iPRECIATION is proud to show 14 works from “Flavours of Life” series by Tay Bak Chiang, which capture the resonant connection between food, culture, and memory at VOCO Link Bridge.
Hawker centres and coffee shops form the backdrop of the works, illustrating their role as vital parts of daily life in Singapore, offering affordable meals that cater to all segments of society. These venues represent a cornerstone of Singapore’s rich culinary heritage. Everyday meals like wonton noodles, char siew rice, and youtiao transformed from mere sustenance into symbols of comfort and stability, their cultural and emotional significance magnified.
Exhibiting at VOCO Link Bridge, between VOCO Orchard Hotel and The Four Seasons Hotel on Orchard Road—a renowned tourist and shopping district—the exhibits do more than just showcase local cuisines; they celebrates them as influential catalysts for cultural connections that reach beyond Singapore’s shores, offering a taste of something truly unique. As the saying goes, food is a universal language, an expression of one’s cultural identity, served with hospitality, a poignant reminder of the cultural significance of food and its ability to connect us to our heritage, to each other, and to the wider world.
iPRECIATION is honoured to present “The Journey Continues: Lee Wen’s Exploration of Identity” at ION Art gallery (Level 4, ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801) from 13 to 17 February 2025, and at iPRECIATION (50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724) from 13 February to 29 March 2025.
This exhibition will showcase Lee Wen’s iconic works, which include fine art photography prints from his performance works, as well as performance paintings and drawings. Featured in the exhibition are some of his most important series, including “Splash!”, “Strange Fruit”, “Anthropometry Revision”, and “Yellow on Yellow Dreamboat” — works that have become landmarks in his artistic journey and have played a pivotal role in defining his legacy in the art scene. Many of these pieces, in their other editions, are part of the permanent collections of prominent local and international institutions.
No stranger to the arts scene in Singapore and internationally, Lee Wen(b. 1957 – d. 2019, Singapore) was a multidisciplinary artist and one of the country’s most internationally recognised contemporary and performance artists, playing a key role in shaping the development of performance art in Asia. He was known for challenging societal norms with works that were both thought-provoking and sharply satirical. In 1988, at the age of 30, Lee Wen discovered his true calling as an artist, which led him to leave his banking career and enrol at LASALLE College of the Arts, a decision made at a time when the professionalisation of art was still uncertain. One thing certain was that Lee’s belief in freedom was undeniable, and anyone who engages with his work can truly grasp the essence and determination that defined him. In the same year, he became a member of The Artist Village, founded by fellow artist Tang Da Wu. Lee later moved to London to pursue his studies in art at the City College of London Polytechnic in 1990.
Lee’s performances and work started as early as the 80s, he was ahead of the times in the bold social investigations and psychological interrogations of Asian culture and society. His work is complex, a mix of humour, criticism, sadness, and bitterness, with a depth that is not often found in the local art scene. Beneath the humour in his work lies the frustration and ingenuity of an artist who developed in a context where public self-expression faced significant challenges, such as the ban on funding for unscripted performance art in Singapore from 1994 to 2003. Despite this, Lee continued to perform both in Singapore and abroad. Highly respected internationally in his field, he was invited to perform on numerous international platforms, with appearances in cities such as Berlin, Glasgow, Venice, Brussels, Madrid, Tokyo, Toronto, Beijing, Santiago, Sydney, Dresden, Tel Aviv, Bern, Mexico City, Helsinki, and Havana, among many others, from 1998 to 2014.
Over the span of 30 years, Lee participated in more than 85 exhibitions and performances, both locally and internationally. His works have also been featured at prestigious art fairs, such as Art Basel Hong Kong in 2014, marking his debut at an international art fair, followed by Art Paris in 2015, Art Miami in 2017, and Art SG in 2024. Throughout his career, he has garnered numerous accolades and his works are part of the permanent collections at institutions.
Lee Wen passed away on March 3, 2019, in Singapore, but his legacy continues. His life and work reflected his belief that continuous learning and growth are fundamental to strength and progress—principles he embraced until his final moments. For Lee, art was not just about creation—it was about pushing boundaries and inviting others to join him on a journey of continuous growth and exploration.
About the Artist
Lee Wen (b. 1957 – d. 2019, Singapore), is a multidisciplinary artist and one of Singapore’s most internationally recognised contemporary artists. Best known for his Yellow Man series, painting his own body with bright yellow poster paint, he expresses an exaggerated symbol of his ethnic identity as a citizen of Singapore. Lee now lives and works extensively on a global circuit and is based between Singapore and Tokyo.
Lee Wen’s performances and installations often expose and question the ideologies and value systems of individuals as well as social structures. His work attempts to combine Southeast Asian contexts with international currents in contemporary art. His early practice was associated with the Artists Village, an alternative art group in Singapore and later forged a more individuated artistic career. (Lee officially resigned from TAV in 2011). Lee has been represented at the Singapore Biennale (2014), Busan Biennale (2004), the 3rd Asia Pacific Triennial in Brisbane (1999), the Sexta Bienal de La Habana, (1997), the Kwang Ju Biennial (1995) and the 4th Asian Art Show, Fukuoka (1994).
Lee’s enthusiasm as an artist goes beyond his solo work and continues to be active and involved with the new generation in spawning possibilities of collaborations, network and discourse. In 2003 Lee initiated, with the support of the Artists Village, “The Future of Imagination”, an international performance art event and “R.I.T.E.S.- Rooted In The Ephemeral Speak” (2009), a platform to support and develop performance art practices, discourse, infrastructure and audiences in Singapore.
Since 1999 Lee has worked with Black Market International an innovative, ground-breaking, utopian performance art “group” comprising artists from various countries and cultural backgrounds. Lee initiated the Independent Archive in 2012 to develop documentation, research and resource sharing of ephemeral art manifestations in Singapore as well as internationally.
Artworks shown at ION Art gallery:
Splash! 潑！#5 & #6 (Edition 3 of 5), 2003, 109.2×109.2cm (Each),113x113cm (Framed Each), Giclee Print on Cotton Rag Paper
Strange Fruit奇異果 (Edition 3 of 5), 2003, 109.2cmx109.2cm (Each), 113x113cm (Framed Each), Giclee Print on Cotton Rag Paper
(Left to Right) Anthropometry Revision – JJ Series No. 02, 2008, 109x75cm,127×91.3cm (Framed) Anthropometry Revision – LW Series No. 01, 2008, 109x79cm,127×91.3cm (Framed)
(Left to Right) Anthropometry Revision – JJ Series No. 08, 2008, 110 x 75cm,127 x 91.3cm (Framed) Anthropometry Revision – LW Series No. 04, 2008, 110 x7 9cm,127 x 91.3cm (Framed) Anthropometry Revision – HLP Series No. 03, 2008, 110 x 75cm, 127 x 91.3cm (Framed)
(Top to Bottom) Journey of a Yellow Man No.7: Harvesting beauty in the fields (…walking) (Edition 1 of 5), 1995, 86.5×124.5cm (With Border), 100×137.5cm (Framed), Giclee Print on Cotton Rag Paper Journey of a Yellow Man No.7: Harvesting beauty in the fields (…reflecting) (Edition 1 of 5), 1995, 86.5×124.5cm (With Border), 100×137.5cm (Framed), Giclee Print on Cotton Rag Paper Journey of a Yellow Man No.7: Harvesting beauty in the fields (…following) (Edition 1 of 5), 1995, 86.5×124.5cm (With Border), 100×137.5cm (Framed), Giclee Print on Cotton Rag Paper Journey of a Yellow Man No.7: Harvesting beauty in the fields (…sweeping) (Edition 1 of 5), 1995, 86.5×124.5cm (With Border), 100×137.5cm (Framed), Giclee Print on Cotton Rag Paper
Yellow on Yellow: Dreamboat 黃人身上的黃色：夢之船, 1998 – 2014, 152.4×101.6cm, 155x106cm (Framed), Acrylic Print on Photograph, Giclee Print on Cotton Rag Paper (2nd Print)
Hard Rain, 1990, 87x60cm, Acrylic on Canvas
(Left to Right) This Blue Again No.11, 2014, 33x23cm, 57x47cm (Framed), Colour Pencil on Paper, This Blue Again No.7, 2014, 33x23cm, 57x47cm (Framed), Colour Pencil on Paper, This Blue Again No.2, 2014, 33x23cm, 57x47cm (Framed), Colour Pencil on Paper, This Blue Again No.4, 2014, 33x23cm, 57x47cm (Framed), Colour Pencil on Paper
(Top left to right) Pralaya Series No.13, 2002, 25x36cm, 48x59cm (Framed), Graphite on Paper,Pralaya Series No.14, 2002, 25x36cm, 48x59cm (Framed), Graphite on Paper (Bottom left to right) Pralaya series No.15, 2002, 25x36cm, 48x59cm (Framed), Graphite on Paper Pralaya series No.2, 2002, 29.8x42cm, 48x59cm (Framed), Graphite on Paper
(Top left to right) Struck, 2015, 33x23cm, 57x47cm (Framed), Colour Pencil on Paper, Bay of Fire, 2015, 33x23cm, 57x47cm (Framed), Colour Pencil on Paper (Bottom left to right) A New Vessel for the Ocean, 2015, 33x23cm, 57x47cm (Framed), Colour Pencil on Paper, Light My Fire, 2015, 33x23cm, 57x47cm (Framed), Colour Pencil on Paper
Artworks shown at iPRECIATION Gallery:
(Top to Bottom) Call of the Red, When We Meet Again No.1, 2013, (Edition 1 of 5), 112x216cm, Giclee print on cotton rag paper, Call of the Red (When We Meet Again) No.2, 2013, (Edition 1 of 5), 112x112cm (With Border), 115×115 cm (Framed), Giclee Print on Cotton Rag Paper
(Left to Right) Anthropometry Revision, Ink Series No.02, 2008, 140x75cm, Ink on Rice Paper Anthropometry Revision, Ink Series No.08, 2008, 140x75cm, Ink on Rice PaperRed Dress with Leaves, 2013, 110x79cm, Pastel on Paper
Eric Chan, born 1975 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, currently based in Singapore / Malaysia, is one of Southeast Asia’s notable contemporary artist. An award winning arts practitioner, he has carved out a reputation for reinvigorating interest in painting as a resonant contemporary media. His art practice also extends across different medias from film and photography to installations and sculptural works.
With more than two decades of active commitment to his art practice, having had many solo exhibitions internationally, he has enjoyed recognition for his work, receiving amongst others, the Jurors’ Choice at the Philip Morris ASEAN Art Awards (2002) and Highly Commended accolade at the 2003 UOB Painting of the Year Competition under the photography section. Chan was also the first artist to inaugurate the BMW Young Asian Artists series in collaboration with the Singapore Tyler Print Institute in 2007.
In addition to having strong auction success at Christie’s and Sotherby’s, his works are collected by the Singapore Art Museum and in corporate and public collections such as the CapitaLand Art Collection, UOB Art Collection, UBS Art Collection, OCBC Art Collection, SingTel Art Collection and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore, to name just a few.
Notably, his work was exhibited at The Galleria d’Arte Moderna Milano in an exhibition entitled, “Don’t Shoot The Painter” in 2011 alongside works of artists he greatly admired such as Gerhard Richter, Francesco Clemente, Ed Ruscha and many more.
His installation work, “Bondages of Desire” was also acquired by The Burger Collection. The highly respected art magazine, Art in America listed The Burger Collection as one of the “Top 200 Collections in the World” and the German art magazine, Monopol also rates The Burger Collection as one of the 100 most influential collections in the world.
Education
2000 | Master of Fine Art, RMIT University, Austurlia 1997 | Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art (DISTINCTION) RMIT University, Australia 1996 | Diploma in Fine Art, LASALLE College of the Arts Singapore
Solo Exhibition
SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2016 | In Light of the Ephemeral Silence, FOST Gallery, Singapore / in-Definite Defiance – Solo Exhibition by Eric Chan, ChanHampe Galleries, Singapore 2011 | WANTED: Possession and Rejection, ChanHampe Galleries, Singapore / Paintings by Eric Chan, Stephanie Hoppen Gallery, London, UK / The Romantics of Betrayal, ION Art Gallery, ION Orchard, Singapore / Submissions to Beauty, Paintings by Eric Chan, Amelia Johnson Contemporary, Hong Kong 2008 | Fine Displacement, Paintings by Eric Chan, Amelia Johnson Contemporary, Hong Kong 2007 | Another Place. Another Time. The Substation Gallery, Singapore 2006 | Paintings by Eric Chan, Drawing Room, Manila, Phillipines / Indulge – Paintings by Eric Chan, Gajah Gallery, Singapore 2005 | From Here To After- Paintings by Eric Chan, The Third Line, Dubai, UAE 2004 | TemptedPaintings by Eric Chan, Taksu Jakarta, Indonesia 2003 | Fine ObjectionsPaintings by Eric Chan, Taksu Singapore, Singapore 2002 | Out-SightPaintings by Eric Chan, Bark Modern Art, Hong Kong / New paintings by Eric Chan, Valentine Willie Fine Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2001 | In Between Odds – New Works by Eric Chan, The Substation Gallery, Singapore / ERIC CHAN – Exhibition, Valentine Willie Fine Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia / The Gallery – Siemens Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2000 | Flaunting – Paintings by Eric Chan, Art Forum Gallery, Singapore
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS 2015 | Dont’ Shoot The Painter. Paintings from UBS Art Collection. Galleria d’Arte Moderna, Milan, Italy 2011 | London Art Fair 2011, Stephanie Hoppen Gallery, London, UK 2005 | TOWARDS BEAUTY’S END, Bathurst Regional Art Gallery, New South Wales, Australia / ART FOR NATURE, Rimbun Dahan, Selangor, Malaysia / EMERGING ARTISTS EXHIBITION, Span Galleries, Melbourne, Australia 2004 | TOWARDS BEAUTY’S END, Queensland University Art Museum, Brisbane, Australia / FOOTSTEPS (JEJAK LANGKAH), National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2003 | MALINDO, Taksu Jakarta, Indonesia / TAKSU GALLERY (Singapore) Opening Exhibition, Taksu Singapore, Singapore 2002 | ASEAN ART AWARDS 2002 Philip Morris Group of Companies Bali International Convention Centre, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia / Singapore Art Awards 2001/2002 Philip Morris Group of Companies The Gallery @ Paragon, Singapore / Painted: Recent Works by Contemporary Southeast Asian Painters Valentine Willie Fine Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2001 | ASEAN ART EXPO – Singapore, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore / RMIT Master of Fine Art Graduate Show (Singapore), LASALLE-SIA Gallery, Singapore / STRATA 2000 – RMIT Master of Fine Art Graduate Show, SPAN Gallery, Melbourne, Australia 2000 | Imagined Boundaries – Looking at New Model Communities Marine Parade Theatre Festival 2000 (Visual Arts Exhibition) Marine Parade Community Building, Singapore / Between – LASALLE School of Fine Art Faculty Show, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore 1999 | SUARA IV – LASALLE Alumni Art ExhibitionCaldwell House, CHIJMES, Singapore / PRAXIS – LASALLE School of Fine Art Faculty Show, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore / Work In Progress, Master in Fine Art Exhibition, LASALLE Gallery, Singapore 1998 | New Generation Singapore Artist Exhibition, Art Forum Gallery, Singapore / SEMIOSIS – LASALLE School of Fine Art Faculty Show, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore / A Refusal To Be Aware Of All Options; Looking Into Contemporary Painting The Substation Gallery, Singapore / Suara III – LASALLE Alumni Art Exhibition, Caldwell House, CHIJMES, Singapore / VISUAL + – 5 Installation 5 Artist, LASALLE Gallery, Singapore / Drench – 4th RMIT Fine Art Graduate Exhibition, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore / President’s Charity Show, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore 1997 | Art Power – Substation Fund-raising Show, Caldwell House, CHILMES, Singapore / BA Studies – Works In Progress, LASALLE Gallery, Singapore 1996 | Relic – Fine Art Diploma Show, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore / Perspective & Chance Connections Visiting Australian Artist Helen Geier’s Workshop LASALLE Gallery, Singapore 1995 | Wetterling-Teo Scholarship Exhibition, Wetterling-Teo Gallery, Singapore / Collage & Assemblage, LASALLE Gallery, Singapore ART RESIDENCIES 2005 | Young Artist Programme (Printmaking Residency) Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI), Singapore
SELECTED AWARDS AND SCHOLARSHIPS
2003 | Highly Commended (Photography Section) UOB Painting of the Year Competition 2002 | Jurors’ Choice Award, Philip Morris Group of Companies Singapore Art Awards 2001/2002 1997 | Outstanding Achievement Award Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art (Painting) Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts, Singapore / Art Bursary for Bachelor of Arts Studies, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts, Singapore / Arts In The City Street Painting Competition – 1st Prize 1996 | Singapore Festival of the Arts Fringe 1996
Willy Tay graduated from LaSalle College of the Arts in 1994 with a Diploma in Fine Art (Painting). He continued his studies at RMIT University, completing his Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) in 1998 and a Master of Arts (Fine Art) in 2004. With a dynamic artistic practice, he has participated in both solo and group exhibitions in Singapore and internationally. Notable exhibitions include “Do You Believe in Angels?” at Equator Art Projects in Singapore and Mo_Space in the Philippines in 2014, “The Realm in the Mirror, the Vision out of Image” at Jinji Lake Art Museum in Suzhou, China, in 2013, “Moments on White” at Osage Gallery in Hong Kong and Singapore in 2007, and “A Matter of Time” at SooBin Art Gallery in Singapore in 2007. His most recent group exhibition took place in 2023 at the Impression Culture and Art Festival in the Wenjiang Art District of Chengdu, China. He views art as a reflective medium, offering a mirror to society and emphasizing the artist’s role in interpreting and narrating the cultural and aesthetic narratives that shape our collective understanding. His paintings demonstrate a delight in the application and layering of paint, showcasing his engagement with the evolving art scene. Currently, he lives and works in Singapore, where he continues to develop his artistic practice.
Education
2004 | Masters of Arts (Fine Art), RMIT University, Melbourne. 1998 | Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art), RMIT University, Melbourne. 1994 | Diploma in Fine Art (Painting), LaSalle SIA College of the Arts
Solo Exhibitions
2014 | Absence of Knowing, Equator Art Projects, Singapore 2007 | AMatter of Time, SooBin Art Gallery, Singapore 2005 | Still, PKW Gallery, Singapore / An inward dialogue, ChengDu Painting Academy, China / An inward dialogue, Tankloft Art Center, Chongqing,China / An inward dialogue, SooBin Art Gallery, Singapore / Recent works, Asian Art Options, Singapore 2004 | Landscape +, SooBin Art Gallery, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
2023 | Impression Culture and Art Festival, WenJiang Art District, Chengdu, China 2017 | Temporal relations, TYC Studio Gallery, Chengdu, China 2013 | Do you believe in Angels, Equator Art Projects, Singapore & Mo_Space, Manila Philippines / Painting in Singapore, Equator Art Projects, Singapore 2012 | The Realm in the Mirror, the Vision out of Image, Singapore Contemporary Art Exhibition, Suzhou, China 2011 | OHOpenHouse/OHpost exhibition, Evil Empire Gallery, Singapore
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, Jon Kiat, referred to as Kiat, has explored innovative and resourceful ways of creating art in response to lockdowns and limited access to materials. This journey has led him to develop a hybrid technique that combines digital and analogue mediums, inspired by his method of resampling material in music. The adventurous themes in Kiat’s work are closely linked to his fascination with emotions and the concept of freedom. His freeform creative approaches have enabled him to work across multiple mediums, from painting on walls and canvases to composing music for dance floors, theatrical stages, and art installations. He also creates works that blur the line between art and design for various brands and cultural institutions. Kiat has developed projects both locally and internationally for notable organisations, including Cake Theatre, The Peranakan Museum, Swarovski, Adidas, ArtScience Museum, Dazed Online, Versus, Dior, Selfridges, the Singapore Tourism Board, Nike, Beams, and SHOWstudio. His recent presentations include “Antinodes” during Singapore Art Week in 2022, “Sonic Sessions” at Singapore Art Week in 2024, and his first solo exhibition, “I Against I,” at Art Outreach in 2024.
CV Highlights
2024 | ‘I Against I’ / Solo Exhibtion at Art Outreach 2024 ‘GOOOP’ Stamford Arts Centre Installation / Singapore Festival Of The Arts 2023 | ‘Sneakertopia’ Art Science Museum 2022 | ‘Antinodes’ Singapore Artweek 2022 / NAC 2022 ‘ANKI’ Digital Film Commision / Singapore Festival Of The Arts 2022 2020 | ‘Gang of Four’ Jurong Lake Installation / NAC 2020 2019 | ‘Bird Bus’ (with Cherry Chan) / PassionArts Festival / ‘Beyond the Silver Glow’ (with Syndicate) / Art Science Museum 2018 | ‘A Litany Of Broken Prayer And Promise’ (with Cake Theatre) / APAM Brisbane 2017 | ‘Art Science Late’ (with Cake Theatre) / Art Science Museum 2017 ‘Secret Galaxies’ (with Syndicate) / ArtScience Museum x I Light Marina Bay 2017 / ‘Hanging Garden’ (with Cherry Chan) / National Arts Council, Jurong 2015 | ‘Kelong’ PassionArts Festival, Bedok Reservoir / Inside Out (NY, Beijing, London, SG) with Syndicate / Singapore Tourism Board 2014 | ‘Between The Lines’ (with Cherry Chan) / People’s Association 2011 | ‘Elephant Parade’ (with Cherry Chan) 2010 | ‘Syndicate feat. Smithsonian Film Archives SG’ / NTU X Smithsonian Institute
Ahmad Abu Bakar (b. 1963, Malaysia) graduated from LaSalle SIA College of the Arts with a Diploma in Fine Arts (Ceramics) in 1989 and received his Bachelor of Fine Art (Sculpture) from the University of Tasmania (Australia) in 1995. Upon his return to Singapore in 1996, Ahmad joined LaSalle College of the Arts as a full-time lecturer where he taught ceramics and 3D studies. He also pursued his Master of Fine Arts with RMIT / LaSalle–SIA during his teaching period in the college. Ahmad left LaSalle to focus on his art practice in 2008.
As an artist, Ahmad had participated in numerous group exhibitions in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Thailand, The Philippines, Korea, Australia, France and Indonesia. In 2009, he was invited to be a part of Jakarta Contemporary Ceramics Biennale and the International Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition: Asian Ceramics Network and Selsius, held in the National Art Gallery, Malaysia in 2007. He was also invited to participate in the inaugural exhibition of the Singapore Art Museum’s new contemporary art wing, 8Q. Ahmad has also co-curated a showcase of Singaporean Malay artists entitled Tok Selampit Millenniumin 2004 at the Jendela art space (Esplanade, Theatres by the Bay) and in 2007, a group show featuring contemporary ceramicists from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam entitled Mapped in the same venue. He did his first solo exhibition ‘Ini Tanah Aku Punya’ in 2012 at Jendela Gallery Esplanade. In 2013 Ahmad had participated in the Singapore Biennale, where he collaborated with the inmates from Singapore Changi Prison. In the same year, he participated ‘Budi Daya’ at Malay Heritage Centre and in 2015 he participated in Secret Archipelago at Palais De Tokyo in Paris. In 2019 Ahmad did his 3rd solo exhibition at Chan+Hori Contemporary titled LANGIT,BUMI,TANAH akaTHE LAND OF THE HEAVENLY SKY curated by Khai Hori.In 2021 he did an installation at work at the Concourse Esplanade and donated 200 pcs of the works to Esplanade and Harun Ghani Foundation for charity.
Since 2009, Ahmad has dedicated his time to working with the Singapore Prison as an art instructor, where he mentors the inmates in an Arts programme (3D studies). In this programme, Ahmad has successfully inspired the inmates to express their creativity through art and instill confidence and conviction through the processes of art making. Currently he is also an adjunct lecturer at NIE (NTU).
Education
2001, Master of Fine Arts, RMIT, LaSalle-SIA of the Arts, Singapore
1995, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture, University of Tasmania, Australia
1989, Diploma in Fine Arts in Ceramics, LaSalle College of Fine Arts, Singapore
2016 | Tanah Air, The Private Museum Gallery, Singapore
2015 | These Sacred Things, Jendela Esplanade, Singapore / Secret Archipelago, Palais De Tokyo Museum, Paris, France / Once Upon a Hill, Utama Gallery, Fort Canning, Singapore
2014 | Budi Daya, Malay Heritage Centre, Singapore / Modern Love, Institute of Contemporary Art, LaSalle College of the Arts, Singapore / Jakarta Contemporary Ceramics Biennale #3, Gallery National Indonesia, Jakarta 1
2013 | Singapore Biennale 2013, Singapore
2012 | International Pottery Show, Naminara Island, Seoul, Korea
2011 | Singapore Sculpture Society – 10 years, National Library, Singapore
2010 | 2010 Ulsan International Onggi Competition, Busan, South Korea / Mungyeong Tea Bowl Festival, Mungyeong, Korea
2009 | Passsion in Clay, The ARTrium, MICA Building
2008 | 62-08: APAD Tradition, Innovation & Continuity, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore / LostCity2, Sculpture Square, Singapore / 8Q-Rate: School, 8Q Singapore Art Museum, Singapore / Catalyst=Equation, Fost
Gallery, Singapore
2007 | International Contemporary Ceramic Exhibition: Asian Ceramics Network and Selsius 2007 (3rd ACN), National Art Gallery, Malaysia / Mapped, Jendela, Esplanade, Singapore / Passion in Clay, Shanghai, China
2006 | ASEAN Ceramic Workshop 2006, Galeri Seni, UiTM, Perak, Malaysia / Ceramics beyond borders, National Library Building, Singapore / The Second Dance Song – New Contemporaries, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore / 2nd Asian Ceramics Network Exhibition, Bangkok, Thailand
2005 | The WAHANA Project: Imagine Legacy, Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Bandung, Indonesia / Badang, Substation Gallery, Singapore / The WAHANA, Vargas Gallery, University of Philippines, Philippines / First Asian Ceramics Network, Craft Culture Design Innovation Center, Korea / Form-ing Materials and Processes, Sculpture Square, Singapore
2004 | Tok Selampit Millenium, Jendela Gallery, Singapore / LOST City, Utterly Art Gallery, Singapore / The LaSalle School Show, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore
2003 | WAHANA, Balai Seni Lukis Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia / Discovery Phase, Art Two Gallery, Singapore / Singapore Contemporary Ceramics, Art Season Gallery, Singapore / Bilateral Bonds, Taksu Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia / Sculpture Biennale Symposium, Plastic Kinetic 2 Worms Gallery and NIE/NTU Gallery, Singapore / Power Show – Work in Progress, Substation, Singapore
2002 | BadEevilAwfulUglyTerribleYucky, Utterly Art, Singapore / Past, Present, Beyond, NUS Museum, Singapore / The Alumni Exhibition, Tasmania, Australia / New Sculpture Milennium, National Museum of History Taipeh, Pier-2 Art District Kaohsiung, Taiwan / Portrait Reasses, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore
2001 | Nokia Singapore Art 2001, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore / Contemporary 2001-APAD, Calligraphy Centre, Singapore / Too2, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore
2000 | Nokia Art, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore 1999 | Provocative Things – A 3-Dimensional Experience in Singapore, Sculpture Square, Singapore / Cartblanche, Alliance Francais’ Gallery, Singapore / Praxis, Earl Lu Gallery, LaSalle-SIA College of the Arts, Singapore
1998 | Drawing and Diagram: Ideas Personified (Singapore Art Festival), Caldwell House, Chijmes, Singapore / Everything Must Go, Substation Gallery, Singapore / Perak Arts Festival, Malaysia
1997 | Singapore Art ’97, Suntec City Convention Centre, Singapore / Look Exhibition, Earl Lu Gallery, LaSalle SIA College, Singapore / F.O.R.M., Barli Museum, Bandung, Indonesia
1996 | Inaugural Exhibition -Modernity and Beyond, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
1995 | From Another Place, Tasmania, Australia
1994 | Prefx Point Travelling Show, Singapore and Malaysia
1993 | Art in Asia (Singapore Art Fair), World Trade Centre, Singapore
1992 | Metropol!!, The Substation, Singapore / Vision IV, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore / The Space (Singapore Festival of Arts Fringe Programme), Hong Bee Warehouse, Singapore / Bread and Butter Exhibition, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore
1991 | National Sculpture Seminar, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore
1990 | Chrysalis (Singapore Art Festival Fringe Programme), Marina Room, Singapore / Best of LaSalle, Arts Affairs Gallery, Singapore / The Arts for Nature, The Exhibition Gallery, Empress Place, Singapore / Vision III, The Substation Gallery, Singapore / Australian Art Award, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore / 3 Gateway of Malaysia, Johor Bahru,
Malaysia Awards
2010 | Very Special Award, 2010 Ulsan International Onggi Competition, South Korea
1999 | For outstanding Artistic Creativity, Singapore Turf Club Art Competition, Singapore
1998 | The Arts Award of Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), Japan
1990 | IBM Art Award, Merit Award, Singapore / Teater Remaja -Kemuning, Indonesia
Li Xianting is a key figure in the development of Chinese avant-garde art and a highly respected independent art critic and curator, often referred to as the “Godfather of Chinese Contemporary Avant-Garde Art”. As the magazine editor at Meishu magazine during Chinese economic reform, he introduced influential art movements such as “Scar Art,” “Rural Art,” and the modernistic “Twelve Artists Group Exhibition”, China’s first modernist show since mid-century. Li Xianting was the only critic to positively review the “Stars Art Exhibition” in a state-owned art magazine.
Li Xianting was the editor of three influential art magazines in China: Meishu (1978-1983), Art Newspaper of China (1985-1989), and The Renaissance (Xin Chao) (2001), and also contributed in the editing of other journals such as Art Trends (Meishu Sichao) and His contributions to the “85 New Wave” and his ongoing research and writing on Chinese art since the 1970s have solidified his status as a leading art critic. His articles, such as “Critique of the May Fourth Art Revolution” “What Matters is Not Art” “‘Postmodern’, ‘Nationalization’ and ‘Straw’” “The Sense of ‘Boredom’ in Contemporary Chinese Art: Analyzing the Cynical Realism Trend”, are now essential references for researching contemporary Chinese art.
In 1991, Li published “The Sense of ‘Boredom’ in Contemporary Chinese Art: Analyzing the Cynical Realism Trend” on on the Hong Kong academic journal, Twenty-First Century, giving Fang Lijun and his contemporaries’ new works a novel designation that had no precedent in modern art history. His article “Political Pop and Consumer Imagery” organizes the artworks from Wang Guangyi and Zhang Peili. On Chinese Calligraphy Studies, Li published “Questioning ‘Modern Calligraphy’”, as a systematic exposition on the modernization of calligraphy as a traditional art.
In his spare time, Li also finds joy in practicing calligraphy. Graduating from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in the late 1970s, he has been using a brush as his writing tool since childhood, a skill he has honed for decades. He possesses the distinct characteristics of a traditional intellectual. Since 2006, he has founded and directed the Li Xianting Film Fund, a project dedicated to the screening, education, and archiving of independent Chinese documentaries.
Despite his academic journey, Li Xinting finds solace in calligraphy. He has a passion in writing large and bold characters, distinct from the works of professional calligraphers. In recent years, he has chosen a more secluded lifestyle, yet remains committed to his artistic endeavours.
Education
1978 | Graduated from Chinese Painting Department at Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China
CV
1978-1983 | Magazine Editor at Meishu
1985-1989 | Magazine Editor at Art Newspaper of China
1991 | Published “The Sense of ‘Boredom’ in Contemporary Chinese Art: Analyzing the Cynical Realism Trend” on the Hong Kong academic journal, Twenty-First Century
1991 | Published “Questioning ‘Modern Calligraphy’” on Chinese Calligraphy Studies, provided a comprehensive analysis of the modernization of calligraphy as a traditional art form
1993-1997 | Participated in the curation of “China’s New Art, Post-1989” in Hong Kong, Australia, and North America
1995 | Participated in the curation of “Departing from State Ideology” in Hamburg, Germany
1999 | Participated in the curation of “Rainbow Across the Century: Chinese Kitsch Art” in Tianjin, China
2000 | Participated in the curation of “Fascination with Harm” in Beijing, China
2001 | Magazine Editor at The Renaissance
2003 | Participated in the curation of “Prayer Beads and Brush Strokes” in Beijing, China
2006 | Founded “Xianting Film Fund”, a project dedicated to the screening, education, and archiving of independent Chinese documentaries
iPRECIATION: A Celebration of Singaporean Artistry and Global Excellence
iPRECIATION is delighted to announce its participation in Art SG 2025, one of Asia’s most prestigious art fairs, held at the iconic Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. This year, our presentation at Booth BD09 showcases an extraordinary collection of artworks, celebrating Singaporean creativity alongside the dynamic contributions of Southeast Asian talents and globally renowned masters of contemporary ink and calligraphy.
Showcasing Emerging and Established Singaporean Artists
At the heart of our presentation is a spotlight on Singaporean artists, whose works exemplify the multifaceted nature of the country’s art scene. We are thrilled to introduce three new collaborators—Ahmad Abu Bakar (b. 1963), Jonathan Nah (Kiat) (b. 1972), and Willy Tay (b. 1974). Their creative expressions highlight the richness and diversity of Singaporean artistry, offering new perspectives and voices to our curatorial vision.
Alongside these emerging talents, several established Singaporean artists will present exclusive new works that reflect the evolving pulse of the local art landscape. Milenko Prvacki (b. 1951) continues to captivate audiences with his sophisticated abstract compositions, marked by a mastery of colour and form. Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960) brings tranquillity and elegance to semi-abstract landscapes, using ink and gold leaf on canvas to create works of profound beauty. Vincent Leow (b. 1961) delves into existential themes, exploring global conflicts through evocative depictions of war-torn landscapes rendered in copper rust on paper.
Veteran artist Wee Shoo Leong (b. 1958) provides a lyrical perspective on Singapore’s urban landscape, while Baet Yeok Kuan (b. 1961) evokes personal nostalgia with still-life works inspired by bygone communication tools such as the typewriter. Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973) presents his latest series, “Blue Planet,” a poignant meditation on humanity’s place in the vast cosmos. Eric Chan (b. 1975) continues his exploration of contemporary painting with mixed media-on-linen landscapes that embody both meticulous craftsmanship and conceptual depth.
We are also proud to feature sculptural works by Lim Soo Ngee (b. 1962), Ahmad Abu Bakar (b. 1963), and Chiew Sien Kuan (b. 1965). Each artist brings a distinct perspective, working with wood, clay, and found objects to craft sculptural pieces that exemplify dedication, innovation, and mastery of their chosen mediums.
Global Masters of Contemporary Ink and Calligraphy
In addition to showcasing the best of Singaporean and Southeast Asian artistry, our presentation highlights the influence of internationally acclaimed masters of contemporary ink and calligraphy. Irene Chou (1924–2011), a pioneer of the New Ink Art Movement, continues to inspire generations with her bold and expressive works. Gao Xingjian (b. 1940), a Nobel laureate, offers a seamless fusion of literature and visual art, while Wang Dongling (b. 1945) redefines traditional calligraphy with his innovative “Chaos Script.” Li Xianting (b. 1949), a leading art critic and curator, has profoundly shaped the development of contemporary Chinese ink art.
Engaging with Artists and Their Creations
iPRECIATION offers visitors a unique opportunity to engage directly with several featured artists at ART SG 2025 Booth BD09. These interactions promise to foster meaningful connections, enrich public understanding of the creative process, and provide deeper insights into Singapore’s vibrant art scene.
A Commitment to Excellence
As a champion of Singaporean art, iPRECIATION remains steadfast in its mission to nurture and promote local talent while fostering cross-cultural dialogue. We invite you to join us at Booth BD09 to explore this exceptional collection of artworks and immerse yourself in a celebration of creativity, innovation, and artistic excellence.
For media inquiries or further information, please contact:
Contact Name: Sun Kexin
Contact Email: kexin.sun@ipreciation.com
Contact Number: +65 6339 0678
Artists and Portfolios:
Irene Chou (b. 1924 – d. 2011, China – Australia)
Irene Chou’s art, celebrated for its resilience and vibrancy, continues to inspire long after her passing. Known for her pioneering role in the New Ink Art Movement, her works have been showcased internationally, including at the Asia Society Museum in Hong Kong. In 2024, her art graced the cover of a Harvard University brochure for the “Medium of the Mind” conference. Despite physical limitations in her later years, Chou’s brushstrokes captured the beauty and perseverance of the human spirit. Her legacy endures, with her works to be featured at ART SG 2025.
Irene Chou, No.14, Life is a Many Splendoured Thing, 2006, 68x68cm, Ink and Colour on Paper
Wang Dongling (b. 1945, China）
Wang Dongling is a renowned contemporary ink artist, recognised for his ground breaking “Chaos Script” that blends traditional Chinese calligraphy with modern interpretations. His work draws from Buddhism, Daoism, and Chinese poetry. Wang earned a Bachelor’s in Fine Art from Nanjing Normal University (1966) and a Master’s in Fine Art from Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (1981). His art has been exhibited globally at institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum, and National Art Museum of China. His works are in collections including the British Museum, Yale, and Harvard.
Wang Dongling, Lao Tzu-Tao Te Ching the Principles of Naturalism
老子《道德經·道法自然》,2018,99x66cm,Ink on Paper
Milenko Prvacki (b. 1951, Yugoslavia/Singapore)
Distinguished as a Cultural Medallion recipient and a significant contributor to the Singapore art scene through education, Prvacki is celebrated for his mesmerizing abstract creations. His art involves a harmonious application of colours, motifs, and geometric shapes, possessing a distinctive allure that engages audiences in a nuanced exploration where deeper meaning unfolds with each gaze. This artistic approach has left an enduring imprint on Singapore’s cultural landscape.
Milenko Prvacki, Abstraction for Beginners, 2024, 170 x 165 cm, Acrylic on Linen
Wee Shoo Leong (b. 1958, Singapore)
Renowned for his exceptional oil on canvas creations, Wee Shoo Leong transcends the boundaries of traditional artistic expression. Rooted in a profound love for his homeland, Wee delicately captures the inherent beauty of Singapore’s landscape. His artworks transcend mere visual representation, acting as portals into reimagined narratives that echo poignant tales of the nation’s evolution and cultural vibrancy. Wee’s unique skill lies in his capacity to infuse each piece with a deep sense of connection and reverence, reflecting his appreciation for the diverse beauty found in the surroundings of the city-state. His latest works are set to be unveiled at Art SG 2025.
Wee Shoo Leong, Time Yet for a Little Dance 舞上枝头, 2024, 96x76cm, Oil on Canvas
Wang Tiande (b. 1960, China)
Wang Tiande completed his studies at the Chinese Painting Department of the China Academy of Fine Arts, formerly known as the Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts. His academic journey coincided with the vibrant wave of the 85’ New Wave Art Movement, an influence that significantly shaped his artistic trajectory. This period left an indelible mark on his subsequent works, characterized by a spirit of exploration and experimentation. Wang’s approach introduces visual gaps that stimulate the viewer’s imagination, a departure from the conventions of traditional landscape paintings. The obscured view of the underlying layer, revealed only through the burns of the top layer, symbolizes the transient nature of modern existence. Wang Tiande sees this partial visibility as a metaphor for the fragmented aspects of contemporary living.
WTD-0034，浅水春岭图，2023，150.8×48.6cm，Ink,Flame on Paper，宣紙、墨、火焰
Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960, Singapore)
Oh Chai Hoo is a bold trailblazer in contemporary ink art, seamlessly merging traditional mediums with his imaginative flair. His artistic ventures yield creations that emanate tranquility, prompting profound introspection. What distinguishes Oh is his distinctive approach, at times opting for unconventional tools to create his pieces. This unconventional method showcases Oh’s exceptional talent and underscores his commitment to expanding the horizons of artistic expression in contemporary ink art.
Oh Chai Hoo, Into the Unknown 林深不知处, 2024, 100 x 100cm, Mix Media with Gold Leaf on Canvas
Vincent Leow (b. 1961, Singapore):
Vincent Leow is a renowned artist and art educator whose diverse practice spans sculpture, installation, performance art, painting, and mixed media. A pivotal figure in Singapore’s contemporary art history, Vincent has made substantial contributions through his involvement with key art collectives. He was an early member of The Artists Village, founded in 1988 by Tang Da Wu, and has been influential in other artist-run spaces. Vincent also co-founded the now-defunct Utopia and is the founder of Plastique Kinetic Worms, a leading alternative artist-run space in Singapore.
Vincent was honored with the prestigious Singapore Cultural Medallion in 2020, recognizing his outstanding contributions to the arts. Additionally, he received the Culture Award from the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2002. His international representation includes the 52nd Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art (2007), the 9th Indian Triennial of Contemporary Art in New Delhi (1997), and the 1st Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art in Brisbane (1993).
Vincent Leow, Echoes from the Ruins, 2024, 41x29cm, Copper Rust on Paper
Baet Yeok Kuan (b. 1961, Singapore):
Baet Yeok Kuan is a distinguished sculptor and educator whose practice is characterized by a profound exploration of form, space, and materiality. With a substantial contribution to the Singaporean art landscape, Baet’s work is recognized for its intellectual rigor and aesthetic innovation. A graduate of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and the University of Central England, Birmingham, Baet’s artistic journey has been marked by experimentation and a constant pursuit of new forms. His sculptures often challenge traditional notions of form, inviting viewers to engage in a dialogue with the artwork. Baet’s work has been exhibited extensively both locally and internationally, garnering critical acclaim and prestigious awards such as the Young Artist Award from the National Arts Council of Singapore. His inclusion in Art SG 2025 is a testament to his enduring impact on the contemporary art scene.
Baet Yeok Kuan, Study of Typewriter, 2024, 80x100cm, Oil on Canvas
Lim Soo Ngee (b. 1962, Singapore)
Renowned sculptor Lim Soo Ngee possesses a unique ability to infuse life into inert matter, transcending the boundaries of traditional sculpture. His creations, ranging from the whimsically cheeky to subtly charged with political undertones, act as powerful conduits for meaningful dialogue and reflection on a diverse array of subjects. Lim’s sculptural works extend beyond the physical realm, inviting viewers to engage emotionally and intellectually.
Lim Soo Ngee, Birdman 鳥人, 2023, 70x38x39cm, Painted Wood
Ahmad Abu Bakar (b. 1963, Malaysia / Singapore):
Ahmad Abu Bakar is a Singapore-based installation artist who utilizes ceramics as his primary medium. His career trajectory is marked by a unique blend of academic training and professional experience. Holding a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Sculpture from the University of Tasmania and a Master of Fine Arts, his artistic journey began with early exhibitions in Singapore and Malaysia. He has since become a prominent figure in the region’s contemporary art scene.
Ahmad’s work is recognized for its intricate and large-scale ceramic sculptures. Often referencing organic forms like pods, seeds, and clouds, his pieces explore themes of earth, sky, and the interconnectedness of nature and Southeast Asian culture. His sculptures challenge the traditional perception of ceramics, pushing the boundaries of scale and materiality.
Ahmad’s artistic practice extends beyond creating sculptures. He actively contributes to the art community through his role as an adjunct lecturer at the National Institute of Education. Additionally, he mentors inmates in an Arts program (3D studies) at the Singapore Prison Service, highlighting his dedication to art education and social impact.
Ahmad Abu Bakar,Aaa Baa Taa, 2024/25, 60x20x20cm, Clay, Glaze, and Wood
Chiew Sien Kuan (b. 1965, Singapore):
Chiew Sien Kuan explores the subconscious response to urbanization and modernity through introspective mixed media works and assemblages. His art, influenced by the Christian tradition of self-examination and Makoto Fujimura’s views on creation and brokenness, delves into the impact of urban change on inner lives. Fujimura’s philosophy of nurturing culture through creative generosity resonates in Chiew’s work, emphasizing the healing power of art. Inspired by Singapore’s Ulu Pandan Railway Bridge, Chiew’s ‘Bridges Assemblages’ series symbolizes both past and future connectivity, blending physical and spiritual elements. His pieces, made from collected objects over 10-15 years, integrate materials like wood and aluminum, often including miniature trains. Chiew’s patient, intuitive process reflects temporality and the journey of transformation. His art, marked by inventive humor and musical sensibilities, is a personal reflection on inner growth and cultural healing.
Chiew Sien Kuan, Elephant Warrior I, 2023, 60x50x25 cm, Wood, Metal Assemblage and Found Objects
Jonathan Nah/Kiat (b. 1972, Singapore)
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, Jonathan Nah, referred to as Kiat, has explored innovative and resourceful ways of creating art in response to lockdowns and limited access to materials. This journey has led him to develop a hybrid technique that combines digital and analogue mediums, inspired by his method of resampling material in music. The adventurous themes in Kiat’s work are closely linked to his fascination with emotions and the concept of freedom. His freeform creative approaches have enabled him to work across multiple mediums, from painting on walls and canvases to composing music for dance floors, theatrical stages, and art installations. He also creates works that blur the line between art and design for various brands and cultural institutions. Kiat has developed projects both locally and internationally for notable organisations, including Cake Theatre, The Peranakan Museum, Swarovski, Adidas, ArtScience Museum, Dazed Online, Versus, Dior, Selfridges, the Singapore Tourism Board, Nike, Beams, and SHOWstudio. His recent presentations include “Antinodes” during Singapore Art Week in 2022, “Sonic Sessions” at Singapore Art Week in 2024, and his first solo exhibition, “I Against I,” at Art Outreach in 2024.
Kiat / Jonathan Nah, Flanging Breaths, 2024, 150 x 150 cm, Oil, Acrylic, Palo Santo on Linen
Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973, Singapore):
Tay Bak Chiang, a contemporary artist renowned for his semi-abstract paintings, imparts a serene and introspective quality to his work. His acrylic on canvas creations captivated through a distinctive blend of traditional influences and contemporary flair. Tay’s art transcends conventional categories, celebrating diversity and appealing to a wide audience by seamlessly integrating familiar traditional elements with innovative approaches. His sophisticated understanding of form, space, and composition is evident in the meticulous execution of each piece, balancing visual allure with intellectual depth. By blending abstraction with representation, Tay provides viewers with a unique and engaging experience.
Tay Bak Chiang, Blue Planet 藍色星球, 2024, 170x170cm, Acrylic and Pigments on Canvas
Willy Tay (b. 1974, Singapore)
Willy Tay, a graduate of LASALLE College of the Arts (1994) and RMIT University (1998, 2004), has exhibited widely in Singapore and internationally. Notable shows include “Do You Believe in Angels?” (2014), “The Realm in the Mirror, the Vision out of Image” (2013), and “Moments on White” (2007). His recent work was part of the 2023 Impression Culture and Art Festival in Chengdu, China. Tay views art as a reflective medium, interpreting cultural and aesthetic narratives that shape collective understanding. His paintings engage with the layering of paint, drawing on themes of societal reflection and visual tension. His new works explore the lack of singular narratives, often focusing on antiquities and historical events to reconstruct fragmented stories that bridge the mundane with the magical, offering alternative perspectives and an escape from reality.
Willy Tay, Everyone There, Everyone Else, 2022, 158 x 237cm, Acrylic and Oil on Canvas
Eric Chan (b.1975, Malaysia)
Eric Chan, a key figure in Southeast Asia’s contemporary art scene, is renowned for his ability to blend diverse skills into unified masterpieces. His latest works reflect a personal journey of growth and transcendence, symbolizing renewal and hope. Unlike his previous pieces, these works radiate optimism, depicting a world bathed in light with vibrant colours and blurred lines. The luminosity of his paintings highlights the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope amidst the noise and challenges of today’s world. Chan’s art encourages us to find beauty in life’s possibilities, even in adversity, reminding us that there is always a glimmer of hope, no matter the darkness.
Eric Chan ,Flow, 2022, 90x70cm, Mixed Media on Linen
iPRECIATION is delighted to announce our upcoming exhibition with Mr. Li Xianting, a key figure in the development of Chinese avant-garde art and a highly respected independent art critic and curator, often referred to as the “Godfather of Chinese Contemporary Avant-Garde Art.” Mr. Li coined movements such as “Cynical Realism” and “Political Pop.” His curatorial work includes landmark exhibitions like China New Art Post ’89 and China Contemporary Art Exhibition, bringing Chinese contemporary art to the international stage.
About the Exhibition:
Mr. Li Xianting (b.1949, Jilin, China) graduated from Chinese Painting Department, Central Academy of Fine Art in 1978, he became the editor of Fine Art Magazine until 1983.
