse. The final aspect, psychological defense, includes Singaporeans’ willpower and their loyalty to the nation to push through tough times.

Art is a part of many aspects of our life. From television and movies to music and decor, art plays a factor in everything. If you’ve always wanted to explore your place in the art world but weren’t sure were to start, visit SGArtClass.com at your next availability. SGArtClass.com is a comprehensive website with information art articles, highly affordable art supplies, and an enormous listing of art classes you can easily enroll in. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve never picked up a paintbrush before or if you’re already an accomplished artist. Teachers with experience in leading students of all ages and abilities will be on hand to make sure you have all the tools and techniques in place to complete the projects you’re most interested in. Teachers will be able to schedule lessons around your busy schedule, and can even meet you in the comfort and convenience of your own home.

To read more about the competition, as well as the winning animations, go to http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore/third-times-charm-cedar-girls-nemation.

0 Singaporean curator shapes Malaysian art show

A Malaysian artist with ties to Singapore will be showing visitors the animals inside of them with the Malaysian exhibition he is taken part of. The artist won an art award in Singapore recently, and a Singaporean curator was responsible for organizing the current show.

The artist takes on social, political, philosophical, and religious thoughts and ideas in this particular body of work. Visitors to the exhibit are greeted immediately by a portrait of Plato. A famous quote from Plato questioning what is taught in schools and why those who say the truth are called foolish is included on the wall with the portrait. It’s a thoughtful and remarkable way to start the collection, which has been hung and arranged with care as to the flow of visitors through the space.

From the portrait, the visitor proceeds to a large gray slab. The words inscribed on it belong to author Ayn Rand and the artist. Immediately in front of the slab, though, is another installation of real dirt and a fake crow perched on a hoe. Rand’s writings eschewed the idea of helping people less fortunate, positing that people must provide for themselves by working just as hard as anyone else. Could this juxtaposition of artworks have significance? Only the visitor can decide.

In another vivid, visceral work, a dead, bloodied elephant is slowly dismantled by vultures. The carrion birds circle and swoop from the sky, perching on the elephant in a great feast. It isn’t immediately apparent, through all the blood and activity, what the cause of death of the elephant was. However, since the viewer cannot see tusks anywhere, one might assume that it is the work of poachers that the vultures are cleaning up after.

Another oil painting would be a peaceful scene: a bright sky reflected in a puddle on the ground. Only the puddle on the ground is actually dog urine, and the canine in question is still lifting its leg, looking around to lock eyes with the viewer. It could be a commentary on people and events so ready to tear down the beautiful things of the world just because those things didn’t align with their beliefs or experiences.

But perhaps the show is best described by the trio of paintings depicting three very famous monkeys in their well-known poses: see no evil, hear no evil, say no evil.

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To read more about the works that will be on display at the show, go to https://www.star2.com/culture/2018/02/26/ahmad-fuad-osman-primitive-exhibition-art-matahati_a_works_of_art/.

0 Singaporean artist uses newspaper to create abstract commentary

A Singaporean artist is taking his love of words and information and turning it into art. The resulting masterpieces, which will be displayed in a show in Hong Kong, offer commentary on censorship, the freedom and availability of information and truth, and the influence of cultural and governmental practices on media.

The artist used pages from the most prominent newspaper in Singapore to construct his works of art. He took something exact and tangible — the front page of a newspaper, designed to impart information — and blurred the words and information on the page to make it abstract and unreadable. The artist took transparencies of the pages and superimposed them on one another to strike up an irresistible rhythm and repetition of stories, pictures, and headlines.

In one such piece, headlines expressing concern about the spread of a financial downturn compete for space with a double image of a worker pushing a wheelbarrow full of unknown goods. In another, a handful of the same image of police officers in uniform offers a commentary on the repeated but obscured headline: “What divides Hong Kong?” There could be a lot of answers to that question, especially depending on the context. The most obvious is political, including Hong Kong’s relationship with China, but the vagueness of the headline is the crux of the artist’s point.

