Every three years, a museum in Singapore hosts an art competition open to artists from the Southeast Asia region. The competition brings out the best creative minds and this year’s experience was no different. The grand prize winner this year was an artist from Vietnam who imagined a village made up entirely of children and created an art and video installation based on his vision.
The Vietnamese artist’s installation was based on observations written on one such village in the 1600s. She made videos that featured the children who lived in the imaginary village, and included oil paintings that recreated scenes there. One of the judges who decided that this installation would win the grand prize of the competition remarked on the quiet power it showed. Viewers couldn’t help but be drawn in to a place where children were in charge. Though the source material was hundreds of years old, the installation breathes new life into its vivid, visceral imagery. Though it offers commentary on historical periods of Vietnam, it still manages to do so in a refreshing and modern way.
An Indian-born artist who lives in Singapore won another award during the competition. His installation examined the history of book banning, burning of educational materials, and the destruction of libraries — which should be preserved as sources of knowledge. The artist said he was gratified to be recognized for his work, which he called a marriage between cultures and lives. Much of culture is preserved and conveyed through books, so it was a cathartic experience for him to base his work on that notion.
An artist from Thailand won additional accolades with a massive collage piece that featured pieces of Buddhist monk’s robes as part of the material. The overall effect of this work is almost overwhelming, but still joyful. The colors are vivid and bright, dots making up most of the competition. Swirling lines very nearly cover up an image in the background, but the viewer can just discern the shape of a large house, building, or temple just behind all the color.
An Indonesian artist won the people’s choice award for a highly detailed painting that depicted hundreds of scenes from the daily life of people in Indonesia. Viewers could study the rich tableau of figures dancing, families coming together for meals, individuals working, and much, much more in the masterpiece.
You can say so much with art once you learn the language. Learning those skills comes quicker if you have an art teacher in your corner. Visit SGArtClass.com to browse the full list of classes that are available for enrollment. You can meet your teacher based on your busy schedule. Instructors are experienced with leading students of all ages and abilities, helping you hone you craft and develop new skills to complete your creative goals.
To read more about the contest, as well as the winning artists, go to https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/signature-art-prize-2018-winners-phan-thao-nguyen-shubigi-rao-10483476.