From 1985 to 1989 he was the editor of the authoritative China Fine Art Newspaper, and was active as an independent critic and curator based in Beijing henceforth. He devoted his career to writing, researching, and editing of contemporary Chinese art. He enjoys writing in bold characters, which have become a distinctive aspect of his personal style and expression.
This solo exhibition “Li • Tales in Calligraphy” marks Li Xianting’s return after years of seclusion, offering a rare opportunity to witness his inner voice. During the pause the world experienced amid the pandemic, Mr. Li found a moment of reflection. With the world seemingly on hold, he continued his passion for brush writing. His works serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience of art in the face of adversity. It offers a space for reflection on the broader cultural and societal values that shape us, while also honouring the legacy of a true pioneer in Chinese contemporary art. His brush writing reflects his inner thoughts, characterized by bold, rugged edges and expansive characters and style, diverges from traditional calligraphic practices, marking his unique artistic identity.
The works he presents, at first glance, seems to dwell in darker corners of the human experience: words like “Pain”, “Demon”, “Sickness”, and phrases such as “Falling Blossoms Fading Moon” or “Between Joy and Melancholy”. These words suggest a deep reflection on suffering, loss, and the struggle between opposing emotions. But to stop there, focusing only on the literal meanings of the characters, would be to miss the heart of the work. As Mr. Li has said, whether a piece of art is “good” or “bad” depends not on the work itself, but on the perspective of the viewer. How one perceives the art reveals more about the viewer than about the artwork itself. Rather than defining the work by the words themselves, we are asked to explore the space around the characters — to experience what is present in the silence, the gaps, the negative spaces. It is through this interplay between the written form and the space it occupies that the true nature of the piece unfolds. This subtlety reminds us that life, in its fullest sense, is not only made up of the high points of joy but also of the low moments that shape our growth and resilience.
There is irony in the act of writing these heavy words. Words like “Speech-less” or “Take a Step Back” inherently suggest an absence, a lack of expression. And yet, he has created these works, carefully choosing to write them. Reading these works, one might expect him to withdraw and cease all creative acts. Instead, his continued expression—his very act of writing these words—is a form of resistance, a refusal to be silenced. It is, in itself, an act of defiance against the gravity of these emotions.
For Mr. Li, it has been a period of reflection and regeneration. His works remind us that we all have our moments of challenges, but it is through these very experiences that we carve out our capacity for joy, strength, and meaningful moments. The act of writing these words is not an endorsement of their permanence, but a way of acknowledging their place in the ongoing path of life. This exhibition marks his return—not as a mere return to the spotlight but as a return to his own sense of being, a time of silence that now makes way for the resurgence of his work.
About the Artist:
Li Xianting (b.1949, Jilin, China) is a key figure in the development of Chinese avant-garde art and a highly respected independent art critic and curator, often referred to as the “Godfather of Chinese Contemporary Avant-Garde Art”. As the magazine editor at Meishu magazine during Chinese economic reform, he introduced influential art movements such as “Scar Art,” “Rural Art,” and the modernistic “Twelve Artists Group Exhibition”, China’s first modernist show since mid-century. He was the only critic to positively review the “Stars Art Exhibition” in a state-owned art magazine. He was the editor of three influential art magazines in China: Meishu (1978-1983), Art Newspaper of China (1985-1989), and The Renaissance (Xin Chao) (2001), and also contributed in the editing of other journals such as Art Trends (Meishu Sichao). His contributions to the “85 New Wave” and his ongoing research and writing on Chinese art since the 1970s have solidified his status as a leading art critic. His articles, such as “Critique of the May Fourth Art Revolution” “What Matters is Not Art” “‘Postmodern’, ‘Nationalisation’ and ‘Straw’” “The Sense of ‘Boredom’ in Contemporary Chinese Art: Analyzing the Cynical Realism Trend”, are now essential references for researching contemporary Chinese art. In 1991, he published “The Sense of ‘Boredom’ in Contemporary Chinese Art: Analyzing the Cynical Realism Trend” on the Hong Kong academic journal, Twenty-First Century, giving Fang Lijun and his contemporaries’ new works a novel designation that had no precedent in modern art history. His article “Political Pop and Consumer Imagery” organises the artworks from Wang Guangyi and Zhang Pei li. On Chinese Calligraphy Studies, he published “Questioning ‘Modern Calligraphy’”, as a systematic exposition on the modernisation of calligraphy as a traditional art. In his spare time, he also finds joy in practising calligraphy. Graduating from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in the late 1970s, he has been using a brush as his writing tool since childhood, a skill he has honed for decades. He possesses the distinct characteristics of a traditional intellectual. Since 2006 he has founded and directed the Li Xianting Film Fund, a project dedicated to the screening, education, and archiving of independent Chinese documentaries. Despite his academic journey, he finds solace in brush writing. He has a passion in writing large and bold characters, distinct from the works of traditional calligraphers. In recent years, he has chosen a more secluded lifestyle, yet remains committed to his artistic endeavours.
Artwork:
“Speech-less” 無語, 2024, 157×48.5cm, Ink on Paper
Chaos 亂, 95x95cm, Ink on Paper
Between Joy and Melancholy 半悲半喜半顧影 半醉半醒半忘形, 180×23.5cm Each (Couplets), Ink on Paper
As we approach the end of another remarkable year, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our artists, whose dedication and talent continue to inspire us; to the scholars and connoisseurs for their unwavering support; and to those whose passion for art helps bring these works to life around the world, sustaining the creative ecosystem that inspires future generations of creatives.
In this festive season, iPRECIATION has carefully selected a diverse array of local artworks ideal for gift-giving—from drawings, paintings and prints to sculptures —offering something for every art enthusiast. Art is a gift that fosters lasting memories, connections, and meaningful conversations, opening doors to new ideas, stories, and perspectives—making it a timeless gift to cherish for generations as it continues to give long after it is received.
This showcase not only celebrates the talent within our local art community but also sets the stage for exciting years ahead, highlighting how each individual and their contributions play a vital role in the growth of our art community. Every “piece” adds to the beauty of our shared journey, offering a unique experience with its own character.
In addition to the works featured in this showcase, iPRECIATION is excited to announce that some of our showcased artists will also have their works displayed at the overhead link bridge connecting VOCO Orchard Singapore and Four Seasons Hotel Singapore (190 Orchard Boulevard, Singapore 248646).
May this festive season be filled with beauty, joy, and unforgettable memories, as you discover the perfect piece to add to your collection—or to gift someone special.
Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to an even more exciting year in 2025.
iPRECIATION is delighted to announce our highly anticipated group exhibition, “Refrain,” curated by Dr Vincent Leow, offering a unique opportunity to explore works created exclusively for this exhibition by Ee Poh Kiat (b. 1965, Melaka, Malaysia), Ye Shufang (b. 1971, Singapore), Jonathan Nah/Kiat (b. 1972, Singapore), Willy Tay (b. 1974, Singapore) and, Li Jiacheng (b.1995, Singapore), all of whom are exhibiting at iPRECIATION for the first time.
About the Exhibition:
Dr Leow, a prominent artist and educator, curates this exhibition featuring talented artists he has long admired. As a key figure in Singapore’s contemporary art scene, his unique perspective invites us to engage deeply with their work.
The title “Refrain” draws inspiration from the concept of repetition and recurring themes, akin to the repeated lines in a poem or song. Just as a refrain recurs in music or poetry, this exhibition features artworks that explore variations on common themes, highlighting how each piece harmonises with each other, much like how each verse and word comes together to create a cohesive melody in a song or poem.
In this exhibition, over 40 new artworks will be shown, featuring artists from diverse backgrounds who employ a variety of styles and techniques, weaving their personal narratives into their work. Among these artists is Ee Poh Kiat, who wears many hats with finesse. Not only is he an artist who has participated in notable exhibitions, including one at Parco Urban Art Tokyo, selected by the Singapore Art Museum, but he is also a trained architect and contractor who founded his own design and construction services company. This unique combination of skills allows him to blend creativity with practical application, resulting in art that is rare and distinctive — an approach that is seldom encountered in Singapore.
Ye Shufang’s upcoming series, “Exercises in Saturation,” marks an exciting new chapter in her long-standing exploration “Exercises in Colour,” which she has been developing since 2009. This new series promises to be a compelling evolution, going deeper into her fascination with colour and form. Through overlapping lines and a structured framework of angles and colours in “Exercises in Saturation”, she seeks to understand the boundary between “paper” and “drawing,” contemplating how many lines and repetitions are needed for a drawing to emerge. Utilising a basic 12-color watercolour palette, she crafts an infinite spectrum of colours, guiding us to discover the extraordinary beauty within the ordinary. This series raises intriguing questions about the nature of creation: how many lines and repetitions are necessary for a drawing to truly emerge? She enjoys highlighting the significance of the small and ordinary, leading us to appreciate the often-overlooked aspects of daily life. With her previous series, “Exercises in Shape,” she transformed kitchen tools like cookie-cutters and baking moulds into artistic motifs, celebrating their potential beyond utility. In her installations, she uses perishable materials like agar-agar and sweets to explore concepts of the ephemeral, prompting reflection on how we assign value to fleeting experiences and simple pleasures.Similarly, PK examines materials found at construction sites, reimagining and repurposing discarded elements. Together, they highlight how overlooked materials can be reinterpreted to reveal new dimensions of beauty and meaning.
Jonathan Nah, often referred to as Kiat, seamlessly blends his passions as an electronic music artist and painter, employing a shared philosophy of creating visual harmony that reflects his musical practice of reprocessing both old and new elements. He paints only with his non-dominant hand, which enables him to disconnect from his conscious mind and explore new mark-making techniques without judgement. “Flanging Breaths”, delves into the interplay between the fleeting and the eternal, inspired by the rhythmic pulses of life, moving further into abstraction compared to his previous exhibition, emphasising the layering textures and rhythms to create a sense of blurred time and space, blending organic forms with spontaneous, gestural strokes. The theme focuses on exploring the space between inhale and exhale—stillness and motion—drawing parallels to both music and mindfulness, particularly influenced by the fluid, meditative nature of Chinese calligraphy. Kiat references calligraphy for its mindful practice of breathing with each stroke, prioritising the mental state over the visual outcome. For him, the process and intention take precedence, rather than the outcome, a guiding principle he intends to carry forward in this set of works.
A prevalent theme in Willy Tay’s new works is the lack of singular notions, rooted in his belief that art reflects society. As an artist within Singapore’s diverse community, his work is closely tied to it. He chooses topics based on peculiar antiquities as well as current and past events, aiming to examine how we interact with visual fragments that lead to reconstructed narratives. This approach uncovers visual tensions that bridge the mundane with the magical, providing alternative perspectives and an escape from reality. Li Jiacheng, a young emerging artist currently pursuing his studies in painting at Städelschule in Frankfurt, Germany, demonstrates a remarkable level of skill and creativity that belies his years of experience. His vibrant works draw inspiration from European masters of the Fauvist, Expressionist, and Neo-Expressionist movements.
Both Tay and Li explore themes of cultural displacement, the interplay between reality and myth, and the impact of historical contexts. Tay reflects on Singapore’s colonial legacy, using local events to create narratives that blend the ordinary with the extraordinary. Similarly, Li examines the coexistence of past and present, crafting dynamic visual stories that blur the lines between high and popular culture. Both artists engage with the tension between familiarity and the unknown; Tay addresses societal issues through visual fragments, while Li merges European art influences with his Southeast Asian roots. Together, their works reveal how personal and cultural histories shape our understanding of existence. As you engage with the artworks of these five talented artists With Dr Leow’s trusted vision shining a spotlight on their talent, you’ll appreciate their journeys and find connections to your own.
About the Artists:
Ee Poh Kiat (b. 1965, Melaka, Malaysia)
Ee Poh Kiat, also known as PK, is a Kuala Lumpur-based artist and architect whose unique artistic practice is deeply intertwined with his experience in construction and design. Born in 1965 in Melaka, Malaysia, he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture from Louisiana State University in 1990. After working in architectural firms in Singapore and a brief stint in New York, he returned to Malaysia in 1999 to establish his own design and construction services company. His work is characterized by a profound engagement with materials, particularly those found on construction sites. He is captivated by the textures and inherent beauty of construction debris and leftover materials, often overlooked by workers. By skilfully manipulating and reconstructing these remnants, he transforms them into compelling abstract art pieces that invite viewers to reconsider the value and potential of what is typically dismissed as waste. Through his work, he challenges conventional perceptions, revealing new dimensions of beauty and significance within objects originally designed for functional purposes. In 1996, he was selected by the Singapore Art Museum to participate in a group exhibition at Parco Urban Art in Tokyo, followed by a group show, “Not Painting,” at Plastique Kinetic Worms Gallery in Singapore in 1998. After a long career in architecture and design, he held his first exhibition in Malaysia in 2020 at Artas Gallery.
Ye Shufang (b. 1971, Singapore)
Ye Shufang is an artist and educator whose art practice spans over two decades, primarily focusing on installation and drawing. With a keen interest in ephemeral materials, she explores the value of small and ordinary things that surround us, allowing viewers to appreciate the often-overlooked beauty in everyday life. She has held solo exhibitions at notable venues, including The Private Museum in Singapore in 2011, 2013, and 2016, the Belgrade Cultural Centre in Serbia in 2004, Cemeti Art House in Yogyakarta in 2004, and Plastique Kinetic Worms in Singapore in 2004. Her work has also been featured in several curated exhibitions, such as “Medium At Large” at the Singapore Art Museum in 2014, “City-Net Asia” in South Korea in 2007, the World Exposition in Japan in 2005, and “Feminine Imaginaire” in Venice in 2002. In 2021, she was the keynote speaker at the International Symposium on Children’s Art Education, organised by the Taoyuan Museum of Fine Arts in Taiwan. Her insights into art education are further reflected in her article, “Junior Roundtable: Children Talk About Art in Singapore,” published in “New Museum Practice” in Asia by Lund Humphries in 2018. One of her notable works, “Exercises in Shape (II)”, was selected as one of the 100 favourite artworks globally in the January 2012 issue of Bazaar Art (China). In 2001, she was honoured as one of the ten recipients of the inaugural Singapore President’s Young Talents Exhibition award. Currently, she serves as a Senior Lecturer at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and is pursuing her PhD at the Edinburgh College of Art, University of Edinburgh. Through her art and teaching, she continues to inspire a deeper appreciation for the subtle intricacies of our surroundings.
Jonathan Nah/Kiat (b. 1972, Singapore)
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, Jonathan Nah, referred to as Kiat, has explored innovative and resourceful ways of creating art in response to lockdowns and limited access to materials. This journey has led him to develop a hybrid technique that combines digital and analogue mediums, inspired by his method of resampling material in music. The adventurous themes in Kiat’s work are closely linked to his fascination with emotions and the concept of freedom. His freeform creative approaches have enabled him to work across multiple mediums, from painting on walls and canvases to composing music for dance floors, theatrical stages, and art installations. He also creates works that blur the line between art and design for various brands and cultural institutions. Kiat has developed projects both locally and internationally for notable organisations, including Cake Theatre, The Peranakan Museum, Swarovski, Adidas, ArtScience Museum, Dazed Online, Versus, Dior, Selfridges, the Singapore Tourism Board, Nike, Beams, and SHOWstudio. His recent presentations include “Antinodes” during Singapore Art Week in 2022, “Sonic Sessions” at Singapore Art Week in 2024, and his first solo exhibition, “I Against I,” at Art Outreach in 2024.
Willy Tay (b. 1974, Singapore)
Willy Tay graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts in 1994 with a Diploma in Fine Art (Painting). He continued his studies at RMIT University, completing his Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) in 1998 and a Master of Arts (Fine Art) in 2004. With a dynamic artistic practice, he has participated in both solo and group exhibitions in Singapore and internationally. Notable exhibitions include “Do You Believe in Angels?” at Equator Art Projects in Singapore and Mo_Space in the Philippines in 2014, “The Realm in the Mirror, the Vision out of Image” at Jinji Lake Art Museum in Suzhou, China, in 2013, “Moments on White” at Osage Gallery in Hong Kong and Singapore in 2007, and “A Matter of Time” at SooBin Art Gallery in Singapore in 2007. His most recent group exhibition took place in 2023 at the Impression Culture and Art Festival in the Wenjiang Art District of Chengdu, China. He views art as a reflective medium, offering a mirror to society and emphasizing the artist’s role in interpreting and narrating the cultural and aesthetic narratives that shape our collective understanding. His paintings demonstrate a delight in the application and layering of paint, showcasing his engagement with the evolving art scene. Currently, he lives and works in Singapore, where he continues to develop his artistic practice.
Li Jiacheng (b.1995, Singapore)
Li Jiacheng is a painter whose work reflects on themes of history, identity, and myth. Born to Mainland Chinese parents from Xi’an and Shandong, Jiacheng’s upbringing in Singapore and his travels have significantly influenced his artistic journey. He began at the School of the Arts in Singapore, initially focusing on wood sculpture before pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Sculpture at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, graduating in 2023. His shift to painting drew inspiration from memories of Southeast Asia and the complexities of belonging, heightened during global lockdowns. Jiacheng’s vibrant works are shaped by diverse sources, including photographs, films, and oral histories, which he transforms into imaginative narratives that intertwine personal and cultural experiences. Currently based in Frankfurt, Germany, he is furthering his education as a Meisterschüler at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste–Städelschule under Willem De Rooij. His recent exhibitions include “Fresh Power” at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 2023 and the “Young Artist Autumn Saloon” at the Phoenix Center in 2021.
Artworks
Ee Poh Kiat, Composition X, 2024, 38.5(W)x31.5(H)x6.5(D)cm (Diptych), Oil Stick and Pigment on Plywood
(Top Left to Right) Ye Shufang, Exercises in Colour-Old school Wafer roses (II), 2024, 35x35cm, Watercolour on Paper, Exercises in Colour-Rarest gemstones (III), 2024, 35x35cm, Watercolour on Paper, Exercises in Colour-The Blue Pea, 2024, 35x35cm, Watercolour on Paper
(Bottom Left to Right)Ye Shufang, Exercises in Saturation-Orange, 2024, 35x35cm, Watercolour on Paper, Exercises in Colour-The Bougainvillea, 2024, 35x35cm, Watercolour on Paper,Exercises in Saturation-Rainbow, 2024, 35x35cm, Watercolour on PaperKiat, Eternal Impermanence, 2024, 120x 120cm, Acrylic on LinenWilly Tay, Uncharted, 2023, 91x73cm, Acrylic and Oil on CanvasLi Jiacheng, Moments Before, 2024, 190x190cm, Oil on Canvas
In the month of October, iPRECIATION is showcasing “Asal-Usul,” which translates to “From Where It Begins” in Bahasa Indonesia. This showcase offers a rare glimpse into the early works of nine contemporary Indonesian artists: Nasirun (b.1965, Java, Indonesia), Budi Ubrux (b.1968, Yogyakarta, Indonesia), Yunizar (b.1971, Talawi, Indonesia), Edo Pop (b.1972, Palembang, Indonesia), Alfi Jumaldi (b.1973, Lintau, Indonesia), Gusmen Heriadi (b.1974, Pariaman, Indonesia), Riki Antoni (b.1977, Yogyakarta, Indonesia), Samsul Arifin (b.1979, Malang, Indonesia),and I Made Aswino Aji (b.1997,Silakarang, Indonesia).
About the Showcase:
Through these early works created between 2001 and 2009, we gain a window into their initial explorations that shaped their paths, capturing a period of raw discovery and reflecting the genesis of their remarkable artistic career today. Each work reflects the artist’s engagement and curiosity with the modern world, driven by personal experiences and a deep exploration of socio-political and cultural issues affecting their society. While all nine artists explore similar themes, they do so through a diverse array of styles and techniques. The meticulous care in detailing makes each work uniquely individual and original, such patient meticulousness is increasingly uncommon among contemporary artists.
For instance, the use of vivid headlines and images on newsprint, along with the intricate folds and twists of the newspapers that complement each character’s posture in Budi’s works showcases the painstaking effort he invests in his art. Riki’s work employs massive, animalistic characters as a central theme in his artworks, these quirky protagonists are swathed in a palette of vibrant colours, to establish a paradoxical stance on the country’s political and social climate. Samsul’s iconic Barbie Doll series stands as a unique and valuable commentary in his oeuvre and is particularly noteworthy due to its limited run of only six pieces, making each artwork extremely important and valuable to collectors. In this showcase, we will be showing three of these six works, each demonstrating Samsul’s meticulous approach to manipulating objects, color, space, and composition to critically examine the impact of imported cultures on local identity. Hence, the intricate and time-consuming nature of these creative practices across the showcased artists renders such works increasingly scarce and highlights their exceptional significance.
In addition, our showcase will feature works from three significant series that Alfi began in early 2005: Meditation, Postcards, and Sign series. These series are integral to his ongoing exploration into the search for the real self. The pieces we are showcasing represent the foundational stage of this discovery, illustrating the initial concepts and themes that Alfi later expanded upon. Through these works, visitors will gain insight into the early development of his search for the real self and the evolution of his vision.
Yunizar’s works, created in the early 2000s, stand out for their simplicity compared to his more recent creations. These early pieces, while seemingly straightforward, are essential to understanding his current works. The simplicity of his early visual elements expresses his aim to capture intuition and instinct. Recognizing these early pieces is crucial for appreciating how they laid the groundwork for his evolution as an artist.
There is something profoundly special about an artist’s early works. They hold a special place in the hearts of collectors, not only because of their rarity but also because they capture the artist’s purest state of mind—driven solely by passion and creativity, free from the constraints that may often develop later. During these formative stages, artists are exploring and creating without knowing exactly where their path will lead or how their work will be received; it is a genuine adventure. For the viewer, it’s a privilege to see such early creations on public display. The rarity of earlier works—many of which are typically found in private collections—adds an extraordinary dimension to this showcase, a chance to appreciate the beginnings of creative minds that would go on to shape their artistic journey.
About the Artists:
Nasirun (b.1965, Java, Indonesia)
Nasirun was born in 1965 in Cilacap, a port town on the south coast of Central Java Indonesia, and currently lives and works in Yogyakarta. A graduate of the Indonesia Institute of the Arts (ISI) in Yogyakarta, Jawa, Nasirun is fluent in painting, carving, sculpture, drawing, installation and more. conceptualisation in his creations often stems from the spiritual and cultural realms that resonate strongly with him. Infused with themes reflecting his deep belief in Muslim spirituality, he specialises in creating large-format paintings based on his extensive knowledge of Javanese wayang.
Budi Ubrux (b.1968, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Budi Ubrux was born in 1968, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. One of the most progressive and radical new artists to emerge from Indonesia, he is less a visionary than an acerbic social reactionary. Prior to winning the Philip Morris Indonesian Art Award in 2000, Budi was a billboard artist and painter based in Switzerland. His paintings are powerful satirical observations on social degeneration through the alarmingly haunting aesthetic of faceless figures mummified in newsprint. Attempting to locate “the ulcer of corruption” – as quoted from the artist himself – in the heavily politicized agenda of contemporary society, Budi explores the concept of a mediated reality through the role of newspapers.
Yunizar (b.1971, Talawi, Indonesia)
Born in 1971 in Talawi, West Sumatra, Indonesia. A member of the Jendela Art Group, Yunizar’s work embodies the beauty and purity of human creativity, emerging spontaneously from what appears as his unconscious mind. Intentionally uses simple subject matter, objects which surround his daily life, and a simple painting and sketching technique to focus almost entirely on creativity and inventiveness. The childlike quality of Yunizar ’s work belies a complex narrative, through the recurring themes on his canvas including stiff figures, mask-like portraits, mythical creatures and floating objects; which are intimately linked with a timeless dream world and a poetic and somewhat quiet presence. In these playful and beautifully balanced compositions, there is a spiritual searching of the mind, a journey in a quest for self and identity.
Edo Pop (b.1972, Palembang, Indonesia)
Edo Pop, or Eduard was born in 1972 in Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia. He was educated at SMSR Palembang (1989 – 1993) and later on at the Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) in Yogyakarta (1995 – 2000). He has been involved with various artists’ organisations in Palembang and Yogyakarta since 1990, including the Sanggar Bidar Sriwjaya which he co-founded in 1998, and Rumah Seni Muara, Yogyakarta, which he co-founded in 2003. Edo Pop has had solo exhibitions in Copenhagen, Denmark, Yogyakarta and Surabaya, Indonesia. He has also participated in group exhibitions in the USA, Canada and Singapore over the last twenty years.
Alfi Jumaldi (b.1973, Lintau, Indonesia)
Alfi Jumaldi was born in 1972 in Lintau, West Sumatra, Indonesia. After studying at the Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) in Yogyakarta in 1999, he co-founded and became a member of Jendela Art Group, a prominent contemporary artist collective. In 2010, he co-founded the Artists Collective, Office: For Contemporary Art International in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Alfi was nominated for the 10th Indonesian Art Awards (2003, Finalist) and the 5th Indonesian Art Awards, The Best Painting Awards, Indonesian Institute of Art (ISI), Yogyakarta, Indonesia (1998, Finalist). He currently lives and works in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Gusmen Heriadi (b.1974, Pariaman, Indonesia)
Gusmen Heriadi was born in 1974 in Pariaman, West Sumatra, Indonesia. Having graduated from the Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) in Yogyakarta in 2005, he works as an illustrator at Tabloid Altternatif Pualiggoubat Mentawai in his hometown. Concurrently, Gusmen actively exhibited his work throughout the past two decades. He was the recipient of the Space and Image Award in Indonesia, which was exhibited at Ciputra World Marketing Gallery. Gusman was also a finalist of both the Philip Morris and Indofood Art Awards (2000 and 2002) and has been honoured with a Special Appreciation at the Jakarta Art Awards in 2006. Most of the works by Gusman are products of his dreams, his responses to life, and his philosophical views. In turn, these are the result of cultural development and family habits, as well as influences from the breadth of his artistic life and pursuits.
Riki Antoni (b.1977, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Riki Antoni was born in 1977 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. As an artist, he employs massive, animalistic characters as a central theme in his artworks and these quirky protagonists swathed in a palette of vibrant colours, to establish a paradoxical stance on the country’s political and social climate. Obtaining inspiration from the realm of the phantasmal, Riki has infused this mystifying theme with his fascination for the proverbial, enabling the artist to create wild new-fangled characters that ironically, possess an inherent shade of humanity that is aptly reflective of the nuances of urbanised, ‘civilised’ behaviour.
Samsul Arifin (b.1979, Malang, Indonesia)
Samsul Arifin was born in 1979, in Malang, Indonesia. He established himself as a multi-talented artist. In 2001, Arifin won both Indonesian Art Institute awards for the Best Watercolour Painting and Best Sketching Work. The artist often employs, with astute awareness, artistic signifiers in various combinations to construct meanings in his creations. In his series of Barbie Dolls paintings, he has invested much deep thought to effectively manipulate object, colour, space and composition in his works, criticizing the penetration of imported cultures.
I Made Aswino Aji (b.1997, Silakarang, Indonesia)
I Made Aswino Aji was born in 1977 in Silakarang, Gianyar, Bali to a family of wood carvers, sculptors and painters, for Aji, drawing and painting were part of daily life even before he started school. Aji attended the High School of Fine Arts in Denpasar, Bali (1993 – 1996) as well as the Indonesian Institute of Arts (ISI) in Yogyakarta (1996 – 2006). Aji’s works reflect a distinctive point of view towards the phenomenon of modern life, depicting themes reflecting ostracisation and isolation. Since 2002, he has been the Director of the Ruang per Ruang Project. He became a member of the Playboys Collaboration Project in the following year. Aji has had two solo exhibitions in Yogyakarta and has participated in group exhibitions in Singapore, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Solo, Magelang, Malang and Bali since 1995.
Nasirun, Interior Klenteng, 2005, 200x145cm, Oil on Canvas
Budi Ubrux, Meeting, 2007, 150x200cm, Oil on Canvas
Yunizar, Sebulum Hajan Datung, 2003, 65x75cm, Acrylic and Pencil on Cardboard
Edo Pop, Penganaktirian Status Kelamin, 2001, 140x160cm, Acrylic on Canvas
Alfi Jumaldi, Meditation No.12, 2005, 130x180cm, Acrylic and Pencil on Canvas
Gusmen Heriadi, Big City Night, 2004, 100x200cm, Oil on Canvas
Riki Antoni, Kylie The Gold Digger, 2005,120x150cm, Oil on canvas
Samsul Arifin, Barbie, 2006, 150x120cm, Acrylic and Colour pencil on canvas
I Made Aswino Aji, After Midnight, 2004, 160x120cm, Oil on Canvas
iPRECIATION is delighted to announce the latest exhibition by one of the most highly regarded calligraphers and contemporary ink artists Wang Dongling, titled “ The Joy of Being信可樂也,” scheduled from 7th to 28th Sept 2024.
About the Exhibition:
Celebrated internationally for pioneering the “Chaos Script” and infusing ancient calligraphy with contemporary vitality, Wang Dongling stands at a unique intersection of tradition and avant-garde exploration. His contributions have revolutionized the art form, bridging the gap between historical reverence and modern experimentation, distinguished by his roots in traditional calligraphy while also underscoring his contemporary and inventive approach, embracing its evolution rather than defying them, as a new art form, reflecting both the deep-seated essence of traditional cursive script and a progressive vision that breaks away from its rigidity. This exploration of calligraphy is not merely a reinterpretation of tradition but a profound contribution. Honouring the over two millennia history of calligraphy, he recreates his unique form of art.
The Chinese title of this exhibition, “信可樂也” (xin ke le ye), translates to “a moment of complete delight or joy” in English. This choice of title is profoundly intentional. It encapsulates the emotional landscape conveyed by the works and offers insight into Wang’s state of mind at this significant juncture in his journey. “Joy” is a deliberate choice, highlighting the contrast between fleeting happiness and enduring inner fulfilment. It is a reflection of the soul’s resilience and serenity amidst life’s tumultuous rhythms.
In this exhibition, Wang Dongling’s new series includes pieces featuring lotus ponds of Hangzhou, serving as a poignant backdrop to his “Chaos Script.” The serene imagery of lotus ponds creates a powerful dialogue between chaos and order; emerging from the muddy waters untainted symbolizes spiritual enlightenment and triumph over adversity. This imagery serves as a metaphor for the artist’s journey and a reminder to recognize and appreciate the purpose of each season in our lives, transforming adversity into something beautiful and meaningful.
These works highlight the act of painting as a dynamic expression of the relationship between art and the body. Wang’s process is deeply meditative, characterized by an expressive and rhythmic quality, and rooted in the tradition of Chinese poetry and calligraphy. By placing poetry at the heart of Chinese culture, his art connects the past to the present, evolving in tandem with the ever-changing world we live in today.
About the Artist:
Wang Dongling（b.1945, Jiangsu, China）is one of the most highly regarded contemporary ink artists. He is best known for his public performances involving large format “wild cursive” script, a Chinese calligraphic style characterized by its erratic and dynamic strokes. His works are often deeply rooted in the ancient philosophies of Buddhism and Daoism, as well as Chinese poetry. Wang graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art from the Nanjing Normal University (Nanjing, China) in 1966 and a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from the Calligraphy Department of Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (Hangzhou, China) in 1981.
Wang’s works have been prominently exhibited at institutions and several international venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, USA), Guggenheim Museum (New York City, USA), National Art Museum of China (Beijing, China), the Palace Museum (Beijing, China) and Asia Society Museum (New York City, USA). They can also be found amongst others in the collections of the British Museum (London, UK), Hong Kong Museum of Art (Hong Kong), the Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago, USA), the Zhejiang Museum of Fine Art, (Hangzhou, China), the Yale University Art Gallery (New Haven, USA), Harvard University (Cambridge, USA), and the University of California, Berkley (Berkley, USA).
李商隱詩，竹坞無塵水南鸽子檻清, 2024, 43.5×65 cm, Ink on Paper蘇束坡詩，水光瀲艷晴方好, 2024, 79×60 cm, Ink on PaperA Joyous Occasion信可樂也, 2017, 45x49cm, Ink on PaperLi Yu – Looking at Jiang Nan . Dream Afar 李煜《望江南·閒夢遠》,181×97.5cm, 190x102cm (Backing Paper), Ink on Paper鳥語花香, 2023, 66×65 cm, Ink on Paper
iPRECIATION is delighted to announce our upcoming exhibition, “ Echoes and Reverberations: The Interconnectedness of Being and Becoming,” featuring over 30 artworks by five eminent artists— Milenko Prvački (b. 1951, Yugoslavia/Singapore), Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960, Singapore), Chiew Sien Kuan (b. 1965, Singapore), Boo Sze Yang (b. 1965, Singapore), and Raymond Yap (b. 1966, Malaysia / Singapore) — providing a profound opportunity to explore the intricate relationship between life, meaning, and art. Drawing from diverse sources of inspiration, including nature and urban landscapes, the exhibition invites contemplation on themes of memory, belonging, self-actualization, and transformation. The creative processes and artistic concerns of these artists reflect the philosophical idea of the interconnectedness of being and becoming, capturing the dynamic interplay between existence and change, the individual and the environment, and the subjective and the collective.
About the Exhibition:
Interconnected Worlds: Navigating the Layers of Visual Experience
The exhibition “Echoes and Reverberations” draws an interesting parallel between Eastern philosophy and contemporary artistic expression. The Buddhist concept that “Form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form” resonates deeply with the approaches taken by the artists in this exhibition. This idea, emphasizing the interconnectedness and mutual dependency of material existence and voids, is reflected in how these artists treat the traditional figure-ground relationship within their works.
Much like how traditional Chinese ink painting leaves parts of the rice paper unpainted to suggest natural elements such as water, skies, or land, these artists use the figure-ground relationship to explore the fluid boundaries between presence and absence. In Chinese ink painting, the blank spaces are not mere voids but integral parts of the composition that evoke the vastness of nature and the continuity of the environment. This allows the viewer to imagine the unseen and appreciate the balance between what is depicted and what is left to the imagination.
Similarly, in “Echoes and Reverberations,” the artists challenge traditional approaches by creating layered, non-linear visual experiences. Their paintings feature a rich tapestry of dots, lines, shapes, and colors that float, overlap, and clash in ways that defy straightforward interpretation. These elements do not follow a sequential or hierarchical order but instead interact in ways that create a sense of chaos and multiplicity. This approach suggests that reality is a complex web of interconnected elements rather than a series of discrete objects.
Viewing the paintings can be likened to surfing through the internet, where each mark, shape, and symbol represents a node in a vast network of visual data. The viewer is invited to navigate this network, discovering connections and meanings that may not be immediately apparent but emerge through deeper engagement. The overlapping windows and interwoven visual elements suggest a universe of possibilities, echoing the concept of multiple universes or dimensions coexisting and interacting.
Together, the artists in “Echoes and Reverberations” offer a meditation on the nature of existence, perception, and reality. Their works encourage viewers to contemplate the fluid boundaries between form and emptiness, the real and the illusory, and to find beauty and meaning in their interplay. This exhibition is not just a visual experience but an invitation to a philosophical journey, where viewing becomes a meditation on the interconnectedness of all things.
Art as a Mirror: The Subjective Nature of Interpretation
At its core, all art is abstract. Art transcends literal representation to convey ideas, emotions, and experiences through various mediums, whether it be painting, sculpture, music, or literature. Even realistic or figurative art embodies abstract elements such as symbolism, metaphor, or subjective perspectives. The essence of art lies in its ability to evoke deeper meanings beyond the surface, engaging viewers in a process of interpretation that reflects their own experiences and thoughts.
This exhibition “Echoes and Reverberations” invites viewers to engage with the artworks on a personal level, emphasizing the subjective nature of interpretation. This approach aligns with Friedrich Nietzsche’s notion that meaning is created through our own experiences, not given to us. Nietzsche’s concept of the “Übermensch” or “Overman” suggests that individuals must transcend traditional values to create their own meaning. Similarly, in the context of art, viewers bring their own experiences, thoughts, and emotions to their interpretation, creating personal meanings that reflect their unique perspectives.
The viewer’s engagement with art is a co-creative process where the artwork acts as both a mirror reflecting personal desires and fears, and a bridge connecting them to new perspectives and experiences. Art offers a space for introspection and self-discovery, inviting viewers to explore their own inner landscapes while also engaging with the artist’s vision and broader human experiences. Through this dynamic and reciprocal relationship, art reveals its depth and significance, transforming the artistic experience into a meaningful journey of personal growth and universal connection.
Ultimately, the exhibition underscores the idea that meaning is not something to be discovered but something we create through our engagement with art and the world around us. As we navigate the complexities of existence, art remains a crucial medium for exploring, understanding, and expressing the multifaceted nature of our lives.
In an interview for Milenko’s monograph, artist Ian Woo asked what keeps him returning to painting with such fervor. Milenko replied, ‘The unfinished, endless job! The painting process is never finished. To be engaged again and again is a perpetual motivation. Every evening when I leave my studio, I am a genius. The next morning, when I step into my studio, I feel dissatisfied and unhappy with what I did. All my life I am attempting to touch a truth. And when I am almost there it will move away again and again. It is an exciting exercise. It is a journey without destination.’
About the Artists:
Milenko Prvački (b. 1951, Yugoslavia/Singapore): Abstraction as a Cultural Language
Milenko Prvački has embarked on his “Abstraction for Beginners” series since 2017, exploring painting as a language and cultural system, reflecting Ludwig Wittgenstein’s philosophy that meaning arises from context and use. His work harmoniously integrates geometric, expressionist, and associative elements to invite reflections on the coexistence of diverse ideas and cultures.
Emerging from the fractured political landscape of the former Yugoslavia, Milenko Prvački’s artistic journey is deeply influenced by his experiences of political turmoil and cultural transition. His paintings seek visual equilibrium through the interaction of form and color, symbolizing a metaphorical journey toward reconciliation and understanding on both personal and universal levels. By juxtaposing contrasting elements, his art embodies the notion that balance and order can emerge from chaos, reflecting a broader philosophical exploration of unity and diversity.
Chaos is represented through abstract forms, unpredictable patterns, and dynamic compositions that evoke a sense of movement and instability, serving as fertile ground for new meanings and reflecting life’s unpredictability. In contrast, order is depicted through deliberate compositions, harmonious color schemes, and geometric shapes that provide stability. The interplay between these chaotic and orderly elements reflects a philosophical view that true balance is achieved not through the elimination of chaos but through its integration into a cohesive whole.
Oh Chai Hoo’s ink paintings are deeply influenced by Chinese philosophy, capturing the essence of natural rock formations and the cyclical patterns of existence. Taoism, as expressed by Laozi in the “Tao Te Ching,” emphasizes harmony with the Tao (the Way), the fundamental principle underlying and unifying the universe. Oh’s art serves as a visual meditation on life’s interconnectedness and nature’s impermanence, aligning with the Taoist concept of wu wei, or effortless action, where one harmonizes with life’s natural flow.
Oh reflects on Eastern thought’s view that nothing has eternal, substantial existence, and that truth exists between the real and the illusory. He also draws on Buddhism’s idea that “Form is not different from emptiness; emptiness is not different from form,” suggesting that material things and voids are inseparable. Oh’s work is guided by the pursuit of spiritual existence beyond appearances, as illustrated by a Zen koan he shares: Three practitioners see a flag fluttering in the wind. One says the flag is moving, another says the wind is moving, and the third says neither; it is the mind that moves. Oh believes that all forms of expression depend on inner needs, with art being a means to achieve balance and fulfilment.
For the paintings in this exhibition, Oh introduces a new element of disruption to his traditionally serene visual renditions of natural rock formations. While Oh’s previous work captured the tranquil beauty of these structures through soft, flowing forms, this series explores a provocative contrast between the organic and the artificial.In these paintings, sharp-edged, blade-like geometric shapes intrude upon and cut through the naturally rendered rock forms. These geometric elements, defined by precise lines and stark edges, stand in striking contrast to the fluidity of the rocks. Despite this discord, Oh creates moments of harmony where sharp lines and soft curves meet, inviting viewers to reflect on the complex relationship between human intervention and the natural world. His work suggests that beauty and meaning can be found in the interplay between contrasting elements.
Chiew Sien Kuan (b. 1965, Singapore): Introspection in the Urban Landscape
Chiew Sien Kuan explores the subconscious response to urbanization and modernity through introspective mixed media works and assemblage. His art resonates with the Christian tradition of self-examination, akin to Augustinian inner reflection, exploring transformative changes in urban environments and their impact on inner lives.
As both a Christian and artist, Chiew grapples with imitation, creation, and purpose in art, drawing inspiration from Makoto Fujimura’s exploration of Christian doctrine. Fujimura views the tension between creation and brokenness not as a barrier but as integral to life’s rhythm. In “Culture Care,” he advocates for nurturing culture through creative generosity to foster healing in a fractured world, challenging art’s role beyond escapism to a transformative force engaging human suffering and seeking redemption. Fujimura’s philosophy underscores how art can mirror divine creativity, aiming to restore all to intended wholeness.
Conceptually, Chiew draws from Duchamp’s ‘contra-venture,’ James Hyde’s exploration of ‘places of painting,’ and El Lissitzky’s concept of the ‘interchange station between painting and architecture,’ moving from isolation towards integration. These influences evoke reflections on presence and absence, exploring one’s connection to place, time, space, and thought within the urban ‘city machine.’
Inspired by the historical significance of Singapore’s Ulu Pandan Railway Bridge, his ‘Bridges Assemblages’ series symbolizes both past and potential connectivity, blending physical and spiritual dimensions. Chiew’s mixed media works on paper also feature bridge-like structures integrating wood or aluminum pieces into their surfaces, resembling trusses, and one piece includes a miniature train atop. Interestingly, despite the presence of bridges throughout history, bridges are not mentioned in the Bible.
Boo Sze Yang (b. 1965, Singapore): Urban Transformation and Environmental Reflection
Boo Sze Yang’s exploration of the tension between human progress and environmental conservation resonates with existential responsibility. His semi-abstract paintings of urban spaces—like shopping malls and construction sites—reflect the complex relationship between human development and the natural world. By juxtaposing the tangible and the imaginary, Boo’s works compel viewers to confront the consequences of unchecked progress and to find personal meaning in balancing urbanization and nature.
Central to Boo’s work is the theme of transience and transformation, exploring reality’s fleeting and ever-changing nature. His technique of using thin, translucent oil paint washes creates an ephemeral quality in his subjects, reminiscent of reflections on modern glass buildings that offer both transparency and reflection. In his series on water reflections, Boo examines life’s aspirations—both visible and elusive, tangible and intangible—inviting viewers into a space where reality and fantasy merge in a harmonious and imaginative disarray. His paintings transcend mere depictions of moments or memories, offering glimpses into alternate realities and transforming perceptions through light and movement.
Chiew and Boo both explore urban transformation and its impact on the human experience, though they do so from distinct perspectives. Despite their different methods, both artists use their work to prompt viewers to consider the deeper implications of urban transformation, highlighting its effects on personal identity and environmental sustainability.
Raymond Yap (b. 1966, Malaysia / Singapore): Chance and Intent in Artistic Expression
Raymond Yap, born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, studied and lived in London for 18 years before settling in Singapore, where he holds both UK and Singapore permanent residency. As an artist with extensive travel and diverse experiences, Yap believes that art is boundless. He recognizes that any concept can be expressed in many ways depending on one’s background and location. This understanding of art’s endless possibilities drives Yap to pursue his own artistic path and contribute his unique perspective to the vast field of art.
Central to Yap’s exploration is the interplay between intentionality and unpredictability. His textured paintings examine nature’s patterns and the role of chance in the creative process. This approach aligns with Gestalt psychology’s emphasis on holistic perception, inviting viewers to perceive his artworks as cohesive wholes rather than mere collections of textures. Each layer of paint contributes to the overall composition, encouraging viewers to discover familiar shapes and forms within the abstract textures and colours. Yap’s approach highlights the human tendency to seek patterns and experiment with the unfamiliar, blending structured methods with the spontaneity of chance. His creative process integrates the conscious and unconscious aspects of the self, resulting in multi-layered paintings inspired by natural forms and landscapes. These works serve as a meditation on the subconscious mind’s potential and the evolving nature of artistic expression in an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence.
The common thread between Milenko Prvački, Oh Chai Hoo and Raymond Yap is their exploration of the dynamic interplay between chaos and order through their art. Each artist approaches this theme through unique philosophical and aesthetic lenses, yet all reflect on how diverse elements can create harmony and balance.
Artworks
Milenko Prvacki, Abstraction for Beginners, 2024, 30X30cm, acrylic on linen
Oh Chai Hoo, 塔尖上的光影, 2024, 67x137cm, 墨、金色宣纸、金箔
Chiew Sien Kuan, Iron Bridge in Island Landscape, 2023, 122x93cm, Mixed media on paper
Boo Sze Yang, The Promised Land #5. 2023, 70.5x55cm, oil on linen
Raymond Yap, Petalscape, 2024, 30cmx30cm, Mixed media on canvas
iPRECIATION is delighted to announce Metamorphosis of Ink, showcasing the transformative power of ink art in the hands of four internationally renowned artists: Zhuang Shengtao (b. 1944, China), Wang Tiande (b. 1960, China), Jennifer Wen Ma (b. 1973, China/USA), and Chui Pui Chee (b. 1980, Hong Kong).
With a rich and vibrant history, particularly within Chinese culture, ink has served not just as a medium for artistic expression, but also as a powerful medium for written communication and documentation. Traditionally, ink art has been defined by meticulous brushstrokes and washes adorning sheets of rice paper. Old masters honed their craft in calligraphy and paintings, creating works that transcended mere characters and images. Through subtle variations in line and tone, they captured the essence of nature, human emotion, and philosophical thought.
Metamorphosis of Ink embraces this remarkable legacy and ignites a transformative journey. This captivating exhibition showcases four international artists who are not content with simply replicating tradition. They are actively reimagining the possibilities of contemporary ink art. Their works embrace innovative techniques, unexpected tools, and mediums, pushing the boundaries of what this ancient practice can achieve.
iPRECIATION is delighted to present Teko 壺說八道, a group exhibition featuring eight Singaporean ceramic artists: Han Sai Por (b. 1943), Suriani Suratman (b. 1959), Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960), Chua Chon Hee (b. 1960), Ahmad Abu Bakar (b. 1963), Chor Mui Ling (b. 1969), Chua Choon Lims (b. 1972), and Loy Yan Ling (b. 1974). iPRECIATION has invited these artists to come together for this unique exhibition, celebrating their individual voices and creative interpretations.
About the Exhibition:
The title beautifully combines Malay and Chinese languages, symbolising the diverse yet harmonious spirit of the exhibition. “Teko,” which is Malay for “teapot,” immediately grounds the title in a familiar and accessible object. The playful twist comes with the Chinese characters “壺說八道” (hú shuō bā dào), where “壺” (hú) translates to “vessel,” while the remaining characters echo the Chinese idiom “胡说八道” (meaning “to talk nonsense”), reinterpreting it into “teapot talk.” This witty adaptation embodies the collaborative spirit of the artists and celebrates multicultural voices and artistic expressions using the familiar form of the vessel as a springboard for creativity.
The initial spark for Teko ignited from conversations between Oh Chai Hoo and Chua Chon Hee. Inspired by the vessel’s potential as a platform for artistic expression, they envisioned an exhibition that pushed the boundaries of ceramic creativity. This collaborative spirit extended to the selection of artists, each chosen for their unique voice and perspective. The curatorial vision prioritised “depth (思想性)” in interpretation, encouraging artists to approach the theme with individuality. The resulting collection showcases a spectrum of narratives and technical mastery, a testament to the “eight not the same voices (八把不一样的声音).”
Teko 壺說八道invites viewers to see the artworks not just as utilitarian objects but as a creative medium for captivating narratives. It exalts the remarkable potential of ordinary clay, undergoing a metamorphosis in the hands of skilled artists into contemporary sculptures. Each piece whispers tales resonating with history, cultural heritage, and the enduring human spirit. Like heirlooms transcending time, they carry echoes of ancestral wisdom, sparking conversation on our collective identity and shared narrative.
About the Artists:
Han Sai Por 韩少芙(b. 1943, Singapore)
Han Sai Por is one of Asia’s leading modern sculptors. She is a recipient of Singapore’s Cultural Medallion Award (1995). She has participated in numerous international exhibitions and projects around the world. Her works can be found in the collections of many international institutions, public spaces and private collections from Singapore, Malaysia, India, China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia and United Kingdom and the United States. Such as the collections of National Art Gallery, Singapore Art Museum, National Museum in Beijing, Australia Parliament, Chancery of the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations, New York, Singapore Embassy, Washington DC, Istana Singapore, Changi Airport Terminal 3. Her education in Fine Arts and Landscape Architecture has established the knowledge in understanding of nature and its environment that affected her work. Most of her organic works are inspired by the flora and fauna in tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Her work comments on the changing landscape in the region and the deforestation that adversely impacts the environment and ecosystem. “The Black Forest” installation is a series of works that comment on the bleak consequences of deforestation.