The major Singaporean newspaper is often criticized of referring to certain controversial subjects obliquely. For example, the artist was frustrated with the way the newspaper covered a story about an award-winning movie addressing the death penalty. The headline didn’t mention the death penalty at all. The artist said that he wished that people would say what they mean, especially the institutions that are tasked with providing valuable information to people. When they cannot address the difficult subjects, how are the people supposed to obtain enough information to shape their own views of the subjects?

This isn’t the first time the artist has used newspaper as his preferred medium for making art. Just two years ago in China, he included bundles of newspapers in his exhibition space and asked that visitors do with it as they liked. As a result, many of the newspapers got shredded. The artist said he was inspired by seeing the tied bundles of newspaper waiting to be delivered in the mornings. That moment of information not being available, however brief, caused the artist to question everything.

Inspiration is all around you for art and creativity — all you have to do is look. Visit SGArtClass.com today to browse all of the art classes you can easily enroll in. From oil painting to caricature drawing to mural painting, there is sure to be an art class that will pique your curiosity and inspire you to create and expand your knowledge and experience.

To read more about the artist’s work, as well as to see a few examples of the pieces, go to http://www.scmp.com/culture/arts-entertainment/article/2133921/singapore-artist-uses-straits-times-illustrate.

0 Art collective organizes art walks through Singaporean neighborhood

An artistic tour through historically and culturally important neighborhoods in Singapore continues with an art collective’s curated art walk in Emerald Hill. Those interested can experience the art history of Emerald Hill during four weekends next month. Thirty dollars purchase three different tours that, in total, will take ninety minutes, as well as access to an art exhibit.

One of the biggest themes in this art walk will be the area’s colonial embracing of nutmeg plantations. These profitable growing operations were started after Sir Stamford Raffles sent the seeds to Singapore. It was so popular and profitable to grow nutmeg in the beginning of the 1800s that many agricultural efforts in Singapore were abandoned in order to grow the spice. Important to note is that Singapore does not fault Raffles for this history. In fact, there is still a statue of the colonizer in a prominent area of the nation.

More than twenty artists will be taking part in the curated art walk in Emerald Hill, hailing from Singapore, Malaysia, and France. Everything from performance art to music and visual art will be on display in order to examine and pay tribute to the colonial history of the neighborhood. A quartet of singers will roam the area, singing songs of the era to visitors. Another performance art experience is an opportunity to grab a snack. One artist cut a replica of the Raffles statue in half and modified it into a charcoal grill. The other half is a cooling rack, where visitors can pick up their kueh kapit.

Other art installations and experiences to look forward to during the art walk through Emerald Hill include numerous commentaries on consumers’ consumption of goods. An art collective has designed a tea shop that teaches visitors about the history of tea, particularly in the scope of colonization, and offers themed blends of tea for purchase. Another artist has made a zen garden out of marble pebbles. The luxurious material of marble is a commentary on the wealth required for people to be able to really engage with retail experiences, though the zen garden will be a chance to withdraw from consumerism for a while and embrace inner peace.

Art has a place in nearly every niche of our existence. From understanding history to finding a place in consumerism, art can help inspire new knowledge and wisdom and stimulate conversations and relationships. Invite art into your life by visiting SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a website that offers everything from affordable art supplies to informative articles to exhaustive listings of art classes. Browse lessons in everything from digital art to mural painting to portrait drawing to watercolor painting and everything in between. Expert teachers with experience leading students of all ages and abilities will be on hand to schedule classes at the most convenient times and in the best locations for you.

To learn more about the Emerald Hill art walks, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/an-art-walk-around-emerald-hill.

0 Artist’s personal journey on display at Singapore gallery

A Singaporean art gallery will host a collection of art pieces from a visual artist from Bali. The collection will be available through the middle of April, and includes multimedia works that detail the artist’s journey. Since the artist has since moved from his hometown in Bali, he has only memories of growing up there. He takes these memories, which include experiences and conversations with loved ones, as well as actually recollections of the physical location and attributes of the town. The artist also brings in his personal experiences of practicing Hinduism into his art pieces, translating into highly ritualized and traditional details in his paintings.

In one piece that will be part of the exhibit, the artist uses acrylic paint and ink on canvas to depict a simple face in the middle of a tumult of lines and details. The line drawings behind the darker, bolder face are open to a number of interpretations. Some shadings take on the appearance of combed pebbles or sand in meditation gardens, while others look like scars or scorekeeping. The fact that the piece is rendered mostly in grays and blacks highlights the idea of murky memory.

