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.
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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.