Suriani Suratman(b. 1959, Singapore)
Suriani Suratman, a social anthropologist, is Senior Lecturer at the Department of Malay Studies, National University of Singapore. She started pottery classes in 2001 at the Centre for the Arts, National University of Singapore under the tutorship of Master Potter Dr. Iskandar Jalil. She continued to study with Iskandar at his studio in Jalan Senyum from 2003 and at Jalan Bahar Clay Studios from 2005. She currently practises at Jalan Bahar Clay Studios where she also teaches ceramics. Suriani is inspired by the stories of peoples, places and the past. She hopes that her works will evoke ideas, memories and feelings that will be a starting point for a journey of reflection. Suriani has participated in many group exhibitions including “Shaping Clay” (Singapore Clay Festival, 2023) and “Tribute to Local Clay: A Pottery Exhibition (Maya Gallery, 2015). Her third solo exhibition, ‘Pusat: Conversations with my mama Saerah’ was held at The Arts House, Singapore in July 2022. She has done several commissioned works including a ceramic mural and installation called “Apollo’s Dream” (Nanyang Technological University Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, 2016). Her artworks are in the National Gallery Singapore collection.
Oh Chai Hoo财和胡(b. 1960, Singapore)
Oh Chai Hoo is a Singapore artist who works extensively with various mediums. Since graduating from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1982, Oh remains an active member of the local arts scene. He was the vice-president (2013 – 2021) of Singapore’s Siaw-Tao Chinese Seal-Carving Calligraphy & Painting Society and had held various exhibitions locally and in South Korea and Japan. He has received a Distinction in Visual Art Creation by the NAFA Alumni Association (1992), Highly Commended in Abstract Medium at the 18th UOB Painting of the Year competition (1999), the Siaw-Tao Achievement Award in 2009, and the Siaw-Tao Best Artwork Award in 2013. Oh’s ceramics exhibitions include “Marks on Earth – Ceramic Seals by Oh Chai Ho (iPreciation, 2021). His works are well collected privately and also permanently collected by the National Museum of Singapore and The Istana, Singapore.
Chua Chon Hee蔡春喜(b.1960, Singapore)
Chua Chon Hee is a local artist who works extensively with various mediums. Graduating from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts with an Advanced Diploma in Western Art in 1982, she was involved in fine arts education for many years, and is now dedicated to her artistic creation. In recent years, she has focused on ceramics and prints as her main mediums of creation, and is largely inspired by nature. She is also open to different art forms and mediums, and has explored seal carving and ink painting. Chon Hee has held solo exhibitions, and has also been involved in many group and major overseas exhibitions. Her artworks have been acquired by many hotels, corporations, as well as by private collectors. In 2016, she initiated, and was part of an exhibition called “A Thousand Cups and Maybe More” – the first of its kind – with 7 other potters and ceramics enthusiasts, bringing 1000 ceramic cups to the audience. Her most recent solo exhibition comprised of ceramics and prints in 2023 was titled “The Long Gaze” (ArtCommune Gallery AC43). She also regularly organized annual showcases with her students such as Taking Roots to Rise (Stamford Arts Centre) in 2022
Ahmad Abu Bakar (b. 1963, Malaysia)
Ahmad Abu Bakar graduated from LaSalle SIA College of the Arts with a Diploma in Fine Arts (Ceramics) in 1989. He received his Bachelor of Fine Art (Sculpture) from the University of Tasmania (Australia) in 1995. Upon his return to Singapore in 1996, Ahmad joined LaSalle College of the Arts as a full-time lecturer until 2008 where he taught ceramics and 3D studies. He also pursued his Master of Fine Arts with RMIT / LaSalle–SIA during his teaching period in the college. Since 2009, Ahmad has dedicated his time to working with the Singapore Prison as an art instructor, where he mentors the inmates in an Arts programme (3D studies). He is also currently an adjunct lecturer at NIE (NTU). Ahmad has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Singapore, Malaysia, China, Thailand, The Philippines, Korea, Australia, France and Indonesia including the Jakarta Contemporary Ceramics Biennale (2009) and the International Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition: Asian Ceramics Network and Selsius, held in the National Art Gallery, Malaysia (2007). Ahmad has also co-curated a showcase of Singaporean Malay artists entitled Tok Selampit Millenniumin 2004 at the Jendela art space (Esplanade, Theatres by the Bay). In 2019 Ahmad had his third solo exhibition at Chan+Hori Contemporary titled LANGIT, BUMI, TANAH aka THE LAND OF THE HEAVENLY SKY. In 2021 he did an installation at work at the Concourse Esplanade and donated 200 pcs of the works to Esplanade and Harun Ghani Foundation for charity.
Chor Mui Ling美玲曹(b.1969, Singapore)
Mui Ling’s artistic journey began at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1991, where she graduated with a Diploma in Fine Art. Since then, Mui Ling’s commitment to art education has been unwavering. From imparting knowledge as a part-time art teacher in various educational settings to assuming the role of a course coordinator at Gradsign Art School, In 2014 she earned a Certificate in Ceramic from her alma mater. Mui Ling’s fascination with clay goes beyond the technicalities; it is a nostalgic reverie to carefree childhood days. The transformation of a lump of clay on the wheel echoes the simplicity and happiness of playing barefoot in open fields. Mui Ling has been part of several group exhibitions. This includes “The Promise, A Contemporary Ceramics Exhibition” (Gallery, Singapore 2022) and “A Thousand Cups and Maybe More” (The Art Space @ Suntec, 2016).
Chua Choon Lims春玲蔡(b. 1972, Singapore)
From the delicate artistry of leather crafting to the rustic embrace of wood, and now immersed in the world of pottery, Chua Choon Lims is a Singaporean artist working with various mediums. Under the tutelage of Chua Chon Hee and the late Chng Seok Tin, Choon Lims began nurturing her skills in both printmaking and ceramics. In her art creation process, Choon Lims strives to capture elements of imperfection and impermanence in the fleeting moments of life, creating works that are organic and raw. She also aims to reflect a profound connection to nature, echoing the simplicity and authenticity inherent in wabi-sabi. Choon Lims has participated in group exhibitions including “Pottery Parlour – Moon Jar Edition” (Potters by the Hill, 2023) and “Taking Roots to Rise” (Stamford Arts Centre, 2022).
Loy Yan Ling黎燕玲(b. 1974, Singapore)
Loy Yan Ling took her first lesson in clay in 1999 and was under the tutelage of Jessie Lim till 2012. Her subsequent relocation to Kuwait (2006 to 2009) and travelling experiences brought about further opportunities to learn from ceramics artists such as Mohd Esa (Kuwait), Douglas Philips (UK), Candone Wharton (US, Bali) and Hiroshige Kato (Japan). In 2012, she left her teaching career and started Euphoramics from her home studio. Currently Euphoramics is a 1000 sq ft creative space and Yan Ling conducts ceramics courses and provides guidance to other potters there. The learning experiences gleaned from the different artists have shaped Yan’s understanding when working with clay. Yan draws on emotions and memories when she creates her works. She believes memories connect people and hopes through her works, they can rekindle our fondest memories and experiences. She has participated in ‘The Promise’ a group exhibition at Artcommune, Singapore in June 2022 and ‘Shaping Clay’ of Singapore Clay Festival in Nov 2023.
Artworks:
Han Sai Por, 2024, Liquid Jar Series 1, 24x9x15.5cm, Black clay (unglazed)
Suriani Suratman, 2024, Pandanglah. Lihatlah1 (Look at me. Watch me1), 14x8x21.5cm, Mixed raku clay, Red iron oxide oxide, Shino glaze
Oh Chai Hoo, Beyond Capacity超載, 2024, 31.5x30x16cm, Stoneware with color slip
Chua Choon Hee, Cryptic Conversation 晦涩的对话 #1, 2024, Cryptic Conversation (晦涩的对话): #1(A) 29x16x22cm, #1(B) 16×18.5x12cm, Local clay with iron oxide and glaze
Ahmad Abu Bakar,Borak Borak ‘O’ (A Casual/Empty Talk) – Clay #1, 2024, 45cmx16cmx48cm, Clay (mixed), Wood, Glaze
Chor Mui Ling, Neeuq, 2024,23.5x18x13cm, White stoneware, Underglaze, Glaze
Chua Choon Lims, Equilibrium, 2024, 26×26.5×15.5cm, PF670 black clay, Porcelain slip, Lava glaze, Spectrum gold rain glaze, Amaco honey flux and blue midnight glaze
Loy Yan Ling, Chasing Tales, 2024,14x14x18cm, White stoneware, Metal oxides ceramic ink, Slip, Underglaze, Glaze
iPRECIATION is delighted to announce the latest exhibition by renowned Singaporean contemporary artist Tay Bak Chiang, titled “Fragments of Life 生活碎片,” scheduled from 18th May to 1st Jun 2024.
About the Exhibition:
Life, as we know it, comprises countless indescribable fragments. Within these fragments lie stories of the past and narratives unfolding in the present, filled with joys, sorrows, and regrets, eventually forming the tapestry of one’s life.
The upcoming exhibition, aptly titled “Fragments of Life,” draws inspiration from the reservoir of memories stored in the depths of Tay Bak Chiang’s soul. Some reflect everyday experiences, transient and fleeting yet resonating deeply within, evoking vivid imagery and vibrant colours.
Creativity often arises from unexpected encounters, surpassing meticulously planned deliberations, leaving artists pleasantly surprised.
On a particular day, while purchasing paint supplies, the sight of a vibrant shade of purple sparked memories of an untouched piece titled “Purple Dragon King,” envisioned with a majestic, soaring figure in shimmering purple and gold. Excited by the impulse to capture this vision, the artist eagerly experimented with the new colour, translating inspiration onto canvas.
With colours imbued in their vision, the artists sought to enhance vibrancy, creating “Equality of Life,” depicting stones of different hues symbolizing the intrinsic equality of all individuals, transcending distinctions of wealth and status.
In a world where light and darkness coexist, the ravages of conflict manifest in harrowing images of civilian suffering, incessantly relayed by modern media. How can one remain indifferent amidst such turmoil, amidst the relentless tide of human hypocrisy and greed?
“Enclosure” reflects the persistence of barriers, even in today’s civilized society, erecting walls that divide worlds. Meanwhile, “Devouring the Weak” exposes blatant exploitation and encroachment upon the vulnerable.
Throughout history, the world has witnessed cycles of repetition. Who can remain apathetic amid such turbulence?
Fortunately, the artist’s brush serves as a conduit, transposing feelings of unease onto canvas while capturing and preserving moments of rare tranquility and happiness amidst life’s chaos.
About the Artist:
Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973, Malaysia/Singapore), a Malaysian-born artist now residing in Singapore, is one of Singapore’s most sought-after painters for his contemporary Chinese ink works. The critically acclaimed artist graduated with a Diploma from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Singapore in 1995 and studied at the China Academy of Art (Hangzhou, China) in 1997. In 2002 he was awarded the Young Artist Award for Visual Arts by the National Arts Council and later won the first prize for UOB Painting of the Year (Traditional Chinese Medium Category) in 2000 and 2003.
Tay’s works have made numerous appearances at international art fairs, including Art Basel Hong Kong, Art Stage Singapore, Art Miami, Art New York, Art Paris, Art Taipei and Edinburgh Art Fair. In addition, his works are in the collection of many prominent public and private institutions, including The Istana (Singapore); Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore); Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations (New York); National Gallery Singapore; Simmons & Simmons Contemporary Art Collection; Singtel; SC Global Developments; Swiss Re; OCBC Bank; United Overseas Bank; Mandarin Oriental (Singapore); Shangri-La Hotel (Singapore); and Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, London.
Equality of Life 生命皆平等, 2024, 100×220 cm, Pigments and Acrylic on Canvas
Devouring the Weak 蚕食鲸吞, 2024, 170x170cm, Pigments and Acrylic on Canvas
Enclosure 围墙, 2024, 180x160cm, Pigments and Acrylic on Canvas
Purple Dragon King 紫衫龙王, 2024, 160x220cm, Pigments and Acrylic on Canvas
Zhuang Shengtao Unveils “The Hours 日居月諸: Recent Ink Works” at iPRECIATION
Renowned Singaporean contemporary ink artist Zhuang Shengtao presents his latest exhibition, The Hours 日居月諸: Recent Ink Works, at iPRECIATION from 20th Apr to 4th May. This captivating collection explores the passage of time through a series of ink paintings, each titled after a specific hour of the day.
About the Exhibition:
The Hours 日居月諸 delves into the evocative nature of time through Zhuang’s mastery of ink and brushwork. Each painting captures the essence of a particular hour, conveying its unique character and atmosphere. From the quiet contemplation of dawn to the vibrant energy of midday, and the introspective stillness of dusk, Zhuang’s works transport viewers on a meditative journey through the day’s cycle.
Beyond the literal representation of time, the exhibition also explores deeper philosophical concepts. The title itself, The Hours 日居月諸, translates to “sun resides, moon resides,” referencing the ancient Chinese belief in the circular nature of time and the harmonious balance between day and night.
Zhuang’s signature style, characterized by bold brushstrokes and a fusion of traditional and contemporary aesthetics, takes centre stage in this exhibition. Abstract forms and expressive gestures evoke the emotions and energy associated with different times of the day. Through his innovative approach, Zhuang redefines the possibilities of ink painting and challenges viewers to contemplate the profound significance of time in our lives.
About the Artist:
Zhuang Shengtao, a prominent figure in Singaporean contemporary ink art, embarks on an enthralling artistic journey that transcends geographical boundaries. Born in China in 1944, he relocated to Singapore with his family in 1955. Currently residing in Suzhou, China, Zhuang’s artistic roots run deep in classical Chinese traditions, coupled with a profound understanding of Chinese literature, culture, and philosophy.
Zhuang laid the groundwork for his artistic pursuits with a Foundation Class at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore in 1964. Under the tutelage of renowned calligrapher See Hiang Tho, he honed his artistic prowess, refining his skills to reach new heights of expression and creativity.
His academic journey is notable, with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), First Class, from Nanyang University, Singapore in 1974, and a subsequent Master of Arts from the same university in 1977. Seeking to expand his horizons, Zhuang pursued higher education abroad, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Washington in Seattle, USA, in 1990. His time in the USA exposed him to Western artistic influences, leading to a transformation in his painting style upon his return. Incorporating elements from the West, Zhuang’s art evolved, blending Eastern and Western aesthetics into a unique and captivating expression of contemporary ink art. This rich academic and artistic background has greatly contributed to Zhuang’s significant presence in the world of contemporary Chinese ink art.
Throughout his career, Zhuang has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions internationally. His works have garnered critical acclaim for their innovative approach to ink painting and have been acquired in prestigious institutions like the National Gallery Singapore.
iPreciation is delighted to announce the upcoming exhibition of esteemed Chinese contemporary ink artist Chen Xinmao’s latest ink works, scheduled to debut on March 16th, 2024. Titled “Revisiting Peony Pavilion,” the exhibition promises to offer new perspectives on Chen’s exploration of this timeless classic.
Chen Xinmao (b. 1954, China), a Shanghai-born artist celebrated for his groundbreaking contributions to ink art, continues to push the boundaries of artistic expression, drawing inspiration from cultural heritage, personal experiences, and the ever-evolving landscape of contemporary art.
American leading art historian, contemporary art critic and curator, Mr. Wu Hung, has recognized Chen Xinmao as the experimental artist of the “Post-Cultural Revolution” generation. This recognition underscores Chen’s pivotal role in reshaping the artistic landscape of contemporary China, as he navigates the complexities of cultural identity, memory, and artistic innovation.
Chen Xinmao’s first series of paintings on the romantic tragicomedy play, “Peony Pavilion” written by dramatist Tang Xianzu in 1598 which captivated audiences for centuries, debuted at iPreciation in 2019, marking the beginning of a transformative exploration into the depths of imagination and cultural symbolism. Since then, Chen has continued to delve deeper, infusing his latest works with a sense of free play. His strokes are bolder, his compositions more dynamic, and his use of symbolism more nuanced than ever before. Each painting serves as a window into Chen’s subconscious, inviting viewers on a journey of discovery and introspection.
Through his masterful use of ink, colors, and text, Chen Xinmao creates a visual language that transcends cultural boundaries, inviting viewers to explore the intersections of East and West, tradition and modernity, dream and reality. His latest series, “Revisiting Peony Pavilion,” promises to captivate audiences with its evocative imagery and exploration of humanism.
About the Artist
Born in 1954, Chen embarked on his artistic odyssey in the Art Department of the Shanghai Theatre Academy in 1978. He later pursued a master’s degree from Nanjing University of the Arts in 1987. Chen is currently a professor at the College of Fine Arts, East China Normal University, where he oversees the Chinese Painting Studio and serves as a supervisor for graduate students. He has participated in numerous exhibitions locally and internationally, including in Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Championing Local Artistry: iPRECIATION’s Dedication to Singaporean Talent at ART SG 2024
iPRECIATION, a cornerstone of Singapore’s art scene, takes pride in being one of the largest and most dedicated supporters of local visual art and artists. Our gallery’s unwavering commitment to nurturing and promoting homegrown talent has solidified our position as a beacon of support for the vibrant artistic community in Singapore.
With eager anticipation for ART SG 2024, iPRECIATION is excited to unveil an outstanding lineup of artists, including Zhuang Shengtao (b. 1944, Singapore), Milenko Prvacki (b. 1951, Yugoslavia/Singapore), Lee Wen (b. 1957 – d. 2019, Singapore), Wee Shoo Leong (b. 1958, Singapore), Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960, Singapore), Vincent Leow (b. 1961, Singapore), Lim Soo Ngee (b. 1962, Singapore), Justin Lee (b. 1963, Singapore), Boo Sze Yang (b. 1965, Singapore), Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973, Malaysia/Singapore), Eric Chan (b. 1975, Malaysia/Singapore), Jon Chan (b. 1982, Singapore), and Ashley Yeo (b. 1990, Singapore). This diverse ensemble beautifully encapsulates the essence of Singaporean creativity across various art genres and mediums. The meticulously curated selection reflects the gallery’s unwavering dedication to showcasing the diversity, innovation, and excellence that define the rich tapestry of the local art landscape.
We invite art enthusiasts, patrons, and the public to visit us at ART SG 2024 Booth BC15. Experience the richness of Singaporean artistry as iPRECIATION proudly stands by its tradition of supporting and celebrating the dynamic spirit of the local art community.
For more information, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Come see the tales of people come to life in the form of rustic wood sculptures that may remind you of perhaps someone and somebody. The Legend 傳·說 is a showcase featuring new works by one of Singapore’s most known sculptors, Lim Soo Ngee who consistently delights viewers with his thought-provoking works.
In this exhibition, Lim gives ‘legends’ a playful spin by interrogating the hearsay aspect of such narratives in today’s world. With an extensive collection of anecdotes heard elsewhere and anywhere, Lim creates captivating figurines that are packed with emotive stories of people and their lives through the lens of others. It is important to understand that these sculptures are shaped by the accounts of people, as the artist attempts to pivot the discussion to the rudimentary formation of stories.
When looking at Lim’s sculptures, we often find ourselves being reminded of an individual that we know of or someone we didn’t know and could only guess. Past and present alike, the narratives largely stayed the same, stemming from reality, stirred with perceived truth and a spoonful of imagination. While a story begins with telling, the multitude of ways of interpreting and re-telling give rise to fascinating variations that are somewhat similar and/or different. This common amnesia and/or collective memory in Lim’s works is an embodiment of the nature of narratives.
Lim has brilliantly conceptualized a blend of heterogeneity and homogeneity to highlight that our perception is very much influenced by the world around us and is fluid as we move on to different stages in life. The titles may have indicated who the person could be. Perhaps they are a commendable person, or not at all. Regardless, it doesn’t matter. Because the persona that surfaced in our heads will never be a shared experience.
As he traces the inkling of a legend and challenges the notion of what should be a legend, Lim invites viewers to relook at how stories are being told and reconnect with the humans present in these tales.
Moments of Serene Contemplation – A Showcase of Ashley Yeo’s Works
Showcase opens: 2 Sept – 16 Sept, 2023
iPreciation takes pleasure in presenting the exquisite artistic expressions of Ashley Yeo, a name that resonates profoundly in the Singaporean art milieu. Renowned for her mesmerizing paper cut-out works and pastel-pigmented drawings, Ashley Yeo stands as a visionary artist whose works have captured the hearts of many. These artworks offer an in-depth exploration of Yeo’s distinctive artistic voice, particularly her mastery of the meticulous and delicate art of paper cut-outs for which she is renowned.
A highlight of the showcase is Yeo’s series of three pigments on paper drawings – a medium that marked the inception of her artistic practice. Although rarely exhibited, these drawings profoundly mirror the significance of natural elements and the symmetrical allure of flowers within her body of work. Each drawing is a labour of love, meticulously developed over months with an almost mechanical precision that defies their hand-drawn nature. This manifestation of Yeo’s unwavering dedication to her craft across diverse materials vividly underscores her artistic ethos.
These drawings are not mere artworks but an in-depth exploration of conscious deceleration. In her retreat to nature, Yeo finds her muse in vast landscapes, from the gentle hues of the Arctic Circle’s summer solstice sky, where she undertook a residency in 2014, to the intricacies of floral symmetry. This harmonious juxtaposition of simplicity and complexity, fragility and durability, resonates deeply within her creations. The form and presence of natural elements provide Yeo with a rich palette from which she sculpts her meticulous and ethereal objects. Each piece emanates from meditative pigments on paper drawings, a tribute to her devotion to her art. Patiently and diligently hand-drawn over months, this process demands extended periods of solitude and patience. Yeo invites you to embark on a journey where you, too, are encouraged to slow down, bask in life’s smaller wonders, and experience an innate sense of calm.
In perfect harmony with her gentle-hued nature drawings, Ashley Yeo’s hand-cut paper works create an immersive experience that transports her audience into a realm of delicate beauty and meticulous craftsmanship, evoking a profound sense of tranquillity. Every intricate detail within these paper works is a testament to Yeo’s unwavering commitment to her skilful technique. Executed with utmost precision, each contour and curve are the results of painstaking effort, often involving the deft manipulation of a sharp scalpel. The artist’s touch, guided by patience and dedication, brings forth these exquisite masterpieces that stand as an embodiment of her artistic vision.
This showcase provides a rare opportunity to witness the evolution of Ashley Yeo’s artistic prowess as she seamlessly intertwines nature’s grace with her own, delivering moments of serene contemplation to all who encounter her masterful creations.
Singapore Kaleidoscope 2023: Celebrating Local Artistry
Exhibition Opens:Aug 5 – Aug 19, 2023
In celebration of Singapore’s fifty-eighth National Day, iPreciation is delighted to present Singapore Kaleidoscope 2023: Celebrating Local Artistry, a Singapore-focused art exhibition featuring uniquely Singaporean works.
Step into the vibrant world of Singapore through the eyes of six esteemed local artists: Wee Shoo Leong (b. 1958), Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960), Lim Soo Ngee (b. 1962), Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973), Wang Ruo Bing (b. 1975), and Lim Jia Qi (b. 1997). This captivating exhibition invites viewers to immerse themselves in the diverse and rich tapestry of Singapore’s landscapes, culture, and everyday life, depicted through a myriad of artistic expressions.
Singapore Kaleidoscope 2023: Celebrating Local Artistry presents an eclectic fusion of artistic expressions, capturing the city’s essence through diverse lenses. Through these artworks, viewers are invited to see Singapore anew, appreciating its many facets and the talent of these exceptional local artists who breathe life into their chosen mediums.
For more information on ticketing, please visit: https://tokyogendai.com/
iPreciation is excited to announce its participation in the inaugural Tokyo Gendai, the first international art fair in Tokyo. This prestigious event will take place at the PACIFICO Yokohama convention and exhibition center from 7th to 9th July 2023.
At the fair, iPreciation will be presenting a remarkable selection of works by renowned contemporary artists. Among them are Koo Mei (b. 1929, Hong Kong), Gao Xingjian (b. 1940, France), Wang Dongling (b. 1945, China), Wang Tiande (b. 1960, China), Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960, Singapore), Song Ling (b. 1961, China), Huang Yuanqing (b. 1963, China), and Chui Pui-Chee (b. 1980, Hong Kong).
These artists are widely acclaimed for their exceptional mastership over their distinctive artistic mediums, including traditional ink and oil. Their approaches have revolutionized these art forms, transcending conventional boundaries and captivating audiences worldwide with their contemporary relevance.
For more information, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email enquiry@ipreciation.com
iPreciation is proud to present Abstraction for Beginners, a solo exhibition by Milenko Prvački(b. 1951, Singapore), featuring Milenko’s ongoing series that surveys his evocative visual vocabulary.
Abstraction for Beginners is an ongoing series since 2017 that traces Milenko’s development in abstraction, the paintings and unique prints on handmade Japanese papers will showcase Milenko’s continued expansion in his visual lexicon. The artist repeatedly alludes his integration into a new domain to learning a new language, twice – first when he studied in Romania without knowing how to speak Romanian, then coming to Singapore without any knowledge of English. Having learned many entries that have their origin and meanings, Milenko discovers that the alphabetical structure of a dictionary has not allowed any narrative or story to dominate the notation. A concept he absorbs, Milenko presents multifaceted works. A myriad of elements that may not necessarily complement each other are often randomly placed together, then leaving assorted interpretations to be derived from different perceived possible combinations.
As Milenko constructs or perhaps more aptly, reconstructs his memories and life events, fragments of past return as memorandums for the future, albeit the fluid nature of remembering means this act of retrieval will constantly change and never stay the same. Collectively, the anamorphic figures, mosaics of colours, alphabets, wild strokes and blobs of paint, and geometrical as well as deformed shapes, reject any bucketing or categorisation. As small details get littered and scattered on the plane, a wealth of information gets compressed and packaged into a bizarre configuration of things that seem confusingly readable and unreadable at the same time. The dynamic interaction between these elements hence invites creative associations from different angles, backgrounds and understandings. Such a bold composition of the ambiguous and indicative, challenges the notion of abstraction and highlights Milenko’s remarkable pursuit to expand the boundaries of abstraction.
About the Artist
Milenko Prvački was born in 1951 in the former Yugoslavia. He graduated with a Master’s degree in Fine Arts (Painting) from the Institutul de Arte Plastice “Nicolae Grigorescu”. Milenko moved to Singapore in 1991 and became a Singapore Citizen in 2002. Between 1998 and 2010, Milenko was the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts in Singapore’s LASALLE College of the Arts. He currently holds the post of Senior Fellow at the institution since 2011. In 2005, he also founded Tropical Lab, a global programme for students from art institutions worldwide.
He has been invited to hold solo exhibitions in Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney Biennale, Beijing, Jakarta and more recently, Serbia in 2019. He was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 2011, and Singapore’s Cultural Medallion for Visual Arts in 2012 by the National Arts Council for his contributions to Singapore’s visual arts scene. In early 2012, he also received the Silver Medallion for Knights in the Order of Arts and Letters from the French Embassy. In 2020 Milenko received the 22nd Sava Šumanović Fine Art Award, the Serbian national art award for Visual Arts.
Milenko’s art residencies include but are not limited to the Visiting Artist Programme at the National Institute of Education (NIE) in Singapore (2019), 1st Tao Hua Tan International Artist Retreat and Painting Residence in China (2017), 18th Street Art Centre in Santa Monica, USA (2013, 2016 and 2017) and Keppel Centre for Education at the National Gallery Singapore (2015). His works are permanently collected by museums and institutions worldwide, including the National Museum, (Belgrade, Serbia), Museum of Contemporary Art (Belgrade, Serbia), Museum of Contemporary Drawing (Nurnberg, Germany), Museum of World Portraits (Tuzla, Bosnia & Herzegovina), Museum of Contemporary Art, (Novi Sad, Serbia), National Museum (Pancevo, Serbia), Obalne Gallery Collection (Piran, Slovenia), Singapore Art Museum (Singapore), National Gallery Singapore, Art Gallery of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia), and ICAS, LASALLE College of the Art Collection (Singapore).
iPreciation is delighted to present Be Together, a solo exhibition by Justin Lee(b. 1963, Singapore), one of Singapore’s foremost contemporary artists known for his pop-flavoured works with an essence of our local culture.
In this new body of works based on the Nanyang Children Story Books (南洋兒童), travel back in time with Justin Lee as he reunites with his childhood memories and visuals. Be Togetherwill showcase 18 paintings of playful narratives, conceptualised sometime in 2019. In this series, his paintings are re-imagined as book covers as if they are all due for publication in today’s context. Having to rework this topic allowed Lee to expand on his painting language as he incorporates his style into the covers or rather add a uniquely Justin Lee mark on them.
Lee believes that art plays an integral role to help people grow, gain self-awareness, and understand the role they play in society. He hopes that Be Together can ignite the audience’s curiosity and playfulness of people, regardless of their upbringings, and bring out the hidden child in everyone. For the audience young at heart who is just Lee’s age, here’s a pool of collective memories to dive deep into. For the younger audience, who learns the Nanyang Children Storybook for the first time, now that’s a piece of yesterday worth picking up for comparison with today.
About the Artist
Justin Lee is a Singaporean visual artist and designer. Upon graduating with a Diploma in Fine Arts, in 2019, he was one of the selected local artists handpicked to be trained at the Tyler Print Institute in New York. He has participated in numerous artist-in-residence programs in Japan, such as Fukuoka, Studio Kura, Itoshima Art Farm, and Tokyo Youkobo. Over the years, he has participated in numerous exhibitions held in Singapore and internationally (2000-2002).
As one of Singapore’s foremost contemporary artists whose design projects reflect a sense of pop flavoured with an essence of Singapore traditions, Justin’s work reflects traditional techniques such as his ongoing series based on paper-cutting and Chinese woodblock printing styles. The themes and imagery with which he interprets his commissioned design work underscore familiar Asian cultures with a delightful twist of western pop treatment that celebrates Asian values in an endearing tongue-in-cheek manner.
In his earlier career, he was handpicked in 1999 as one of the first six interns from Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI) to work with world-renowned artists such as Frank Stella and Donald Sultan in the New York Studio. He believes that art plays an important part in helping people to grow and to see the critical role play and awareness of themselves. His works also reflect on words and images from the mass media like signage, billboards and consumer products which control our thoughts and expression.
The artist’s background in graphic design has greatly inspired his concepts of consumerism. He is well known for his paper-cut inspired paintings with a fusion of eastern and western elements that highlighted how Western consumerism-culture has infiltrated the East and his ancient Eastern figurines modelling western luxury products.
As the venerated artist Gao Xingjian (b. 1940) reaches the age of 83 in January this year 2023, he received the highly decorated Commander of the Legion of Honour (Le Commandeur de la Légion d’Honneur) from French president Emmanuel Macron on January 27 in Élysée Palace. Internationally acclaimed artist and Nobel laureate (2000) Gao Xingjian is a novelist, playwright, poet, theatre and film director, painter, photographer and philosopher. iPreciation is honoured to present 28 important ink on paper paintings by Gao, of which 17 are new pieces of works created between 2020 – 2022. This exhibition celebrates this recent award and Gao’s lifetime achievements.
Born in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, China in 1940, Gao moved to Paris in 1987 and became a French citizen in 1997. Touted as ‘the modern Renaissance man’ by the 2008 Milan Arts Festival, Gao paints solely and only with ink, an ancient medium said to be imbued with the spirit of the painter. Despite his departure from the western medium in the 1970s, traces of oil painting techniques such as the layering of several different inks still linger in his works.
Gao focuses on the intuitive depictions of his mindscape and inner vision. He listens to classical music before and during painting, allowing his consciousness to dive deep into the chords and transforms them into brushstrokes. Then he stops when his mind tells him to. At this point, the painting is far from complete. Gao would leave it on its own for days, months or even years. He would then come back to it someday to make edits as he deems fit, or perhaps never. Feeling satisfied, he mounts the painting, and it is finally realised with an extemporaneous title.
What the viewer sees is a visual illustration of the stream of consciousness – the blurry nature of the human mind as our thoughts surface and then quickly disappear; It is our state of mind at that particular moment that can’t be described in words. In the words of the artist – “painting begins where language fails” – while we may all be looking at the same piece of work, what is comprehensible is largely solitary and personal.
Over the years, he has received numerous awards, including Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters (1992), Premio Letterario Feronia, Rome, Italy (2000), Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (2002), The American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award (2002), Lions Award, New York Public Library, USA (2006), La Milanesiana Award, Italy (2008), Gold Award from the European Merit Foundation, Luxembourg (2010), and The gold medal of the French Renaissance (2012); At the Nobel Prize award ceremony, the Swedish Academy stated that Gao received the award “for an oeuvre of universal validity, bitter insights and linguistic ingenuity”. His writings have been translated into 48 languages, and his plays continue to be produced in various theatres throughout the world each year. In 2003, the City of Marseille, France hosted “Year of Gao Xingjian” (L’Année de Gao Xingjian), a major event where his paintings, his play “August Snow” and other artistic creations were showcased. In 2008, he was a guest of honour at La Milanesiana, a prestigious annual international arts festival attended by around 100 distinguished writers, poets, musicians and film directors from all parts of the world. In the same year, Hong Kong held a Gao Xingjian festival to celebrate the spectacular achievements of this multi-disciplinary artist. Recently in 2019, Gao was awarded the distinguished Premio Roma for his book “Per un nuovo Rinascimento”.
Since 1985, more than seventy solo exhibitions of Gao’s ink paintings have been held in museums and galleries in Europe, the USA, and Asia; his works have also been selected for numerous group exhibitions and international art fairs. In 2005, a retrospective exhibition of Gao was held at the Singapore Art Museum. In 2015, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium and the Museum of Ixelles held a double exhibition for Gao. The Museum of Ixelles held a major retrospective of his paintings, while the Royal Museums designated an exhibition room for six of his monumental paintings, which they have permanently collected.
His works have been collected by the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, United States), Musée Guimet (Paris, Italy), Maison de la Culture de Bourges (France), Bibliothèque de l’Université de Marseille-Provence (France), Muse-um of Far Eastern Antiquities (Stockholm), Krapperups Konsthall, Malmö (Sweden), Leibnitz Gesellschaft für Kulturellen Austausch (Berlin), Singapore Art Museum (Singapore) and National Museum of History (Taipei).
Sign up now to receive an invitation to private previews
Sign up for the iPreciation newsletter now to receive private preview invitations, updates on our upcoming exhibitions, first-hand announcements and more.
Justin Lee is a Singaporean visual artist and designer. He has participated in numerous artist-in-residence programs in Japan, such as Fukuoka, Studio Kura, Itoshima Art Farm, and Tokyo Youkobo. After his graduation with a Diploma in Fine Arts, he was one of the selected local artists trained at the Tyler Print Institute in New York. Over the years, he has participated in numerous exhibitions held in Singapore and internationally (2000-2002).
As one of Singapore’s foremost pop artists whose design projects reflect a fine sense of contemporary design flavoured with an essence of Singapore traditions, Justin’s work deserves accolades as both designer and artist. His approach to design is executed with current graphic fundamentals yet reflects traditional techniques such as his ongoing series based on paper-cutting and Chinese woodblock printing styles. The themes and imagery with which he interprets his commissioned design work underscore familiar Asian cultures with a delightful pop treatment that celebrates Asian values in an endearing tongue-in-cheek manner.
In his earlier career, he had been handpicked as one of the first six interns from STPI to work with world-renowned artists such as Frank Stella and Donald Sultan. He believes that art plays an important part in helping people to grow and to see the important role play and awareness of themselves. His works also reflect on words and images from the mass media like signage, billboards and consumer products which control our thoughts and expression.
The artist’s background in graphic design has greatly inspired his concepts of consumerism. He is well known for his paper-cut inspired paintings with a fusion of eastern and western elements that highlighted how Western consumerism-culture has infiltrated the East and his ancient Eastern figurines modelling western luxury products. In his recent works, he looked deep into the effects on the lifespan of products and their (past) functionality. This ideology is followed by a second lease of life given by people who are able to see use beyond the previously assigned identity for the object.
By questioning the purpose of things through the study of objects; purpose and given meaning, acceptability in culture, its physical form, a material made of and how the usage of objects is applied in the context of a community. The investigation of these works has revealed a hidden community made up of senior citizens who lived on their own, working hard each day to earn a living. Some do it through the collection of old things; newspapers, cardboard boxes, used tin cans, etc. The discovery of this sub-culture living in modern Singapore has enabled the artist to draw parallels of constructs from used/discarded objects to the study of people, history, contemporary culture, and traditional family values that are present in their personal and social networks.
Education
2016 | Master of Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
2006 | Bachelor of Fine Arts (Western Art), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
1999 | Diploma in Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 | Toys ‘R’ Lust-0.2” Residency Art Show at Studio Kura, Japan
2021 | “I Am A Con Artist” Solo Exhibition at The Private Museum, Singapore
2020 | “They Used To Be My Playground” Solo Exhibition at Art Seasons Gallery, Singapore
2018 | “Game of Life” Solo Exhibition at Esplanade Concourse, Singapore
2017 | “They used to be my playground” at Studio Kura, Japan
2012 | “Ten Years of Art and Craft” at Art Seasons Gallery, Singapore
2012 | “The Paper Ball” Solo Exhibition at Esplanade, Singapore
2008 | “Beijing Goes West” Solo Exhibition at Utterly Art, Singapore
2007 | “Sweet and Sour Pop” Solo Exhibition at Utterly Art, Singapore
2006 | BA degree Solo Show at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
2005 | “Our People, Our Lifestyle” Solo Exhibition at Esplanade, Singapore
2005 | “Double Happiness-Fantasy in Red” Solo Exhibition at Utterly Art, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
2022 | “Dark Was the Night We Found Light” Exhibition at Instinc, Singapore
2022 | “Substation: Redaction” at Visual Arts Centre, Singapore
2022 | The Artist’s Village’s “Epilogue” at Changi Fairy Point Chalet 7, Singapore
2021 | The Third Print at Myungju Art Center, Korea
2020 | “Crossing Border/ Border Crossing” at International Festival of Intermedia, Hong Kong
2020 | “Alohomora Chimera” at Taipei Zhongshan Hall, Taiwan
2020 | Instinc “De: Voted” at Art Space Helutrans, Singapore
2020 | “Polyphony South East Asia” at Nanjing Art Museum, China
2019 | Wuwei Performance at 51 Waterloo Street, Singapore
2019 | “ASIALIVE SINGAPUR” at Galeria Labirynt, Poland
2019 | Wuwei Performance at Stamford Arts Centre, Singapore
2019 | The Artist’s Village’s “Portraiture” at Mairangi Arts Centre, New Zealand
2019 | “Small Singapore Show 2.0: TaiSing Conversation” at Supernormal Gallery, Singapore
2019 | Wuwei Performance at Your Mother Gallery, Singapore
2018 | “Small Singapore Show 2.0” at Open Contemporary Art Center, Taiwan
2018 | The Artist’s Village’s “Portraiture” at MOX-Banksy Gallery, Singapore
2018 | “In the Mood of Serenity” at Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong
2018 | The Artist’s Village’s “Still Life” at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
2017 | “Meta-graphy” at MEME Art Space, Taiwan
2017 | “The Circle of Life” at Japan Creative Centre, Singapore
2017 | “Field Trip Project Asia: Departure Edition” Group Exhibition in Indonesia
2017 | ‘IN-Visible’ Group Exhibition at ION Gallery, Singapore
2016 | “South by Southeast” Group Exhibition at Yibo Gallery, China
2016 | “Different Light” Group Exhibition at Unipon2kau2 Art Project Space, Japan
2016 | “And The Rest Of Such Things” LASALLE Master’s Degree Showcase, Singapore
2016 | “Parabiosis: International Contemporary Art Exhibition” at Chongqing Contemporary Art Museum, China
2015 | “Art Now Live Tour Season 2” Group Traveling Show in China
The history of ink runs deep. The ink tradition is still very much alive today thanks to the precious works left behind by generations of artists that tell the story of their time. Artists such as Milenko Prvacki, Wee Shoo Leong, Huang Yuanqing and Jin Jie have created works in the Western medium infused with the spirit of ink paintings, endeavouring to break the boundaries of how one usually views Western paintings. Ju Ming, Gao Xingjian, Wang Dongling, Zhang Jian-Jun, Wang Tiande, Oh Chai Hoo, Tay Bak Chiang and Chui Pui-Chee offer a fresh take on contemporary ink painting, creating works that highlight the possibility of artistic creation rooted in traditional Chinese culture without being constrained by it. Having a solid foundation in ink practice, the artists featured here have each carved unique paths in the field by offering a refreshing angle on the aesthetics of ink with their ground-breaking works.
For more information, please call +65 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Private Preview: Thursday, Jan 5, 2023 (By Invitation Only)
Exhibition Opens to Public: Jan 6 – Feb 4, 2023 (*Extended by 1 week!)
In Conversation with Oh Chai Hoo: Jan 28, 2023, 2pm (Conducted in English, Limited Seats Available. Online Live also available @ iPreciation FB Page)
The artist will discuss his explorations in jinhuihui with Dr Hwang Yin, Art Historian and Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chinese Studies, NUS. To RSVP, please call +65 6339 0678 or email enquiry@ipreciation.com.
iPreciation is delighted to present Singapore artist Oh Chai Hoo’s recent works in a solo exhibition titled “Timeless Present 今夕何夕” featuring 38 mixed media works dating from 2019 to 2022, comprising two assemblages, 36 paintings and collages. Bringing a contemporaneity to his paintings of jinhuidui, Oh’s explorations in fragmentation, fissuring, rubbing and collage, as well as playful experiments with colours and motifs, have resulted in a highly personal interpretation of the genre. He seeks to bring a fresh eye and a new understanding to this traditional art form. Reflecting the artist’s catholic tastes in reading material, the inscriptions largely address the transient nature of human existence and the immutability of time. For him, jinhuidui does not need to look at the past but can develop as a lens for interpreting global issues and current events.
Jinhuidui, which means ‘a pile of brocade ashes’, is an art form of Chinese scholarly montage painting that might have originated as early as the late Ming Dynasty. The montage usually includes the depiction of ancient objects, paintings, calligraphy, rubbings and fragments of letters. In Oh’s new mixed-media works, the miscellaneous things he uses are torn, burnt, stained, and worn out, giving them a renewed sense of age and elegance. Oh also adopts a realistic painting method for some of the artefacts, and it takes a double take to discern which are painted on, and which are pasted on. The deliberate use of colours and intricate painting technique captivates the eye and encourages it to wander along the different objects to discover something new each time.
Oh Chai Hoo(b. 1960) is a Singapore artist who works extensively with various mediums. Since graduating from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1982, Oh has remained an active member of the local arts scene. He was the vice-president (2013 – 2021) of Singapore’s Siaw-Tao Chinese Seal-Carving Calligraphy & Painting Society had held various exhibitions locally and in South Korea and Japan.
He received a Distinction in Visual Art Creation by the NAFA Alumni Association (1992), and Highly Commended in Abstract Medium at the 18th UOB Painting of the Year competition (1999), the Siaw-Tao Achievement Award in 2009 and Siaw-Tao Best Artwork Award in 2013. His works are collected privately and also in the permanent collection of the National Museum of Singapore and The Istana, Singapore.
For more information, please call +65 6339 0678 or email enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Private Preview: Nov 19, 2022 (By Invitation Only)
Exhibition Opens to Public: Nov 21 – Dec 10, 2022 (By Appointment Only)
Artist statement:
When one thinks of “nature”, we often visualise spaces untouched by humans. In a dense city like Singapore, most nature we see every day are intertwined with our urban spaces. Occasionally, one can observe plants emerging through hidden corners like backyards of residential areas, cracks on concrete floors or creepers using the walls of pillars as scaffolding to climb and grow. However, nature is not alone in trying to survive our urban environment. Every so often, we observe infrastructure being built in a way that preserves existing trees and designated spots allocated for the growth of flora and fauna.
Urban : Backyard 《都市: 後院》is a series of works based on documentation of everyday spaces in Singapore. It aims to highlight this unique relationship between urban spaces and nature. Through the use of paint on carved wood panels, Lim hopes to shine a light on the mini garden in every corner of our neighbourhood.
Lim Jia Qi(b. 1997, Singapore) graduated with a degree in fine arts from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore in 2019. During her time in LASALLE, she was awarded the Ngee Ann Kongsi Scholarship (AY 2017/ 2018) and the LASALLE Award for Academic Excellence in 2017. At the same time, she assisted in conducting numerous printmaking workshops during her internship at Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI).
Lim had participated in various group exhibitions since 2016. She had also exhibited in “Concrete Encounters” at the Young Talent Programme 18/19 Winner’s Solo Exhibition in 2019, and at the Affordable Art Fair under the ʻYoung Talent Programmeʼ in 2018.
Unimaginative spaces in our urban environment, most commonly associated with the Singapore “lifestyle” are a key interest in Limʼs work. Similar to how people that grew up in the countryside recognise trees and forests as signs of familiarity, the banal architecture that surrounds Singaporeʼs housing estates and its cold concrete element has become an oddly familiar material that she finds herself drawn to.
Through passive observation of everyday life, Lim endeavours to capture the poetics of these spaces and structures, reconstructing them in terms of narrative and/or the absence of such. The breaking down of forms, shifting in perspectives and hinting of narratives in the works are presented in a bid to challenge viewersʼ emotional attachment and familiarity with these spaces.
Coming from a printmaking background, Jia Qi is interested in the advancement and explorative nature of this traditional medium; adopting techniques with other material adaptions such as carving on concrete slabs. With the architecture of housing flats her main subject matter, concrete material is also explored extensively through casting.
Private Preview: Oct 15, 2022 (By Invitation Only)
Exhibition Opens to Public: Oct 17 – Nov 5, 2022
Artist Statement
‘Nine Abysses’ is a reflection of my life experiences and emotions. I encountered a series of difficulties in work and my private life in recent years and have been down in the dumps. But I managed to persist in the creation of art and the pine tree symbolizes this persistence. The dark background is intentionally set to represent the sadness I have been through.
On the other hand, the process of adding details with gongbi technique to depict the pine trees and jagged rocks to soothe my emotions. To me, it is a way of mediating and somehow I found inner peace. I hope the audience could feel the feelings in this painting.
I also hope the audience would look closer to see the details of the painting, especially the pine trees, and pine needles. The original colour of the paper is gold and silver. I used the traditional Chinese Ink (need grinding). To enhance the darkest part of the painting, I mixed the ink with charcoal powder so it would look darker and create a mysterious dark space. This is my unique technique. (The traditional method will use a very concentrated ink but when it is dried, it will look shiny.)
～Chui Pui Chee
About the Exhibition
iPreciation is delighted to debut Hong Kong artist Chui Pui Chee’s first solo exhibition titled Nine Abysses《九淵》 in Singapore.
Born in 1980 in Hong Kong, contemporary ink artist Chui graduated from Queen’s College, Hong Kong in 1999. Chui studied Calligraphy under Chinese contemporary artist Jat See-Yeu since young and graduated from the Department of Fine Arts of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in 2003. The following year, he then furthered his postgraduate studies at the Department of Chinese Calligraphy at the China Academy of Art where he obtained his Master of Arts in 2007, and subsequently his PhD under the tutelage of world-renowned Chinese contemporary artist Wang Dongling in 2010.
Chui started off his artistic career in university with expressive calligraphy. However, he was not satisfied with merely engaging in formal learning of calligraphy, and desired more. During a stint at an auction house as a specialist in Chinese painting and calligraphy, Chui was exposed to many brilliant classical and modern Chinese paintings. He was thus inspired to study and explore the different techniques, skills and materials of Chinese painting, and he became especially fond of employing gongbi (literally “neat brushstroke”) as a form of artistic expression. 18 years on, Chui established himself as an experimentalist known for his thought-provoking paintings deriving from the structure of calligraphic fundamentals. The incorporation of Chui’s personal interpretation and compelling elements in his paintings such as insects, mythology and Cantonese pop songs, contribute to a refreshing and delightful twist to the traditional gongbi painting.
Nine Abysses《九淵》 showcases 13 recent works by Chui and spotlights his development in the Nine Abysses series – contemporary ink landscapes featuring pine trees rising above clouds, and out of steep rocky cliffs. Amid a global pandemic and several socio-political movements in recent years, Chui finds himself increasingly drawn to the tranquility of Northern Song-style landscape paintings. He has selected an atypical subject matter, the mythological Nine Abysses said to be a spring where a sacred dragon resides, or in Taoism, a metaphor for the nine ways of life to ultimate bliss. Leveraging such poetic imagery, Chui then employs the gongbi technique to create a magnificent landscape packed with exquisite details.