In another piece, the central image that slowly comes into focus is a blossoming flower in a pot. Neutral, pastel colors in peach, green, and purple serve as the primary backdrop for a series of circles and squares around the canvas. The effect is one that leaves the entire work richly textured and deeply dimensional. The viewer is at risk of falling into this soft world of memory.

Another painting has warmer neutral tones, the most dominant of which is a pastel, earthy pink. In the center of the canvas, a pinkish-white tree grows. The tree is rendered in almost a childish depiction, but the commentary is clear — many of our memories from childhood are so fuzzy that these kinds of basic depictions are often what we must accept. The viewer must wonder what kind of fruit grows on this tree, as well as what kinds of memories inspired its inclusion here.

Another gorgeous pastel painting depicts a return to the artist’s hometown. Trees, mountains, and a bright but demur collection of people are depicted. It is clear, here, that the viewers are experiencing this town through the veils of memory. Perhaps the details aren’t exact, but the feeling — warmth, beauty, comfort — come through loud and clear.

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To learn more about the artist, as well as to see a slideshow of some of the masterpieces that will be on display at the exhibit, go to http://sea.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/2875627/landscape-of-memories-at-art-porters-singapore.

0 Opinion writer responds to National Gallery Singapore criticism

A recent newspaper opinion piece criticized National Gallery Singapore, saying the museum lacked such museum basics as clear signage directing visitors to specific exhibits, was difficult to navigate, and often didn’t pay enough homage to art from Singapore. A person with a differing view on National Gallery Singapore wrote an opinion piece to share their thoughts.

In this writer’s view, National Gallery Singapore represents a lot more than simply the art inside of it. As many know, the museum was built by combining Singapore’s old city hall and supreme court buildings. These historical buildings were the site of significant happenings, including the signing of the documents that saw the official end of World War II. Numerous cases and trials have taken place in the buildings, and people who used to work there continue to have fond memories of the time they spent there. The fact that National Gallery Singapore includes these two buildings and was able to keep the insides of them as intact as possible is remarkable. Any extra effort that visitors have to put in to navigate the rooms is well worth it because of the historical importance of the buildings.

The idea that signage is lacking throughout the museum is one that plagues many similar facilities. Curators must pick and choose what kind of information to include with every exhibit. They cannot include entire walls of context, history, and analysis for every exhibit. To do so would detract from the experience, and it is naive to expect anything different.

Finally, one of the proposed solutions the original opinion writer had was to invite Singaporean artists to showcase their work in the museum and host talks where the public can learn from the artists. The writer with the differing opinion disagrees with this solution. If National Gallery Singapore focuses too intently on Singaporean artists, then the museum, its visitors, and the artists themselves lose out on the opportunity to learn from other artists from around the world. Museums have a responsibility to educate as well as to preserve. By bringing in exhibits from other countries and cultures, National Gallery Singapore can inspire new creative thought in its visitors, showing new beliefs and techniques from abroad.

It might be tough to fit a new hobby in your daily schedule. Between work and home life, as well as spending time socializing and relaxing, even a single free hour might be hard to come by. However, if not having enough time in your life was an excuse you used to not enroll in art classes, let SGArtClass.com take part in dispelling that myth. After you enroll in one of our exciting art classes, expert teachers will work around your schedule. For maximum convenience, you can even sign up for online-only classes, pausing and playing tutorials whenever you need to.

To read more details about the argument in support of the layout and artistic efforts of National Gallery Singapore, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/national-gallery-singapore-should-be-applauded-for-its-effort.

0 Some Singaporeans to get treat of unique literature in their mailboxes

The second iteration of the #BuySingLit movement will include a special way to get new fans involved: sending unique, original literature written by Singaporean authors to random addresses of other Singaporeans. Anyone has the chance of checking their mailboxes in the near future and receiving literature. The program is designed to pique the interest of people who might not know where to get started on their journey delving into Singaporean literature, as well as drum up interest in the #BuySingLit movement.

