A talented artist is getting a well-deserved solo show at a Singaporean gallery that explores self-perception and belief in new and interesting ways.
The artist has partnered with a studio collective in Indonesia for two years, working on producing works that adhere to her theme. Much of the work was in stained glass, which is most often used in religious art or church decor. However, the artist reinterpreted that use by crushing the glass and utilizing it in new ways, exploring the idea of heresy and non-belief.
In one sculpture that will be on display at the exhibition, a representation of the human heart is seen, cast in bronze, complete with veins and ventricles branching out. Without color and context, it almost seems alien, a creature reaching out to try to make sense of the world around it. The artist has taken the 3-D sculpture to the next level by bedazzling it with crushed glass in pinks and purples, lending and even more realistic take on the organ.
In another sculpture, a winged angel statue with prayerful hands and an uplifted face is seen. What’s interesting, again, about the sculpture is the material. The shape itself is something you might find in any place of worship or cemetery, but the artist has chosen to construct it with bright blue and green crushed stained glass. The effect is almost modern, approaching on kitsch, like a cheap plastic toy for children’s amusement.
Another sculpture similar to the first has two human hearts, the veins enmeshed with each other. It’s an entanglement that neither seem to be able or willing to escape, and the red crushed stained glass takes on a lifelike wet ruby glow.
Still another human heart sculpture is shaped differently and colored a creamy white. The veins that branch out from the organ almost look like a halo, making viewers think twice about just why the heart is nearly white. Is it supposed to be a holy heart? If so, why isn’t it pure white — the color of purity of spirit? It could be seeking to make commentary on the fact that, according to doctrine, all human beings are sinners. Nobody is perfect, even if we are actively striving to be.
The artist’s most faithful take on a traditional stained glass artwork comes in the form of a panel of squares, each rendered in blue and white. Blue and white have, in Catholic tradition, served as the colors of the Virgin Mary’s robes. However, the artist still uses the crushed technique, molding the glass dust into her own view on stained glass windows.
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To read more about the exhibit — and to see a sneak peek of some of the pieces that will be on display — go to http://sea.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/3041437/see-like-a-heretic-on-vision-and-belief-at-gajah-gallery.