The arduous process Chui went through to contrive each painting is a parallel reflection of his uphill struggles in real life and an ongoing yearning to find inner peace. Rather than presenting the abyss as it is, Chui turned towards thriving pine trees (which are collectively a symbol of self-discipline and endurance) triumphing over the dark, a brilliant move to bring forth the tension existing within such a space. Against a dynamic background of expressively painted clouds and waterfalls on gold and silver paper, he arduously painted each delicate pine needle and fine lines, gradually actualising the monumental composition.
Upon a closer look, one would realise, unlike classical ink paintings where a high concentration of black ink would leave a sheen when it dries up, dark areas in Chui’s works are pitch black (as seen in Nine Abysses XLI 九淵之四十一, 2022). This is due to the artist’s unique method of mixing ink with charcoal powder to dampen the glow and bring more gloom that could encapsulate his sadness.
The absolute focus and precision required in the meticulous application of each brushstroke has turned the creation process into a mediative and introspective session, one that is laborious yet soothing to the soul. Condensing his emotions into superbly fine lines, Chui’s paintings exude a generous number of emotions waiting to be shared with and felt by us.
About the Artist
Hong Kong contemporary ink artist Chui Pui Chee (b. 1980) holds a degree from the Department of Fine Arts (2003), The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), and a Master of Arts (2007) and Doctoral Degree (2010) from the Department of Chinese Calligraphy, China Academy of Art.
Chui served as a programme coordinator at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK (2007-2015), taught calligraphy at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (2011-2012), a part-time lecturer at CUHK (2018-2020) and Hong Kong Baptist University (2019-2022). He also worked in the Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy Department of China Guardian (HK) Auctions from 2015 to 2017. He was an Honorary Advisor of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK (2017-2018). Chui is currently an executive member of The Jiazi Society of Calligraphy and Friends of Shizhai (2000 to present), as well as a research fellow of the Modern Calligraphy Research Center of China Academy of Art (2000 to present).
In 2012, Chui received the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Awards – Young Artist Award, presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. He also received the Award for Young Artist (Visual Arts) at the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2015 organised by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. He was a finalist in The Sovereign Asian Art Prize in 2015, 2018 and 2020. Chui has held various solo and group exhibitions in Hong Kong, China and the rest of the world. His works are permanently collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art, and the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology of the University of Oxford.
To register for the artist’s talk, please contact us at +65 63390678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
Exhibition Opens to Public: Sep 19 – Oct 1, 2022
iPreciation is delighted to present a solo exhibition titled The Hong Lim Series: Line and Fragments by Singapore artistJon Chan. This exhibition marks a new and ongoing series that Chan has embarked on as he surveys the connection, or rather disconnection, between the physical manifestation of the site and the symbolic presence of the person the park is named after.
About the Exhibition
TheHong Lim Series: Line and Fragments brings forth a two-fold exploration as Chan manoeuvres through Hong Lim Park, a site full of storytelling and political narratives and his ancestral relations with Cheang Hong Lim. Driving from an alienated perspective, Chan also integrates notions of time as a medium, often realised through fragmented imageries.
The act of naming forms an emotional and directive bond between Hong Lim the person and Hong Lim the Park. This orchestrated form of a binding power when displaced and resurfaced in conversations and research, often draws on a singular political association. Here, Chan takes on a different stance. He deliberately segregates the usual connotations attached to the park and seeks to study the facades of Hong Lim Park as a historical and functional space that has served not just the politicians (as many would assume), but also the arts, the sportsmen and the passerby.
Drawing inspiration from Sequential Art and Film, Chan paints ‘present-day’ Hong Lim Park and weaves in slices of reality that has been taken out from their respective timelines and social-political context. The juxtapositions of these fragments of space ruffle the linear presentation of the site and create tension as the space and agents of space attempt to establish their presence. When viewers are pulled into the scale of his works, they are yet clearly detached from the spacetime, witnessing the confrontation of time and its evolving development on the canvas.
As a continuation of his previous investigative viewpoints, a naturally recurring motif of dichotomic narratives and dialectical pulls are present in the zone that Chan has carefully contrived. Overlaying individuals of people at Hong Lim Park in a reconstructed image of Hong Lim Park, Chan has presented the possibility of reconfiguring elements that reflect on time and space. He has also subtly conveyed an inclination to reconcile conflicting units of time in an entirely different plane through the act of painting.
Between the moving lines (literally or figuratively) and fragments of existence lingering in Chan’s work, we invite you to contemplate the various dimensions that exist between perception and conception.
About Hong Lim Park
Most known as Singapore’s only designated Speaker’s Corner, Hong Lim Park has rich storytelling and political history. Originally named after the first Superintendent of Police, Thomas Dunman, it was later renamed Hong Lim Green, in honour of Cheang Hong Lim, a wealthy and influential Chinese businessman who bought the land and donated it to the government. It has served as an important space for many political rallies, performances and activities.
Artist Statement
“This new body of works marks a new and ongoing series that focuses on a two-fold exploration of both the physical site, Hong Lim Park and the person which that same park is named after, Cheang Hong Lim whom I share ancestry with.
Instead of approaching the project from the perspective of a descendant of Hong Lim, the artist approaches it from an alienated one. More specifically, a perspective that projects a sense of the divided self. This sense of a divided self is rooted in the very way he paints which at certain moments may seem like doubtful gestures; however, paradoxically, these doubtful gestures are also propelled by lively ones. The overall effect is paintings that look assertive yet restrained. This way of painting works as a metaphor for approaching and choosing the subject matter. Both Hong Lim the person and Hong Lim the Park are likewise ‘divided’, estranged from one another, making it an ideal terrain for my work.”
~Jon Chan
About the Artist
Jon Chan Weiwen (b.1982, Singapore) graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in 2007, and a Masters of Fine Arts in 2008, from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. Chan is the winner of the Winston Oh Travel Award for the years 2003 and 2007. He was also awarded the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Arts award in 2007. Chan has participated extensively in numerous group exhibitions since 2002 and has held various solo exhibitions in Singapore.
Private Preview: Saturday, Aug 20, 2022 (By Invitation Only)
Exhibition Opens to Public: Aug 22 – Sep 3, 2022
Artist Statement:
There is nothing so wondrous as engaging in a dialogue with nature. If an artist manages to capture such beauty of nature on canvas as to captivate the minds of the viewers, in turn, he or she must deem that as the greatest blessing.
I have always drawn on local sources for inspiration. It is hence never a must to travel overseas to far-flung places, for anything here could well serve as my subject matter. It might be any tree on this island that catches my fancy, a rainbow of colours that comes and go amid the greenery of the reservoir, the distant horizon that is far beyond the shoreline and waves of the sea, or some cargo ships stopping by under the deep blue sky and passing clouds; in short, whatever catches my eyes, near or far. Even a bunch of bananas in the market, a bouquet of flowers, or some old ceramic bottles or vats, could easily be welcomed into my painting. My goal is to distil seemingly disparate elements into pictures without words, that yet remind us, like calligraphic wisdom, of “being gentle and quiet but going far”.
I count myself lucky, as someone born to a loving family and a metropolis at the crossroads of east and west, ever open to cultural differences. We not only possess the romantic sensibilities of the oriental society, but also the technological know-how of the western world, which together provides me with excellent inspiration. Being based in this region dubbed Nanyang or the ‘South Seas’, noted for its rustic character, I have developed a corresponding style in painting still life and landscape. My aim is to create a classic feel through a gentle equilibrium in composition, with a grounded and meticulous approach to attention to detail. It is my principle that every dab, every stroke and every extended surface in my oil painting must have its raison d’être, contributing to a contrasting effect or sense of harmony. In a departure from realism in my still life, however, my landscape paintings are much more relaxed and impressionistic. The pictures composed in my mind are always calm and quiet, with breathing space that affords room for imagination. While the colours are decidedly harmonious, the outlines are understated despite deeper sophistication, to create a sense of being and transcendence all at once…
I must credit my living environment, my upbringing and my training for nurturing my creative spirit. It is through such a broader cultural outlook that I have developed wings of imagination, allowing my art to take flight in free rein. For 40 years now! I have strived in constant exploration and hard work, in search of a ‘Shangri-La’ as befits my own temperament. It is my own world of beauty, a field in which I toil in creative work, but also a place where I am most free in spirit, a place where I find myself most unfettered and most rewarded: a bountiful land, truly my own.
About the Artist
Wee Shoo Leong(b. 1958, Singapore) is a Singaporean artist who paints primarily in oil. Most known for his oil paintings of identifiable everyday objects (such as birdcages, vases, earthen jars, flowers and fruits) set against blank backgrounds, his still life works bring forth the simplicity in things. This sense of quietness and harmony later also stretches into his later venture into landscape paintings, which takes on a more semi-abstract approach.
Shoo Leong graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1979. In 1984, he won the prestigious UOB Painting of the Year, followed by a silver medal from Salon 85 in Paris in 1985, and the 1st Commonwealth Foundation Fellowship, London in 1986.
Shoo Leong’s works have been exhibited worldwide, including in Singapore, Brunei, Australia, Europe and the United States of America. These include solo exhibitions at Art Forum, Singapore (2021 & 1992), Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney (1987) and National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore (1985). Selected group exhibitions include Rediscovering… Our Local Talents, Fullerton Hotel Heritage Gallery, Singapore (2015), Many in One: 25 Years of Singapore Art, Washington, DC (1991) and First Bru-Sin Art Exhibition, Brunei (1989).
Wee Shoo Leong’s works are also in the permanent collections of Agung Rai Museum of Art, Bali, Indonesia, Nordmann Rassmann GMBH & Co. Hamburg, Germany, The Istana, Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, National Art Gallery, Singapore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Citibank Singapore.
William Goh Jin Hong(b. 1992, Singapore) is a multi-disciplinary artist who works with a wide range of media, including oil and acrylic painting, sculpture, drawing and mixed media. He graduated with a Diploma in Art Teaching from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore, in 2017. In 2020, he graduated with a Bachelor in Art Education from the National Institute of Education, Singapore.
Goh seeks to find his identity and relishes it in the process of art-making. His work mainly addresses the relationship between time and functionality, attempting to show the bridge between reality and imagination of the mind. Places and objects are drawn from recollections of the artist’s observations, inspiring the viewer to draw connections with what they find familiar. He emphasises the persistence of an ambiguous pursuit to replicate and relate, to venture into the realms of familiarity.
His works were exhibited in over 30 group exhibitions both locally and internationally, including “29th Asian International Art Exhibition” at Kyushu Geibun-kan (Kyushu Arts and Cultural Center of Fukuoka Prefecture), Japan (2021), “Searching”, a solo exhibition at SiBaoZhai Art Gallery, Singapore (2018), “27th Asia Watercolour Exhibition” at Qujing Art Museum, China (2018), “Fleuve De Vie, River of Life – Group Exhibition” at Society Kentridge Guild House Gallery, National University of Singapore (2016), “Baum des Lebens: Trajectory of Civilisation, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore (2016), and “Imago Mundi, Singapore Art: 21st Century and Beyond, Contemporary Artists from Singapore”, Luciano Benetton Collection, Italy (2015). His works were permanently collected by various organisations, such as the National Institute of Education, Singapore, Ministry of Communications and Information, Singapore, The Connoisseur Concerto Organisation, and Ministry of Education Headquarters, Singapore.
In 2021, Goh received the Highly Commended award in the Established Artist Category, Singapore with his artwork titled “Last Night”, in the 40th UOB Painting of the Year art competition. As one of the youngest members of the Modern Art Society (Singapore) and the Singapore Watercolor Society since 2016, Goh has attended various art and academic symposiums and workshops in Asia.
Education
2017 | Diploma in Art from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore / Diploma in Art Education from the National Institute of Education, Singapore
2020 | Bachelor in Art Education from the National Institute of Education, Singapore
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021 | Live painting of murals exhibited for Art Encounters, Malay Heritage Centre, Singapore
2018 | Searching, SiBaoZhai Art Gallery, with support from National Arts Council, Singapore Arts Federation and Singapore Watercolour Society
Selected Group Exhibitions
2021 | 29th Asian International Art Exhibition, Kyushu Geibun-Kan Art and Cultural Center, Japan, Federation of Asian Artists, With Support from National Gallery and National Arts Council / National Day Exhibition, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Singapore. Federation of Art Societies (Singapore), With Support from National Arts Council (Singapore) / Reconnect 2. Modern Society Exhibition Virtual Exhibition on SIMS4 Gaming Platform, With Support from National Arts Council (Singapore) / Reconnect.. Modern Art Society Exhibition, Federation of Arts Societies (Singapore) Gallery, With support from National Arts Council (Singapore), / The Phase, Telok Kurau Studios Exhibition 2021, Telok Kurau Studios Gallery. Singapore, Part of Singapore Art Week 2021, With Support from National Arts Council (Singapore)
2020 | Colourful Splashes, Singapore Watercolour Society Annual Exhibition (Virtual) 2020, With support from National Arts Council (Singapore) / 19/19 Group Exhibition, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University / Streets of Hope, An Initiative by #SgCultureAnywhere and National Arts Council (Singapore) / AVoid, Group Exhibition, Telok Kurau Studios Gallery in Conjunction with Singapore Art Week 2020, With support from National Arts Council (Singapore)
2019 | Intersections, 55th Modern Art Society Annual Exhibition, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, With support from National Arts Council (Singapore) / Singapore Watercolour Society 50th Annual Exhibition 2019, With support from National Arts Council (Singapore)
2018 | Rejoice in Watercolour, 49th Annual Exhibition, Singapore Watercolour Society, Hwa Chong Cultural Centre, Singapore, With support from National Arts Council (Singapore) / The 27th Asia Watercolour Exhibition 2018, Qujing, Yunnan, China / Modern and Beyond, 54th Modern Art Society Annual Exhibition, ION Art gallery, Singapore, With support from National Arts Council (Singapore) / “海丝水韵” Water Rhyme on the Maritime Silk Road, Shantou(China)|Guangxi (China)| Singapore, China Cultural Centre, With support from National Arts Council (Singapore)
2017 | Federation of Art Societies (Singapore) 25th Anniversary Exhibition, Chui Huay Lim Club Gallery, Singapore / “丝路华彩” Magnificent Wonders of the Silk Road, Watercolour Art Exhibition of China Southwest Ethnic Minority Groups in South and Southeast Asia, Chinese Heritage Centre, National Technology University (Singapore), China National Arts Fund / “海丝水韵” Water Rhyme on the Maritime Silk Road, Shantou (China) | Singapore. Longhu Culture Museum, Shantou (China), With support from National Arts Council (Singapore) / Portable Art Week, 4th Edition, iPreciation, Singapore /Splendour of Watercolour, 48th Annual Exhibition, Singapore Watercolour Society, Ngee Ann Cultural Centre, Singapore, With support from National Arts Council (Singapore) / Undertone, Group show with Yeo Tze Yang and Bess Chan, iPreciation, Singapore
2016 | Singapore Modern Art Society Annual Show 2016, Group Show with Modern Art Society, ION Art gallery, Singapore / Fleuve De Vie, River of Life, National University Singapore Society Kentridge Guild House Gallery, Singapore / “ASEAN IDENTITY” with Chulalongkorn University and Birmingham City University, Thailand National Gallery / Baum des Lebens: Trajectory of Civilisation, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore / Savour the Arts, TCC Cafe @ Bugis, Singapore / Inquisitorial Praxis: Inception of Complete Artworks, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore/ “Metamorphosis”, Singapore Watercolour Society, Ngee Ann Cultural Centre, Singapore, With support from National Arts Council (Singapore) / Revisiting Your Mind: Universality in Diversity, Skylight Studios, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore / “…” A Student Network Session, Skylight Studios, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
2015 | Imago Mundi, Singapore Art: 21st Century and Beyond, Contemporary Artists from Singapore, Luciano Benetton Collection, Italy
2009 | “Wall of Hope” For National Cancer Centre Singapore
2007 | Environmental Painting Project with SMRT, 10 Paintings Exhibited along Bukit Panjang LRT, Singapore
2006 | Sculpture Garden in Bukit Panjang Govt High School in Collaboration with Daimler Chrysler, Singapore
2002 | “Life at Woolagong” Sculpture Exhibition at Sculpture Square, Singapore
Awards
2021 | Highly Commended award in the Established Artist Category, Singapore, 40th UOB Painting of the Year art competition
2014 | Merit Award in Jurong Town Corporation Cleantech Park Mural Design Competition
Wee Shoo Leong(b. 1958, Singapore) is a Singapore artist who paints primarily in oil. Wee graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1979. In 1984, he won the UOB Painting of the Year art competition. He was awarded a silver medal from Salon 85 in Paris in 1985, and the 1st Commonwealth Foundation Fellowship, London in 1986.
Wee is known for his still life oil paintings of identifiable everyday objects such as birdcages, vases, earthern jars, flowers and fruits, set against blank backgrounds which give the works clarity and a sense of quietness and harmony.
Wee’s works have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions worldwide, including Singapore, Brunei, Australia, Europe and the United States of America. These include solo exhibitions at Art Forum, Singapore (2021 & 1992) and at the National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore (1985). His group exhibitions include one at Fullerton Hotel Heritage Gallery in Singapore (2015), First Bru-Sin Art Exhibition in Brunei (1989) and Many in One: 25 Years of Singapore Art in Washington, DC (1991).
Wee Shoo Leong’s works are in the permanent collections of Agung Rai Museum of Art, Bali, Indonesia, Nordmann Rassmann GMBH & Co. Hamburg, Germany, The Istana, Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, National Art Gallery, Singapore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and Citibank Singapore.
Education
1979 | Graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
1987 | Study Programme (Oil Painting) in Sydney College of Arts, Australia
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 | In Search of Shangri-La, iPreciation, Singapore
Many Singaporeans enjoy their meals at hawker centres and coffee shops, where the food is affordable and diverse. I’m no exception. If I’m not having home-cooked food, I always like to eat at the hawker centre or kopitiam. It’s an integral part of my day, a routine I don’t usually think much about.
For a period during the pandemic, dining in at hawker centres and coffee shops was disallowed. I realised then that the wonton mee, char siew rice, youtiao and other local foods I’d taken for granted had always been my dependable and comforting allies.
I have used local foods as the subjects of my recent works as a natural response to those days. It’s also my way of remembering how these foods have accompanied me during the different stages of my life.
The flavours of these foods – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, spicy – are interwoven with the joys and sorrows in my life. Food needs to be chewed on and savoured slowly, as do happiness and sadness in life.
About the Artist
Tay Bak Chiang(b. 1973, Malaysia/ Singapore) is one of Singapore’s most sought-after painters for his contemporary Chinese ink works. The critically acclaimed artist graduated with a Diploma from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Singapore in 1995 and studied at the China Academy of Art (Hangzhou, China) in 1997. In 2002 he was awarded the Young Artist Award for Visual Arts by the National Arts Council and later won the first prize for UOB Painting of the Year (Traditional Chinese Medium Category) in 2000 and 2003.
Tay Bak Chiang’s works have made numerous appearances at international art fairs, including Art Basel Hong Kong, Art Stage Singapore, Art Miami, Art New York, Art Paris, Art Taipei and Edinburgh Art Fair. In addition, his works are in the collection of much prominent public and private institutions, including The Istana (Singapore); Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Singapore); Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations (New York); National Gallery Singapore; Simmons & Simmons Contemporary Art Collection; Singtel; SC Global Developments; Swiss Re; OCBC Bank; United Overseas Bank; Mandarin Oriental (Singapore); Shangri-La Hotel (Singapore); and Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, London.
iPreciation celebrates the phenomenal achievements of legendary Taiwanese artist, Ju Ming(b. 1938, Miaoli, Taiwan) with his internationally acclaimed Taichi Series and Living World Series. We invite you to relish humanity as carved by Ju Ming.
This retrospective solo exhibition, titled “Art: a Human Practice”, sheds light on Ju Ming’s creations made of different mediums over half a century, and his views on the aesthetic experience in everyday life, formulated by years of practice. Though already a formidable figure in the eyes of young emerging artists, Ju Ming has never been bogged down by his sparkling accomplishments. In his eighties, the artist still pushes himself to unlearn, relearn and create. Walking a path of his own, Ju Ming continues to preserve the wide spectrum of life in our wonderful world.
Sign up now to receive an invitation to private previews
Sign up for the iPreciation newsletter now to receive private preview invitations, updates on our upcoming exhibitions, first-hand announcements and more.
Private Preview: Thursday, Jan 13, 2022 (By Invitation Only)
Exhibition Opens to Public: Jan 14, 2022 – Jan 29, 2022 (Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)
To welcome the start of 2022, iPreciation is delighted to bring to you 35 pieces of important recent works by 7 prominent contemporary artists from China and Singapore, namely Wang Dongling, Wang Jianan, Zhang Jian-Jun, Wang Tiande, Han Sai Por, Zhuang Shengtao and Oh Chai Hoo. All the artists have received formal academic art training with a solid foundation and later carved out a path like no other. These groundbreaking works are testaments to their tireless search for originality and creativity in their thinking process and symbols of a distinctive identity.
Arguably one of China’s greatest living contemporary artists, Wang Dongling is best known for his groundbreaking Chaos script, a signature style that has broken free from the rigidities of traditional calligraphy, yet with its roots firmly anchored in the fertile soil of the ancient art form. Wang often adopts excerpts from Buddhist scriptures and Chinese classics in his creation process, yet his expressions would turn these texts into unrecognisable, thoroughly flipped the functionality of words. Characters traditionally to be read and fed to the receivers are now abstract forms to be felt and contemplated by the receivers themselves instead. Apart from his unusual calligraphic visuals, Wang also experimented with a variety of mediums, such as using acrylic on acrylic board, acrylic on stainless steel, pigment on coloured paper and even bamboos. Over the past six decades, Wang’s modernistic approach has expanded the frontier of calligraphy and no doubt, he will continue to open up room for universal interpretations. His recent creations using ink or pigment on coloured papers have brought in a fresh look to the old art form and certainly leveraged on the untold possibilities colours offer.
Wang has been invited to demonstrate his monumental calligraphic works in prominent institutions including Stanford University (1989), Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium (2009), Brooklyn Museum (2015), British Museum (2016), The Imperial Ancestral Temple, Beijing (2016), Art Institute of Chicago (2017), Asia Society New York (2017) and National Gallery of Singapore (2019). His works are in the private collections of collectors worldwide, as well as the permanent collections of museums and institutions such as The British Museum, London, UK, The Palace Museum, Beijing, China, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China, Zhejiang Art Museum, China, Yale University, USA, University of California Berkely, USA, North Dakota Museum of Art, USA, Metropolitan Museum of Art, USA, and Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong.
Wang Jianan who is having his first group exhibition in Singapore is a prominent artist most known for his ink paintings characterised by heavy use of pigment and majestic landscape. Born in 1955, the Heilongjiang native studied at Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and upon graduating in 1982, he later migrated to London in 1987 where his artistic career took flight. His brightly coloured works have brilliantly weaved in cultural influences and characteristics of Western paintings. Insistent on using mineral pigments to preserve the texture and translucency of traditional Chinese ink paintings, Wang’s works are rich in hues, yet placed within the most unexpected setting — tranquil landscape more likely found in Tang and Song Dynasty paintings. Bearing the influence of dunhuang art and its distinctive colour scheme, which he has a profound understanding of, Wang has constructed a wholly different visual realm that is bound to revitalise the rich traditions of Chinese paintings. Filling his lush forests and mountains with a myriad of colours, occasionally adding traces of living, Wang’s Colour Landscape Seriesgoing on display stands at the cusp of a fairyland fantasy and reality.
The winner of the 1989 British watercolour prize at the Royal Academy of Art, the first Chinese artist to receive such an honour, has had his works well collected by museums and institutions such as National Art Museum of China, Henan Art Museum, The Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China, Xi’an University, China, The British Museum, London, UK, The Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK, The Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK, and The Olenska Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland.
A pioneer of chinese abstract art and one of the most gifted contemporary Asian artists of our time, Zhang Jian-Jun has certainly showcased his multi-disciplinary talents through a fascinating collection of oil, watercolour, installation and photography art. The Adjunct Professor at the Fine Arts Department of New York University Shanghai consistently awes viewers with his profound understanding of and manipulation of existence, time and its realisation. Currently living and working in both Shanghai and New York, Zhang often weaves in his observations of the society, and his reflections on the ephemerality of modernity. In his Ink Rock Series, he created doppelgängers of scholar’s rocks that Chinese literati once prized in their gardens, tediously and delicately casting them in ink, giving the nature feature a modern spin.To date, his study on the fluidities present in our lives is still ongoing and his works shall continue to discuss the evolution of time and what dissipates along with it. Featuring Ink Rock this time, we invite you to question what constitutes our cultural identity in modern times though the ornamental ‘rocks’ Zhang has brilliantly engineered.
Zhang has held many solo exhibitions and over 100 group exhibitions in China, the United States and other parts of Asia and Europe. His works are collected permanently in JP Morgan (Hong Kong), International Artists Museum, Lodz (Poland), Shanghai Art Museum (China), Shenzhen Art Institute, Shenzhen (China), Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou (China), the Dow Jones Company, New Jersey (U.S.A.), Djerassi Foundation Collection, California (U.S.A.), Yuz Museum, Shanghai (China), Frederick R. Weisman Foundation of Art, California (U.S.A.), Brooklyn Museum, New York (U.S.A.) and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (U.S.A.).
Born in Shanghai in 1960, Wang Tiande is widely regarded as one of the leading figures in contemporary Chinese ink of our time. His reinvention of Chinese landscape painting by substituting brushes with incense has seen him catapulted into international fame and Wang’s creative explorations continue to receive critical acclaim worldwide. His iconic works bear resemblance to the conventional landscape paintings from afar, then upon closer look, surprise viewers with his layered textures and refined visuals — as the burned landscape layered on top reveals another inked landscape underneath, both existing as individual pieces yet generate synergies as one. Wang sometimes fuses his creations with original manuscripts or rubbings of stelae and seals from his collection, in the hope that he could establish a dialogue between the past and his modern practices. Some of his recent works, after his trip to Singapore in 2020 has expanded to imbue elements of the sunny island and Southeast Asia. As the cultural gap continues to widen,these new works are part of the contemporary space Wang has created and they highlight the possibility to inherit, yet not be bounded by the traditional Chinese culture.
Wang has held solo and group exhibitions in prestigious museums, galleries and institutions across the globe. His works have been included in the permanent collections of many museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Brooklyn Museum, Chicago Art Institute, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the British Museum, and the National Art Museum of China.
Regarded as one of Asia’s most prominent living sculptors, Han Sai Por is widely recognised as a driving force for the local sculptural art scene. Han who became an artist by chance certainly has established her presence over the past fifty years, clinching numerous prestigious awards internationally and locally. A recipient of Singapore’s Cultural Medallion Award (1995), the second female to have received such recognition after Georgette Chen, is known to create simplistic and elegant organic works that evoke the alluring charm of nature. Han embarked on her artistic journey with stones, and after all these decades, even when natural materials of such (including marble and granite) are hard to find in Singapore, she has not strayed from her path. With exquisite, smooth, flowy lines derived from the energy of the natural world, her works on display — Seed PodSeries, Flora Series and Tropical LeafSeries are honest yet graceful commentaries on the significant loss of organic forms in modern society. Though presented with a clean and neat aesthetic, Han’s remarkable oeuvre carries a lot of weight, literally and figuratively.
Han has participated in numerous international exhibitions around the world. Her works can be found in many private collections, international and local institutions, and public spaces including; National Museum of Singapore, Suzhou Centre in China, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore National Art Gallery, China National Museum in Beijing, Portland Sculpture Park in England and World United Nation, New York Singapore office building.
Singapore’s pioneer contemporary ink artist Zhuang Shengtao is a modern literati artist. Now residing in Suzhou, Zhuang indulges himself thoroughly in the serene landscape the ancient city offers. It does not take much to notice, the spirit of times present in the ‘Venice of China’ is well embraced in Zhuang’s bold and zestful strokes. Remaining vivacious in his swings and sways, his daxieyi (freehand brushwork) works have pushed the boundaries of calligraphy further to one that transcends distinguishable forms. The heavy layering and swashing of ink across jumbo size rice papers have had an effect on the visual dimension — pockets of white peeking through the varying degree of dark washes, much like the dappled shade, movements of his expressions are amplified at a scale, drawing viewers further into his poetic world. Look out for his abstract and free-spirited compositions in Emptiness Series, Zhuang’s introspective strokes are a fresh interpretation of contemporary ink and have cleverly imbued classical Chinese poetry within.
Zhuang has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Singapore, China, the USA, Australia and other parts of Asia, including Journey of Ink (Singapore National Museum Art Gallery, 1993), Power and Poetry – Monuments and Meditations in Chinese Contemporary Ink Paintings (Singapore Art Museum, 1998), 5th International Ink Painting Biennial of Shenzhen (Shenzhen, China, 1999), shuimo yuehui (True Colour Art Museum, (Suzhou, China, 2009) and The Ink Art of Zhuang Shengtao (iPreciation Gallery, Singapore, 2017). His works are also in the permanent collection of the National Gallery Singapore.
A well-respected Singaporean artist who wears many hats — painter, calligrapher, ceramist, Oh Chai Hoo works extensively with various mediums and is well admired for his fearless experimentation and exploration with different materials. Deeply intrigued by the work of nature, Oh is particularly fascinated with rock structures, which has led to an oeuvre of extraordinary ink works that have captured the powerful movements of natural forces on magnificent mountainous, cliff-like forms. Over the years, he has continued to expand his visual language by exploring dialogical and collaborative works, bringing in surprising elements that certainly hint at his free-spiritedness and adventurous personality. His recent paintings bring forth a juxtaposition of ink and calligraphy resulting in a collage-like effect, where works are torn and pieced up, and writings are scattered all around (see Cherries from Previous Lives and The Dream of Landscapes). The spontaneous assemblage resulted in texts and motifs interacting non-linearly on the plane, as well as torn edges and spaces leaving rooms for imagination, leading viewers into a heartfelt conversation with the narratives presented.
Since graduation from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1982, Oh remains an active member of the local arts scene. The vice-president of Singapore’s Siaw-Tao Chinese Seal-Carving Calligraphy & Painting Society had held various exhibitions locally and abroad. His works are well collected privately and are also permanently collected by the National Museum of Singapore and The Istana, Singapore.
Sign up now to receive an invitation to private previews
Sign up for the iPreciation newsletter now to receive private preview invitations, updates on our upcoming exhibitions, first-hand announcements and more.
Private Preview: Dec 11, 2021 (By Invitation Only)
Exhibition Opens to Public: Dec 13, 2021 – Dec 30, 2021 (Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)
This December, join us at iPreciation to discover the tranquil world of Yang Zhongda(b. 1988) through 22 pieces of works he created between 2015 – 2021 in his first solo exhibition titled Quietude.
Yang was born in Singapore. He graduated in 2015 from The Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, majoring in Western Painting. Our affinity with Yang began in 2015 after his graduation. Since then, he visited and presented his artworks whenever he created new pieces, at the same time discussing his ideas. Yang’s acrylic paintings first made an appearance in When Space Dissolves into Luminosity; Where Flowers Bloom Amidst Rocks, a group show in 2017. Soon after, he forged a newfound affection for pastel and he made this medium a definite choice for his later creations. His fondness for drawing as a form of expression and the appealing nature of pastel pigment application created a special visual for his paintings. However, the virtuosity shown in his visualisations would not have been possible without his meticulousness and introspective personality.
Yang’s keen eye for detail allows him to consistently find meaning in the overlooked corners of the urban scene, often zooming into the quintessential, producing photography-like works. His rigorous approach to art has produced an exceptional visual diary of the contemporary, a fascinating take on everyday observations.
The artist’s oeuvre is a poignant revelation of the evanescence nature of our modern society. He often captures desolated spaces and commonplace subjects often occupied or routinely used by humans yet also mostly go unnoticed and unappreciated. In the absence of living objects, these neglected infrastructures and features took centre stage, imbuing a whiff of bleak emptiness in an oddly familiar setting.
By negotiating an entity’s existence in a space, Yang investigates the intimate connection he shares with his subjects, his identity in relation to society which extends to the universal theme of the human-environment relationship. Constructed with fragments of his personal memories and sympathetic observations of our surroundings, the quaint stills encapsulate small moments of actuality and invite viewers to contemplate and find opportunities to reconcile with the mundane someday, some time.
Yang plans to further create a captivating series depicting the relationship between toys and society, unfortunately, delayed by his recent health issues. Its first piece, The Cavalry, created in 2019, is a distorted version of a popular videogame character which will also be shown at this exhibition.
We have witnessed an incredible journey of Yang’s growth and development over the years. As he continues his medical treatment, we hope to share Yang’s remarkable chronicles and celebrate his achievements to date. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of Yang’s collectors for supporting the young artist and loaning these works to make this solo exhibition possible.
We wish and greet everyone with a bright and healthy year ahead.
Sign up now to receive an invitation to private previews
Sign up for the iPreciation newsletter now to receive private preview invitations, updates on our upcoming exhibitions, first-hand announcements and more.
This month, 120 ceramic seal carvings by multifaceted Singaporean artist Oh Chai Hoo(b. 1960) is on display at iPreciation. This is Oh’s first complete collection in seal and it marks his 20 years of journey in exploring ceramic and seal carving. We are delighted to present Marks on Earth, an exhibition and book launch that unearths Oh’s decades of craft in calligraphy and seal carving. Visitors are also invited to attend a two-session ceramic seal carving workshop and an artist’s talk. Join us and dive into the marvellous creation of ceramic seals.
Private Preview:
Saturday, Nov 6, 2021 (By Invitation Only)
Exhibition Opens to Public:
Nov 8 – Nov 27, 2021
(Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email us.)
The history of ceramic sculpture and seal carving goes far back, yet the combination of both art forms into an artistic expression has fallen under the radar in the local arts scene for too long. Lamenting the lack of attention in this art form, Oh takes a bold stance with his largest collection of ceramic seals and unveils the cultural significance of the earth beneath our feet.
The ceramic seal marries two traditional crafts — seal carving and ceramic making. It is no surprise the creation of just one clay seal has to go through an arduous yet exhilarating process. From de-airing, modelling, drying, glazing to firing and finally carving, this complex process invites a sum of possibilities. Glaze firing is one especially fascinating process which the artist has simply no control over, yet it brings in so much excitement with its unpredictable nature and no two clay out of the kiln can ever look the same. With each step requiring sheer dedication and subtle alchemy, Oh finds himself sharing a delicate and exclusive bond with his earthly material.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is a set of 90 ceramic seals or as the artist termed, ‘micro-sculptures’ created by Oh between 2003 – 2021. Collectively, they are meant to be seen as a single work, rich in narratives and history. At a closer look, each seal was created at a certain point in time, and each is a representation of a significant part of Oh’s life as an artist, also as a human. They encapsulate a part of him, a part of his memories and perspectives.
Another highlight of the exhibition is 30 individual ceramic seal creations, each paired with a calligraphic work created in 2021. Oh who has long admired the writings of local writer and journalist, Chow Yianping, displaced excerpts of Chow’s articles into his calligraphy exploration. Having gone through Oh’s interpretation, the text is then matched with a ceramic seal he finds a connection with. In fact, the juxtaposition of two art forms — one to be read and viewed, the other to be touched and felt, is a wondrous and serendipitous encounter of emotions felt at different stages of life.
Book Launch (Online Live and Limited RSVP Seats):
Saturday, Nov 6, 2021, 3-4pm (By Registration Only)
Marks on Earth is accompanied by a comprehensive catalogue that documents Oh’s creation of his ceramic seals. This catalogue covers his experiments and discoveries that span over twenty years of exploration.
Artist’s Talk (Online Live and Limited RSVP Seats):
Saturday, Nov 20, 2021, 3-4pm
(Limited slots available, by registration only)
What makes ceramic seals so charming? How does one balance the versatility of clay and the preciseness of seal carving?
Come celebrate the artist’s first solo ceramic seal carving exhibition and join Oh as he elaborates on his inspirations, conceptualisation and artistic process!
The artist will be in dialogue (Mandarin) with Chow Yian Ping 周雁冰 (Currently the editor of ThinkChina, she also worked as a journalist, museum curator and TV producer).
Ceramic Seal Carving Workshop with Oh Chai Hoo:
Day 1: Introduction to clay making techniques and creation of 3-5 ceramic seals
Nov 13, 2021, Saturday, 2-6pm
Day 2: Introduction to glazing techniques, firing methods and seal carving and hands-on session
Nov 28, 2021, Sunday, 2-6pm
Location: Jalan Bahar Clay Studios
Fees: 180SGD
(Registration Closed. This workshop is organised by Oh Chai Hoo and supported by iPreciation. Full proceeds go to the artist.)
Two-day workshop, designed for beginners and art enthusiasts. Participants will learn the concepts and hands-on techniques of clay making and seal carving. Join us for a fulfilling session guided by the artist and bring home your unique creations by the end of the workshop!
The in-person book launch, artist talk and workshop will be conducted in line with the latest Ministry of Health (MOH) COVID-19 guidelines.
Oh Chai Hoo(b. 1960) is a well-respected Singaporean artist who wears many hats — artist, calligrapher, ceramist, he works extensively with various medium and is well admired for his fearless experimentation and exploration with different materials. Apart from his extraordinary ink works that connect Western and Eastern traditions, Oh often showcases his free-spiritedness through Chinese calligraphy and quirky seal carvings. His ceramic works are equally visually stunning as the adventurer at heart often kneads his thoughts and inspirations into his slabs of clay.
Sign up now to receive an invitation to private previews
Sign up for the iPreciation newsletter now to receive private preview invitations, updates on our upcoming exhibitions, first-hand announcements and more.
iPreciation is delighted to present works of the late Hong Kong pioneer New Ink master Irene Chou (b. 1924, Shanghai, China – d. 2011) dated between 1994 to 2007. A leading figure of Hong Kong’s New Ink Painting Movement (between the 1960s and 1980s), Irene Chou was a prolific artist who has dedicated her life to narrate her universe and documented a lifetime of her musings and struggles with her art.
Born in Shanghai in 1924, Chou had a wide exposure to new ideas and beliefs during her childhood days. Under the influence of a calligrapher mother and editor father (who was also an amateur photographer and music lover), Chou grew up with a basic foundation in Chinese ink. Having received a westernised secondary school education, she was first formally introduced to western painting. As her intellectual parents have hoped, Chou excelled in her studies and got into the medical school of the prestigious St. John University in Shanghai. However, the lionhearted switched from medicine to major in economics and minor in sociology after two years in the course.
Chou graduated in 1946 and became a journalist for Peace Daily Shanghai, where she met her husband, Evan Yang (renowned Hong Kong director who was also known as Yi Wen). Due to the turbulences in post-war China, the couple left Shanghai in 1949, briefly staying in Taiwan, then settling down in Hong Kong in the same year where Yang became an editor of Hong Kong Times and Chou became a freelance writer.
Hong Kong marked the start of Chou’s spectacular artistic career. As fate would have it, she went fortune-telling with a few acquaintances one day and was told that she had an artist’s destiny. Later, while driving, her acquaintance casually remarked that she had a pair of artistic hands and should give drawing a try. With the help of a friend, she was introduced to and came under the tutelage of Lingnan Style artist Chao Shao-an (b. 1905 – d. 1998) in 1954. Under the guidance of Chao and being a diligent learner, Chou picked up the techniques quickly and conscientiously imitate (linmo) works of her mentor as well as Song and Yuan dynasty masters. In fact, at one point in time, she was so skilled that even Chao once mistook her piece as his own. As Chou found herself increasingly drawn to the tranquillity of painting, she was increasingly drawn to religion and philosophy, subjects which she saw a resemblance with art.
As such, Chou embarked on a self-discovery journey. As she accompanied her husband (who became a film director by then) to work, she often had her husband drop her off in the middle of nowhere in the outskirts of Hong Kong. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the deserted suburbs first went from an intimidating space to an environment Chou grew very comfortable with. With the lush landscapes, trees then became a major motif in Chou’s works, slowly evolving to become the buttress of her ink styles and have never departed from her oeuvre. Unknowingly, Chou gradually set herself free, moving away from the structured Lingnan style.
The 1960s saw Chou mature in style, shifting from traditional Chinese ink painting to contemporary creations. In 1966, Chou came under the tutelage of Lui Shou-Kwan (b. 1919 – d. 1975). A major figure in Chou’s artistic life, his ground-breaking theories of New Ink Painting inspired her to explore more expressive ink styles. At the encouragement of Lui, Chou delved deeper into the natural world and self-expression. Seeing the beauty of rustling leaves, flowing streams, swaying grass and more, she sought to weave these elements into her work into work. While Chou was experimenting with different mediums including oil, acrylic and watercolour, she eventually returned to ink, bringing with her a modern twist that gear towards abstraction and surrealism.
In 1968, Chou joined Lui’s initiative and formed In Tao (Yuan Dao) Art Association together with Wucius Wong and Tan Zhicheng. In the same year, Chou held her first-ever solo which had a sold-out success. She later participated in the 1969 Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition in London. Chou quickly emerged as one of the most innovative painters in Hong Kong’s art scene.
Chou started off at great heights in the 1970s; she was part of the pivotal force to drive Hong Kong’s New Ink Movement, a founding member of Hong Kong’s leading art group, One Art Group and has certainly developed a style of her own. At this time, Chou began studying drum-shaped stone inscriptions and lines began to take centre stage in her oeuvre. These lines, bearing a resemblance to twigs and branches, are the most reduced form of her feelings and emotions, as well as a verbatim of life. At this stage, Chou’s hallmark spheres entered her space and later became a notable visual symbol of her inner mind.
However, the death of her beloved mentor, Lui Shou-Kwan in 1975, followed by that of her husband’s in 1978 was a huge blow to Chou. The darkest period of Chou’s life arrived. Swamped with grief, she channelled her overwhelming emotions into her works and later developed one of her most known ‘piled ink’ technique. As such, paintings after the mid-1970s were dominated by sorrow and anguish. She termed these paintings layered with slabs of black ink as ‘dark paintings’ where darkness became her loudest silent cry and bleak lines traced her anxiety and agony. However, along the same timeline, Chou also established a contrasting technique she termed ‘impact’. It was characterised by broad sweeps of black ink, yet with a significant amount of blank spaces to diffuse a bit of light-heartedness. The juxtaposition of two opposing emotions outlined this interchangeable shift of emotions in one’s course of life. It is precisely this close bond between Chou works and her emotions share that make works of this period especially powerful. They are a reminder that art heals and the significance of an artist’s life journey in their process of creation.
It was not until the 1980s that Chou slowly moved on from the passing of her mentor and husband, so do her dark paintings. Her ‘impact’ technique evolved into ‘impact structure strokes’. Derived from the ‘splashed ink’ technique of Chinese ink, combined with Zen and philosophical theories, her new iconic technique led to a wholly different style – one that is characterised by bold, dynamic strokes of ink splashed onto the wet xuan paper and exudes a heightened sense of vigour. As her children have migrated abroad, she was living alone and hence turned her house into a studio, where she threw herself entirely into painting, indulging in a realm free of complex relations and ongoing affairs. Breaking away from the melancholy of the 1970s, colours returned to her works.
After a stroke in 1991, Chou was moved to Brisbane, Australia. Chou began to regain some movement in 1993, but the atrophy of her cerebellum worsened with time. Despite being unable to move freely and facing difficulties with daily tasks, she created a series of large-scale works, some of which were permanently collected in public spaces in Malaysia, Singapore and Brisbane. Her 1990s works were otherworldly; the galaxies she created exclude a mystical charm beyond self-realisation. Imbued in them were multitudes of transcendental narratives waiting to be discovered. In 2007, she continued to paint smaller works due to space constraints during her stay in a nursing home. Chou aged with grace and passed away in 2011.
Chou’s works are collected widely by important private collectors, reputable public and private institutions, including the British Museum, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art, University Museum and Art Gallery of The University of Hong Kong (formerly known as Fung Ping Shan Museum), National Art Gallery (Manila), National Museum of History (Taipei), Queensland Art Gallery and Melbourne Raya Gallery (Australia).
References
BUTCHER, Lorena Sun, “I am My Art; My Paintings are Me”: An Exploration of the Relationship Between the Art and Life of Irene Chou”, Ph.D dissertation, Griffith University, 2013.
BUTCHER, Lorena Sun, CHENG, Grace, YEUNG, Kowk Fan, Margaret, CHAN, Kwan Lap, LEE, Chun Yi, eds. The Universe is My Heart, My Heart is The Universe: The Art of Irene Chou. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2003.
Chinese Painting by Irene Chou. Hong Kong: Fung Ping Shan Museum, The University of Hong Kong, 1986.
Life is a many Splendoured thing — Irene Chou. Brisbane: Sacred Heart Centre, 2007.
MAUDSLEY, Catherine, ed. Collectors’ Choice: The Cosmic Vision of Zhou Luyun. Hong Kong: Casey Company Limited, 1995.
Paintings of Irene Chou Exhibition Catalogue. Hong Kong: Hanart TZ Gallery,1989.
PANG, Yeewan Tina, ed. Universe of the Mind: Zhou Luyun (Irene Chou) a retrospective exhibition. Hong Kong: University Museum and Art Gallery – The University of Hong Kong, 2006.
PUN, Alicia and LU, Rose. The Biography of Irene Zhou Lu Yun. Brisbane: Bridge U & Co. Pty. Ltd, 2001.
The Universe is My Mind – Irene Chou. Hong Kong: Hanart TZ Gallery, 2000.
WONG, Joyce Heiting. A World Within: The Art and Inspiration of Irene Chou. Hong Kong: Asia Society Hong Kong Center, 2019.
Internationally acclaimed Chinese-French artist Gao Xingjian(b. 1940) is a novelist, playwright, poet, theatre and film director, painter and philosopher. He was born in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, China in 1940 and moved to Paris in 1988. In 2000, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. With his rich experience, he skillfully blends thousands of years of Chinese and Asian wisdom with European classics. iPreciation is honoured to present Solitude 《幽居》— A Solo Exhibition by Gao Xingjian, which showcases 21 important and monumental works by Gao between 1991 – 2012.
His novels have been translated into forty languages and are widely distributed globally. More than 120 productions of his plays have been performed in Europe, Asia, North America, South America and Australia. More than 100 painting exhibitions were held in art museums, art centres and galleries throughout Europe, Asia and the United States, of which ninety were his solo exhibitions, and more than 50 art catalogues of his paintings and photographs have been published. In the last ten years, he has produced three poetic films that integrate poetry, painting, drama, dance and music, turning film into a comprehensive art form.
Touted as ‘the modern Renaissance man’ by the 2008 Milan Arts Festival, Gao did not employ the western medium despite his training in oil painting. Gao chooses to paint solely with ink – a medium said to be close to the heart and imbued with the spirit of the painter. Despite his departure from the western medium since the 1970s, traces of oil painting still linger in his works. He often attributes his layering of several different inks to his early practice in oil.
Interestingly, while rice paper is conventionally paired with ink, Gao predominately paints ink on large canvases, as the dramatic size of these canvases offers more volume and depth. The presence of large empty spaces gives rise to a spiritual quality that is hard to miss. With just a white paper or canvas and ink of different intensities, he brilliantly introduces a spectrum of light, shade and shadow. These three elements bring forth an amorphous realm, known as the “inner vision”, that stands at the crossroads of figurative and abstraction, not bounded by the passage of time.
Wearing his heart on his sleeve, it is no surprise that Gao does not paint a fixed light source in his paintings – Forms appear to glow within the darkness, while darkness emanates from the brightness. This departure from the conventional methods of painting can be seen as a visual illustration of the stream of consciousness – the blurry nature of the human mind as our thoughts surface and then quickly fading into the yonder; the flashes of life moments when we close our eyes to the reality; simply our mental state at that one particular moment which could not be narrated with words. Essentially, “painting starts where language fails,” while we may all be looking at the same piece of work, what is comprehensible is largely solitary and personal. The intimate experience of gazing at his inner vision is essentially a glimpse into our own inner vision. In the words of the artist, “The image is in you and you are in the painting.”
Apart from being a Nobel Prize winner, he has been awarded the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters (1992), Premio Letterario Feronia, Rome, Italy (2000), Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (2002), The American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award (2002), Lions Award, New York Public Library, USA (2006), La Milanesiana Award, Italy (2008), Gold Award from the European Merit Foundation, Luxembourg (2010), The gold medal of the French Renaissance (2012), and the Premio Roma, Italy (2018); He was also awarded honorary doctorates by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the University of Marseilles-Aix in France, the Free University of Brussels in Belgium, Taiwan University, the Central University of Taiwan, Sun Yat-sen University and the National Taiwan Normal University. The Gao Xingjian Research Space was set up by the library of the University of Marseilles-Aix in France in 2018, and in 2021, the library of National Taiwan Normal University also set up the Gao Xingjian Center.