The #BuySingLit movement itself is a push for more Singaporeans to support literature written and published right in Singapore. This movement, which was created last year, is back with around fifty different events to promote Singaporean literature. One such program, Chatbooks, is an innovative way to get people interested in Singaporean literature. With Chatbooks, participants can read a story via a chatbot that has been programmed with the writing of several Singaporean authors. What transpires is an immersive and interactive experience with a book — and a new way to appreciate Singaporean writers.

Another program that will be a part of the #BuySingLit movement incorporates the nostalgia of capsule toy dispensers. For just $2, participants can turn a crank of a machine and get a mini book filled with the words of a Singaporean author, an exclusive pin, and a voucher for a purchase of $10 at the event.

The signature event, however, has to be the sending of the letters from Singaporean authors to random Singaporean mailboxes. The theme of the letters is paying tribute to neighborhoods where the authors grew up, lived, or spent time. For all artists, the sense of place strongly influences their art, and writers are no different. The climate and culture around them sways everything from messages in their works to the very characters that bring their words to life. What will be particularly special is for Singaporeans living in those same areas receiving these love letters to their homes. It will not only open the door to appreciation of Singaporean literature, but also ignite the passion of people for their own neighborhoods as never before.

Other events that will be sure to draw attention during the #BuySingLit festival include art installations with the theme of city of books, art pieces commissioned to pay tribute to popular graphic novels, book-inspired playgrounds for children, and much more. One artist is even knitting works of art from old calendars. Many book sellers across Singapore have reported an increase in sales as a benefit of #BuySingLit.

Art has many surprising benefits for those who practice it. From relieving stress to building creative problem solving skills, there are many reasons for someone to start bringing more art into their lives. Visit SGArtClass.com today to browse the exhaustive listing of art classes you can enroll in.

To read more about the promotional literature being mailed out, as well as additional information about the literary festivities taking place, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/surprise-letters-for-singaporeans.

0 Indonesian performance artist thrills Singaporean audiences

For some lucky visitors during Singapore Art Week, taking in art took a strange and exciting turn when they went to witness the show organized and undertaken by Indonesian performance artist Melati Suryodarmo. Around twelve people at a time got to stand in a white painted room with the artist, also dressed in white, while she fired some 800 arrows into the walls around them.

While the artist made sure not to hit any of the spectators during the performance, she didn’t engage in them verbally or physically. The personal performance was something of a voyeuristic experience for the visitors. For a few minutes, they had the opportunity witness the quiet physicality and determination of Suryodarmo as she repeated her action 800 times.

The arrows were left in the walls of the performance space to be part of a retrospective exhibit. The effect, overall, is stunning and impactful. With hundreds of white feathered arrows protruding from white walls, visitors to the exhibit have the sense that an act of violence took place in the room — even if it was simply a performance art piece from Suryodarmo. Arrows are made for killing things, after all.

In another view, the arrows could be seen as the impotence of individual action in current world politics. From a social media standpoint, sharing opinions on the internet could be compared to shooting arrows off into space, never certain that any of them will find their targets. Suryodarmo had no particular target to aim for during her performance — just an area of wall that didn’t already have an arrow in it. Her approach to the performance was a meditation on the physical action of firing the arrows — not hitting a particular target. In the online sharing of opinions, posts, and the minutiae of daily life, this performance offers perhaps even a moving commentary on efforts to reach out and belong to a community of like-minded people — or even just get feedback and validation.

Suryodarmo is well known for her performance art pieces, many of which test the limits of her concentration and stamina. Shooting 800 arrows isn’t an easy task. Past performances have included her dancing in high heels on rapidly melting stacks of butter, and spending an entire half of a day grinding charcoal into powder.

Art can be found everywhere — if you know where to look. Unlock the door to your own personal creativity by signing up for an art class via SGArtClass.com. Lessons are available in everything from oil painting to caricature drawing, mural painting to comic drawing, and everything in between. Expert teachers with experience in instructing students of all artistic abilities will be on hand to ensure you learn the skills necessary to complete the projects you’re most interested in. Visit SGArtClass.com today to browse all the classes available, discounted art supplies, and informative art articles.

To read more about the performance artist’s projects, go to http://www.scmp.com/culture/arts-entertainment/article/2132190/indonesian-performance-artist-brings-her-maverick-style.