His paintings are also in the collections of important private collectors and renowned museums. In 2003, the City of Marseille, France hosted “Year of Gao Xingjian” (L’Année de Gao Xingjian), a major event where his paintings, his play “August Snow” and other artistic creations were showcased. He was also commissioned to film Silhouette/Shadow which was completed in 2006. Hong Kong later held the “Gao Xingjian Arts Festival” in 2008 to celebrate the spectacular achievements of this multi-disciplinary artist. In 2015, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium and the Museum of Ixelles held a double exhibition for Gao. The Museum of Ixelles held a major retrospective of his paintings, while the Royal Museums designated an exhibition room for six of his monumental paintings, which they have permanently collected. Gao is the only living international artist to have been given such an opportunity. His works could also be found in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Musée Guimet, Paris; Singapore Art Museum (SAM); Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) and The Hong Kong University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG).
Watch Videos
Sign up now to receive an invitation to private previews
Sign up for the iPreciation newsletter now to receive private preview invitations, updates on our upcoming exhibitions, first-hand announcements and more.
iPRECIATION pays tribute toCheung Yee(b. 1936 – d. 2019), a master of our time through an exhibition titled The Art of Cheung Yee. The exhibition features captivating artworks produced between 1964 and 2008, showcasing Cheung’s multifaceted and distinctive styles. Touted as a trailblazer in Hong Kong’s contemporary art scene, the pioneer contemporary master is a familiar name to art scholars in the region and collectors globally. Best known for his monumental wood, metal relief and monumental General Series of crab-like sculptures, Cheung experimented with a variety of mediums throughout his career and has made fame for himself since the late 1950s.
Born in 1936 in Guangzhou, China, Cheung moved to and grew up in Hong Kong where his family was involved in the porcelain business, piquing his interest in handicrafts since young. He attended Tak Ming Middle School in Hong Kong where he studied traditional ink painting under renowned painter, Ding Yanyong 丁衍庸 (b. 1902 – d. 1978). Between 1954 and 1958, Cheung studied at Taiwan Normal University, majoring in traditional ink painting and seal carving. Though very skilled in gongbi and flower-and-bird paintings, studying rubbings of oracle bone writings for seal carving sparked his interest in tortoise shells, which was later a significant subject in his repository. He was intrigued with the tangible aspect of engraving presented, thereby started carving and sculpting.
Cheung returned to Hong Kong upon graduation in 1958, where he began to make waves in the art arena. Tapping on his fascination with ancient subjects and study of the biological nature world, Cheung created numerous wood and metal reliefs and sculptures that remind one of oracles or totems, and contain imageries that resemble snakes, worms, birds and the female body. By the mid-1960s, tortoise shells have taken the centre stage of his creation, where he applies ancient oracle bones and I-Ching with unique modernistic techniques and original visuals.
In the 1970s, he turned towards stone carving and created cast paper, a unique art form he called his own. Drawing inspiration from woodblock printing, instead of having a single mould, Cheung created moulds comprising of characters, pictograms, tortoise shells and symbols of the female genitalia. Being able to toy with the various combinations, Cheung’s cast paper reliefs are interestingly structured yet bursting with possibilities, which allows him to create his unique works, leaving viewers with ample imagination. In the 1980s, Cheung’s famous crab-like bronze sculptures, the General series became a hallmark of his artistic career, two of which are permanently installed in Hong Kong Kowloon Park and outside Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Between 1963 and 2003, Cheung was commissioned to create monumental public works for numerous institutions, including Hong Kong Hilton (1963), Philippine Bank of Commerce (Manila, 1969), Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp. (Hong Kong, 1972), Hayashida Hotel, Kagoshima (Japan, 1973), Sheraton-Molokai Hotel (Hawaii, 1977), Gloucester Tower, Landmark (Hong Kong, 1979), where the artwork later moved to Citylink (Singapore, 1999), Lucky Stores Inc., Phoenix, Arizona (U.S.A., 1980), East Asia Bank (Hong Kong, 1983), Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, (Hong Kong, 1989), and Taipei 101 (Taiwan, 2003).
Highly recognised for his ground-breaking original creations, he was conferred The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Member class (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1979 at the age of 43, joining one of the rare few in Hong Kong’s cultural industry to receive this honour.
Apart from being an artist, Cheung co-founded the Circle Art Group and was a member of the Society of Modern Literature and Fine Arts. He was also the chairman of the Hong Kong Sculptors’ Association, advisor to the Hong Kong Museum of Art as well as a professor of Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong for 15 years where he taught and inspired many Hong Kong contemporary artists to date. Cheung later became the only Hong Kong artist to have been invited to hold three solo exhibitions in the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Upon retirement in 1998, Cheung moved to California where he continued to work on cast paper and wood sculptures. Between 2004 and 2007, Cheung created a series of wood sculptures and masterful cast paper works. Among them, 041208 Poem (2004, Cast Paper), 50803 Heart Moving (2005, Cast Paper), Fortune series (Cast Paper), Magic Square (2007, Wood Relief) and Twins (2007, Wood Sculpture) attest to his superb skills in not just cast paper but also in Chinese scripts and wood carving.
On Dec 4, 2019, Cheung Yee passed away in California, leaving a legacy behind that continues to inspire young artists and sculptors. His works are in the collection of many international public and private collections, including Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, National Museum of History (Taiwan), Museum of Modern Art (Mexico) and Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (England, UK).
Former starlet and songbird of Hong Kong cinema in the 1950s, Koo Mei’s ink paintings are implicit and exquisite as her vocals and acting. Affectionately known as “the Little Lark”, the on-screen sweetheart stepped away from the limelight in the 1970s and has since soared to greater heights as a prominent ink artist. Where the Sun Sets 夕陽醉了 – A Solo Exhibition by Koo Mei brings together treasured works from 1976 – 2018 which are close to her heart, including a rare ink painting by Zao Wou Ki (in exchange for her work in 1993). It celebrates Koo’s dedication to capturing the otherworldly charm of nature with ink and water.
Born in Guangzhou in 1929 and grown up in Hong Kong, Koo was under the tutelage of several renowned 20th-century ink masters: First, Chao Shao-an in 1963 in Hong Kong; Hu Nien-Tsu and Au Ho-Nien when she was residing in Taiwan in 1969; and later Hong Kong New Ink Movement pioneer Lui Shou-Kwan in 1974.Since the 1970s, Koo’s works hail from the abstract, dynamic and fluid nature of clouds and mists, images she yearned for and frequently dreamt about. Determine not to be bounded by the rigid structures dominating Hong Kong’s landscape; she turned for the picturesque villages, panoramic imageries of mountains, valleys, streams and vast open spaces. Hence, many of her paintings stemmed from her fond childhood memories and playful imaginations of a quaint, mystic realm.
In 1977, she won the prestige Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Arts Award, and the winning painting was subsequently collected by the Hong Kong Art Museum. Her early works received high praises from Asia’s most respected 20th-century masters, Chang Dai-Chien and Zao Wou Ki. 1984 marked a new beginning of her artistic journey when she moved from Hong Kong to Canada, where she resides today. The changes of four seasons and majestic natural wonders in Canada became a major catalyst towards her expansive, ethereal landscapes and misty clouds. Today, at the age of 92, Koo’s works are powerfully evocative, imbued with a sense of tranquillity and wisdom that age over the passage of time.
With works spanning four decades of the artist’s career, the exhibition is set to shed light on Koo’s distinct aesthetic, her mastery in bold, lyrical brushstrokes and her exclusive imaginary world of landscapes. Today, Koo Mei’s works are in the collection of numerous respected private collectors, along with major corporations, museums, galleries and institutions, including Hong Kong Museum of Art, State University of Utah, the Canadian Consulate General, Bank of America, Bank of Australia, Citibank, Hutchison and Shaw Brothers (Hong Kong) Private Limited.
Hua Jun was born in Jiangsu, China in 1970. He graduated from the China Academy of Art in 1994. He moved to Sweden in 1995, obtaining a Master’s degree from the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts in 2002, and taught Chinese calligraphy at Stockholm University and Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Sweden. He returned to his alma mater, China Academy of Art, to pursue his PhD under world-renowned contemporary artist Wang Dongling in 2006. He is currently a professor and master tutor of China Academy of Art, the vice dean of the Chinese Painting and Calligraphy College, a member of Chinese Artists Association and the director of Zhejiang Chinese Figure Painting Research Association.
Si Shunwei, the curator of Zhejiang Art Museum, once commented that Hua Jun was a talented artist who started his painting career as a child prodigy but paid more diligence than ordinary people in the process of pursuing art. At a young age, Hua Jun left his hometown for that purpose. Upon returning to China eight years later in 2003, in addition to bridging Eastern and Western artistic aesthetics, his works reflect more of this talented artist’s observation and understanding of his surroundings and the world. Although the talented Hua Jun is also involved in performance art, installation art, photography, printmaking and so on, his works never deviated from ink calligraphy.
While Hua Jun practices the spirit of Chinese traditional culture meaningfully, he is not satisfied with sticking to old customs. In his opinion, as the times change with each passing day, ink calligraphy inevitably must keep pace. He is dedicated to advancing contemporary art and has a keen eye for it. The past decade has been devoted to the creation of the Heart Sutra, seeming ethereal and otherworldly, but in fact, is permeated with modern life. The life of all living beings is an eternal process of constant alternation between elimination and prosperity. It is a constant, but also a delicate balance, that all things rise and fall. Hua Jun’s works bring to mind the first law of thermodynamics, which states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed. As Hua Jun’s artistic interpretation is often based on and applied to reality, his works contemplate and exude the charms of humanity.
Hua Jun has held many solo and group exhibitions in China, Japan, South Korea and other parts of Asia and Europe. He has won several awards, including the 12th Zhejiang Province Fine Art Exhibition (Gold) (2009), First place in Shanghai Youth Art Exhibition (2005), Silver in the 10th National Art Exhibition (2004), and Second Prize in the Swedish 53rd Art Salon Exhibition (1997). His works are permanently collected in the National Museum of China, Beijing, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, Zhejiang Art Museum (China), Wuhan Art Museum (China), Liu Haisu Art Museum (China), Lingnan Museum of Fine Art (China) and Yesurui Jeondang (Korea). Hua Jun lives and works in Hangzhou, China.
Education
2006 | China Academy of Art (PhD.)
2002 | Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts (M.A.)
1994 | China Academy of Art (B.A.)
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2015 | Recent works at The 18th Hangzhou Westlake Art Fair, Hangzhou, China
2012 | “Regards”, Sanshang Contemporary Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2002 | Melllan Rummet Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden / Rinkeby Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden / Tersaeus Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
2001 | Alex Wiberg Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
2000 | Tersaeus Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
1998 | Mejan Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden / Alex Wiberg Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
1996 | Kyrkskolan Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
Selection Group Exhibitions
2021 | Flower, Not, iPreciation, Singapore
2017 | “Tribute 2018 – Future Media / Art Manifesto – China Academy of Art @ Strasbourg”, Strasbourg, France / “Open Books, Artists and the Chinese Folding-book”, Connecticut College, US; Rajasthan Lalit Kala Akademi and Ravindra Manch, India / “Contemporary Experience in East Asian Visual Culture—from Great Vacuity Buddha King to Chinese Characters/Writing”, Hangzhou, China
2016 | “Global China” at Art Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou, China / “Southern Imaginary, Northern Aura”, National Center for Performing Art, Beijing, China / “Transcending Spirit—Baima Contemporary Art Exhibition”, Xing Guang Avenue Mall, Hangzhou, China
2015 | “Leaders · People—Modern Classic from the Museum Collection”, National Museum of China, Beijing, China / “On the Road—Nomination Exhibition of Chinese Young Artists”, Inside-out Art Museum, Beijing, China / “Writing/Non-Writing 2015– Hangzhou International Modern Calligraphy & Documents Exhibition”, CAA Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2014 | “Climate: 2014 Young Artists Research Exhibition”, Wuhan Art Museum, Wuhan, China
2013 | “The 8th International Ink Art Biennale of Shenzhen”, Guan Shanyue Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
2012 | “The 2nd Chinese Painting Biennale of Hangzhou”, Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2011 | “Decanter Ink”, Sanshang Contemporary Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2010 | “Breakthrough Thinking” at Hangzhou Art Fair, Hangzhou, China
2009 | “Presentation and Construction—Invitation Exhibition of Contemporary Ink Art”, Renke Art Center, Hangzhou, China
2008 | “Counting the Heros—2170 Chinese Painting Exhibition”, Jiangsu Art Museum, Nanjing, China
2007 | “CAF Contemporary Art Exhibition”, The Museum of Modern Art, Saitama, Japan
2006 | “Literalism—Nomination Exhibition of Young Artists”, Red Sun Gallery, Shanghai, China
2005 | “The 2nd Beijing International Art Biennale”, National Art Museum, Beijing, China
2004 | “China-Korea Exchange Exhibition of Modern Calligraphy”, Seoul, South Korea2003 | “International Invitation Exhibition of Modern Ink Art”, Xi’an, China
Awards
2009 | Golden Prize, “A Historical Gaze -Exhibitions of Works with Important Historical Themes of Zhejiang Province”, Hangzhou, China / Golden Prize, “The 12th Zhengjiang Province Art Exhibition”, Hangzhou, China
2005 | 1st Prize, Shanghai Young Artists Grand Exhibition, Shanghai, China
2004 | Silver Award, “The 11th Zhengjiang Province Art Exhibition”, Hangzhou, China / Silver Award, “The 10th National Art Exhibition”, Beijing, China
1997 | 2nd Prize, The 53rd Swedish Art Salon Exhibition, Stockholm, Sweden
Permanent Collections
National Museum of China
National Art Museum of China
Zhejiang Art Museum (China)
Wuhan Art Museum (China)
Liu Haisu Art Museum (China)
Lingnan Museum of Fine Art (China)
Yesurui Jeondang (Korea)
For full list of exhibitions and collections, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Born in Hong Kong in 1980, Chui Pui-Chee graduated from Queen’s College, Hong Kong in 1999. Chui studied Calligraphy under Chinese contemporary artist Jat See-Yeu at the Department of Fine Arts of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He furthered his postgraduate studies at the Department of Chinese Calligraphy at the China Academy of Art where he obtained his Master of Arts, and subsequently his PhD under the tutelage of world-renowned Chinese contemporary artist Wang Dongling.
Chui is well known for his expressive calligraphy and thought-provoking anthropomorphic paintings. Well versed in various calligraphy scripts, his paintings are guided by the principles and structures of calligraphic fundamentals. Through their juxtaposition and interaction, he creates amusing new works that redefine both genres. With the literati tradition as a point of departure, the ‘Nine Abysses’ series is a magnificent example of Chui Pui-Chee’s work. Landscapes with delicate details are fused with an expressive splashed-ink background. Chui arduously adds details with gongbi (literally “neat brushstroke”) technique to depict the pine trees and jagged rocks rising from the abysses. Through the serenity and purity of the Northern Song dynasty landscape, self-cultivation and the realm of life are reflected.
Chui served as a programme coordinator at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK and a part-time lecturer at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He was an Honorary Advisor of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, CUHK. He also worked in the Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy Department of China Guardian (HK) Auctions. Chui is currently a part-time lecturer at CUHK and Hong Kong Baptist University, an executive member of The Jiazi Society of Calligraphy and Friends of Shizhai, as well as a research fellow of the Modern Calligraphy Research Center of China Academy of Art.
In 2012, Chui Pui-Chee received the Hong Kong Contemporary Art Awards – Young Artist Award, presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. He also received the Award for Young Artist (Visual Arts) at the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2015 organised by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. He was a finalist in The Sovereign Asian Art Prize in 2015, 2018 and 2020. Chui has held various solo and group exhibitions in Hong Kong, China and the rest of the world. His works are permanently collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology of the University of Oxford and more.
Education
2010 | PhD, Department of Chinese Calligraphy, China Academy of Art
2007 | M.A., Department of Chinese Calligraphy, China Academy of Art
2003 | B.A., Department of Fine Arts, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
1999 | Queen’s College
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2018 | ‘Bedtime Stories’, Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong
2015 | ‘My Tiresome at the Bottom of the Valley’, Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong
2013 | ‘Chui Pui-chee – In Calligraphy In Me’, Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong
2011 | ‘Review and Prospects: Works of Chinese Calligraphy by Chui Pui-chee 2011’, Hong Kong
2020 | ‘Now Showing’, Karin Weber Gallery, HK / ‘Dawn Chorus’, Happen with HART, HART Hall, H Queen’s, HK / ‘The 2020 Sovereign Asian Art Prize: Shortlisted Finalists Exhibition’, K11 HACC, Hong Kong
2019 | Classics Remix: The Hong Kong Viewpoint, Hong Kong Museum of Art / ‘Together We March Forward: New Asia 70th Anniversary Art Exhibition’, HART Hall, H Queen’s, Hong Kong
2018 | ‘The 2018 Sovereign Asian Art Prize: Shortlisted Finalists Exhibition’, HART Hall, H Queen’s, Hong Kong
2017 |’Ensuring the Best Influence for Her Son Mencius’, Ink Asia 2017, Hong Kong / ‘Hong Kong Cancer Fund Charity Auction’, Hong Kong
2015 | Senses, University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong / A Tale of Two Cities – Painting and Calligraphy by Shanghai and Hong Kong Artists / ‘Calm Non-action’, Hong Kong / ‘INKcarnation: Literary Tattoos’, Hong Kong / ‘The / Sovereign Asian Art Prize: Shortlisted Finalists Exhibition’, Hong Kong / ‘Hong Kong Cancer Fund Charity Auction’, Hong Kong / ‘Calligraphy and non-Calligraphy: 2015 Hangzhou International Modern Calligraphy Exhibition’, Hangzhou, China
2014 | ‘Elephant Parade Hong Kong’, Hong Kong / ‘SCMP Charity Art Auction’, Hong Kong
2013 | ‘International Modern Calligraphy Exhibition’, Hangzhou, China / ‘Calligraphy Exhibition of Contemporary Calligraphers from Hong Kong’, Hong Kong / ‘Hong Kong Cancer Fund Charity Auction’, Hong Kong / ‘Hong Kong Contemporary Art Awards 2012’, Hong Kong Museum of Art / ‘Artworks by 9 Hong Kong Alumni of China Academy of Art 2012’, Hong Kong / ‘With the boundary –Biennial Exhibition of Lanting Calligraphy Society’, Hangzhou
2012 | ‘International Calligraphy Exhibition’, Shinjang / ‘Calligraphy Exhibition of Art Museum of Zhang Hai’, Henan
2010 | ‘Calligraphy Exhibition of Hong Kong Contemporary Calligraphers’, Hong Kong / ‘Calligraphy, non-Calligraphy – International Modern Calligraphy Exhibition’, Hangzhou
2006 | ‘Works of Chinese Calligraphy of Jiazi Society’, The Victoria and Albert Museum, London / ‘International Calligraphy and Seal Carving Exhibition of Xiling Society of Seal Arts’, Hangzhou, China
2005 | ‘Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition 2005’, Hong Kong Museum of Art
2003 | ‘Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition 2003’, Hong Kong Museum of Art
Awards
2020 | Finalist of The 2020 Sovereign Asian Art Prize
2018 | Finalist of The 2018 Sovereign Asian Art Prize
2015-16 | Award for Young Artist (Visual Arts) of the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards 2015, 2016
2015 | Finalist of The 2015 Sovereign Asian Art Prize
2012 | ‘Young Artist Award’, Hong Kong Contemporary Art Awards 2012
Permanent Collections
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology of the University of Oxford, United Kingdom
For full list of exhibitions and collections, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Jiang Heng was born in Guangdong, China in 1972. After graduating from the Department of Fine Arts of South China Normal University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1996, he continued to pursue a Master’s degree and graduated two years later. In 2010, Jiang Heng was appointed as a Masters’ supervisor at his alma mater and he continues to serve the role today, as an Associate Professor.
He has exhibited in many group and solo exhibitions, which include: “Fine & Gentle” Solo Exhibition of Jiang Heng’s Work at Guangdong Museum of Art 2019; “Ink at Current” the 10th International Ink Art Biennale of Shenzhen at Overseas Chinese Town Contemporary Art Terminal (OCAT) 2019; “City as Museum” the 2nd Shenzhen Biennale of Contemporary Art at OCAT 2017; “Personal Structures” the 57th Venice Biennale at Palazzo Bembo, Plazzo Mora 2017; the 56th Venice Biennale Satellite Exhibition – “Highway to Hell” by Jiang Heng 2015; “Re-Modern” the 3rd Exhibition of Fine Arts Literature at Hubei Art Museum 2014; the 55th Venice Biennale Satellite Exhibition – “Voice of the Unseen” 2013; UNESCO First Art Collection of Chinese Contemporary Artist at UNESCO Headquarters 2012; “Fluttering Butterflies” Exhibition of Jiang Heng’s Art at Shanghai Art Museum 2009; the 54th Venice Biennale Satellite Exhibition-“Future Passport” that toured Venice, Rotterdam World Museum, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts and Today Art Museum 2011-2012; “Where Do We Go Now?” the 1st Moscow International Biennale of Young Artists at Moscow Museum of Modern Art 2008; “Art Asia” Art Basel Miami 2008; “The Third Nature – China Reconstruction” the 4th Guangzhou Triennial at Guangdong Museum of Art 2012; and the 1st Chengdu Biennale at Chengdu Modern Art Museum 2001.
Jiang Heng was the only Chinese contemporary artist amongst those whose works were collected by the headquarters of United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation in Paris in 2012. His works are also permanently collected by many notable institutions and entities, including the Museo Nacional de las Cultural (Mexico), Museo Civico Belliniano (Italy), Guangdong Museum of Art (China), He Xiangning Art Museum (China), Mantova Youth Museum (Italy), Mingyuan Art Museum (China), Shenzhen Art Museum (China), Nanjing Sifang Art Museum (China), Nanjing Qinghe Art Museum (China), American Consulate General, and in organisations in Belgium, Korea, France, Australia, England and Switzerland.
A key figure of the Chinese contemporary art scene, Song Ling was born in Hangzhou, China in 1961. He graduated from the Chinese Painting Department of Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (currently known as Chinese Academy of Fine Arts) in 1984.
In 1985, Song Ling entered the Zhejiang Art Academy as a professional painter. With a deep interest in surrealism, he participated in the “85 New Space Exhibition” with his “Man · Pipeline” series. In 1986, together with Zhang Peili, Geng Jianyi and Wang Qiang, he founded the “Pond Society”, one of the most important art groups in the early days of Chinese contemporary art. Song Ling participated in each collective creation. At the same time, his individual works also reached a peak, creating representative and influential works such as the “Meaningless Choice” series. His works were influential at that time and were published in numerous important newspapers and magazines, and he became one of the most important artists of the 85 New Wave Art Movement.
Song Ling moved to Melbourne, Australia in 1988, where he participated in the earliest exhibitions of Chinese contemporary art and held many solo exhibitions throughout Australia. Today, he has held many solo exhibitions and participated in many group exhibitions in China, Australia and the rest of the world. His works have been permanently collected by many corporations and public institutions, including Art Bank, Sydney (Australia), Australian and New Zealand Bank Collection, Melbourne (Australia), White Rabbit Museum, Sydney (Australia), Deakin University Art Collection, Melbourne (Australia), Pacific Asia Museum, Los Angeles (U.S), Long Art Museum, Shanghai (China) and Yuz Foundation, Jakarta (Indonesia) and Shanghai (China).
Education
1984 | Department of Chinese Painting, Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2020 | Model House, RIVERSIDE Space, Hangzhou, China
2019 | Catch the Muddle, New Century Art Foundation, Pond Society, Shanghai, China
2018 | Magritte’s Room, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Shenzhen, China 2017 | Wildlife, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2016 | Wildlife, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
2015 | Face, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne / Ghosts in the Mirror – Song Ling 1985-2013, Zhanjiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2014 | Ghosts in the Mirror – Song Ling 1985-2013, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2013 | The Face, Eva Breuer, Sydney
2012 | Beauty and the Beast, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2011 | A Day in the Life, Michael Reid at Elizabeth Bay, Sydney
2010 | Kaleidoscope, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2009 | Recent Paintings, Eva Breuer, Sydney
2008 | When We Were Young, Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2007 | Eva Breuer Art Dealer, Sydney
2006 | Niagara Galleries, Melbourne
2001 | Contemporary Ink Work by Song Ling, Zhejiang Painting Academy, Hangzhou, China
1997 | Caulfield Arts Complex, Melbourne
1996 | Paintings by Song Ling, Pinacotheca, Melbourne
1994 | Paintings by Song Ling, Pinacotheca, Melbourne
1992 | Paintings by Song Ling, Pinacotheca, Melbourne
1991 | Mystical East, Chinese Museum, Melbourne
1989 | Impounded Visions, Frank Hardy Fine Art, Brisbane
2020 | Duration: Chinese Art in Transformation, Minsheng Art Museum, Beijing, China / Being of Evils, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
2018 | Here/Everywhere: The Sample of Overseas Chinese Art, The 3rd Overseas Artists Invitational Exhibition, He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, China / Animamix Biennale, Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai, China
2017 | Crisscrossing East and West: The Making of Ink Art in Contemporary East Asia, Museum of Contemporary Art Yinchuan, China / Memory and Contemporary, Venice Biennale, Venetian Arsenale, Venice, Italy / The Unusual Westlake, China National Academy of Fine Arts, Hangzhou, China / Ten Thousand Hours, Art KDS, The King David School, Melbourne
2016 | International Exhibition of 20 Contemporary Art Masters, Mid-Levels Buildings Art Museum, Zhejiang, China / Mutualism – Contemporary Chinese Ink and Wash Painting Exhibition, China Cultural Centre, Sydney / The Ride to Combine, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China / The 9th International In Art Biennale of Shenzhen, China / Art 021, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China / Unrealities in the reality, Boxes Art Space of OCT Harbor, Shenzhen, China
2015 | Art021, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai, China
2014 | Awareness, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women Art Exhibition, The Chinese Museum of Women and Children, Beijing, China / Melbourne Art Fair, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne / Crossing Boundaries, contemporary Asian Australian artists, Sydney Town Hall, Sydney / Variation – Contemporary Chinese Ink Art Series II，Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
2013 | Sydney Contemporary 13, Carriageworks, Sydney / Arts Can Do, Australia China Art Foundation, Hong Kong / The Sulman Prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney / Snake, Snake, Snake: Contemporary Asian Australian Artists, Sydney Town Hall, Sydney
2012 | Melbourne Art Fair, Niagara Galleries, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne / SH Contemporary Art Fair, Australia China Art Foundation, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China / Redlands Westpac Art Prize Exhibition, NAS Gallery, Sydney / Chinese Australia, Austin Tung Gallery, Melbourne / Artevent, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne / Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, Australia-China Art Foundation, Shanghai, China
2011 |Festival of Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, Campbelltown Arts Centre, New South Wales / Art for Science, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Charity Exhibition, Nellie Castan Gallery, Melbourne / Melbourne Savage Club Art Prize Exhibition, Melbourne Savage Club, Melbourne/ Mosman Art Prize Exhibition, Mosman Art Gallery, New South Wales / Zoo AiR: Twenty Artists from the 2011 Artists in Residence Program at Taronga Zoo, The University Gallery, The University of Newcastle, New South Wales / Hawkesbury One: Citizen Collectors, Newcastle Region Art Gallery, New South Wales / Prometheus Visual Arts Award Exhibition, Merrimac, Queensland / The Archibald Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney and touring / The Wynne Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney / Artwork to Tapestry, TarraWarra Museum of Art, Victoria / Calleen Art Award, Cowra Regional Art Gallery, New South Wales
2010 | Stan and Maureen Duke Gold Coast Art Prize Finalists’ Exhibition, Gold Coast City Gallery, Queensland / Festival of Fisher’s Ghost Art Award, Campbelltown Arts Centre, New South Wales / Paul Guest Prize, Bendigo Art Gallery, Victoria / Melbourne Art Fair, Niagara Galleries, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne / Williamstown Contemporary Art Prize Finalists’ Exhibition, The Substation, Melbourne / The Wynne Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney / The Stanthorpe Art Festival Award, Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery, Queensland
2009 | The Eutick Memorial Still Life Award Finalists’ Exhibition, Coffs Harbour Regional Gallery, New South Wales / Art For Science, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Charity Exhibition, Nellie Castan Gallery, Melbourne / Sunshine Coast Art Prize Finalists’ Exhibition, Caloundra Regional Art Gallery, Queensland / Darebin La Trobe Art Prize Finalists’ Exhibition, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Melbourne / Now 2.0, Australian Commercial Galleries Association, Federation Square, Melbourne / Salon des Refusés, S H Ervin Gallery, Sydney / The Sulman Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney / Recent Acquisitions from the Deakin University Art Collection, Deakin University Art Gallery, Melbourne / Coming Home, Linda Gallery, Beijing, China
2008 | Art Singapore, Gaffer Hong Kong, Singapore / Melbourne Art Fair, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne / From Mao to Now, Sydney Olympic Park, New South Wales / Australian Contemporary, The Rotunda, Exchange Square, Central, Hong Kong / The Archibald Prize Exhibition, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney and touring / The 56th Blake Prize for Religious Art, Deakin University Art Gallery, Melbourne / Linden Postcard Show, Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts, Melbourne
2007 | Stan and Maureen Duke Gold Coast Art Prize, Gold Coast Arts Centre, Queensland / ABN AMRO 2007 Emerging Artist Award Finalists’ Exhibition, Sydney / DLAP 2007, City of Darebin and La Trobe University Acquisitive Art Prize Exhibition, Bundoora Homestead Art Centre, Melbourne / Savage Club Art Prize Exhibition, Melbourne / ABN AMRO 2007 Emerging Artist Award Exhibition, Melbourne / MLC Acquisitive Art Exhibition, Melbourne / The Blake Prize Exhibition, National Art School, Sydney and touring / Art For Science, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute Charity Exhibition, Nellie Castan Gallery, Melbourne / Prometheus Visual Arts Award Exhibition, Merrimac, Queensland / Art@mgs Contemporary Art Exhibition, Motor Works Gallery, Melbourne / Tattersall’s Contemporary Art Prize Exhibition, Melbourne / Crossroads, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Melbourne
2006 | If You Were To Collect… Elements of Abstraction, The Deloitte Art Exhibition, Melbourne / The Fletcher Jones Geelong Contemporary Art Prize Exhibition, Geelong Gallery, Victoria / ABN AMRO 2006 Emerging Artist Award Finalists’ Exhibition, Sydney / New Social Commentaries, F.J. Foundation Art Prize Exhibition, Warrnambool Art Gallery, Victoria / ABN AMRO Emerging Artist Award Exhibition, Melbourne / Melbourne Art Fair, Niagara Galleries, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
2004 | Sydney Affordable Art Fair, East and West Art, Sydney
2001 | New Space-2000, Hangzhou, China
1999 | International Contemporary Calligraphy, Hangzhou, China
For full list of exhibitions and collections, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Singaporean artist Tan Seow Wei (b. 1979) works on a variety of mediums, primarily ink painting, printmaking and drawing.Seow Wei’s interest in art draws much influence from her father, who has taught her calligraphy and enrolled her in various art classes at a tender young age. Having picked up the Chinese Gongbi style of painting from local artist Mr Tan Seng Yong in her secondary school days, she went on to study ink painting and seal carving under the tutelage of Singapore’s renowned seal carving and ink masters Tan Kee Sek and Oh Chai Hoo respectively. With more than two decades of training on ink painting and calligraphy before embarking on her creative career, it is no surprise that ink painting forms the cornerstone of Seow Wei’s art practice.
Seeking a deeper connection with Chinese literary traditions, Tan Seow Wei first pursued a bachelor’s degree in Chinese Studies at the National University of Singapore. After a few years in the workforce, Tan was compelled to continue her artistic journey with fresh perspectives and new visual lexicons. She enrolled in LASALLE College of the Arts, eventually graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Painting (2008). Tan’s explorations often involved examining her surroundings and in particular, people and plants. Her earlier works investigated human behaviour in “transparent” urban spaces, which later evolved to various aspects such as interpretations of dreams, documentations of personal memories and studies of human forms.
Tan Seow Wei’s fascination with the human form and psyche stretches to her series of dandelions from 2016 till today. A symbol of strength, these unassuming flowers have always been a source of inspiration for many, including the late renowned contemporary poet, Gu Cheng (Nameless Flowers) and songwriter Su Yunying (Wild Child), both whose works have struck a chord in her heart. In Tan’s works, the dandelions, unlike their usual organic shapes, are often jagged and angular, evoking a sense of resiliency and tenacity. The dainty flowers humbly embrace their fragility and thrive at their own pace, serving as a constant reminder to the artist and her viewers that every individual has his/her unique trajectory of growth. Like the muted colour palette that she employs, Tan’s works spin poetic, feminine and intimate narratives about herself and the space she lives in.
Tan Seow Wei has won several awards including the Siaw-Tao Outstanding Art Award in 2014, Winston Oh Travel Award in 2007, Georgette Chen Arts Scholarship in 2006 and Dr Tan Tsze Chor Art Award (Distinction) in 2003. She has also participated in numerous group exhibitions in England, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia and Thailand. She currently lives and works in Singapore.
Education
2008 | LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts, Bachelor of Arts (Hons)
2002 | Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Certificate in Multimedia
2001 | National University of Singapore, Bachelor in Arts & Social Sciences
2013-19 | Siaw-Tao Chinese Seal Carving, Calligraphy & Painting Society Annual Exhibition, Singapore 2019| Kindle, The Siaw-Tao Fundraising Exhibition, Visual Arts Centre, Singapore
2018 | Bon a Tirer, AC43 Gallery, Singapore Beckoning of the Breeze, Visual Arts Centre, Singapore / Dark Moments Naked Dog, Artsembly, Singapore / The Diasporic Brush – Modern Singaporean Art, Wolfson College (University of Cambridge), England / Spring Edition I, Artsembly, Singapore / Clay/Print, Artsembly, Singapore
2017 | Singapore-Japan Chinese Ink Painting Exchange Exhibition, Visual Arts Centre, Singapore / Impressions, Oriental Art and Cultural Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2016-17 Ini mini mini mo, Visual Arts Centre, Singapore 2015 | Run. Ran. Run. Instinc Gallery, Singapore
2011 | inFORMATION, Substation Gallery, Singapore
2010 | 1xSuitcase’, Meta House, Cambodia / 1xSuitcase’, Xi’an Textile City Art District Exhibition Center, China
2009 | 1xSuitcase’, Annexe Gallery, Kuala Lumpur / 1xSuitcase’, Chiang Mai University Art Centre, Thailand / Eniminiminimos, Esplanade Jendela, Singapore / Air Conditioned Recession: A Singapore Survey, VWFA, Singapore / Intrinsic, Esplanade Jendela, Singapore / 1x Suitcase, Alliance Francaise, Singapore
2008 | Website Launch of Singapore Contemporary Artists, Sculpture Square, Singapore / Go Figure, Fost Gallery, Singapore / LASALLE Degree Show 08, LASALLE, Singapore / At One @ Project Space, LASALLE, Singapore
2002-2003 | Dr. Tan Tsze Chor Art Award Exhibition, Singapore
Awards
2014 | Siaw-Tao Outstanding Art Award 2007 | Winston Oh Travel Award 2005-2006 | Georgette Chen Scholarship 2003 | Dr. Tan Tsze Chor Art Award – Certificate of Distinction 2002 | Dr. Tan Tsze Chor Art Award – Highly Commended Certificate 1998 | Japan Pre-University Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition (Osaka) – Certificate of Merit
For full list of exhibitions and collections, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com.
iPreciation is delighted to present a solo exhibition by Singapore pioneer contemporary ink artist, Zhuang Shengtao (b. 1944), titled Beyond Ink – Suzhou. This exhibition showcases a series of works by Zhuang between 2006 – 2015. Residing and surrounding himself in the historical ambience of Suzhou since 1997, Zhuang is progressively liberal in his swings and sways. His audacious, uninhibited brushstrokes, as well as unconventional composition, push the boundaries of daxieyi (freehand brushwork) further to one that transcends distinguishable forms and echo influences of both the East and the West.
Zhuang lives increasingly as a literati artist after settling in Suzhou, the result of many years of honing his skilful technique and his sojourns seeking fresh ideas. In an environment he saw as more conducive for his art practice, he was inspired by the colours and light in nature which became the key to create strong visual effects with ink. The bold strokes in his large wild cursive script calligraphy soon transform into abstract and organic compositions in his ink paintings, the contrast of each of them stark against one another with varying opacities. Every lyrical and zestful brushstroke of his ink paintings in Beyond Ink – Suzhou is evident of his strong foundation in calligraphy, crooning the rhythm of classical Chinese poetry and creativity in blending the essence of a traditional medium with new visual aesthetics.
Zhuang’s vivacious, introspective brushstrokes capture a fresh interpretation and visuals of contemporary ink. His works are being permanently collected by National Gallery Singapore, as well as privately.
Born in Chao’an, Guangdong, China in 1944, Zhuang Shengtao moved to Singapore at the age of 11 with his family. He enrolled in foundation classes at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1964 where he studied calligraphy and painting under the tutelage of the renowned calligrapher, See Hiang To. He later obtained a Bachelor’s degree (First Class Honours) in 1972 and a Master’s degree in 1977 from Nanyang University, both in Chinese Literature. Deeply rooted in Chinese culture, Zhuang is especially fascinated with Chinese philosophy and he pledges fidelity to Chinese ink till today.
In 1981, Zhuang travelled to France in search of a creative breakthrough. Subsequently, he toured Europe and the United States. Exposure to Western contemporary art, notably the drip paintings of abstract expressionist, Jackson Pollock, led to a major turning point in his artistic pursuit. Zhuang moved away from the formalistic calligraphic styles and experimented with abstract forms and vigorous brushwork in writing large wild cursive script calligraphy. Soon, he set himself on a path to embrace old traditions while developing new ink expressions.
In the 1990s, the absence of a thriving art scene in Singapore and the lack of suitable tools for his larger new works offered little avenue for Zhuang to continue his explorations. He travelled to Hangzhou in 1996 to seek new inspirations and materials. A year later, he resides in Suzhou, the quaint ancient historic city until the present.
A flower it seems, perhaps not. Was it the mist? I do not know.
She comes at night and leaves at cockcrow.
Much like a dream that could not stay.
Or maybe the clouds, fading away.
– Bai Juyi, Tang Dynasty
Our love affair with the bloom and wither dates back centuries. It continues to manifest in the present time, but there is more than meets the eye. Borrowing a line from Bai Juyi’s poem, and much like Magritte’s La Trahison des images, Flower, Not is a study on the relationship between meaning and representation. Seeking new visual figures of speech, seven artists – Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960), Song Ling (b. 1961), Hua Jun (b. 1970), Wang Shaoqiang (b. 1970), Jiang Heng (b. 1972), Tan Seow Wei (b. 1979) and Chui Pui-Chee (b. 1980), drew on their cultural heritages, socio-political backgrounds and generational influences to imbue fresh connotations to the age-old imagery.
The lionhearted Song Ling presents his rebellious take on the ironic phenomenon of alienation and isolation in an increasingly connected world. Maintaining an unwavering stance to celebrate imperfections, Oh Chai Hoo is back to question an impetuous world that downplays the beauty of flaws. Just as Wang Shaoqiang continues to sail through contemporary Chinese ink with his landscape imageries that interweave latter-day influences and ancient origins,the ancient Heart Sutra finds its perpetual modern relevance through the quirky lens of Hua Jun. Jiang Heng remains committed to confronting the pervasive nature of materialism and the struggle to uphold established moral ideals. In such times of uncertainty, Tan Seow Weihas constructed a quaint, whimsical place for retreat and to embrace oneself. Chui Pui-chee toofinds solace in a realm that is long gone yet vividly present within his retrained brushstrokes.
Together, their works form a critical subtext of modernity.
Xue Song’s art finds expression in the negative space usually left behind: soot and ash are crucial elements in his art, and the outlines of many of the figures in his images look as if they have been burned out. For Xue, ash is a reminder of fate and a symbol of rebirth. Fire plays a central role in Xue Song’s work. It is a form of mourning. Time and again the artist elaborates on the fire that burned down his studio in the early 1990s, destroying all of his work to date, mainly oil paintings and calligraphy. The charred leftovers of pictures rescued from the ashes are used as fragments in the new works, as a kind of memorabilia of past events. The collages become a tactile site of remembrance and reflection with traces of the fire unavoidably present. Xue produces scenes that pick up on themes of traditional painting and calligraphy, as well as combines them, for example, with silhouettes of contemporary politicians.
Xue is known for his innovative integration of contemporary elements with elements manifested in the collective cultural memory. He continues to invent new forms and reinvent those left by tradition. The approaches and explorations are not only inspired by traditional calligraphy but are also transformed. By collecting random samples of mass media language, including the revolutionary language of Mao and contemporary consumer culture language, Xue Song creates a kind of multi-sensory imagery. Scattered across the canvas, the visual juxtapositions are whimsical and inspired, proving that the artist possesses a keen eye for colour and form.
Xue Song’s distinctive collages represent the many different aspects of Chinese culture; he incorporates traditional Chinese paintings, ancient calligraphy, folk art, religious icons, legendary figures and historical photographs, effectively erasing any categorical imperatives. His methodology is one of appropriation, manipulation and subversion in order to create a subjective universe that manifests his personal memories and loses.
Xue Song was born in 1965 in Anhui province. He graduated from the Shanghai Drama Institute, Stage Design Department in 1988. He resides and works in Shanghai. Xue Song has exhibited widely since his first solo exhibition in 1999. Recent exhibition including Phoenix Art from the Artist Xue Song, Long Museum, Shanghai (2019); Xue Song: The Mountain Echoes, ShanghART Singapore (2016); The Fragment Time, Xi’an Art Museum, Xi’an (2013); XUE Song, New Shanghai Style Paintings, MoCA, Singapore (2013); Xue Song: Piercing Through History and the Fashion, A Retrospective from 1988-2011, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai (2011); A Fashion, Or the History?, The Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo, Japan (2010); Looking Back: Deconstruction Classics, Xue Song Portfolio, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai (2009); Xue Song Solo Exhibition, ArtChina, Hamburg, Germany (2007) and more.
Education
1988 | Department of Dance, Shanghai Academy of Drama
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019 | Xue Song: Phoenix Art form the Ashes, Long Museum West Bund, Shanghai
2015 | Chinese Pop Art, Solo Exhibitions of Xue Song and Wei Guangqing, Asia-pacific Art Museum, San Francisco, USA
2013 | New Shanghai School, Solo Exhibition of Xue Song, MOCA, Singapore
2011 | Cross History and Fashion, a Retrospective of Xue Song 1988-2011, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai
2010 | History or Fashion?, Solo Exhibition of Xue Song, the Ueno Royal Museum Tokyo, Japan
2008 | Solo Exhibition of Xue Song, Chinese Contemporary Art Gallery, New York, USA
2002 | Ver Da Ga – Xue Song 2002 Fashion Series, ShanghART, Shanghai
Selected Group Exhibitions
2020 | Psychedelic-Urban landscape and abstraction, Shang Hai Ming Yuan Art Museum, Shanghai / In the name of flower, Pearl Art Museum, Shanghai,
2015 | Mysterious Characters – Calligraphy in Chinese Contemporary Art, Dam Gate Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
2014 | Ethic as the DNA of Art – the 9th Florence Biennale, Exhibition Center of Florence, Italy
2013 | Portraits of the Time – 30 Years of Chinese Contemporary Art, Power Station of Art, Shanghai
2008 | Chinese New Vision, La Spezia Contemporary, Italy
2007 | Social Art, Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, National Art Museum of Russia, Moscow, Russia
2005 | Orient – Modern Art of China, Madrid, Spain / Awaking – the French Influence on Chinese Art, National Art Museum of China, Beijing
2004 | Dreaming of the Dragon’s Nation – Contemporary Art of China, Contemporary Art Museum of Ireland, Ireland
2002 | Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Green Dog & Masters, London, UK
Huang Yuanqing was born in Shanghai, China in 1963, learning and practising calligraphy from a young age. He graduated from the Shanghai University of Science and Technology in 1985. Huang later studied at the Shanghai Normal University in 1987 and graduated from the Oil Painting Department in 1989. He currently lives and works in Shanghai.
A representative of Chinese calligraphic abstraction, Huang extracts visual elements of calligraphy into his lyrical paintings. As he sets the lines and stokes free, they transfigure into animated beats bursting with energy and spontaneity. Painting in a multitude of colours, his oeuvre is expressively free-spirited.
Huang has held many solo and group exhibitions in China, Taiwan, Japan and other parts of Asia and Europe. His works are permanently collected in Ming Yuan Art Museum, Shanghai (China), Shanghai Art Museum (China), Shanghai Museum of Glass Art (China), Shanghai Zhangjiang Art Museum (China), China International Import Expo (China) and Arario Gallery, Seoul (South Korea).
Education
1989 | Shanghai Normal University, Fine Arts Department
1985 | Shanghai University of Science and Technology
2010 | Xing Xiang, Zhang Jiang Contemporary Art Center, Shanghai / Huang Yuangqing, Galerie Albrecht, Berlin
2007 | move closer, Gallery of Bangkok University
2005 | in, not in, Zhang Jiang, Shanghai
2004 | Facade, Facade, A&A Phoenix, Hong Kong
2003 | Facade, Facade, BizArt, Shanghai, PRC
2002 | Gallery Goto, Tokyo, Japan / The Light From Within, A&A Phoenix, Hong Kong
2001 | Gallery Goto, Tokyo, Japan
Selected Group Exhibitions
2016 | Dialect, China Art Museum, Shanghai / Abstract China, Mingyuan Art Museum, Shanghai / Study Of Line, NiandaiArt Museum, Wenzhou / Poetique, Pifo Gallery, Beijing / Breath, Liuhaisu Art Museum Branch, Shanghai / No Limit, Zhoupu Art Centre, Shanghai / Banquit of art, Chun Art Museum, Shanghai / Foresight, Aroundspace Gallery, Shanghai
2015 | Time And Space, Power Station Of Art / Art in Shanghai, Songjiang Contemporary Art Museum, Shanghai / Red, Aroundspace Gallery, Shanghai / Collective Individualism, Aroundspace Gallery, Shanghai / City Vision, Yun Art Centre, Shanghai / Nothing, Yibo Gallery, Shanghai / Grand Tour From Soul, Capital Gallery, Shanghai / Somewhere in Time Around, Space Gallery, Shanghai
2014 | Contemporary Art in shanghai, City Sculpture centre, Shanghai / Ink, Chun Art Museum, Shanghai / Works on Paper, 203 Art, Shanghai / “Pusu”十一 Art Museum, Shanghai
2013 | Utopia, Mingyuan Art Centre, Shanghai / Paintings, James Cohan Gallery, Shanghai / Hong fang Union, Hong Fang Art Space, Shanghai / Heart.Soul, Bund 22 Art, Shanghai
2012 | New Art in Shanghai, Taiwan Art Museum, Taipei / Horizon, Yamanashi Art Museum, Yamanashi / JiangNan, Fan Hua Artspace, Shanghai / The Way of Writing, Himalaya Art Centre, Shanghai / Shanghai Culture, Hong Fang Art Space
2011 | Dao.Nature, Shanghai Contemporary Art Centre, Shanghai / Horizon, You Diao Yuan Institution, Shanghai / New tradition-Abstract Art From Shanghai, Gallery Sanjyo Gion, Kyoto / Come Back, Pu Dong Airport, Shanghai / Word, Nestyard Gallery, Shanghai / Writing and Passing, Ku Art.Bei jing / City Abstraction, Gallery Art Front, Tokyo
2010 | River Flows East, The Collection Art Archaeology in Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire, Chambers Fine Art, Beijing / Shanghai Modern, CAI contemporary art Reach Institute, Sapporo / Works in air, Shanghai highway, Shanghai / Works on Paper, Tanshi Art
2009 | Quiet quest: Realism to Abstraction, Onemoon art, Beijing / Back to Modern, Xihu art Museum, Hangzhou / Fan Ceremony: Works on Paper, Fine Arts Literature Art Centre, Wuhan/Yard Gallery, Shanghai / 7 Artist, Nestyard Gallery, Shanghai / Ink Painting Today, 796 Art, Shanghai
2008 | SH Contemporary 2008, Shanghai Exhibition Center, Shanghai / China Art Now, Sinwa Art Center, Tokyo, Japan / Shanghai Contemporary Art, KaluyisawaArt Centre, Kaluyisawa / Shanghai Focus, 99 Art Space, Shanghai / New Abstract Art, K Gallery, Chengdu
2007 | Chinese edition—— Contemporary Art, Today Art Museum / With-Shanghai Contemporary Artists’ Calligraphy Works Exhibition, Mao Ming Gallery, Shanghai / Shanghai Famous Artists’ Calligraphy Works Exhibition, Ming Yuan Art Centre, Shanghai / Shanghai Going On, Bunkamu Gallery, Tokyo / Shanghai Wash Zoology, Ming Yuan Art Centre, Shanghai / Classic Style, Originality Art Center, Shanghai/ Contemporary Present, Wu Jiao Chang 800, Shanghai / Line, Creek Art Center, Shanghai / Float-China Contemporary Art Exhibition, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea / SH Contemporary 2007, Shanghai Exhibition Center / Art in China, Tokyo Simwa Art Museum
2006 | Classic of Institute, Hai Shang Hai Art Centre, Shanghai / Interlinked, Dong Hua University, Shanghai / Works of Two Artists, Ya Cao Gallery, Shanghai / Image；No Image, Ban Dao Art Centre, Shanghai / Attitude, East China Normal University, Shanghai / Their Print, Ban Dao Art Centre, Shanghai / Shanghai Abstract Art Exhibition, Ming Yuan Art Centre, Shanghai / Return From Mao Ming Road, Mao Ming Gallery, Shanghai
2005 | Metaphysics 2005; Black and White, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, PRC / Alien and Illusion, Shanghai Art Museum / Possible of Founding, Spring Salon, Shanghai
2004 | Beyond Dimensional Space, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai / Only Natural-Cognition & Touch, the Abstract and the Real, Henry’s Studio & Antiques, Shanghai / Shanghai 1.2.3: calligraphy exhibition, Tokyo, Japan / Shanghai Abstract Art, Ming Yuan Art Centre, Shanghai / Dreaming of Dragon Nation, Contemporary Art from China, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland Angle; a touring exhibition Red Classic Gallery, Nanjing, Endless Gallery, Shanghai & ChinaBlue Gallery, Beijing of one’s own accord; a modern art exhibition with no scheme, Original Impress Art Club, Shanghai Reflection: China Japan Korea Modern Art, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art
2003 | Metaphysics: Shanghai Abstract Art Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum / Shanghai 1.2.3: A touring exhibition, Shanghai, PRC, Tokyo, Nagano & Soka, Japan / A Different Choice 60’s Generation; Bandao Art Centre, Shanghai PRC / Yue, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art
2002 | East-West: Chinese Contemporary Art, Artist’s House, Vienna, Austria / The Wind From Shanghai, Shanghai Contemporary Art, Hamburg, Germany / Japan & China: Group Calligraphy Exhibition, Shanghai / 24:30 Contemporary Art Exhibition, BizArt, Shanghai / Shanghai Abstract Art, Liu Hai Shu Art Museum, Shanghai / Metaphysics: Shanghai Abstract Art, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai
2001 | Retour, Shanghai / ExtraOrdinary, Aura Gallery, Shanghai / Los Angeles International Art Biennale, Los Angeles, USA / Metaphysics: Shanghai Abstract Art, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai / Art Fair, Guangzhou PRC / Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition Tokyo, Japan / Contemporary Art Exhibition, AA Gallery, Shanghai / Shanghai Inchon International Fine Art Exchange Exhibition, Inchon, Korea / Grosse Kunst Ausstellung, Dusseldorf, Germany / Fan Exhibition, Shanghai
2000 | Abstract Transitions: a two-person painting exhibition, BizArt, Shanghai / Works on Paper, Aura Gallery, Shanghai
For the full list of exhibitions, public commissions and awards, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Spring Rhapsody is a celebration of new beginnings. Bringing together 25 works by five Chinese artists — Zhang Jian-Jun, Lui Chun Kwong, Huang Yuanqing, Xue Song and Jin Jie, the show offers a unique take on the endless possibilities of mediums and concepts.
Widely regarded as a trailblazer in Chinese abstract art, Zhang Jian-Jun’s (b. 1955) bold experiments span across paintings, installations, sculptures and mixed media works. Drawing on Daoist and Zen philosophies, his metaphysical sculpture showcased in this exhibition is a reflection of the passage of time and presence.
Lui Chun Kwong (b. 1956), a pioneer of Hong Kong abstract art and torchbearer of the city’s arts scene, continues to light the path with his audacious interpretations of traditional Chinese landscape, shan shui (mountain and water). The robust lines present in his works thrum the vigour of nature in its most rustic and primitive form.
A representative of Chinese calligraphic abstraction, Huang Yuanqing (b. 1963) extracts visual elements of calligraphy into his lyrical paintings. As he sets the lines and stokes free, they transfigure into animated beats bursting with energy and spontaneity. Painting in a multitude of colours, his oeuvre is expressively free-spirited.
Hailed as a leading Contemporary Chinese Pop Art figure, ‘fire’, ‘ash’ and ‘fragments’ are just some keywords closely tied to Xue Song (b. 1965). Known for burning printed materials and later piecing the remnants to form collages, the artist cleverly examines the past through his ingenious way of appropriation.
Jin Jie’s (b. 1965) poetic oil paintings are a much-needed relief from the weighty societal issues that have been plaguing our minds these days. His semi-abstract works capture the zest of his historic hometown, Jiangsu, reduced to the most authentic way as his mind sees it, elegant and refined.
In conjunction with Singapore Art Week 2021, Spring Rhapsody invites viewers to contemplate on the diversity of ideas and creativity.
Private Preview: Dec 10, 2020 (By Invitation Only)
Exhibition Opens to Public: Dec 11, 2020 – Jan 2, 2021 (Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)
iPreciation is proud to present Living in Still, featuring the latest works by four young Singapore artists Yang Zhongda (b. 1988), Yeo Tze Yang (b. 1994), Casey Tan (b. 1994), and Lim Jia Qi (b. 1997).
As 2020 approaches to an end, as surreal as it might be seen, never did we expect a curatorial we discussed and planned one and a half years ago has coincidentally realised into “the” exhibition which reflects the current situation of a world being caught almost to a standstill. While life might struggle to survive in quietness, many have taken the opportunity to reflect and begin looking inwards. Through introspection, we find the strength to envision a new future and evolve, paving the road to a beautiful life.
The title, Living in Still is inspired by renowned surrealist artist Salvador Dali’s painting, Living Still Life (French: Nature Morte Vivante) which explored the relationships between quantum physics and the conscious mind. The Spanish artist wanted to illustrate through his painting that although an object seems to be in stillness, it is always charged with millions of atoms that are constantly in lively motion.
A curated body of 25 latest artworks encompasses two and three-dimensional mediums, with Yang Zhongda using pastel on pastel board, Yeo Tze Yang painting on canvas with oil, Casey Tan painting with acrylic on canvas, and Lim Jia Qi incorporating woodblock carving with painting techniques. The choice of medium exhibits the personal experiences and expressions of these artists while reflecting on their developments in professional art-making.
This exhibition addresses neglectable objects and the urban environment in quiet stillness yet vividly exists in making up the artists’ creative narratives. Some of the works were created during the Singapore Circuit Breaker lockdown, capturing familiar local landscapes frozen in time. On one’s close observation, the seemingly uncomfortable emptiness and surrealness of the atmosphere are found to be continually flowing and pulsating with life.
We thank you and hope to have your continuous support of our homegrown artists. We wish you and your loved ones a joyful Christmas and a fresh new 2021.
Exhibition Opens to Public: 12 Oct – 28 Nov 2020 (Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)
iPreciation is proud to present a solo exhibition titled Amidst Smoke and Rainby Chinese contemporary artist Wang Tiande (b. 1960).
The title of this exhibition, Amidst Smoke and Rain, was derived from a seal of Wu Changshuo owned by Wang. 17 works on display are the artist’s reflections on the old and the new, subtly echoing with new insights he gained from his trip to Singapore beginning of 2020. Using incense as a substitute for brushes after being inspired by the sight of cigarette ash scorching a hole in the paper in his Paris studio in 2002, Wang paints a layer with ink, then stacks another layer of xuan paper on top, one which has been burned to form silhouettes of trees, mountains and snow. The visual gaps resulting from a relief-like effect as shadows form when light is shone on the art allow more room for imagination, breaking free from the aesthetics of traditional landscape paintings. Wang also merges his creations with original manuscripts or rubbings of stelae and seals from his personal collection as an attempt to reconnect modern art practices with ancient heritage.
Born in Shanghai in 1960, Wang Tiande graduated from the Chinese Painting Department of the China Academy of Fine Arts (formerly Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts) in 1988. Upon entering the Academy, he, alongside fellow schoolmates, was inundated with the 85’ New Wave Art Movement, which left an enduring mark on his subsequent creations full of explorations, probing the contemporisation of Chinese ink.
Born in Shanghai in 1960, Wang Tiande graduated from the Chinese Painting Department of the China Academy of Fine Arts (formerly Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts) in 1988. Upon entering the Academy, he, alongside fellow schoolmates, was inundated with the 85’ New Wave Art Movement, which left an enduring mark on his subsequent creations full of explorations and experimentations. As early as the 1990s, Wang’s Circle series (《園系列》) has already generated much buzz. In 1996, he steered away from painting to create installations such as Ink Banquet （《水墨菜單》）and Sealed（《水墨靈柩》）, the critical social statements behind these works created a sensation. Since then, he has continued to explore new ideas through works such as Chinese Clothes（《中國服飾》）and other ink installations, probing the contemporisation of Chinese ink.
In 2002, while smoking a cigarette in his Paris studio, the sight of cigarette ash scorching a hole in the paper inspired Wang to use cigarettes and later incense as a substitute for brushes. This approach led to his acclaimed Digital series（《數碼》系列）, later renamed Hou Shan (《後山》系列) in 2014. He started off with calligraphy and added in landscape in 2005. Wang would paint a layer with ink, then stack another layer of xuan paper on top, one which has been burned to form silhouettes of trees, mountains and snow, a relief-like effect as shadows form when light is shone on the art. The visual gaps allow more room for imagination, breaking free from the aesthetics of traditional landscape paintings. In his opinion, the layer underneath appears obscured from view, showing only parts of itself through the burns of the top layer, such partialness resembles the transient nature of modern living. Hence, this constructed space, while inheriting the essence of traditional Chinese culture, has quietly embedded in itself, a contemporary context.
At a time when his artistic career was flourishing, Wang returned to his alma mater to study under world renowned contemporary artist Wang Dongling and completed his PhD in Calligraphy in 2014. As his study on Chinese ink deepens, it seems only natural for him to pay homage to the rich cultural assets of his roots. Fascinated with ancient calligraphy, painting, stelae and seal carving, Wang reckons that these historic artefacts exude the spirit of the times and embody timeless cultural and historical values. In 2013, He started merging his creations with original manuscripts or rubbings of stelae and seals from his personal collection, an attempt to reconnect modern art practices with ancient heritage. Wang believes that in order to retain the core spirit of Chinese ink, it is necessary to return to its oriental origins. Through the juxtaposition of works from different times and contexts, he hopes to bridge a widening cultural gap by creating a dialogue with the past. Drawing on the wisdom of his predecessors, Wang has found his place living and creating in the contemporary.
Education
2014 | PhD in Calligraphy, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
1988 | Bachelor of Fine Arts (Chinese Painting), Zhejiang Fine Arts Academy, Hangzhou, China
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019 | Wang Tiande: Winter of Longing, Ink Studio, Beijing, China
2018 | Awaiting, Alisan Fine Art, Hong Kong 2017 | Over Mountains and Across Valleys, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangdong, China
2015 | The Palace, The Palace Museum, Beijing, China 2014 |Mountainscapes: New Ink Art by Wang Tiande, Alisan Fine Art, Hong Kong / Hou Shan: Wang Tiande Solo Exhibition, Suzhou Museum, Suzhou, China / Kai Men: Wang Tiande Exhibition, Today Museum, Beijing, China
2012 | Gu Shan, Sanshang Art, Hangzhou, China / Gu Shan, Nou Gallery, Taipei
2011 |3,720, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA / Boat, Gallery 99, Aschaffenburg, Germany
2010 |3,720, Chambers Fine Art, Beijing, China / Shuang Shuang, University of Sidney, Sidney, Australia
2009 |Up/Down: Wang Tiande Art Project, Spencer Museum of Art, Kansas, USA
2008 |Wang Tiande: One Meter Seventy-Three, Contrasts Gallery, Shanghai, China
2007 |Made by Tiande II, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA / Shan (Mountain) & Shui (Water), Alisan Fine Art, Hong Kong / Wang Tiande Solo Show, Han Art, Montreal, Canada
2005 |Redolent of Incense, Yishu Space, Vancouver, Canada
2004 |Made by Tiande, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA / Solo Exhibition, Galerie 99, Germany
2003 |Wang Tiande: Ink for the 21st Century, Alison Fine Art, Hong Kong
1995 |Solo Exhibition, German Center, Shanghai, China
1991 |Solo Exhibition, Chinese Painting Institute, Shanghai, China
Selected Group Exhibitions
2019 | Contemporary Chinese Art Exhibition: Arts of Asia Gallery, Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA / Inquiry on Water, Suning Art Museum, Shanghai, China / Ink at Current: 10th International Ink Art Biennial of Shenzhen, OCT Art & Design Gallery, Shenzhen, China / Spirit of Ink Art: New Creation from Traditional Thoughts and Wisdom, Jining Art Museum, Jining, China / Writing Non-Writing: Hangzhou International Modern Calligraphy Festival, CAA Art Museum, Hangzhou, China / In Ink: Current Trends of Ink Art, NanHai Art, San Francisco, USA / Art Basel Hong Kong, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong / 1st Taipei Dangdai, Alisan Fine Arts, Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Taipei, Taiwan 2018 | Art 021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair 2018, Alisan Fine Arts, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China / Ink Worlds: Contemporary Chinese Painting from the Collection of Akiko Yamakazi and Jerry Yang, The Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, USA
2017 | Art 021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair, Alisan Fine Arts, Shanghai Exhibition Centre, Shanghai, China / Crisscrossing East and West: The Remarking of Ink Art in Contemporary East Asia, Yinchuan Museum of Contemporary Art, Ningxia, China
2016 |Huafu Art Space, Art Stage Singapore 2016, Singapore / Alisan Fine Arts, Art Basel, Hong Kong
2015 |Michael Goedhuis, Art 15 London, London, UK / Huafu Art Space, Art Beijing, Agricultural Exhibition Center of China, Beijing, China / Gajah Gallery, Art Stage Singapore 2015, Singapore / Huafu Art Space, Art Stage Singapore 2015, Singapore / Alisan Fine Art, INK Asia 2015, Hong Kong
2014 |Contemporary Ink: Li Huayi, Wang Tiande, Zhan Chongbin, Lu Chuntao, Nan Hai Art, San Francisco, USA / Variation: Contemporary Chinese Ink Art Series, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China /
2011 |Red Flag: Contemporary Chinese Art in Montreal Collection, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Montreal, Canada
2010 |Create Something Out of Nothing, Hong Kong Central Library, Hong Kong / New Ink, Mingyuan Art Center, Shanghai, China / Memories of the Past: Contemporary Chinese Ink Painting, Transylvania University, Kentucky, USA
2009 |Ink Not Ink: Contemporary Chinese Art, Drexel University, Philadelphia, USA / Paper! Paper!, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA
2008 |Net: Re-imagining Space, Time and Culture, Chambers Fine Art, Beijing, China / Chinese Minimal Art 30 Years, La Caixa Forum, Barcelona, Spain / The Transforming Marks of Ink, The Staatiche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden, Germany / New Ink Art, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
2007 |FUN: Taipei Calligraphy Biennial, Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
2006 |Brush and Ink: The Chinese Art of Writing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA / 2006 World Calligraphy Festival, Seoul, South Korea / Light on China Art Generation, Palazzo Caponi, Florence, Italy / Exhibition of Chinese Painting Documentaries, Jiangsu Art Museum, Nanjing, China / Revival: New Ink Art, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China / China Trade, Vancouver International Centre for Contemporary Asian Art, Vancouver, Canada / DU, Expressions of Contemporary Chinese Water and Ink Painting, Art Museum of Tianjin Art College, Tianjin, China / 60’s Vision Documenta, Today Gallery, Beijing, China
2005 |Chengdu Biennale, Chengdu International Exhibition Centre, Chengdu, China / The Present for Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong / Contemporary Chinese Water and Ink Painting in China and Korea, Seoul Municipal Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea / Art Rising, Toronto International Art Fair, Toronto, Canada / Word, Not Word: Contemporary Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition, Chinese Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Hangzhou, China
2004 |Contemporary Chinese Art, Dublin Contemporary Art Museum, Dublin, Ireland / Contemporary Art from Shanghai, Museum Villa Stuck, Germany / Nomination Exhibition, Wuhan, China / Six Artists Exhibition, Galerie Karin Sachs, Munich, Germany
2003 |An Opening Era, China National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing, China / The White East: 20th Century Chinese Paintings, Paris, France / Dots and Beyond, National Art Museum, Malaysia
2002 |New Ink Paintings, Teachers College, Taiwan / Variations of Ink, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA / Guangzhou Triennial, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China / 0 Material, Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China / East + West: Contemporary Chinese Art, Austria
2001 |Ink Color, China National Museum of Fine Arts, Beijing, China / Reshuffling, Sculpture Institute, Shenzhen, China / 20 Years of Experimental Ink Paintings, Guangdong Art Museum, Guangzhou, China / Annual Nomination Exhibition, Nanjing Museum, Nanjing, China
2000 |Neo-Ink Paintings in China 2000, Shanghai, China / The 2nd International Biennale of Ink Paintings, Guan Shanyue Museum, Shenzhen, China
1998-99 |Inside Out: New Chinese Art, PS 1, New York; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco / Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, USA / Museo de Arte Contemporaneo, Monterey, Mexico / Tacoma Art Museum and Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, Washington, USA
1998 |Shanghai Biennial, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China / Reflections on Chinese Fine Arts over the Past Two Decades, Beijing, China / The 1st International Biennial of Ink Painting, Shenzhen, China
1997 |Exhibition of Shanghai Artists, St. Petersburg, Russia 1996 |Shanghai Ink Painting Exhibition, the Art Museum of Arizona University, Arizona, USA
1995 |Contemporary Chinese Art, Lineart International Art Fair, Gent, Belgium
1994 |The 8th National Painting Exhibition, China
1993 |Shanghai Modern Art, Yokohama Art Gallery, Yokohama, Japan
1992 |Sea Horizon Exhibition of Paintings and Sculptures, Shanghai, China
1991 |Four Chinese Artists’ Paintings Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
1989 |The 7th National Painting Exhibition, China
For the full list of exhibitions and permanent collections, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Exhibition Opens to Public: 16 Oct – 31 Oct 2020 (Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)
iPreciation is delighted to present the third solo exhibition titled Afar by Singapore Contemporary Ink artist Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960).
This body of works consists of 23 latest ink paintings that resonate with Oh’s reflections on the meaning and hopefulness in life. Intrigued by the textured and uneven surface of rocks, the latest paintings demonstrate his mastery in capturing majestic mountain-scape through the use of various medium and his unique painting technique, fusing verses by Cang Yang Jia Cuo, the six Dala Lama. Unlike his previous black and white ink paintings, these soft earthy tones works were inspired by the stones and gurgling water found in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve nearby his home, the signs of times and traces of the past and the imperfection. Oh Chai Hoo hopes to lead viewers to his modest and genuine oasis and to join the dialogue through his paintings.
This short video introduces the veteran artist’s journey and self-discovery to and through the ink, water and paper from the late 70s to the present.
For enquiries, please contact us at (65) 63390678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com.
iPreciation is proud to present a solo exhibition titled The Way, by world-renowned contemporary artist Wang Dongling.
Featuring 14 latest works, this exhibition showcases major Chaos Script (亂書) and abstract ink paintings by Wang.
Born in Jiangsu, China in 1945, Wang is one of China’s most celebrated contemporary artist. The current professor of China Academy of Fine Arts and Doctoral Supervisor has been making waves in the art world and established himself as a contemporary artist with his ground-breaking Chaos Script.
This short video introduces him to inherit the essence of traditional calligraphy and transform the extensive and profound art form into a unique representative of contemporary art, thus transcending cultural barriers and emerging into a cross-boundary visual language.
Lim Jia Qi(b. 1997, Singapore) graduated with a degree in fine arts from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore in 2019. During her time in LASALLE, she was awarded the Ngee Ann Kongsi Scholarship (AY 2017/ 2018) and the LASALLE Award for Academic Excellence in 2017. At the same time, she assisted in conducting numerous printmaking workshops during her internship at Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI).
Lim had participated in various group exhibitions since 2016. She had also exhibited in “Concrete Encounters” at the Young Talent Programme 18/19 Winner’s Solo Exhibition in 2019, and at the Affordable Art Fair under the ‘Young Talent Programme’ in 2018.
Unimaginative spaces in our urban environment, most commonly associated with the Singapore “lifestyle” are a key interest in Limʼs work. Similar to how people that grew up in the countryside recognise trees and forests as signs of familiarity, the banal architecture that surrounds Singaporeʼs housing estates and its cold concrete element has become an oddly familiar material that she finds herself drawn to.
Through passive observation of everyday life, Lim endeavours to capture the poetics of these spaces and structures, reconstructing them in terms of narrative and/or the absence of such. The breaking down of forms, shifting in perspectives and hinting of narratives in the works are presented in a bid to challenge viewersʼ emotional attachment and familiarity with these spaces.
Coming from a printmaking background, Lim Jia Qi is interested in the advancement and explorative nature of this traditional medium; adopting techniques with other material adaptions such as carving on concrete slabs. With the architecture of housing flats her main subject matter, concrete material is also explored extensively through casting.
Education
2019 | BA (Hons) in Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
2017 | Diploma in Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Poetry of Colours 《濃墨重彩》 – A Solo Exhibition by Zhuang Shengtao
Online Exhibition Dates: 17 Jul to 8 Aug 2020
Featuring 30 paintings by Zhuang Shengtao, this online exhibition titled Poetry of Colours showcases the latest ink and pigment on watercolour paper series created in 2019. Departing from his bold and dark ink on rice paper works, Zhuang hopes to explore the exciting synergies between rich pigments and bold brush strokes. The end result is a spectacular visual effect that highlights Zhuang’s artistic versatility.
A modern-day literati artist, Zhuang enjoys reading poetry and literature and often draws inspiration from nature, with the autumn season featured as a recurring theme in his works. He once mentioned, the mellowing atmosphere and rich sombre textures of autumn landscapes are especially stimulating as they offer a wide range of possibilities. This is also evident in his latest series, where the artist found himself once again captivated by the change of seasons and the beauty of the lush vivid red and orange hues of the autumn foliage.
iPreciation heartfelt congratulations to leading Hong Kong ceramist and design educator Rosanna Li Wei-Han for being conferred Artist of the Year (Visual Arts) at the 14th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards.
It is our honour to be working with Rosanna for the past two decades, and we look forward to more years of collaboration together.
iPreciation is delighted to introduce Delia Celina/ functional, a series of wearable artcreated by renowned Singapore ceramic artist Delia Prvacki.
Delia Celina/ functional showcases a myriad of ceramic necklaces with alluring delicate petal-like and vibrant gleaming beads gracefully reflecting nature and life – universal and timeless themes which have been driving Delia’s artistry spanning fifty years.
Beyond her nature-themed collection, Delia has recently conceived a new series of necklaces: “Painting on My Chest”. Gently resting against the wearer’s chest, these necklaces each hangs a ceramic pendant hand-painted delicately by the artist. They resemble miniature landscapes, still life paintings or abstract compositions, capturing a moment of curiosity, contemplation or even provocation from the viewer.
Delia’s beads and pendants are distinct to each necklace; The uniqueness of each charm is created through a meticulous process of hand moulding, precise colouring and high firing till it achieves the desired rich texture. She approaches every element as a miniature artwork, stringing them together deftly by hand. Her one of a kind statement pieces can be worn in two ways (necklaces are reversible).
Delia marries art with fashion to create wearable ceramic art necklaces expressing each wearer’s unique personality. Alongside her ceramic sculptures and murals, Delia’s intricate and beautiful wearable ceramic art pieces are also a testament to her artistic mastery and they capture her wish to make art accessible to all.
Delia Celina/ functional is available for view online, and actual pieces may be viewed by appointment at iPreciation. For other information on Delia Celina/ functional and Delia’s artworks, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Delia Prvacki (b. 1950, Baia Mare, Romania) graduated from the Bucharest Institute of Fine Arts in 1975 with a Master in Applied Arts. Subsequently, she moved to former Yugoslavia with her husband, colleague and artist Milenko Prvacki, where she began her full-time career as an artist. While living and working in there, she received numerous awards including the Special Award and Critic’s Award (1981) at the Yugoslav Triennial of Ceramics, and the Annual Art Award (1982) by the Serbian Association of Applied Artists.
In 1992, Delia relocated to Singapore with Milenko and their daughter Ana. Finding inspiration in the new environment, she deeply immersed herself in a novel creative pursuit and became widely recognised for her ceramic artworks including murals and sculptures. Delia’s major public projects have also been a focal point in many urban areas and institutions such as Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore Power Building, NUS (Alice Lee Plaza) and Marina South Pier MRT Station.
Delia’s works are in the permanent collections of Museum of Modern Art, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Museum of Ceramics, Porvoo-Borgaa, Finland, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, NUS Museum and Singapore, and in numerous private collections worldwide.
Born in a small village in Guangdong, China in 1970, Wang Shaoqiang is the fifth child in the family. Prior to entering university, Wang had taken several art classes and he continued to learn drawing and plastic arts throughout his schooldays. In 1991, Wang enrolled in the fine arts programme at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology. He went on to join Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, eventually obtaining a Master degree in Fine Arts in 2002.
Upon graduation in 1995, Wang commenced his teaching career at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts. The former Deputy Dean and Dean of School of Visual Arts of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts was awarded the Teaching Excellence Award by Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in 2013. He is now a Member of the Academic Committee of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts.
While he is known for his involvement in arts education and curation, Wang remains committed to his quest to reinterpret contemporary Chinese ink paintings. His distinctive style comes with a delightful blend of traditional Chinese ink paintings and cartography. Derived from ancient Chinese astronomical and astrological theories, as well as modern science and technology, grids overlaying seemingly traditional landscape imageries are essentially a hallmark of Wang’s art practice. His oeuvre coaxes viewers to search for possible geographical positions and coordinates which further prompt them to reconstruct a new contextual space.
Presently the Director of Guangdong Museum of Art, Wang has successfully curated and/or participated in numerous major exhibitions including the Simultaneous Eidos – Guangzhou Image Triennial 2017, the 6th Guangzhou Triennial and Document Exhibition and Great Tides Surge Along the Pearl River – 40 Years of Reform and Opening-up in Guangdong since his appointment in 2015.
The Director of China Artists Association is also an active player in the art scene of China, being a member of the China Artists Association Curation Committee, National Art Museum Professional Committee, an academic committee member and Vice Chairman of Guangdong Artists Association, Director of Guangdong Curatorial Committee and Executive Vice President of Art Museum Association. In 2017, Wang was named a leading figure in Cultural Promotion and Communication in Guangdong.
Wang has held many solo and group exhibitions across China, Hong Kong, and parts of Europe. His works are permanently collected in National Art Museum of China, Beijing (China), Shandong Art Museum, Jinan (China), and Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou (China). He now lives and works in Guangzhou.
Education
2002 | Master of Fine Arts, Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangdong, China
1994 | Bachelor of Fine Arts, the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019 | Last Mountain: Solo Exhibition of Wang Shaoqiang, Art Canton Thematic Exhibition, Guangzhou Liuhua Exhibition & Trade Center, Guangzhou, China
2019 | Last Mountain, Heart Chart: Solo Exhibition of Wang Shaoqiang, Lin Quan Shan Fang of Hushang Magazine, Hangzhou, China
Selected Group Exhibitions
2021 | Flower, Not, iPreciation, Singapore
2019 | Imagine de Lingnan: 8 Artists’ Contemporary Ink Art, Chinese Culture Centre, Paris, France
2019 | Chinese Xieyi: Selected Works from the National Art Museum of China, National Art Gallery, Lithuania
2019 | Fine Art Asia· Ink Asia, Da Xiang Art Space, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center, Hong Kong
2019 | New Start: The 3rd Shenzhen Biennale of Contemporary Art, Sea World Culture and Arts Centre, Shenzhen, China /
2019 | Shenzhen · Lorient Art Exhibition, Museum of Shenzhen Fine Art Institute, Shenzhen, China
2018 | Post-Brushwork Era: Chinese Landscapes, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou; Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2018 | Times New Image: Contemporary Chinese Painting Exhibition, Shaanxi Province Art Museum, Xi’an, China
2018 | Ink Reasons: Contemporary Art Exhibition, Chun Art Museum, Shanghai, China /
2018 | Image – Script: Selected Works from Video Collection of Guangdong Art Museum, Stanford Art Gallery, USA
2018 | The Geography of Ink & The Ink of Geography: An Exhibition of 14 Artists’ New Ink Exploration, 21 Space Art Museum, Dongguan, China
2018 | Minjiang: Imagination about Water, SeeWell International Art Center, Fuzhou, China
2018 | Times Elegance – Ink Art Tianhe: Selected Ink works of Guangdong Masters, Tianhe Culture & Art Center, Guangzhou, China /
2018 | Footprints: Works of Alumni of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts (Eastern Guangdong), 1st Stop: LufengJiazi Culture Art Centre, Lingnan Museum of Art, Shanwei, China; 2nd Stop: Art Museum of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou, China
2018 | Great Tides Surge Along the Pearl River – 40 Years of Reform and Opening-up in Guangdong, National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Guangdong, China
2018 | Framework: Contemporary Painting Invitation Exhibition, The 6th Guangzhou Triennial, Art Museum of South China Agriculture University, Guangzhou, China
2017 | Post-Lingnan School and Pearl River Delta, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
2017 | Intermedio: Exhibition of New Chinese Ink, Galería Germán Gedovius, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
2017 | The 9th Vladivostok International Biennale of Visual Arts, Primorsky State Art Gallery, Russia
2017 | Annual Review of China Contemporary Ink Painting 2016-2017, Art Museum of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou, China
2017 | Inherit the Past and Usher in the Future – Exhibition of 20th Anniversary of the Founding of the Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou
2016 | The Beauty of Chinese Characters: Global Youth Design Contest – Designer Invitational Exhibition, 77 Creative Park, Beijing, China
2015 | Heart and Vision: An Experiment of Visual Art and Design, China Culture Center, Berlin, Germany
2014 | Scatter: Multiple Visual Art and Design Experiment, University of South Australia, Australia
2014 | Emptiness/Goodwill, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
2014 | China Spirit 2014 Invitation Exhibition (Xi’an), Jia Pingwa Culture and Art Museum, Xi’an, China
2014 | 2014 AGDIE Asian Graphic Design Invitation Exhibition, Daejeon Museum of Art, Daejeon, Korea
2013 | US & China Typographic Poster Exchange 2013, Fifth Art Gallery of Richmond, Virginia, USA
2012 | Hong Kong Design Legacy and Beyond: The 70 Fruitful Years of Kan Tai-Keung, Exhibition Gallery of Hong Kong Central Library, Hong Kong
For full list of exhibitions and collections, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com.
Awards
2019 | Person of the Year, Golden Star Award for Chinese Artists 2019, National Art Magazine, China
2017 | Leading Figure, Cultural Promotion and Communication in Guangdong
Private Preview: 8 Jan 2020, Wed, 6 – 8 pm (By Invitation Only, Artists Present) *Please note that the date has been changed from 9 Jan to 8 Jan 2020*
Exhibition Opens to Public: 9 Jan – 1 Feb 2020
iPreciation is proud to present new works by Delia and Milenko Prvacki in a duo exhibition titled – Topography of Hybrid Imagery.
Delia draws parallels between the interbreeding nature of the word “hybridity” with the sense of assemblage in her practice. Her latest ceramic sculptures emanate the alluring charm of futurism and its applications. Milenko focuses on the dynamic interactions of social and cultural fragments, bringing forth a whimsical space, though flattened in the collision and synthesis of different forces.
While Delia works with ceramics and Milenko works with painting, this exhibition brings together their latest works in an analytical method, emphasizing their basic materiality structure and application of their unique visual vocabulary.
Delia Prvacki (b. 1950, Baia Mare, Romania) graduated from the Bucharest Institute of Fine Arts in 1975 with a Master’s Degree in Applied Arts. Subsequently, she moved to former Yugoslavia to practice art, where she was awarded the Special Award and the Critic’s Award at the Yugoslav Triennial of Ceramics 1981, and the Annual Art Award from the Serbian Association of Applied Artists in 1982.
In 1991, Delia relocated to Singapore with Milenko Prvacki and her family. She has received numerous commissions for public projects, which have been a focal point in many urban areas and institutions such as Shangri La Hotel, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore Power Building, NUS (Alice Lee Plaza), Marina South Pier MRT Station.
Delia’s works are in the permanent collection of Museum of Modern Art, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Museum of Ceramics, Porvoo-Borgaa, Finland, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, NUS Museum, Singapore, among others.
Milenko Prvacki (b. 1951, Vojvodina, Former Yugoslavia) graduated with a Masters in Fine Arts (Painting) from the Institute of Fine Arts in Bucharest, Romania. Before moving to Singapore in 1991, he had exhibited extensively throughout Europe and won many awards, including the Special Jury Award, Academie Internationale De Lutece in 1986 and the 2nd International Drawing Triennial, Museum of Contemporary Drawing Award and Faber Castel Award Nurnberg, Germany in 1982. From 1994 to 2010, Milenko was Dean at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Singapore’s LASALLE College of the Arts. He is currently serving as Senior Fellow in the Office of the President at Lasalle. Milenko was awarded the Cultural Medallion of 2012 by the National Arts Council for his contributions in enriching Singapore’s visual art scene.
Milenko’s works are in the permanent collection of the Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Australia, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade, Serbia, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore and Museum of Contemporary Drawing, Nurnberg, Germany, among others.
iPreciation is delighted to showcase the ink paintings of Irene Chou, a key figure in the New Ink Painting Movement in the 1960s-1980s. Her works integrate the art and philosophy of the East and the West, and that of the past and the present, transcending through space and time. She explored, through her ink and colour paintings, the inner workings of the mind and its relationship with the mysteries of the universe.
This exhibition features Chou’s paintings after her stroke in 1991 and works before her passing in 2011. During this period, confined and isolated in her physical body, her mind ironically became freer. Free to perceive beyond bounded rationalities, free to conceive different artistic expressions, free to pour out what is within her heart. Her art took a more introspective turn to the metaphysical contemplations of life and the universe – the art of her inner world. Also, during this period, many of her major works were being collected and displayed for example, at ADC Building (Brisbane), Menara Standard Chartered (Kuala Lumpur), Biopolis (Jurong Town Corporation, Singapore) and Keppel Bay Tower (Keppel Land, Singapore).
Irene Chou 周綠雲 (b. 1924-2011)was born in Shanghai in 1924. Chou received a modern education from St. John’s University in 1945. Leaving Shanghai to settle in Hong Kong in 1949, she began to study Chinese painting under Zhao Shao’ang (1905-1998), an artist of the Lingnan School, during the 1950s. In the 1960s, Chou studied under the tutelage of Lu Shou-Kun (1919-1975), whose theories of New Ink Painting inspired her to move away from conventional Chinese styles towards abstract forms. She explored, through her paintings, the inner workings of the mind and its relationship to the mysteries of the universe. Chou often used the quote “The Universe is my mind; my mind is the Universe”, taken from the writings of Chinese philosopher Lu Jiuyan (1139-1192) of the Southern Song dynasty. These words serve as an important source of inspiration for her. Her abstract paintings from the 1980s onwards exploded with stunning energies seen in both her dense, textural strokes and her broad, slab-like strokes of ink and colour. These powerful works have rendered her as one of the most innovative artists of the New Ink Painting movement in Hong Kong.
At the age of 67 in 1991, Chou suffered a bad stroke and moved to Brisbane to recover. As she slowly and painfully rebuilt her physical body, she rebuilt herself and her art in the process. She was persistent, creating paintings with great difficulties on the floor on her hands and knees. Through this, Chou was reborn as a stronger and more focused artist. The strong drive and perseverance to move forward and not look back moved Chou to perfect her techniques, propelling her works to new heights. She would adopt the drip and splash method to create a sense of movement and rhythm in her paintings. At times, she would use the sweep of broad brushstrokes liken a huge ‘gulf’ to create further impact.
Her works are collected in private collections and many prestigious international institutions and cooperations including; the British Museum, the Chinese University Museum, the Fung Ping Shan Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Arts, the University of Hong Kong, the City Gallery in Manila, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the National Arts Centre, the National Museum of History in Taipei, the Queensland Art Gallery, the Melbourne Raya Gallery in Australia, GIC Singapore, Jurong Town Corporation, Harbour View, Keppel Land and the Museum of Brisbane.
For more information on The Pulse of Ink and Chou’s works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
*Web banner artwork is a partial image of Irene Chou’s My First Australian Landscape,1995,152x101cm,Ink and Colour on Paper Mounted on Canvas
iPreciation is proud to present a duo exhibition titled Bloom, featuring new works by two young Singaporean female artists, Ashley Yeo and Jodi Tan.
When one mentions the word “bloom”, flowers are the first thing that comes to minds. Flowers have always been known for their natural charms. The floral subject was widely embraced in art of different eras and has evolved in its embodiment in artworks over time. In contemporary art today, the trend of floral being used as an attractive feature or accent has not been seen dwindling. It continues to be used by artists as a source of inspiration, and a concept to work with to create artworks. Apart from being a charmer, or decorative in appearance, how else can we view a flower?
Bloom is an exhibition that hopes to present alternative perceptions and interpretations of floral in a more poetical light through the works of both Ashley and Jodi. The artworks will highlight the borrowing a flower’s presence to explore and present a new perspective on how or what a floral can be in contemporary art by having a simpler and genuine interest in florals.
Ashley takes references from botanical symmetry to create delicate paper cut structures. The lightness and fragility of these works can be related to a flower’s true fragility and impermanence. At the same time, a flower’s natural perseverance and vigour to multiply and survive can be seen within her paper cut art, where floral patterns flow seamlessly from edge to edge. It is in the accumulation of detail in her artworks, where the viewer can see strength and an underlying intensity of a message being silently conveyed.
Jodi questions the significance of a subject matter and one’s perception of it. To her, paintings of flowers have been typecast as decorative or dated, and various symbolisms have been embodied by the use of florals in both classical and ornamental paintings. Her paintings continue to blur the line between figurative and abstraction by disassociation from, or reduction of, the known symbolisms and associated meanings to florals in art. This allows viewers of her art to question – or choose – their interpretation of her floral still life paintings.
Ashley Yeo (b. 1990, Singapore) has graduated with a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from the University of Arts London, Chelsea College of the Art & Design, United Kingdom in 2012. She was the first Singaporean artist to be shortlisted for the LOEWE Craft Prize, London, United Kingdom (2018). Ashley had founded her practice through drawing and has developed her practice of creating artworks of exceptionally light, delicate crafts with meticulous details. Ashley is often inspired by nature, and by taking in the nature of a plant such as flowers; the impermanence, frailty, and delicateness. In her latest practice of papercut art, she demonstrates a slow and light construction that attempts to present an elegant and emotional resonance through the use of the material and repeated patterns. The repetition in her creative process reflects and meditates on the contemporary society of the world that has contributed to an array of anxieties and emptiness. Ashley is interested in presenting new objects in silence that attempts to articulate equanimity, generating a discourse of the obfuscation of things and the epidemics of visual culture.
Jodi Tan (b. 1990, Singapore) has graduated with a B.A. (Honours) in Fine Arts from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore in 2011. She was also awarded the Winston Oh Travel Award, Singapore, in the same year. Jodi’s core interest lies in image-making and image reading. As she continues her ongoing series of “Still Life”, her works are often created with found images, which she would derive particular colours or textures that spoke to her, then reconstructs the image in ambiguity, blurring the line between figuration and abstraction. In her works, Jodi explores the creation of an image where interference from symbolisms and associated meanings are reduced, or even becomes irrelevant. With a hint of familiarity, the artworks are presented to its viewer with a doubt or a choice; what does one choose to see, and how does one read the image?
For more information on Bloom and the artists’ works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Irene Chou, Koo Mei, Ju Ming, Gao Xingjian, Wang Dongling, Chen Xinmao, Jin Jie, Cai Heng, Chu Chu – A group exhibition of ink paintings, contemporary calligraphy and sculptures, presented at Ink Asia 2019.
Venue:
Booth J3, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hall 3
Fair Dates and Opening Hours:
3 Oct 2019, Thu
3pm – 9pm Private Preview (By Invitation Only)
6pm – 9pm Vernissage (By Invitation Only)
4 – 6 Oct 2019, Fri – Sun
11am – 7:30pm Open to Public
7 Oct 2019, Mon
11am – 6pm Open to Public
iPRECIATION is delighted to announce our participation in Ink Asia 2019, presenting a selection of finest contemporary calligraphy, ink paintings, oil paintings and sculptures by nine prominent Asian artists, namely Irene Chou, Koo Mei, Ju Ming, Gao Xingjian, Wang Dongling, Chen Xinmao, Jin Jie, Cai Heng, and Chu Chu.
For Visitor and VIP Passes to Ink Asia 2019, or for more information on the art fair, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com
Born in 1973, Cai Heng received her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts, with distinction, from Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Australia in 1995. She then pursued her PhD in Art History and Theory, The University of Sydney, Australia in 2008.
Cai Heng is currently living in Singapore, where she practices her art and works as a researcher.
Education
2008 | PhD in Art History and Theory, The University of Sydney, Australia
1995 | Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts, with distinction, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University, Australia
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2011 | Clarity of the Heart, The Private Museum, Singapore
2002 | Ink Diffusion, Plum Blossoms Gallery, Hong Kong
Art Appreciation Talk Conducted by Milenko Prvački: 19 Sept 2019, Thurs, 6pm (Limited Seats; RSVP by 5 Sept 2019)
To commemorate iPRECIATION’s 20th Anniversary, we are delighted to present the Reverie Collection. With a collection of over 400 pieces of significant artworks, the founder of Reverie Collection has been collecting arts through her close-knitted friendship with many artists over the past 25 years.
This exhibition will feature 33 selected artworks from 20 prominent Asian Contemporary artists, including iconic works created from 1964 to present. These artists have play/played an instrumental role in developing and re-defining Asian Contemporary art in their field during their time. Exhibits include sculptures by Cheung Yee, Ju Ming, Baet Yeok Kuan and Zhan Wang, Ceramics by Ju Ming, Ah Leon, Annie Wan and Rosanna Li Wei Han, ink paintings by Irene Chou, Koo Mei, Gao Xingjian and Oh Chai Hoo, ink calligraphy by Wang Dongling, paintings by Milenko Prvački, Jin Jie, Ye Jian Qing, Tang Da Wu, Lee Wen, Lui Chun Kwong, Vincent Leow and Tse Yim On.
For more information on iPreciation 20th Anniversary: Reverie Collection – 25 Years of Art Collecting Journeyand its artists’ works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Born in 1955 in Heilongjiang Province, North China, Wang Jianan entered the esteemed Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing at the age of 23. Upon graduating in 1982, he progressed to establish the first post-cultural revolution independent professional art studio in Beijing.During this time, he embarked on a career as a teacher at the Academy, in the Chinese painting department. 1987 saw a migration to London with his artist wife, Cai Xiaoli, and the couple proceeded to participate in exhibitions throughout continental Europe. As a youth, Wang grew in the midst of social discord (courtesy of the Cultural Revolution) and witnessed the effects that propaganda and a callous doctrine had on the artistic sphere. However, his entrance to University at 23 was untainted by asphyxiated ideals (heralded by the death of Mao Zedong in 1976), bestowing freedom of aesthetical development for the artist. Yet, the recently battered dissension remained a secondary theme that would influence his artistic progression.
Wang Jianan’s paintings have liberated the artist from his conflicting desires, by effectively mingling two distinct wants: The need for Wang Jia’nan to preserve the culture and historical intimacies of his homeland, and concurrently, to pursue and peruse the freethinking, innovative habits of the Western world. The sense of dislocation, derived from the artist’s move to Europe, was fundamental to the growth of his later series of works, and elucidates the disarray of colours and textures in his paintings; reflecting the social and emotional pandemonium felt by the world of the diaspora.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2004 | Freedom of Spirit: Wang Jia’nan, Midland Arts Centre, Birmingham, England, UK
2001 | The Paintings of Wang Jianan, Goedhuis Contemporary, London, UK
1993 | Manchester Art Centre, England, UK
1992 | Gallery John Jones, London, UK
1992 | Pilscheur Fine Art, London, UK
1988 | Gallery Art East & Art West, Hamburg, Germany
1988 | Gallery Ilse Lommel, Leverkusen, Germany
Selected Exhibitions with Cai Xiaoli
2018 | Taimiao Art Museum of Imperial Ancestral Temple, China
2014 | Magnificent Light, Yujing No. 1, Guangdong, China
2013 | Henan Art Museum, China
2012 | National Art Museum of China, China
1999 | Gallery Gemini, Munchen, Germany
1999 | Kaikodo, New York, United States
1996 | Nature in China, Goedhuis Contemporary, London
1995 | Museum Van Rossum, Amsterdam, Holland
1995 | Art in Action, International Arts Festival, Oxford, England
1994 | Anxintang Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1993 | Art in Action, International Arts Festival, Oxford, England
1993 | Pilscheur Fine Art, London
1992 | Hong Kong Art Centre, Hong Kong
1990 | Art East & Art West Gallery, Hamburg, Germany
1989 | Beer Shaba Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
Selected Group Exhibitions
2017 | Painting and Calligraphy, Ink Hedong Art Park, China / Clouds Scud Across, Ink Hedong Art Park, China
2001 | China without Borders, Goedhuis Contemporary at Sotheby’s, New York
1999 | Contemporary Chinese Painting Exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland
1997 | Contemporary Chinese Painting Exhibition, Michael Goedhuis, London
1994 | Three Persons Exhibition, Suffolk Art Gallery, Suffolk, England
1988 | Contemporary Chinese Painting Exhibition, Royal Festival Hall, London
1986 | Beijing Artist’s Exhibition, Chinese National Fine Arts Museum, Beijing, China
1986 | The Sixth National Art Exhibition of China, Chinese National Fine Arts Museum, Beijing, China
1986 | Zhong Li Art Studio Exhibition of New Ceramics, Chinese National Fine Arts Museum, Beijing, China
1982 – 1986 | Annual Group Exhibition, Chinese National Fine Arts Museum, Beijing, China
Awards
1989 | Watercolor Painting Prize, Royal Academy of Arts / Harmony Inheritance Award, Beijing Harmony Culture Inheritance Foundation / Outstanding Works Awards, Beijing Art Academy
1984 | Excellent Works Award, 6th National Art Exhibition of China
Born in Guangzhou in 1929 and grown up in Hong Kong, Koo Mei was under the tutelage of several renowned 20th-century ink masters: First, Chao Shao-an in 1963 in Hong Kong; Hu Nien-Tsu and Au Ho-Nien when she was residing in Taiwan in 1969; and later Hong Kong New Ink Movement pioneer Lui Shou-Kwan in 1974.Since the 1970s, Koo’s works hail from the abstract, dynamic and fluid nature of clouds and mists, images she yearned for and frequently dreamt about. Determine not to be bounded by the rigid structures dominating Hong Kong’s landscape; she turned for the picturesque villages, panoramic imageries of mountains, valleys, streams and vast open spaces. Hence, many of her paintings stemmed from her fond childhood memories and playful imaginations of a quaint, mystic realm.
In 1977, Koo Mei won the prestigious Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Arts Award, and the winning painting was subsequently collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Her early works received high praises from Asia’s most respected 20th-century masters, Chang Dai-Chien and Zao Wou Ki. 1984 marked a new beginning of her artistic journey when she moved from Hong Kong to Canada, where she resides today. The changes of four seasons and majestic natural wonders in Canada became a major catalyst towards her expansive, ethereal landscapes and misty clouds. Today, at the age of 92, she remains one of the very few female ink landscape painters of our times. Koo Mei’s works are powerfully evocative, imbued with a sense of tranquillity and wisdom that age over the passage of time.
Koo Mei’s works have been collected by many important private collectors and organizations such as the State University of Utah, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Stadium, the Canadian Consulate General, Bank of America, Citibank, Bank of Australia, Hutchison Global Crossing Limited and Shaw Brothers (Hong Kong) Limited in Hong Kong respectively.
2017 | Pacific Crossings: Hong Kong Artists in Vancouver, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2016 | Being and Inking: Documenting Contemporary Ink Art 2001-2016, Alisan Fine Arts, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Aberdeen
2015 | A Legacy of Ink: Lui Shou-Kwan 40 Years On, Alisan Fine Arts, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Aberdeen
2015 | Lui Shou-Kwan: A Legacy of Ink, Alisan Fine Arts, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, Aberdeen
2010 | Scenic Sensibilities, Asian Fine Arts, Aberdeen, Hong Kong
2009 | Art Show 09, CCM Center, Vancouver
2008 | Art Show 08, CCM Center, Vancouver
2007 | Art Show 07, CCM Centre, Vancouver
2007 | The New Face of Ink Paintings, Sino Group, Hong Kong
2006 | Art Show 06, CCM Centre Vancouver
2006 | Love is a Many Splendoured Thing – Koos’ Family Painting Exhibition, Hong Kong
2006 | Published memoir From Dawn to Dusk, Joint Publishing (Hong Kong) Company Limited
2005 | Art Show 05, CCM Centre (Chinese Christian Mission of Canada), Vancouver
2003 | Ink Paintings & Calligraphy, National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, Taipei
2000 | Modern Classical, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
1997 | Reunion and Vision, Contemporary Hong Kong art 1997, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
1997 | Masterpieces of 20th Century Chinese Painting, The Canadian Foundation for the Preservation of Chinese Cultural and Historical Treasures, Canada
1992 | Contemporary Art of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
1992 | Where the Stream Becomes a River, Vancouver Art Gallery, Canada
1990 | University of British Columbia Asian Art Exhibition, Asian Art Auditorium, Vancouver
1990 | Metamorphosis-Contemporary Chinese Paintings, Luen Chai, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
1989 | Beyond the Magic Mountains; Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy by Artists in North America, Hanart Gallery, Hong Kong
1988 | One Season of Promise, The Touchstone Gallery, Hong Kong
1987 | Reality and Infinity, Alisan Fine Arts Ltd., Hong Kong
1986 | Contemporary Chinese Painting, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1985 | Shui Muo Exhibition, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
1983 | One Art Group Exhibition, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
1982 | Exhibition of International Ink Painters Association, National Museum of History, Taipei
1981 | Benson & Hedges Selection of Hong Kong Art, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
1980 | One Art Group Joint Exhibition, National Museum of History, Taipei Traveling exhibition, Taiwan
1979 | One Art Group Joint Exhibition, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore
1978 | Urban Council Fine Art Award Winners, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
1977 | Contemporary Chinese Artists from Hong Kong, Rockford College, Illinois
1976 | Hong Kong Art Now, Quorum Galleries, Hong Kong
1971 | Female Painters of China, Memorial Painting Exhibition of Yu Ya-yun, Taipei
Awards
1977 | Urban Council Artist Award, Hong Kong
Permanent Collections
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Canadian Consulate General, Hong Kong
Bank of Australia, Hong Kong
Bank of America, Hong Kong
Citibank, Hong Kong
Hutchison Global, Hong Kong
Shaw Brothers Ltd, Hong Kong
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
University of Utah, United States
For the full list of exhibitions, awards and permanent collections, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Private Preview: 8 Aug 2019, Thurs, 6 – 8 pm (By Invitation Only, Artist Present)
Exhibition Opens to Public: 10 Aug – 24 Aug 2019
Artist Dialogue with Zulfadhli Hilmi: 17 Aug 2019, Sat, 2pm
iPRECIATION is delighted to present a solo exhibition by emerging young Singaporean artist Yeo Tze Yang 楊子揚, titled A Lack of Significance《不重要的重要》. An exceptionally talented painter, Yeo was awarded the Silver prize for the UOB Painting of the Year established category in 2016. His figurative, still-life and landscape artwork often encapsulates the everyday life in Singapore and its surrounding region. Recognising the sentimental value within the forgotten and neglected persons, objects and places of his immediate surroundings, Yeo finds it worthwhile to paint their stories. He believes in the unity of life and art, and envisions his works to speak for themselves to viewers of any background. He hopes that his artworks would inspire viewers to re-discover and appreciate everyday life in Singapore. Since young, art has always been Yeo’s favourite subject in school. However, it was only when he was in National Junior College, studying art history and under the influence of his art teacher, Lee Pheng Guan, that he began to start painting and developing his artistic practice. By the end of his Junior College years, he began to participate in exhibitions. Other than his teacher, Yeo’s father, Yeo Hong Peng, a commercial illustrator and Elaine Navas, a Filipino painter based in Singapore, also play a huge role in influencing his artistic practice. For Yeo, his father inspires him to paint figurative while he considers Navas as a close friend whom he has learnt a lot from. Yeo relates strongly to Navas’s artistic approach because he finds that both of them share a similar artistic philosophy and they would constantly be found engaging in deep discussions about life and art.
This exhibition will showcase 25 oil paintings which Yeo has laboriously worked on since early 2017. From an old man sitting in what seems like the middle of nowhere to a discarded lottery ticket, Yeo continues to memorialise the lives of ordinary people, paying particular focus on the neglected in our daily lives. The “Fruits and Vegetables Shop,”a major work spanning across six panels, is an impressive 180 by 466 centimeters painting which portrays Yeo’s re-imagination of a wet market in Singapore. The painting is detailed, containing a variety of fruits and vegetables, stacks of all kinds of boxes, a Singapore flag and the names of goods and prices scrawled on Styrofoam boards. Yeo’s portrayal of the local iconographies and the atmosphere of the wet market proposes an alternative to local identity based on Yeo’s retrospection of Singapore and its surrounding region. As Yeo said, these paintings “unveil and challenge ideas on localness that coincide with narratives of nationhood”.
A Lack of Significance《不重要的重要》 oxymoronically will bring significance to the insignificant, not only offering viewers a refreshing take on the old tradition of figurative painting, but also charging the banal with socio-political, metaphorical, psychological and spiritual possibilities.
Yeo Tze Yang (b. 1994, Singapore) has been conferred the Silver Award of UOB Painting of the Year in 2016. His paintings often depict the unnoticed and bypassed places and objects of his immediate surroundings. Avoiding contemporary conceptual approaches to art, he instead reverts back to a more direct and emotive approach to painting. As a Southeast Asian major, Yeo is deeply interested in issues pertaining the region and the subject matter of his artworks are derived from across the region. The result of such a process is an accumulation of images, thoughts, emotions, stories and memories, that in turn become allegories of both the artist’s life and the stories that his audiences weave into his works. His works are collected in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States and in the UOB collection.
For more information on A Lack of Significance and Yeo Tze Yang’s works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
iPRECIATION is proud to present a solo exhibition by Han Sai Por 韩少芙, titled Dance With the Wind「隨風起舞」. Han is a prominent second-generation Singapore artist who has been recognised by the art industry as one of the leading modern sculptor driving the sculptural art scene to date.She has been conferred countless awards from the Singapore Culural Medallion in 1995, the top praise winner of the 11th Triennale India in 2005 to the winner of “The Leonardo Award for Sculpture” Chianciano Art Biennale in Italy, 2015. Widely acknowledged locally and internationally, Han has been actively participating in many prestigious art exhibitions. A thematic concern, commonly found in her artworks, involve the desire to reflect the beauty and importance of nature in our society.
Inspired by the natural cycle of life, her artworks depict the elegant beauty of nature and embody the philosophical thought of how ‘nature works in mysterious ways’. All of her paintings predominantly consist of bold black and white strokes of acrylic paint, with a few works containing other colours like dark blue and red. Han’s decision to dominate most of her canvas paintings with a black and white colour scheme allows her to create a dynamic visual perception of nature in both its abstract and solid form. This classic colour palette, often associated with modernist and minimalist themes, further encapsulates Han’s aesthetical perception of nature as being elegant and mysterious. The thick brush strokes across her paintings show how nature interacts with the atmosphere and the spacial constraint surrounding it. These bold and energetic abstract paintings will inspire the viewer’s imagination as they get to visually experience the wind shifting at different angles, giving the illusion that these paintings are coming to life.
The sculptures, meticulously carved out of Han white marble stone slabs （漢白玉）and stainless steel, are shaped according to the flora and fauna present in our everyday lives. Han felt that the reflective surface of the stainless steel in comparison with the opaqueness of the Han white marble juxtaposes nicely against one another. When Han first started the sculpturing process, she did it in China before bringing them back to Singapore for the final polishing. Every detail, from the smooth edges to the curves and lines present in each of her sculptures, reflects the sheer amount of time, labour and effort Han had invested in perfecting them. Han’s minimalistic approach in her artworks translates the profoundness behind her artistic thought when she was in the process of developing her paintings and sculptures. The gallery space, thus, becomes a temporal space for audiences to immerse, interact and appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of nature brought by Han Sai Por’s artworks.
Han Sai Por (b. 1943) is one of Asia’s leading modern sculptors and a recipient of Singapore’s Cultural Medallion award in 1995. Being educated in Fine Arts at Wolverhampton College of Art, United Kingdom (1983) as well as Landscape Architecture in Lincon University, New Zealand (2008), have established her knowledge in the understanding of nature and its environment, which in turn influenced her artistic work. Most of her organic works are inspired by the flora and fauna found in tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Her work comments on the changing landscape in the region and the deforestation that adversely impacts the environment and ecosystem. “The Black Forest” installation in 2011 is one such example as the series of works being exhibited contained strong social commentary on the bleak consequences of deforestation.
Han has participated in numerous international exhibitions around the world. Her works can be found in many private collections, international and local institutions, and public spaces including; National Museum of Singapore, Suzhou Centre in China, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore National Art Gallery, China National Museum in Beijing, Portland Sculpture Park in England and World United Nation, New York Singapore office building.
For more information on Dance with the Wind and Han Sai Por’s works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Artist Talk: 13 Apr 2019, Saturday, 2pm (Moderator: Ms Chow Yian Ping)
iPRECIATION is proud to present a solo exhibition by Chinese artist Chen Xinmao 陳心懋 (b. 1954), entitled Peony Pavilion「遊園驚夢」. Chen, currently a Professor at East China Normal University, College of the Arts in Shanghai, has exhibited widely across China and internationally. This exhibition marks the debut of Chen’s artworks in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Peony Pavilion「遊園驚夢」 by Chen Xinmao 陳心懋 is the first of iPRECIATION year 2019 series of ink exhibitions that highlights outstanding Chinese and Singapore artists and their contemporary encounters and reinterpretation of the long tradition of ink painting. iPRECIATION year 2019 series of ink exhibitions will also include exhibitions by Cai Guangbin, Jennifer Wen Ma, and Zhuang Shengtao.
This exhibition showcases Chen’s most recent works entitled “Peony Pavilion” inspired by China’s famous kunqu opera of the same name, written by the Ming dynasty playwright Tang Xianzu in 1598. The opera tells a fantastical love story of an official’s daughter Du Liniang and a young scholar Liu Mengmei. Transcending time and space, and life and death, Peony Pavilion has enchanted its audiences across the centuries.
Chen has seen the opera multiple times and was inspired to create artworks based on its story. In depicting the well-loved story, Chen aims to capture the essence of the “Chinese aesthetic”. Defining the “Chinese aesthetic” has been a key focus in Chen’s art over the years. As a part of the generation of Chinese artists who were born in the 1950s, Chen has experienced China’s tumultuous political and cultural changes, which culminated in the Cultural Revolution and the 1985 New Art Wave Movement.
With the influx of various artistic influences, methods, and ideologies, Chinese artists of the time explored various modes of individualistic expression. Chen’s diverse artistic influences come to the fore in the melange of text and imagery of mountains, rocks, landscapes and varied figures seen in his Peony Pavilion artworks. In Chen’s work, he has always made use of a diversity of subjects and media, yet he has always maintained his goal of capturing the traditional Chinese aesthetic in the contemporary era.
Chen believes that landscape painting continues to be representative of the Chinese aesthetic, particularly in the depiction of gardens and its related elements. Peony Pavilion and its garden setting, which the entire opera takes place in, realise Chen’s thoughts on how best to portray gardens in his paintings.
According to Chen, while the garden carries importance, the figures in the garden form the central focus of his paintings. Chen views the people in his depicted gardens as a symbol of humankind. Whether in the past or present, people have been demarcated by religion, ethnicity, laws and social customs, yet they share a universal search for freedom and equality.
The figures in Chen’s paintings provide depth and breadth in their encompassment of the relationships between humans and society. Chen’s works reflect the indispensable tradition of Chinese painting of cleansing our hearts and minds.
Chen Xinmao 陳心懋 (b. 1954, China) studied at the Art Department of Shanghai Theatre Academy for his bachelor’s degree and graduated in 1982. He later obtained his master’s degree from Nanjing University of the Arts in 1987. On top of practising his artistic career, Chen is presently a Professor at East China Normal University, College of the Arts.
For more information on Peony Pavilion and Chen’s works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Yang Zhongda (b. 1988, Singapore) graduated in 2015 from The Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, majoring in Western Painting. Yang’s acrylic paintings first made an appearance in When Space Dissolves into Luminosity; Where Flowers Bloom Amidst Rocks, a group show in 2017. Soon after, he forged a newfound affection for pastel and he made this medium a definite choice for his later creations. His fondness for drawing as a form of expression and the appealing nature of pastel pigment application created a special visual for his paintings. However, the virtuosity shown in his visualisations would not have been possible without his meticulousness and introspective personality.
Yang’s keen eye for detail allows him to consistently find meaning in the overlooked corners of the urban scene, often zooming into the quintessential, producing photography-like works. His rigorous approach to art has produced an exceptional visual diary of the contemporary, a fascinating take on everyday observations.
The artist’s oeuvre is a poignant revelation of the evanescence nature of our modern society. He often captures desolated spaces and commonplace subjects often occupied or routinely used by humans yet also mostly go unnoticed and unappreciated. In the absence of living objects, these neglected infrastructures and features took centre stage, imbuing a whiff of bleak emptiness in an oddly familiar setting.
By negotiating an entity’s existence in space, Yang investigates the intimate connection he shares with his subjects and his identity in relation to society which extends to the universal theme of the human-environment relationship. Constructed with fragments of his personal memories and sympathetic observations of our surroundings, the quaint stills encapsulate small moments of actuality and invite viewers to contemplate and find opportunities to reconcile with the mundane someday, some time.
Yang Zhongda plans to further create a captivating series depicting the relationship between toys and society. Its first piece, The Cavalry, created in 2019, is a distorted version of a popular videogame character.
Jennifer Wen Ma (b. 1973, Beijing, China) is a visual artist who moved to the United States in 1986, and received her Master of Fine Art degree in 1999 from Pratt Institute, New York. Ma works and lives between New York and Beijing. Ma’s interdisciplinary practice bridges varied media such as installation, drawing, video, public art, design, performance, and theatre; often bringing together unlikely elements in a single piece, creating sensitive, poetic and poignant works.
Recent projects include: The Alchemy of Making at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, 2017; A Beautiful Disorder at Cass Sculpture Foundation; What About the Art? at Qatar Museums, 2016; Installation opera Paradise Interrupted, Charleston, New York, Singapore, Taiwan, 2015-2018; Flux Projects, Atlanta; Market Square Public Art Program, Pittsburgh, 2015; 5×5 Monument Park, Washington DC; Vancouver Art Gallery, 2014; Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, New York, 2013; Cambio Cultural, Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2013; Performa 13, New York, 2013; The Republic of China Centennial Grand Countdown, Taipei, 2010; Biennale of Sydney, 2010; Echigo-Tsumari Triennial, Japan, 2009; Guggenheim Bilbao, Spain, 2009; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, 2008; and the National Art Museum of China, Beijing, 2008, among others.
Solo exhibitions include: Halsey Institute, Charleston, 2019; Tang Contemporary Art, Beijing, 2018; Sandra Gering Inc, New York, 2017; Art021, Shanghai, 2016; Hanart Square, Hong Kong, 2013; Ullens Center For Contemporary Art, Beijing, 2012; Eslite Gallery, Taipei, 2012; and The Phillips Collection, Washington, DC, 2009, and others.
Permanent and long-term public installations include: Nature and Man in Rhapsody of Light at the Water Cube, The National Aquatic Center, Beijing, 2013; In-Between World—Daydream Nation, Digital Beijing Building, 2008; Aeolian Garden, the city of Colle di Val d’Elsa, Italy, 2005, among others.
In 2008, Ma was one of the seven members on the core creative team for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics, and the chief designer for visual and special effects. She received an Emmy for the US broadcast of the ceremony.
In 2015, Ma conceived, co-wrote, visually designed and directed installation opera Paradise Interrupted. It was previewed at the Temple of Dendur, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and world premiered at Spoleto Festival USA, Charleston, in 2015; performed at Lincoln Center Festival, New York, and Singapore International Festival of Arts in 2016; National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, Kaohsiung, and National Theatre and Concert Hall, Taipei, in 2018. The opera won the prestigious international award from Music Theatre Now.
Education
1999 | Masters of Fine Art, Pratt Institute, New York City, NY, USA
1993 | Bachelors of Art, Oklahoma Christian University of Science and Arts, OK, USA
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019 | Paradise Interrupted, Art Macao Festival, MGM Cotai, Macau, China
2019 | Cry Joy Park–––Into the Looking Glass, Art Kiosk, Redwood City, CA, USA
2018 | Cry Joy Park–––Fold, Tang Contemporary, Beijing, China
2018 | Paradise Interrupted, National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, Kaohsiung; National Theatre and Concert Hall, Taipei, Taiwan
2017 | Ink Wash v.s. Kun Opera Workshop, National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, Kaohsiung; National Theatre and Concert Hall, Taipei, Taiwan
2017 | Eight Views of Paradise Interrupted, Sandra Gering Inc, New York City, NY, USA
2016 | Exhaustive, Ink Studio, Art021 Art Fair, Shanghai, China
2016 | Paradise Interrupted, Lincoln Center Festival, New York City, NY, USA
2016 | Singapore International Arts Festival, Singapore
2016 | Jennifer Wen Ma 4-Part Video Compilation, Arthub Asia’s “Screenings” series online exhibition
2014 | Paradise Interrupted: Disintegration, Mikimoto New York Flagship Store holiday installation, New York City, NY, USA
2013 | Forty-Four Sunsets in a Day, Hanart Gallery, Hong Kong
2012 | Hanging Garden in Ink, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
2011 | Tide–Inked Spring, Art Space Niji, Kyoto, Japan
2009 | Brain Storm, Phillips Collection with Transformer Gallery and Shigeko Bork mu project, Washington, DC, US
2009 | You Can’t Always See Where You Are Going, But Can You See Where You’ve Been?,DMoCA, Echigo-Tsumari Triennial, Niigata, Japan
2005 | Aeolian Garden, UMoCA, Arte all’Arte 10, Colle di Val d’Elsa, Italy
2005 | Whiplash, Shigeko Bork mu project, Washington, DC, USA
2002 | Cleansing Walk, Chinatown, Lower Eastside, Brooklyn Bridge, Long Beach, New York, US
2002 | Do Do Falling, Art Fiend Foundation, New York City, NY, USA
2001 | Richard and Jenn, The University Gallery, OK, USA
2001 | Bye Bye Do Do, Elysium Studios, New York City, NY, USA
1999 | Above is the Old/Below is the Small, P.S. 12 Gallery, Brooklyn, NY, USA
1996 | Sinicism, The Lovelight, Norman, OK, USA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2019 | Palat(ett)e, Shanghai Gallery of Art, Shanghai, China Hua Yuan, Art Macao Festival, Macau, China
2018 | New Networks: Contemporary Chinese Art, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, New Zealand
2017 | Glass Ceiling: Art of Resilience and Fragility, UrbanGlass, Brooklyn, NY, USA
2017 | The Dark Matters, White Rabbit Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2017 | Luminous Shadows, INK studio, Beijing, China
2017 | Excerpts from Paradise Interrupted and Traditional Kun Operas, The Huntington Library, San Marino, CA, USA
2016 | The Alchemy of Making Paradise Interrupted, ACAW Field Meeting Take 4: Thinking Practice, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City, NY, USA
2016 | A Beautiful Disorder, Cass Sculpture Foundation, West Sussex, UK
2015 | Bending the Arc, Flux Night, Atlanta, GA, USA
2014 | Asian Cultural Council 50 Anniversary Gala centrepiece commission, New York City, NY, USA
2013 | Innovation For Future Mobility, Haixinsha Parade, Guangzhou, China
2013 | The World Turned Inside Out, Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam, Netherlands
2012 | Moving Image in China: 1988–2011,Centro per l’arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci, Prato, Italy
2011 | Calendar, Art Space Niji, Kyoto, Japan
2011 | Lingua Franca, St. Moritz Art Masters, St. Moritz, Switzerland
2010 | Compulsive Beauty, Space 15th, Seoul, Korea
2009 | Everything is Museum, Guggenheim Bilbao, Bilbao, Spain
2008 | mARkeT, Beijing Center for the Arts, Beijing, China
2007 | The Politics of Fear, Albion, London, UK
2006 | Belief, Singapore Biennale, Singapore
2003 | Blue Sky Exposure, 798 Space and Beijing Tokyo Art Projects, Beijing, China
2001 | Small Works Salon, Atelier Sockmonkey, Brooklyn, NY, USA
1999 | Size Matters, GAle GAtes et al., Brooklyn, NY, USA
1998 | A.I.R. Gallery’s 3rd Biennial Exhibition, A.I.R. Gallery, New York City, NY, USA
Selected Public Works
2015 | A Winter Landscape Cradling Bits of Sparkle, Public Art Commission at Market Square, Pittsburgh, USA
2013 | Nature and Man in Rhapsody of Light at the Water Cube, permanent new media public art, National Aquatic Center, Beijing, China
2008 | The In-Between World–Daydream Nation, permanent public multimedia installation, Digital Beijing Building, Beijing, China
Awards
2016 | Paradise Interrupted selected as a winner of Music Theatre NOW 2016 at Operadagen Rotterdam, Netherlands
2016 | New York State Council on the Arts Award in Film & Media/New Tech Production Grantee, New York, USA
2014 | 2014 Alumni Achievement Award, Pratt University, New York City, NY, USA
2003 | NYFA Artists’ Fellowship, New York Foundation for the Arts, New York, USA
For full list of exhibitions, public works and awards, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Cai Guangbin was born in Heilongjiang, China in 1963. He graduated from the Chinese Painting Department of the China Academy of Art in 1988, where he majored in figure painting. Cai is one of the major artists of contemporary Chinese ink painting, and a pioneer and practitioner of ink and wash in a photographic style. He currently holds the position of a professor at the Department of Chinese Painting and Calligraphy of the College of Fine arts at East China Normal University in Shanghai, and a professor of painting at Shanghai Chinese Painting Academy. He is a Director of the Shanghai Artists Association.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2018 | Currently—Contemporary images and ink painting conception, The Museum of Fondazione Querini Stampalia, Venice, Italy
2017 | Contemporary Ink Expression of Intelligent Images—The Research Exhibition of Artist Cai Guangbin, United Art Museum, Wuhan, China
2015 | Filming as the Source: Exhibition of Cai Guangbin’s Ink Works, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Hong Kong
2014 | Recreating New Ink Art: Cai Guangbin’s Ink Art Research Exhibition, Huafu Art Space, Shanghai, China
2014 | Selfies and Snapshots of The Others—Contemporary Ink Art by Cai Guangbin, Huafu Art Space, International Exhibition Center, Singapore
2013 | Selfies and Snapshots of The Others—Contemporary Ink Art by Cai Guangbin, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2013 | SNAPSHOT! Contemporary Ink Art by Cai Guangbin, T-Museum, Hangzhou, China
2011 | Digital Reflection in Ink, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2010 | Avant-garde Ink, Xinyisu Museum, Singapore
2009 | Solo Show—Cai Guangbin, Kunsthalle Hamburg, Germany
2007 | Manual Image—Cai Guangbin Solo Exhibition, Creek Art, Beijing, China
2006 | Window—Cai Guangbin Solo Exhibition, Shanghai Academy of Chinese Painting, Shanghai, China
Selected Group Exhibitions
2018 | Avant-garde Shanghai, Mingyuan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2018 | Ink-Not-Ink, Guizhou Museum, Guiyang, China
2017 | Ink in the Present Day: Contemporary Ink Art Exhibition, 2017, Shanghai Himalayas Museum, Shanghai, China
2017 | Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Mexico National Museum of Art, Mexico
2017 | Ink China—Narrative China: Special Exhibition of the 20th Anniversary of Hong Kong’s Return, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, Hong Kong, China
2017 | Attitude: Chinese and German Contemporary Art Exhibition, YUN· Contemporary Arts Center, Shanghai, China
2016 | The 9th International Ink Art Biennale of Shenzhen, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
2016 | Being and Inking—Documenting Contemporary Ink Art (2001-2016), 2016, Red Brick Art Museum, Guangzhou, China
2016 | Disguised Form—Ink Paintings’ Dimension: The Third Exhibition of Contemporary Ink Works, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
2015 | The Exhibition of Annual Contemporary Art of China 2014, Minsheng Art Museum, Beijing, China
2015 | Contemporary Art Now: Invitation Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Art 2015, Mingyuan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2015 | Ink as a Kind of Material: Invitation Exhibition for Shanghai Artists Flourmill Gallery, Shanghai, China
2015 | Water + Ink: The Development of Chinese Figure Painting, Shanghai International Folk Arts Exposition, Shanghai, China
2015 | I Think, I Am: Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of ’85 Art Movement, Gengsi Art Museum, Nanjing, China
2015 | Bloom on the Sea: Thirty Years of Contemporary Art in Shanghai, She Shan Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China
2014 | Fusion· Convergence: The Official Opening of T-Museum, T-Museum, Hangzhou, China
2013 | A Galaxy of Treasures: Exhibition of Boutique Collections of China’s Ten Art Museums, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
2013 | International Art Exhibition 2013, VE Art Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
2013 | Water and Ink: Looking Over the Past Three Decades · 2013 Chinese Ink Art Academic Invitation Exhibition, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
Shen Liang is a Chinese artist born in Yingkou City, Liaoning, 1976. He received a Master’s degree in the oil painting department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2017 | Neon Landscapes – Shen Liang Solo Exhibition, Lin & Lin Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2015 | Shen Liang Solo Exhibition, Lin & Lin Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2013 | Superfluous Things, Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China
2012 | Material Engraving Picture – Shen Liang Solo Exhibition, Space Station, Beijing, China
2012 | Year 3 Class 2, VA Gallery, Hong Kong
2012 | Shen Liang Showcase, China Space, Beijing, China
2011 | Far Mountain, Michael Schultz Gallery, Beijing, China
2008 | Hope to see you there, Michael Schultz Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2008 | This Is a Book, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2008 | On the Cover, Michael Schultz Gallery, Germany, Berlin
2008 | Second Look, Red Elation Gallery, Hong Kong
2007 | Recent works by Shen Liang, Goedhuis Contemporary, New York, USA
2006 | Doodling and Painting, Zi Jinxuan Gallery, Beijing, China
2005 | Shen Liang, Peking Opera, LA Gallery, Frankfurt, Germany
Selected Group Exhibitions
2019 | Pal(ate)/ette/, Three on the Bund, Shanghai, China
2017 | Trace, Tang Contemporary Art, Hong Kong
2017 | Motif and Material, Tang Contemporary Art, Hong Kong
2016 | Posers, Pékin Fine Arts, Beijing, China
2016 | Art Shenzhen 2016, Shenzhen Convention & Exhibition Center, Shenzhen, China
2015 | Post Tradition and its Origins, UCCA Store, Shanghai, China
2014 | On Description of Secretive World, Phoenix Arts, Shanghai, China
2014 | Social Landscape – The “Land Narration” in Chinese Contemporary Painting as well as its Cultural Concept Changes, Chengdu, China
2013 | The Best of Times, Galerie Steph, Singapore
2011 | Flower, A Thousand Plateaus Art Space, Chengdu, China
2009 | China Total, Rostock Art Gallery, Rostock, Germany
2009 | Pieces of My Puzzle, Kunsthalle Rostock, Rostock, Germany
2009 | All The Great Modern Things: Chinese Pop, Kunsthalle Dominikanerkirche, Germany
2008 | Becoming, DF2 Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
Hong Zhu An (b.1955) was trained under the famous art scholar Wang Zidou at the Shanghai Art and Craft Institute.
Hong Zhu An has a deep love of the line and his understanding of its importance as a fundamental of Chinese artistic expression does not contradict his search for new avenues in Chinese art. Wielding his brush fearlessly even as he charts new artistic territory, Hong Zhu An allies eye and hand in brave new ways to connect with the age-old Chinese sensibility, the ability to converse with nature and make it scintillate on intellectual, philosophical and spiritual levels uniquely his. His works are resplendent because they reveal the beauty of the world, life, and man. From oracle bone inscriptions to calligraphy, to the underglaze-blue arabesques of Ming porcelain, the line is more aesthetically and philosophically fundamental to Chinese culture than to any other and so crucial to classical Chinese culture that painters spend a lifetime mastering it.
The grand scale Hong Zhu An uses can also be read as a visual prompt designed to recall the great narrative tradition of Chinese painting, the comparison serving to underscore his formal and conceptual distance from China and the classical art historical trajectory. Similarly, in evoking nature as inspiration for these new paintings, but in categorically denying their identity as landscape images as well as their iconographic allusion to any particular symbols, Hong is pointedly marking his break with tradition.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2017 | Unabating Spring, Ode To Art, Singapore
2011 | Inner Drawing, Ode To Art, Singapore
2009 | Silence, Ode To Art, Singapore
2003 | Fluid Transitions, The Esplanade, Singapore
2002 | Ancient Hues, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Massachusetts, USA
1996 | Solo exhibition: The Essence of Art, Art Forum, Singapore
1995 | East-West: Abstraction Meets Calligraphy, The Substation, Singapore
1987 | Hong Zhu An – Exhibition, National Art Museum Shanghai, China
Selected Group Exhibitions
2006 | Asian Art Mosaic, a Charity Auction show organized by Yaddo Art, Singapore
2006 | The Fifth Shenzhen International Art Biennale, China
2005 | The Second Beijing International Art Biennale, China
2000 | Melbourne Art Fair, represented by Art Forum, Australia
1995 | UOB Painting of the Year Winners’ Exhibition, UOB Plaza, Singapore
Chen Xinmao 陳心懋(b. 1954, China) was born in Shanghai, China. Chen studied at the Art Department of Shanghai Theatre Academy for his bachelor’s degree and graduated in 1982. He later obtained his master’s degree from Nanjing University of the Arts in 1987. Chen is presently a Professor at East China Normal University, College of the Arts, where he manages the Chinese painting studio and supervises master’s degree students.
Chen has participated in numerous exhibitions since 1981, exhibiting widely across China, including Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and internationally. His recent exhibitions include Avant-Garde Shanghai – Shanghai 30 Years Contemporary Art Literature Exhibition (1979-2010): Unit 2 – New Wave of Avant-Garde (1985-1992) at Mingyuan Art Museum, Shanghai in 2018 and “2017 Re-start” – East China Normal University Academy of Fine Arts First Teacher Exhibition at Powerlong Art Center, Shanghai in 2017-2018. Chen’s artworks have also been featured in various publications and exhibition catalogues.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019 | Peony Pavilion, iPreciation, Singapore
“Heart and ink phase” – Chen Xinmao’s solo exhibition, Shanghai Lush Lotus Art Space, Shanghai, China
2011 | Chen Xinmao Solo Exhibition, Shandong Fine Arts Publishing House Art Museum, Shandong, China
2010 |Solo exhibition, Hong Kong Central Library, Hong Kong
2009 | Solo Exhibition, Shanghai Art Fair, Shanghai, China
2008 | Chen Xinmao Solo Exhibition, M50, Shanghai, China
2008 | Chen Xinmao Solo Exhibition, Vermont Studio Center, USA
2007 | iStone, HaiShangShan Art Centre, Shanghai, China
2007 | Chen Xinmao Solo Exhibition, M50, Shanghai, China
2003 | Chen Xinmao Solo Exhibition, Art Scene Warehouse, Shanghai, China
1997 | Chen Xinmao Solo Exhibition, Germany Center, Shanghai, China
1991 | Chen Xinmao Solo Show, Culture Center, Oxford, England, United Kingdom
1988 | Chen Xinmao Solo Exhibition, Vienna, Austria
1987 | Chen Xinmao Solo Exhibition of a Post-graduate Student, Nanjing Academy of Fine Arts, Nanjing, China
Selected Group Exhibitions
2018 | Re-start – Teacher Exhibition of Art School of East China Normal University, Shanghai Baolong Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2018 | Shanghai 30-Year Contemporary Art Document Exhibition: Unit 2 – Avant-garde Trend (1985-1992), Mingyuan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2018 | Pen-Jiang Jiangnan-Chinese Painting Invitational Exhibition, East China Normal University Library, Shanghai, China
2017 | Xi Yun Dan Qing – Chinese Opera Character Painting Exhibition, Putuo District Cultural Center, Shanghai, China
2017 | Extension at Sea – New Shanghai School Chinese Painting, Chinese Art Palace, Shanghai, China
2017 | Edge Scenery – Shanghai Ink Invitational Exhibition, Han Tianheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2016 | Wind, Water, and Change – Contemporary Ink Invitational Exhibition, 20th Shanghai Art Fair, Shanghai, China
2016 | Breathing in the water – Shanghai Art Masters Invitational Exhibition, Liu Haisu Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2016 | China New Ink Art Invitational Exhibition, Tangshan Art Museum, Hebei, China
2015 | Peace Layer – Contemporary Ink Invitational Exhibition, Duoyunxuan Art Center, Shanghai, China
2015 | Times·Yingying – Shanghai Contemporary Ink Invitational Exhibition, Long Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2015 | 85·Arts 30th Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, Xinhua Center Art Museum
2014 | Elephant Invisible – Contemporary Chinese Abstract Art Invitational Exhibition, Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2014 | Paper · 2014 Contemporary Art Invitational Exhibition, 2014 Art Newspaper Art Festival, Nantong Art Museum
2013 | Art Shanghai City, Style Shanghai – Shanghai Contemporary Ink Paintings Invitational Exhibition, Sinan Mansion, Artron Art Network, China
2013 | Opening Ceremony of the Himalayan Art Museum, Himalayan Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2012 | International Ink Painting Exhibition and Academic Seminar, Zhongshan National Dr. Gallery, National Gallery of Chinese Paintings, Guangdong, China
2012 | Chinese Ink Scene, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, China
2012 | Yi Jiangnan – Chinese Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai Hongfang Creative Center, Shanghai, China
2012 | Ink Album Exhibition, Dade Hall, Shanghai M50, Shanghai, China
2011 | Ink Online – Contemporary Ink Art World Tour, Berlin China Cultural Center, Germany
2010 | Chinese Ink Scene · Shanghai, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2009 | Open Flexibility – Innovative Contemporary Ink Art, Taipei Art Museum, Taiwan
2008 | Second Taipei International Modern Ink Painting Biennial, Taipei Contemporary Art Museum, Taiwan
2007 | The Third Chengdu Biennale, New International ConventionCenter of Chengdu, Sichuan, China
2007 | The 22th Art International Exhibition of Asia, Bandung Selasar Sunaryo Art Space, Indonesia
2007 | Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Ink painting, Zhongjiang Contemporary Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2006 | Exhibition of Chinese Painting Documentaries South Vision ArtMuseum, Nanjing, China
2006 | Exhibition of Modern Art Painting, Shanghai, Hangzhou, China
2006 | Shanghai Abstract Artworks, Mingyuan Art Center, Shanghai, China
2005 | Chinese Modern Art Exhibition, Reed savage Gallery, Miami, USA
2005 | Magic Lanterns, Galway Art Center, lreland
2005 | Contemporary Ink Painting Exhibition, Walsh Gallery, Chicago, USA
2004 | Cohesion-Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Art scene Warehouse, Shanghai
2004 | Art Cologne, Koelnmesse, Cologne, Germany
2003 | Art Chicago, Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois, USA
2002 | Guangzhou International Art Triennial, Guangdong Art Museum,Guangdong Province
2002 | Shanghai Abstract Art Exhibition, Liu Haisu Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2002 | Ink Art Group Exhibition, Chambers Fine Arts, New York, USA
2001 | Beyond Image/Under Image Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2001 | California International Art Biennale, Los Angeles, California, USA
2001 | 20 Years of Experimentation – Contemporary Chinese Ink Painting Retrospection Exhibition, Guangdong Art Museum, Guangdong Province, China
2000 | Chinese Contemporary Artists, Zhu Qi Zhan ArtMuseum, Shanghai, China
2000 | The 4th National Ink Painting Exhibition, International Art Palace, Beijing, China
2000 | The Second International Ink Paintings Biennale, Guan Shan Yue Art Museum, Shenzhen, China
2000 | Shanghai 2000, Walsh Gallery, Chicago, USA
1999 | Dusseldorf Fine Art Exhibition, Germany, Dusseldorf, Germany
1998 | The First International Ink Painting Biennial, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shenzhen Shanghai Art Biennale, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
1998 | The 20+1 Exhibition for Contemporary Chinese Art, International Communication Club, Japan
1997 | Asian Arts, Chinese, Japanese and Korean Artists Exhibition, Korea
1997 | China Art Museum, Beijing, China
1997 | Outburst – 1st Chinese Abstract ArtistsGroup Show, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
1996 | Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Beijing International Art Palace, Beijing, China
1996 | Open Language Enrollment – 9 Chinese Artist in China, Jiangsu Art Museum, Nanjing, China
1996 | 20+1 Group Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
1995 | Shanghai Modern Art Exhibition, Munich and other cities, Germany
1994 | Tour Exhibition, Halein Gallery, Vienna/ Salzburg, Austria
1996 | The Eighth National Art Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
1996 | Present Age Art Study of Document Exhibition the 3rd Part, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
1993 | Modern Art Exhibition of the Shanghai Museum, Tokyo, Japan
1992 | Shanghai Modern Art Exhibition, Russia, Poland, Hungary
1992 | For a Fair world, United Kingdom
1991 | Chinese Paintings Exhibition, Shanghai, Italy, Germany and France
1989 | Modern Chinese Art Traveling Exhibition, Exhibition at 6 Universities and Museums, USA
1989 | National Chinese Painting Exhibition, China Art Museum, Beijing, China
1984 | The 6th National Art Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
1981 | National Youth Art Exhibition, China Art Museum, Beijing
Jodi Tan (b.1990) is a Singapore-based artist. Her core interest lies in image-making and image- reading. Tan graduated with a BA (Honours) in Fine Arts in 2011, from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. She was awarded The Winston Oh Travel Research Award in the same year and has also participated in several exhibitions locally. Tan is a founding member of The Collective, a group of individuals that have gathered to execute artist-initiated projects.
Education
2011 | Ba(Hons) in Fine Art, First Class Honours, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
2010 | Diploma in Fine Art, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Vincent Leow(b. 1961, Singapore) has been teaching at the School of the Arts, Singapore since 2013. Leow received his Diploma in Fine Art, Sculpture from LASALLE, College of the Arts in 1987 and his Master of Fine Art from Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, USA in 1991. In 2005, Leow attained his Doctorate of Fine Art from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. Leow consistently questions and pushes the boundaries of the roles of artists, and develops his perspectives through various media, ranging from painting, drawings, sculpture, installation, printmaking, conceptual and performance art.
Leow has participated in numerous exhibitions in Singapore and the region. For his contribution to the arts, Leow was awarded the Culture Award by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Singapore in 2002 and Singapore’s Cultural Medallion for Visual Arts in 2020 by the National Arts Council.
Leow’s works are also in the collections of National Gallery Singapore, NUS Museum – National University of Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, Deutsche Bank Singapore, National Arts Council, Singapore, National Institute of Education, Singapore, Fukuoka Art Museum and in other private collections.
Education
2005| DFA, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
1991| MFA, Maryland Institute, Baltimore, MA, USA
1987| Diploma Fine Art, Sculpture (Merit), LASALLE, College of the Arts, Singapore
1979| NTC grade 3 Architectural Drafting, Punggol Vocational Institute, Singapore
iPreciation is proud to present a diverse range of works by eight renowned Asian artists at the inaugural Taipei Dangdai art fair.
Cheung Yee (b. 1936, Hong Kong/USA) is a pioneer sculptor in Hong Kong, fusing ancient Chinese culture from the I Ching (Book of Changes) with modern sculptural forms, evident in his unprecedented cast paper murals and sculptures. As a well-respected art educator, Cheung was a recipient of the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1979 and a professor of Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong until 1998. He is the only living artist to be invited to show a solo exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Gao Xingjian (b. 1940, China/France) is an important leading cultural figure, and he was the first Chinese to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2000. Different from writing, his luminous ink paintings is another creative channel through which he captures his inner mindscapes.
The late Irene Chou (1924-2011, Shanghai/Hong Kong/Australia) was one of Hong Kong’s pioneering artists behind the New Ink Painting movement during the 1960s-70s. After suffering from a stroke in 1991, she was determined to overcome her physical difficulties. The unbridled energy and emotion of her abstract paintings reflect her strong and unwavering spirit and her inner world.
Wang Dongling (b. 1945, China) is one of China’s most highly regarded calligrapher and ink artist. He is best known for his “Wild Cursive” calligraphic works, characterised by their erratic and dynamic strokes. His works are deeply rooted in the ancient philosophies of Buddhism and Taoism, as well as Chinese poetry. As an art educator, he is presently a professor of calligraphy at the calligraphy department of China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China.
Milenko Prvacki‘s(b. 1951, Yugoslavia/Singapore)abstract paintings reflect his memories with their distinctive motifs, symbols and shapes. His work exudes a personal narrative and distinctive visual language honed over forty years of practice. As an art educator for over twenty years in Singapore, Prvački has contributed significantly to the landscape as a formidable force of influence and mentorship to the younger generation of artists.
Lim Soo Ngee’s(b. 1962, Singapore) approach to sculpture is immensely intimate, musing over the different relationships between humanity, the environment and society. His works present themselves as whimsical narratives that offer a commentary on the human condition. Aside from practising art, Lim has been a full-time lecturer at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts since 1998, where Lim is presently a senior lecturer.
Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960, Singapore), an art prodigy, held his first exhibition at the tender age of fifteen in a National Day group exhibition at the Victoria Memorial Hall, alongside many distinctive artists including pioneer generation artists Chen Wen Hsi and Cheong Soo Pieng. Oh pushes the boundaries of ink painting, evident in his paintings of vast rock formations that exude enigmatic qualities and a stunning sense of depth and texture.
Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973, Malaysia/Singapore) comes from an artistic background based in traditional Chinese ink painting and philosophy. Tay broke away from this formalist approach and reinterprets Chinese art forms by depicting traditional subjects of rock forms and the guqin instrumentusing contemporary media of ink and pigment on canvas and paper.
For more information on the fair and the VIP pass, please contact us at 65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com. You may also visit https://taipeidangdai.com/.
iPRECIATION is proud to present a solo exhibition by Singapore artist Vincent Leow, entitled Passing. This exhibition showcases twenty-five works by Leow from 2007 to 2018, featuring paintings, mixed media and a sculptural work. Leow considers the impermanence of life through the passage of time, and explores the sentiment of losing something or someone.
Leow’s works are informed by the cultural and social issues around him. From 2008 to 2013, Leow taught Painting at the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and his works created during this period of time reveal many influences from the region. His series of silhouette portraits allude to censorship in the UAE, while works featuring superimposed layers of animals and people speak of the political crises that have confronted the Arab world. Since Leow’s return to Singapore, his works look to historical issues closer to home, such as the “Merdeka” battle cry used in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia calling for freedom, anti-colonialism and independence in the 1950s. Yet, Leow continues to create works based on news of loss in the Arab region.
Vincent Leow (b. 1961, Singapore) has been teaching at the School of the Arts, Singapore since 2013. Leow received his Diploma in Fine Art, Sculpture from LASALLE, College of the Arts in 1987 and his Master of Fine Art from Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, USA in 1991. In 2005, Leow attained his Doctorate of Fine Art from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. Leow has held numerous solo exhibitions since 1991, most recently For Those Who Have Been Killed at the Visual Arts Development Association, Singapore in 2015. For his contribution to the arts, Leow was also awarded the Culture Award by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Singapore in 2002. Leow’s works are also in the collections of National Gallery Singapore, NUS Museum – National University of Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, Deutsche Bank Singapore, National Arts Council, Singapore, National Institute of Education, Singapore, Fukuoka Art Museum and in other private collections.
For more information on Passing and Vincent Leow’s works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.
50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724
Private Preview: Thursday, November 15, 2018 (By Invitation Only)
Exhibition Opens to Public: November 16 – December 1, 2018
iPreciation will be presenting a solo exhibition featuring artist Lim Soo Ngee (b. 1962, Singapore) which opens to public from November 16, 2018 until December 1, 2018. Ritual · In Progress 「儀式 · 進行中」will feature series of sculptural works as well as several prints. Lim’s inspiration largely stems from the natively sourced wooden carved statues of ancestors found in South East Asian aboriginal villages, which is used as a significant emblem of identity. The ancestor statues are treated with honour and respect as it represents a rich history of its forefathers and a narrative of their land.
In particular, a series of seven wood carvings titled We, The People (2018) shows Lim depicting a story of an ordinary person switching between seven different personalities facing various scenarios. The story manifests in a never-ending cycle, as the character changes faces transforming into different roles and people, day by day without fail. This consistent adaptation to life’s changing dynamism is Lim’s interpretation of the term “Rituals”. In this exhibition, he also fulfils his long-time dream of creating 100 pieces of figurines for a separate series. Ultimately, he hopes to present and express contemporary stories of life which is guided either consciously or unconsciously through rituals using his own traditional carving techniques.
Lim Soo Ngee(b. 1962, Singapore) is currently senior lecturer at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore. He earned a Diploma in Fine Art (Sculpture) from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1989 before continuing to pursue a Master of Fine Arts (Sculpture) from Edinburgh College of Art in 1997. Lim’s approach to sculpture is immensely intimate, musing over the different relationships between humanity, the environment and society. As such, his works usually present themselves as whimsical narratives that offer a commentary on the human condition.
Lim has represented Singapore in numerous exhibitions both locally and internationally, and is a regular contributor to many international sculpture symposiums, such as the inaugural International Woodcarving Symposium, Singapore in 2007,Hong Kong International Sculpture Symposium 2009 as well as theInternational Sculpture symposium of the 11th Asian Art Festival, where his work was featured and has now become the permanent collection of the Asian Sculpture Theme Park in Inner Mongolia, China. In 2016, Lim was selected to participate in the “ Singapore Biennale – An Atlas of Mirrors” as a commissioned artist. His works are also in the collection of the Singapore National Art Gallery, Esplanade Singapore, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Singapore, Ngee Ann Kongsi Singapore and other local and international private collections.
50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724
Private Preview: Thursday, October 18, 2018 (By Invitation Only)
Exhibition Opens to Public: October 19, 2018 – November 3, 2018
iPreciation will be presenting a solo exhibition titled The Fisherman and the Woodcutter 「漁樵問答」featuring artist Tay Bak Chiang 鄭木彰. In this exhibition, Tay uses the guqin, also known as the seven-stringed Chinese zither, as an exploratory subject in his latest canvas paintings. Inspired by the classic guqin melody “Conversation Between a Fisherman and a Woodcutter” which serenades a carefree life amidst nature, Tay seeks comfort in the subtle and tranquil melodic tones. It echoes and serves as a metaphor that Tay yearns for as the way of life. Using elegant and minimalist contemporary aesthetics, Tay chooses to compose the interpretative layers he discovers in the subject matter of guqin through his own unique visual language. He presents intimate, unseen layers of meanings within the age-old oriental instrument in his paintings, which in fact mirrors his personal outlook on life.
Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973, Malaysia/Singapore) graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore in 1995 and studied at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China. Tay has always been inspired by the qualities of nature. To him, nature is perfection, balance and harmony. In recent works, he experiments with deconstructing and reconfiguring subject matters that intrigues him such as the traditional oriental instrument of guqin, portraying them with an aesthetic quality of minimalistic simplicity. He believes that his work should reflect the spirit of contemporary times, hence continues to push the boundaries and contemporise the genre of Chinese ink painting using canvas, as he recognises the limitations of rice paper as a medium.
This will be Tay’s third solo exhibition with iPreciation following the success of “From a Distance” in Art Basel Hong Kong, 2016 and “Cleavages Fractures Folds” in 2014. It witnesses Tay’s departure from his rock series and marks his progressive attempts to introduce newer and fresher perspectives of the guqin into his creations. To arrange for a private viewing appointment or more information on Tay’s paintings, please contact us at enquiry@ipreciation.com or +65 6339 0678.
Preview: 16 August 2018, Thursday, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Exhibition Opens to Public: 17 August 2018 – 1 September 2018, 10.00am – 7.00pm
iPRECIATION proudly presents a solo exhibition of Singapore artist Oh Chai Hoo 胡財和. Titled Gentle Breeze, Moving Heart「風動 • 心動」this solo exhibition will feature more than 50 latest works created between 2016-2018 by Oh including ink paintings, ceramic sculptures and a seals light installation that will succinctly showcase his mastery in these mediums. Some of the ink paintings are fan-shaped and there will be a handscroll painting that is as long as 8-metres.
Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960, Singapore) graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1982. He is an artist who works extensively with various artistic mediums ranging from ink painting, seal carving to ceramics sculpture. Oh’s mastery of ink painting is as well admired as his fearless experimentation with the medium. In recent years, he has been focusing on the development of new ink techniques on rice paper. Oh’s career now spans over 20 years and he continues to push boundaries of the art form’s rich heritage to create works that are ultimately powerful. Oh has participated in various solo exhibitions including “Tropical Zen Garden” (Esplanade, Singapore, 2014) ,“Lifetime of Change” (iPreciation, Singapore, 2016), “The Serene Path” (Gallery Huit, Hong Kong, 2018) as well as numerous group exhibitions in Singapore, Taiwan, China, Korea, Japan and United Kingdom. This includes “V’Spartio (Travelling Exhibition) at Asian and Pacific VSA Festival” (Osaka, Japan, 1999), “San, Exhibition by Singaporean Artists” (King’s Road Gallery, United Kingdom, 2000), “GAM Art Exhibition (Ceramic)” (Toyota City Art Museum, Japan, 2003), “Modern Calligraphy Exhibition (Travelling Exhibition)” (China, 2005), “When Space Dissolves Into Luminosity; Where Flowers Bloom Amidst Rocks” (iPreciation, Singapore, 2017) and “International Ink Painting Exhibition” (The National Art Center, Tokyo, Japan, 2018). Oh’s works can also be found in private and public collections.
Exhibition Opens to Public: 18 July 2018 – 5 August 2018, 11.00am – 10.00pm
iPRECIATION will hold a solo exhibition titled Wonderful World of Color by Tse Yim On《謝炎安的彩⾊美好世界》featuring around 15 works between 2011 – 2018 by Hong Kong contemporary artist Tse Yim On 謝炎安, on July 18 2018 to August 5 2018 at the Gallery by the Harbour, Harbour City, Hong Kong. Featured works include acrylic paintings on canvas from Tse’s Mongkok Libraryseries, Hong Kong SealsSeries in 2011, 2012 as well as latest paintings.
In late 2012, Tse gained significant recognition for his Mongkok Libraryseries when it previewed in Hong Kong. Not only was his choice of colour combination refreshing to the local crowd, the familiar subject matters also spoke to them. Named after the “Mongkok” district in Hong Kong, known to be a melting pot for subcultures, the series of acrylic paintings models a library and invites the audience to discover the various subcultures in Hong Kong. Works such as Anita – 艷芳(2011) and Ann – 愛芳 (2011) shows acclaimed Hong Kong media icon, Anita Mui and her sister Ann Mui as Japanese manga-like characters looking fixedly ahead at children’s classics. While the paintings seek to remember and commemorate the pair’s sisterly love, Tse’s multi-layered compositions often invite his audiences to interpret his works on many levels. His skillful proficiency in referencing popular culture references then synthesising them into colourful, quirky narratives of his own is a distinctive quality of the artist.
Tse’s colourful repertoire continues to evolve in this solo exhibition. A portion of Hong Kong Seals Series that will be exhibited reveals a specific and striking shade of red and blue that Tse has used. Particularly inspired by the 1970s era when Tse was born, he considers subject matters such as cultural figures, visual style during the time, landmarks like public housing, even imagined memories as a child, as foundation for his creation. Tse manipulates these images of collective memories and reassembles them to mimic a Seal Carving composition. This can be seen in works such as Wonderful World (1974)《美好世界》 (1974) (2016) and Wonderful World (1997)《美好世界》 (1997) (2016). In his own way, Tse uses his highly colored lens of cartoonic visuals and pop culture aesthetics to express a one-of-a-kind visual narrative in Hong Kong.
About Artist :
Born in Hong Kong, in 1974, Tse is a contemporary artist who is known for his bold and fanatically colored tongue-in-cheek works. Like the majority of Generation X in Hong Kong, Tse grew up in an environment culturally influenced by local and foreign popular culture, particularly Japanese animation, games and manga; apparent in the caricatured characters and bold text that appear in his paintings. Working primarily with acrylic on canvas, Tse’s vividly colored paintings depict familiar imagery derived from Hong Kong and speaks strongly of identity and culture from the perspective of a Hong Kong citizen through his uniquely quirky perspective.
Tse studied at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts in 1998 and a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts in 2001. Besides his practice in art, he also serves as an educator and advisor in various institutions, including the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. In 1998, Tse received the Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Arts Award and was given the opportunity to showcase his works in the Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Tse has participated in many group exhibitions worldwide including “ARTscope Hong Kong 2000”(Spica Museum, Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan, 2000), “Mapping Asia — The 18th Asia International Art Exhibition (AIAE)”(Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 2004), “Asia Art Archive New Open Exhibition”(Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong, 2007), “Art Taipei 2”(Taipei Show (former Taipei World Trade Center II), Taiwan, 2007), “CHiE! – Culture sieges Politics”(Osage Kwun Tong Gallery, Hong Kong, 2008), “Painting On and On – The Repository of Coherent Babbles”(Southsite, Hong Kong, 2012), “From longing to belonging”(Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art, Poland, 2014), “Art Paris”(Grand Palais, Avenue Winston Churchill, Paris, 2015) and “Evolving Images: Modern Hong Kong Printmaking”(Sun Museum, Hong Kong, 2017). His works have been collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art and are also in several private collections.
Exhibition Opens to Public: 27 April 2018 – 19 May 2018
During April through May, iPreciation will present Calligraphy · Universe《書·萬物》, the first solo exhibition in Singapore by the renowned Chinese female artist Chu Chu 儲楚. In this exhibition, Chu Chu seeks to explore calligraphy through the origins of the manifestations of Chinese characters, the evolution of which is generally described by the six-fold classification system like pictograms and ideograms, etc., which are closely connected with natural elements in our universe, her choice of subject matter in many of her works. Chu Chu seeks to incorporate the art of Chinese calligraphy into her photographic works which are uniquely printed on xuan paper. She is also deeply influenced by philosophies and classical texts. In both of her series titled Whisper of Trees and Magnolia Flower, she extracts certain portions from Chinese poems and texts that describe the relationships between human and nature, subtly incorporating them into the background of her ethereal photographs of tree branches and flowers, evoking a sense of quietude and transience. This juxtaposition of images constructed instantly from a camera, together with the carefully and slowly constructed calligraphic characters presents interesting layers of meaning, as they successfully combine two very different visual languages – contemporary photography and traditional calligraphy.
Chu Chu is a multidisciplinary artist who is accomplished in ink painting, calligraphy, photography and oil painting. She majored in oil painting at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in 2000. Subsequently, she attained a Master’s Degree in New Media at the academy in 2007 and a Ph.D. in calligraphy, under the tutelage of acclaimed calligraphic master, Wang Dongling, in 2015.
A Group Exhibition by Milenko Prvacki and Singaporean artists Faris Nakamura, Jodi Tan, Leow Wei Li , Tan Wee Lit, and ZERO (Zul Othman)
Preview: 22 March 2018, 6.30 pm – 8 pm
Exhibition opens to public: 23 March – 7 April 2018
iPreciation is proud to present Departure 3, the third edition of a biennial showcase featuring the latest pieces of Milenko Prvacki, while capturing a selection of works by the following artists who graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore: Tan Wee Lit, Leow Wei Li, Jodi Tan, Faris Nakamura, and ZERO(Zul Othman).
Departure 3 is curated by Milenko Prvacki, one of Singapore’s foremost contemporary artists, art educator, and Cultural Medallion recipient. Prvacki has been a mentor to and influence on many generations of young artists at Lasalle College of the Arts throughout various stages of their artistic careers. This exhibition affirms Prvacki’s visionary impact on Singapore’s Art Scene, as he extends beyond academia and art practice to nurture young contemporary artists.
The exhibition explores the personal experiences and expressions of these artists, while reflecting on their developments in professional art making, as they draw references from various sources of inspiration, such as space, sound, and urban life. Encompassing a diverse range of two and three-dimensional mediums, this year’s lineup would include paintings, assemblages, and mixed media installations, presenting a comprehensive and eclectic mix of artworks that were specially produced for Departure 3.
Artist Biographies:
Milenko Prvački (b. 1951, Yugoslavia / Singapore) is one of Singapore’s foremost abstract painters. Born in Yugoslavia, Prvački moved to Singapore in 1991. He started his career as an art practitioner and art educator in Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore, in 1994. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts (Painting) from the Institute of Fine Arts in Bucharest, Romania, in 1998. Subsequently, he was appointed the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the institution until the year 2010, after which he assumed the post of Senior Fellow in 2011. In 2012, he was conferred the prestigious Cultural Medallion for Visual Arts by the National Arts Council, Singapore and the Silver Medallion for Knights in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Embassy. Formally trained in Eastern European painting, Prvacki was enthralled by Chinese ink painting (水墨, shui mo) when he first moved to Singapore. His oil and acrylic paintings display visible Chinese ink influences, evident in the light washes and layers of colours and brush strokes together with the distinctive method of featuring various narratives around the canvas as opposed to the idea of a singular focal narrative in Western art. While his paintings are informed by personal experiences, they also engage with issues pertinent in society. Prvacki further questions the representative nature of painting by examining the relationship between abstraction and figuration. The figurative elements employed in his paintings are, at the same time, amorphous and highly ambiguous, thereby defying identification and categorization. Prvacki has held solo exhibitions within Singapore, Sydney, Jakarta, Yugoslavia and has also participated in several group exhibitions in the USA, Hong Kong, U.K, Belgium, Korea and many other countries. His works are in several public and permanent collections including that of the Gallery of New South Wales (Australia), Singapore Art Museum (Singapore), National Art Gallery (Singapore), NUS Museum (Singapore), Museum of Contemporary Drawing (Nurnberg, Germany), National Museum of Belgrade (Yugoslavia) and the Museum of Contemporary Art (Belgrade, Yugoslavia).
Tan Wee Lit (b. 1978, Singapore) graduated with an MFA in Sculpture and has exhibited extensively locally and internationally as a practicing artist. He is a recipient of numerous study awards and scholarships from the National Arts Council Singapore and the Media Authority Singapore for his undergraduate and graduate studies. Tan has also worked on multiple commissions for private collections and public art works at Raffles Place (2013), Haw Par Villa (2012), the Jubilee Walk (2015) and the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam (2017). He had his first solo exhibition for “12×12 New Artists/ New Work” at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago and was also awarded the Graduate Fellowship upon graduation. He won the Grand Prize for the 3rd Singapore Sculpture Award in 2007 and has had exhibitions in Europe, the United States and Asia- amongst them “Identities vs Globalisation” (Berlin), “The Same Rain, The Same Wind” (Chiangmai National University), “We Who Saw Signs” (ICA Singapore), “Fifth Outdoor Sculpture Biennial” (Baltimore). He has taught at Singapore Management University, Lasalle College of the Arts, Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore University of Social Sciences and School of the Arts Singapore. Wee Lit was conferred the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council in 2012.
Leow Wei Li (b. 1994, Singapore) graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts with Bachelor of Fine Arts (First Class Honours). She works with paint and collect noises. Her paintings are observations of sounds and architecture where she seeks to examine the shapes, colours and textures of ordinary everyday experiences and nuisances. Wei Li is part of an artist duo, Sobandwine, where she does mural paintings and works with various other mediums such as graphic design, sound and videos. Wei Li is a recipient of Young Talent Programme Winners’ Solo Exhibition 2016/17 and has recently exhibited her works at ION Art Gallery, the Affordable Art Fair Singapore and was also one of VADA’s Untapped Discovery artists in 2017. She is also a recipient of TCC-LaSalle Artist-Curator Alumni Award and the Samsung Future Masters 1st runner-up Award in 2016. She has also been awarded the LASALLE College of the Arts and Ngee Ann Kongsi Scholarships during her study. Wei Li has recently participated in Namwon Sound Artists Residency Programme 2017 and will be one of the upcoming resident artists for Seoul Art Space Geumcheon in 2018.
Jodi Tan (b.1990, Singapore) is a Singapore-based artist. Her core interest lies in image-making and image-reading.Tan graduated with a BA (Honours) in Fine Arts in 2011, from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. She was awarded The Winston Oh Travel Research Award in the same year and has also participated in several exhibitions locally, including the inaugural UNTAPPED EMERGING (2016) organised by Visual Arts Development Association Singapore. Tan is a founding member of The Collective, a group of individuals that have gathered to execute artist-initiated projects.
Faris Nakamura (b. 1988, Singapore) graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts (First Class Honours) from LASALLE College of the Arts in partnership with Goldsmiths, College of London. His works reflect his interest in architecture and nature, while at the same time, deal with conceptual questions of space and the relationship people have with space. Through sculptures, installations and site-specific works, he investigates and explores the different ways people navigate and orientate themselves upon encountering a space or place. Additionally, he desires to study and understand the attachment and/or detachment they have towards certain spaces or places, how it develops, and the impact it has on them. Faris was most recently awarded the Young Talent Programme 2017/18 Winners’ Solo Exhibition. In 2015, he won the Kobe Biennale Grand Prize in the Shitsurai International Art Competition held by Kobe Biennale and in 2013, he was the recipient of the Winston Oh Travel Award. Faris has exhibited both locally and internationally. He has showcased at venues such as The Substation (Singapore), National Library (Singapore), Scotts Square (Singapore), Praxis Space (Singapore), Kobe Biennale, Meriken Park (Japan), Georgetown Festival (Penang, Malaysia) FASS Art Gallery (Turkey), Palazzo Ca’ Zanardi, (Venice).
Zul Othman (b.1979, Singapore), commonly known by his artist moniker Zero has been a practising artist since late 2003. His is an unconventional practice, opting to delve into the subculture norms of street art and graffiti. His notions of a street artist being a pseudo documentarist of contemporary urban life is reflected in his growth as an artist throughout the years. His artistic research and works revolve around contemporary issues on urban social life and space, current affairs and adverse effects of pop culture. A reactionary artist, ZERO’s body of works attempts to negotiate the oddity of street and graffiti art in a regulated space while creating social commentaries on the notion of society and space. His exploits with his defunct collective ARTVTS, has been acknowledged as influencers of the street art scene in South East Asia. He has since founded the RSCLS collective and is still currently active in archiving and documenting urban art practices in South East Asia. His critical approach into understanding and researching urban art practices is apparent in his contemporary practice as an artist. From 2008 till 2010, ZERO was an associate artist with The Substation. In 2013, he was awarded the Young Artists Award by the National Arts Council and also the National Arts Council Seed Grant Award with RSCLS. His works have been acquired by the Singapore Arts Museum in 2010 as part of their permanent collection and he has participated in, organised and curated multiple exhibitions and events both in Singapore and internationally over the course of his artistic practice. He holds a Master of Arts (Fine Arts) Degree from LASALLE College of the Arts/ Goldsmiths UK.
50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724
Date & Time: Saturday, March 10, 2018, 2 pm
iPreciation will host a book launch of Oh Chai Hoo’s limited-edition catalogue Winding Path to Serenity《曲徑通幽》, published by iPreciation, at our gallery. Chai Hoo will be present during the event to give a short presentation of his artistic practice and transformation. This catalogue marks a major milestone in Chai Hoo’s artistic oeuvre from 2015 to 2017, departing from his style in commissioned projects which was bounded by limitations, to one that reflects his deep personal introspections which he expresses through ink on xuan paper and ceramic sculptures with seal engravings. The subject matters are invariably depictions of mountains, rocks and stones, natural phenomena that evoke emotional and artistic responses from Chai Hoo.
Please contact us at enquiry@ipreciation.com or +65 6339 0678 to find out more about the book launch.
About the Artist
Oh Chai Hoo 胡财和 (b. 1960, Singapore) is an artist who works extensively with various artistic mediums, ranging from ink painting, seal carving to ceramics. He graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1982. Oh’s mastery of the ink brush is as well admired as his fearless experimentation with the medium. In recent years, he has been focusing on the development of new ink techniques on rice paper. Making use of the slip trailer to complement the use of traditional calligraphy brushes, he pushes the boundaries of the art form’s rich heritage to create works that are powerful fusions of Eastern and Western fine art traditions. His bold experimentations include making use of Japanese kimono inks on rice-paper and calligraphy carvings on foil-layered teak. Chai Hoo’s works have been showcased at various exhibitions, including solo exhibitions, “The Serene Path” with Galerie Huit, Hong Kong (2018), “Lifetime of Change” with iPreciation, Singapore (2016), as well as “Tropical Zen Garden” at Esplanade Theatres on The Bay, Singapore (2014). Apart from frequent exhibitions, he has also been given recognition for his outstanding works, by being awarded the Highly Commendable Award for Abstract Medium in the 18th UOB Painting Competition, Singapore (1999) and the Siaw-Tao Best Artwork Award, at the Siaw-Tao Annual Art Exhibition, Singapore, 2013. Oh’s works are in private and public collections including the National Museum Art Gallery (Singapore), Singapore Heritage Board, BNP Paribas (Singapore), DBS Bank (Singapore), Bank Brussels Lambert (Singapore), Hilton Hotel (Singapore), Hyatt Regency (Surabaya, Indonesia), Four Seasons (Bali, Indonesia), Regent Hotel (Jakarta, Indonesia) and Shangri-La Hotel (Qingdao, China).
Exhibition opens to public: January 26, 2018 – February 28, 2018
In conjunction with Singapore Art Week 2018, iPreciation proudly presents Along the Great Path 行於大道, a solo exhibition by acclaimed Chinese calligrapher and ink artist, Wang Dongling 王冬齡. Regarded as one of China’s greatest living calligrapher, Wang is best known for his public performances involving large format “Wild Cursive” script (狂草), a Chinese calligraphic style characterized by its erratic and dynamic strokes. His works are often deeply rooted in the ancient philosophies of Buddhism and Taoism, as well as the Chinese classics. Along the Great Path is Wang’s first ever solo exhibition in Singapore, and features over 30 abstract ink and calligraphic paintings. Among these works, a selected range is presented through a unique medium and format. The exhibition will provide viewers with a rare opportunity to view and appreciate Wang’s captivating and powerful calligraphic works up-close.
Born in 1945 in Rudong, Jiangsu Province, China (中國江蘇省如東), Wang graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art from the Nanjing Normal University (南京師範大學) under the guidance of prominent literatus and calligrapher Shen Zishan 沈之善 (1899-1969). Wang also became a disciple of Lin Sanzhi 林散之 (1898-1989), known as the sage of cursive script, during this period. He received his Master’s Degree in Fine Art from the Calligraphy Department from the then Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (浙江美術學院) (currently China Academy of Art 中國美術學院) in 1981, under the tutelage of Lu Weizhao 陸維釗 (1899-1980) and Sha Menghai 沙孟海 (1900-1992), when his calligraphy started to emanate its own style and character.
In 1989, at the invitation of the University of Minnesota, USA as a visiting professor to teach Chinese calligraphy, Wang embarked on a journey through the US for four years that expanded his vision of artistic practice through teaching, participation of symposiums and solo exhibitions at institutions like Harvard University and University of California, Berkeley. It was during this period that Wang started his modernist engagement when he immersed himself in the modern works of acclaimed artists like Pablo Picasso (1881-1973), Paul Klee (1879-1940), Joan Miró (1893-1983) and Henri Matisse (1869-1954). In addition, Wang was also exposed to Japanese calligraphy during the 1990s, especially of works from the Japanese master Inoue Yuichi 井上有一 (1916-1985). All these influences aroused Wang’s pursuits of experimental techniques and reinterpretations of the ancient art form, refining and fusing them into his own artistic language of gestural abstraction.
Wang’s works have been prominently exhibited at institutions and several international venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, USA), Guggenheim Museum (New York City, USA), National Art Museum of China (Beijing, China) and the Palace Museum (Beijing, China). They can also be found amongst others in the collections of the British Museum (London), the Zhejiang Museum of Fine Art, (Hangzhou, China), the Yale University Art Gallery (New Haven, USA), Harvard University (Cambridge, USA), and the University of California, Berkley (USA).
Wang is currently a Professor and Director of the Modern Calligraphy Research Center at the China Academy of Art.
This exhibition is of Singapore Art Week 2018, a joint initiative by the National Arts Council, the Singapore Tourism Board and the Singapore Economic Development Board, Singapore Art Week reinforces Singapore’s position as Asia’s leading arts destination. In its sixth edition in 2018, the twelve-day celebration of the visual arts will be taking place in venues across Singapore, from galleries and museums to art precincts and non-profit spaces.
Jiao Jian is a contemporary artist who works mainly with the photographic medium. In 1984, he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts, Crafts and Decorating from the Zhejiang Institute of Fine Art (now known as the China Academy of Art) in Hangzhou, China. He further pursued his post graduate studies in Visual Communication at the institute in 1992. In 1995, he enrolled in a photography course at the West Sydney Institute of Fine Art in Australia. Subsequently, he underwent a short-term master’s degree program in Photography held in conjunction between the Beijing Central Fine Art Institute (China) and the Queensland Fine Art Institute (Australia) in 1998. At present moment, he is an Associate Professor and Head of Photography Department at the Animation and Media Institute in the China Academy of Art, Hangzhou.
Jiao Jian’s initial practice during the early 1980s were mostly marked by experimental mixed media works that reflected the uncertainty of the modern world amidst rising political issues. He favored the use of collage as a medium to portray the universal, worldly themes he was deeply intrigued with. From the late 1980s onwards, he continued to further experiment with other mediums, painting close-up portraits of human figures and later on moving towards more abstract themes as opposed to the figurative works he was used to in his early years as an artist. He began to pursue photography professionally, expanding his interest in the medium that started from his childhood days. He explored different techniques including pinhole, digital and analogue photography, often processing film in the darkroom. In the series titled Fill the Void, Jiao Jian uses his own body as a means of expressing a certain kind of existential restlessness. His body, compressed and contorted into uneasy postures, takes the shape of gaps and empty spaces that have formed in various unidentified urban landscapes. The juxtaposition of his physicality against the hard concrete material of the featured architectural spaces suggest an uneasy tension, perhaps hinting at his own perception of the world around him.
Jiao Jian’s works have been exhibited at galleries, institutions and photography festivals including OFOTO Gallery (Shanghai, China), the China Academy of Art (Hangzhou, China), Liu Haisu Art Museum (Shanghai, China), TRIANGLE Gallery (London, UK), the 6th San Francisco International Photography Festival (San Francisco, USA) and China International Photography Festival (Pingyao, China).
Education
1998 | Photography Degree, Twin Institutions of the Beijing Central Fine Art Institute and the Queensland Fine Art Institute, Australia
1995 | Photography refresher course, West Sydney Institute of Fine Art, Australia
1992 | Degree Standard Research in The Design of Visual Transmissions
1984 | BA Arts, Crafts and BA Decorating, Zhejiang Institute of Fine Art (now the Chinese Institute of Fine Art), Zhejiang, China
Selected Exhibitions
2013 | Let it Be, OFOTO Gallery, Shanghai, China
2012 | Objects, Bottega Veneta Exhibition Hall, Shanghai China
2011 | Wanxiang – China Art Academy Photography Exhibition, China Academy of Art, Hangzhou, China
2011 | Lishui International Photo Festival – Unexperimental Visual Way, Lishui, China
2010 | Visual Dialogue – Joint Workshop between Chinese and European Artists, Mingyuan Culture and Art Center, Shanghai, China
2010 | Another Landscape, Inter Art Center and Gallery at 798 Art Zone Beijing, M50 epSITE Shanghai, China
2009 | Drama/Stage, Urban Photography in Shanghai, Liu Haisu Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2008 | Pink China Contemporary Art Exhibition, TRIANGLE Gallery, London, UK
2007 | City Tale, Photography Exhibition, OFOTO Gallery, Shanghai, China
2007 | Jiao Jian, Yan Shi Photography Exhibition, OFOTO Gallery, Shanghai, China
2005 | Plentiful – China’s Contemporary Photography Exhibition, Art Scene Gallery, Shanghai, China
2005 | CAN2005 Photography Exhibition, 6th San Francisco International Photography Festival, San Francisco, CA, USA
2005 | IT IS I, Gallerla Carla Sozzanl, Milan, Italy
2004 | Jiao Jian Photography Exhibition, The Chinese Institute of Fine Art (New Media Art Department), Hangzhou, China
2003 | IT IS I, China’s International Photography Festival, Pingyao, China
2001 | Jiao Jian, Luo Yongjin, Zhang Baocheng Photography Exhibition, The Chinese Institute of Fine Art, Shanghai Branch Gallery, Shanghai, China
2000 | Jiao Jian Photography Exhibition, Shanghai University Fine Art Institute Gallery, Shanghai, China
2000 | Jiao Jian Photography Exhibition, The Chinese Institute of Fine Art Gallery, Hangzhou, China
1989 | The Chinese Modern Art Exhibition, The Chinese Museum of Fine Art, Beijing, China
Wang Dongling is one of China’s most highly regarded calligrapher and ink artist. He is best known for his public performances involving large format “wild cursive” script, a Chinese calligraphic style characterized by its erratic and dynamic strokes. His works are often deeply rooted in the ancient philosophies of Buddhism and Daoism, as well as Chinese poetry. Wang graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art from the Nanjing Normal University (Nanjing, China) in 1966 and a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from the Calligraphy Department of Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts (Hangzhou, China) in 1981.
Wang’s prolific career spans across the past two decades, during which he first gained rapid recognition in China for his calligraphic work. His classical training enabled him to hone his repertoire of traditional techniques in calligraphy, forming a solid foundation on which he began his journey of expression with ink in the early 1980s. In 1989, he traveled to the United States, where he taught the practice of calligraphy to Western art students, at the same time participating in several solo exhibitions held at different universities around the country. During this particular period, Wang immersed himself in the modern works of acclaimed artists such as Picasso, Klee, Miro and Matisse. In the 1990s, he traveled to Japan, where he became deeply influenced by the works of Japanese calligraphic master, Inoue Yuichi. By this time, Wang had ventured far from his roots as a traditional Chinese calligrapher, combining his knowledge and experiences with experimental techniques, resulting in remarkable reinterpretations of the ancient art form. Breaking free from conventional notions of Chinese calligraphy, his works embraced movement, space and gestural abstraction, liberating each and every written character from the bounds of text. In his current practice, Wang continues to push the boundaries, relentlessly practicing his well-honed techniques and exploring new and highly experimental ones, such as the use of photosensitive materials to create calligraphic compositions on photographic paper.
Wang’s works have been prominently exhibited at institutions and several international venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City, USA), Guggenheim Museum (New York City, USA), National Art Museum of China (Beijing, China) and the Palace Museum (Beijing, China). They can also be found amongst others in the collections of the British Museum (London), the Zhejiang Museum of Fine Art, (Hangzhou, China), the Yale University Art Gallery (New Haven, USA), Harvard University (Cambridge, USA), and the University of California, Berkley (USA). Presently, he is a professor of calligraphy at the Calligraphy Department of China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2018, Wang Dongling: Poetry and Painting, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA
2017, Poetic Rainbow: The Calligraphy of Wang Dongling, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, China
2017, The Bamboo Path, OCT Art and Design Gallery (Shen Zhen), Shen Zhen, China
2016, Public performance of chaos-script (luanshu) calligraphy, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada
2016, Public performance of chaos-script (luanshu) calligraphy, Library and Archives Canada, Vancouver, Canada
2016, Between Heaven and Heart, Imperial Ancestral Temple Art Museum, Beijing, China
2016, Public performance of calligraphy, Guiyang Confucius Academy, Guiyang, China
2016, Wang Dongling: Contemporary Calligraphy, Gus Fisher Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
2016, Public performance of chaos-script (luanshu) calligraphy, British Museum, London, United Kingdom
2016, Public performance of chaos-script (luanshu) calligraphy, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, United Kingdom
2016, Public performance of chaos-script (luanshu) calligraphy, Imperial Ancestral Temple Art Museum, Beijing, China
2015, Public calligraphy performance, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
2015, “The Heart Sutra in Chaos Script”, public calligraphy performance, Brooklyn Museum, New York, the United States of America
2015, “‘Drinking by the Lake: Clear Sky followed by Rain’ by Su Shi,” public calligraphy performance, Apple Store West Lake, Hangzhou, China
2015, Writing Non-Writing: Calligraphic Works by Wang Dongling, Sanshang, Contemporary Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2015, Wang Dongling · The Heart Sutra, Wenzhou Contemporary Art Museum, Wenzhou, China
2015, New Works, Chambers Fine Art, New York, the United States of America
Selected Group Exhibitions
2018, New Ink Art in China 1978-2018, Minsheng Art Museum, Beijing, China / Mind Temple, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China
2017, Boundless: On Going Chinese Ink Art, Art Museum of Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, Chongqing, China
2017, The Unusual West Lake: The First Art Scene of West Lake Photo Exhibition, CAA Art Museums, Hangzhou, China
2016, Open Books: International Artists Explore the Chinese Folding Book, Library and Archives Canada, Vancouver, Canada
2016, Shan Shui A Manifesta, Gong Wang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2016, Shan Shui Within, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China
2016, Light Writers 2016, Light Gallery, Hangzhou, China
2015, 10th World Calligraphy Biennale of Jeollabuk-do, Jeonju, Korea
2015, Magic Mountains, Hong Kong S.A.R., China
2015, Hangzhou International Modern Calligraphy Exhibition and Writing Nor- writing Document Exhibition, Museum of Contemporary Art of CAA, Hangzhou, China
2015, China 8 – Contemporary Art from China at Rhine & Ruhr, Kunstmuseum, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
2014, Kochi-Murizis Biennale – Collateral Project “Janela-Migrating Forms and Migrating Gods”, Mill Hall Compound, Kochi, India
2014, Orchid Pavilion Calligraphy Biennial, Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China
2014, Guanshan Gathering: Works by Zheng Shengtian and Wang Dongling, Chambers Fine Art, New York, USA
2014, Ink and the Body, Ink Studio, Beijing, China
2014, China’s Changing Landscape—Contemporary Chinese Ink, Nordiska Akvarellmuseet (Nordic Watercolour Museum), Goteborg, Sweden
Awards and honors
2012, “Orchid Pavilion Prize: The Art Prize” in The 4th Chinese Calligraphy Orchid Pavilion Exhibition
2011, Named “Annual Influential Artist”, 6th Award of Art China (AAC)
2011, Named “Annual Top Ten Persons in Chinese Calligraphy”
2006, “Orchid Pavilion Prize: The Education Prize (The First Prize)” in The 2nd Chinese Calligraphy Orchid Pavilion Exhibition
2005, Named “Annual Top Ten Persons in Chinese Calligraphy”
1997, “The Grand Prix” in Worldwide Calligraphy of Jeollabuk-do Biennale
Selected Collections
British Museum, London, UK Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA, Stanford University, California, USA Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Yale University, New Haven, USA University of California, Berkeley, California, USA University of Minnesota, Minnesota, USA Asian Studies Center at Michigan State University, Michigan, USA North Dakota Museum of Art, North Dakota, USA National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China National Library of China, Beijing, China The Palace Museum, Beijing, China Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution, Beijing, China Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China Peking University, Beijing, China Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA
The gallery is currently showcasing new works from Ju Ming’s Living World Series. The acclaimed series encapsulates the spirit of life and humanity, portraying figures from various walks of life. Ranging from intricate wood reliefs to life-sized figurative sculptures, the new selection of works display a visible development in the Living World Series, as they present a much more organic and stripped-down aesthetic that is significantly different from his works ten years ago.
In addition to the lineup of wood sculptures, we are also exhibiting bronze sculptures from Ju Ming’s famed Taichi series in the inner gallery.
These works are available for private viewing only. To arrange for an appointment, please contact us at 65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com.
Soh Chee Hui (b.1967, born Malaysia) graduated with bachelor degree from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1990 and received his Masters Degree in Fine Arts at the University of Birmingham, UK, in 1996. He was the Singapore United Overseas Bank Painting of the Year award winner in 1992 and was awarded the Silver Medal at the 7th Taiwan International Printmaking and Drawing Biennale in 2003. He was also the recipient of the Freeman Foundation Asian Fellowship in 2003 for residency at the Vermont Studio Center, USA.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2010, Notes, Artfolio, Singapore
2008, Pursuit: Immersed, Artfolio, Malaysia
2004, Immersed, Art-2 Gallery, Singapore
2003, Life in Vermont, Redmill Gallery, Vermont Studio Center Johnson, VT, USA
2002, Thus as I Heard, Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong
2000, Simple Notes, Art Focus Gallery, Singapore
1999, Memories, Works from 1993 – 1998, Karin Weber Gallery, Hong Kong
1997, Recent works from Birmingham, CHIJMES Caldwell House Gallery, curated by Art-2 Gallery, Singapore
1993, Diary 92/93, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
2010, 18 Ludvig International Symposium, Nagykanizsa, Kendlimajor, Hungary
2007, The Best of UOB (26 winning works from the UOB Painting of the Year Competition from 1982 to 2007), Singapore Art Museum / ARTSingapore 2007, Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore / Colours of Spring, Artfolio Gallery, Singapore
2006, Larasati, Pictures Of Asia Fine Art Auction, Singapore / 12 Ludvig International Symposium, Nagykanizsa, Kendlimajor, Hungary / ARTSingapore 2006, Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore
2005, The Sixth Face, MICA Building, Singapore / ARTSingapore 2005, Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore / Malaysia & Thailand Art Exhibition, Soka Gakkai, Malaysia
2004, ARTSingapore 2004, The Contemporary Asian Art Fair, Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore
2003, VSC Freeman Fellowship exhibition, Vermont Studio Center, USA
2002, Recent works by former award winners, The 10th International Biennial Print and Drawing Exhibition
2001, ROC, The Taipei Fine Art Museum, Taiwan
The Contemporary Asian Art Fair, Suntec Convention Centre, Singapore / ARTSingapore 2001, SICEC, Singapore
2000, 5 Colours, Paragon Art Gallery, Singapore / Feast! Food in Art, Singapore Art Museum
1997, Tresors, Singapore
1996, Royal Birmingham Society of Artists Prize Exhibition
Taipei Art Fair International
1995, The UOB Group 60th Anniversary Celebration Art Exhibition
1994, Cocoon, The Perception of Four Young Contemporary Artists presented by Shenn’s “Corporate Art Programme”, Singapore / Six Fields, Empress Place Museum Art Gallery, Singapore.
1993, The 6th International Biennial Print & Drawing Exhibition 1993, Taiwan
1992, Three Phases of Sky, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Awards
2002, ASEAN Art Awards – Philip Morris Group of Companies, Bali, Indonesia
2001, Juror’s Choice, Philip Morris (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Malaysia Art Awards 2001 Competition
1998, Honourable Mention, Philip Morris Group of Companies, Asian Art Awards
1997, Honourable Mention, Philip Morris Group of Companies, Asian Art Awards
1995, Silver Award (Drawing Section), 7th International Biennial Print & Drawing Exhibition, Taipei, Taiwan
1994, Merit Award, Singapore Urbanart Competition
Honourable Mention, Philip Morris Group of Companies Asian Art Awards
1992, Painting of the Year Award, United Overseas Bank Group’s 11th Painting of the Year Competition
Preview Date: 12 October 2017, Thursday, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Exhibition Period: 13 – 21 October 2017
iPRECIATION is pleased to present the 4th edition of Portable Art Week. The annual group exhibition aims to be an accessible platform for those who are interested in discovering and collecting contemporary artworks from Singaporean and Asian artists. The exhibition will showcase small-sized but no less exceptional works from established and emerging artists. Spanning across a wide variety of media, the works are priced at a great value (from SGD $800-$4,800) and are suitable options for both experienced and new collectors who would like to expand or kick-start their collection of works by artists around the region. This year’s lineup will include paintings by young emerging artists Ashley Yeo, Bess Chan, Benny Teo, Jon Chan, Kenichiro Fukumoto, William Goh, Wong Kel Win, Yeo Tze Yang, Yang Zhongda and Singaporean artist Jeremy Sharma, followed by mixed media installation works by multi-disciplinary artist duo Chen Sai Hua Kuan and Wang Ruobing and ceramic sculptures by veteran artist Oh Chai Hoo. The diverse mix of affordably priced works in this exhibition will provide an opportunity for people to get up close with Singapore and Asian contemporary art, thereby encouraging and cultivating a “collectors” culture amongst art lovers here that will in turn contribute to a more vibrant art scene. To enhance art collecting accessibility to collectors, any acquisition made with OCBC Mastercard, Visa and China UnionPay Cards can enjoy 0% interest instalment payment plans.
Ashley Yeo (b. 1990, Singapore) is a Singaporean artist whose practice is founded on drawing. Her works are reflections on the epidemics of visual culture and the complexity of human conditions that stem from private thoughts and ontological questioning. Encompassing drawings, installation, sculpture and writing, she displays and deconstructs weariness and heaviness from a modern world. Within her art practice, she attempts to communicate and push forth kindness and equanimity, introducing lightness and encouraging slowness amidst the world of instant gratification and increasing pressure. She works within a construct of creating depth and curiosity. Ashley attained her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Fine Art from LaSalle College of the Arts, Singapore with First Class Honours and completed her Master’s Degree in Fine Arts at Chelsea College of Art & Design.
Bess Chan (b. 1996, Singapore) is a final year student at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London, where she is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours). As Chan was born in Singapore, brought up in Hong Kong and educated in the UK ever since she was 14, her practice revolves around a continuous documentation of her constant shuffle between these places. Thus, her artistic interest lies in the uncertain nature of the concept of “home” and the ephemerality of contemporary life. Her paintings are drawn from momentary encounters on the streets that are archived and accumulated as photographs over time. Fragmented and distant memories are pieced together on the canvas into scenes constructed from imagination. Portraying the subtle, quiet things and fleeting moments in her immediate surroundings, the paintings essentially become visual reconstructions of the artist’s personal experiences, memories and interior states of being.
Benny Teo (b. 1988, Singapore) graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Fine Arts from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore in 2013. His work has been featured in several group exhibitions, including Roadless Travelled, German Centre, Singapore (2013); SPOT ART, MICA Building, Singapore (2013); DRIVE – A Gillman Barracks Public Art Festival, Singapore (2014); Art of Our City: Singapore Young Artists, The Art Space @ SUNTEC, Singapore (2015); and Presence and Distances, Flaneur Gallery, Singapore (2015), among others
Chen Sai Hua Kuan (b. 1976, Singapore) holds a Diploma in Fine Arts from LASALLE College of the Arts (1997) and a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London (2007). His art practices extend across a wide range of methods and approaches, including film, mixed media, performance, photography, sculpture, sound and installation. His work often centres around the exploration of space and time in relation to architectural concerns. Sai takes inspiration from everyday materials and experiences in the environment. By ‘documenting, collecting, constructing and deconstructing them’, he subverts the meaning of these objects and situations, altering the usual ways in which they are perceived in daily life. Sai’s works have been exhibited extensively in many solo and group exhibitions, including “Sound Like”, (2016, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin), “Ling Ting 2”, (2016, ENVISION: Sculptures @ the Garden City, Singapore) and (2015, Grand Palais Paris, Art Paris Art Fair), “Singapore Eye”, (2015, Saatchi Gallery, London), “Space Drawing”, (2014, OSAGE Gallery, Hong Kong), “Sound of the Earth” (2013, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan); ‘EV+A’ (2010, Ireland); ‘Moscow International Biennale for Young Art’ (2010, Russia); “Busan International Short Film Festival”, (2010 Busan, South Korea); ‘14th Media Art Biennale WRO’ (2011, Poland); ‘Luleå Art Biennial’ (2011, Sweden), and “International Festival for Arts and Media Yokohama” (2009, Yokohama, Japan).
Jeremy Sharma (b. 1977, Singapore) works primarily as a painter but his body of work encompasses video, photography, drawing and installation. He obtained his Master of Art (Fine Art) at the LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts / Open University, United Kingdom in 2006, and his Bachelor of Art (Fine Art) with High Distinction from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Australia in 2003. His solo exhibitions in Singapore includes Apropos (2012) at the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, Variations (2011) at Art Forum Gallery, The Protection Paintings – Of Sensations and Superscriptions (2008) at Jendela, Esplanade and End of A Decade (2007) at The Substation Gallery. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions and residency programmes locally and overseas countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Italy, England and the United States. He has received several awards, including Royal Overseas Travel Scholarship Award (2007) JCCI Arts award with art collective KYTV (2005), Studio 106 residency award (2004 Singapore), Finalist in the Philip Morris Singapore Arts Awards (2003), The Lee Foundation Study Grant (2002) and the Della Butcher Award (1999).
Jon Chan (b. 1982, Singapore) graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in 2007, and a Masters of Fine Arts from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, in 2008. Chan is the winner of the 2003 and 2007 Winston Oh Travel Award. He was also the winner of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Arts award in 2007. In 2016, he presented a series of works in “Paraphernalia”, a solo exhibition at Grey Projects, Singapore. He has also participated in group exhibitions including “Visual Rage” (Institute of Contemporary Arts, Singapore, 2007) and “Departure 2” (iPreciation Gallery, Singapore, 2016). In his body of work for this exhibition, there is a dichotomy between mediated images and how they either intrude or merge with everyday vicissitudes. He is interested in focusing on narratives without the presence of figures. By doing so, he hopes to highlight the unseen structures and borders that govern space both physically and metaphorically.
Kenichiro Fukumoto (b. 1986, Hiroshima, Japan) studied at Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore, as an exchange student in 2013. In 2014, he graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts (Painting) from Tokyo National University of the Arts. He was also awarded the Tokyo Wonder Wall Prize and Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi in 2014. He has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions, including the “TWS Emerging – Open Call Exhibition” (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, 2014) and “Cross Encounters” (Japan Creative Center – Japan Embassy, Singapore, 2013). His works frequently explore self-created forms and images among the various shapes found in the realms of fine arts, industrial art, folk crafts and decorative art. Since 2013, he has been influenced by tropical plants and other elements of nature he encounters while travelling around South East Asia.
Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960, Singapore) is a Singaporean artist who works extensively with various mediums. Since he graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1982, he has always been dedicated to his artistic creations. Oh’s mastery of the ink brush is as well-admired as his fearless experimentation with the medium. In recent years, he has been focusing on the development of new ink techniques on rice paper. Chai Hoo’s fascination with rock structures and their natural formations underlies his series of experimental ceramic sculptures. His sculptures highlight the unique beauty of mineral structures that have been shaped over time by the accumulation of sediments. Chai Hoo’s works have been showcased at many various shows and exhibitions, including recent solo exhibitions, “Lifetime of Change” with iPreciation, Singapore (2016), as well as “Tropical Zen Garden” at Esplanade, Singapore (2014). Apart from frequent exhibitions, he has also been given recognition for his outstanding works, by being awarded the Siaw-Tao Best Artwork Award, at the Siaw-Tao Annual Art Exhibition, Singapore, 2013.
Wang Ruobing (b. 1975, Chengdu, China) was born in Chengdu, China and studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore, where she graduated with a diploma in 1997. She went on to study at LASALLE College of the Arts (1997) and University of London (2001). In 2005, she became a citizen of Singapore and has since been based here, practising art and also taking on various projects as a curator and researcher. She later received her Doctorate degree in Philosophy of Fine Art from Oxford University in 2010, on the Ruskin scholarship, and Lamb and Flag scholarships. From 2011 to 2014, she worked at the National Gallery Singapore as a curator and is currently lecturing at LASALLE College of the Arts. Wang adopts diverse methods in the process of her projects, of which comprises installation, sculpture, photograph and video. Her work challenges and explores ways of seeing, often disrupting perception and highlighting the anthropological nature of her subjects. She has participated in several solo and group exhibitions, including “Over the Horizon”(2016, The Concourse, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore), “#TransActing: A Market of Values” (2015, Chelsea College of Arts, London, UK), “Follies for è birds”, (2014, National Museum, Singapore), “The Earthly World” (2010, The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art and The Dolphin Gallery, UK), “EVA International” (2010, Limerick, Ireland), “Green For Something” (2010, Mora Gallery, Bucharest, Romania, 2010), “Perfect Forest – Seeded II” (2004, The Substation Gallery, Singapore), “Seeded I” (1999, The Substation Gallery, Singapore).
William Goh Jian Hong (b. 1992, Singapore) is a visual artist who works with a range of media including oil and acrylic painting, sculpture, drawing and mixed media. He is currently pursuing his studies in Art Education at the National Institute of Education (Singapore) and holds a Diploma in Art Teaching from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore). Goh has been a member of both the Modern Art Society (Singapore) and the Singapore Watercolor Society since 2016. He has attended various art and academic symposiums and workshops in Asia. His work has been exhibited both locally and internationally, including the “Fleuve De Vie, River of Life – Group Exhibition”, Society Kentridge Guild House Gallery, National University Singapore (2016) and “Baum des Lebens: Trajectory of Civilisation, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore (2016).
Wong Kel Win (b. 1989, Singapore) is a contemporary Singaporean artist. A recipient of the Future Leadership Scholarship (2013), Wong holds a Bachelor Degree (Honours) in Fine Arts at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore-Goldsmiths, University of London. Wong works in fine arts media – painting, printmaking and drawing as well as what is conventionally considered commercial media – digital drawings. Known for his sardonic wit and humour, Wong’s artworks contain elements of satire that mainly highlight conflicts, worldly issues and confrontations he faces in life. Challenging the contemporary world through his alter-ego, he frequently employs a comical approach to articulate illustrations in his mind and feelings of his heart. Wong has exhibited locally and internationally, including shows at Esplanade (“Commoners” – Solo Exhibition, 2017, Singapore), ION Art Gallery (“At Source 根源 ” The Young Talent Programme 2014/15 Winners’ Solo Exhibition, Singapore), Sabanci University, Turkey (2010), the Singapore Printmaking Society 29th Annual Exhibition (2009), and the Pocket Films Festival, Japan (2007).
Yeo Tze Yang’s (b. 1994, Singapore) works often depict the unnoticed and by-passed places and objects of his immediate surroundings. Avoiding contemporary conceptual approaches to art, he instead reverts back to a more direct and emotive artistic direction. He believes in the unity of life and art, and envisions his works to be able to speak for themselves and resonate with viewers of any background. The result of such a process is an accumulation of images, thoughts, emotions, stories and memories that in turn become allegories of his life. Yeo is currently pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree in Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore. He was awarded the Silver Prize under the Established Artist Category for the UOB Painting of the Year competition in 2016. His first solo exhibition, A Place Behind My Eyes, was held at ION Art Gallery in 2015. Yeo’s works have also been exhibited in venues including Goodman Arts Centre (Singapore), Institute of Contemporary Art (Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore), Art Apart Fair and the Affordable Art Fair. His works are part of private collections in Singapore, Australia, the UK and the USA.
Yang Zhongda (b. 1988, Singapore) believes that a strong technical facility and sincerity is the foundation of all good artworks. He studies Western Painting at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore (2014 – present). He has exhibited in group exhibitions and art fairs including “Affordable Art Fair” (Singapore, 2013), “Expression” (Dahlia Gallery, Singapore, 2012) and “Primeval: A Group Exhibiton” (Goodman Arts Centre, Singapore, 2012). Zhongda’s paintings serve as a visual response to the evanescence and growing nihilism of our time. Beginning from abandoned places, prosaic objects, and decrepit memories, he re-constructs these forgotten or neglected visuals as a means to record and reaffirm their existence and also his own. This visual diary answers a subconscious need to see meaning in daily life, of his relationship to the subjects, and his identity in relation to society. Working primarily in monochrome, he aims to eternalize transitory fragments of memories and effect intimate personal emotions and nostalgia. Through this context of documentation, preservation, and celebration of these moments, it is his wish that viewers would be momentarily transported via the paintings to re-examine and appreciate similar moments in their lives.
Top (From left to right): Samsul Arifin, Budi Ubrux, Riki Antoni
Bottom (From left to right): Alfi Jumaldi, Edo Pop, Gusmen Heriadi
Right Corner: Sri Astari Rasjid (sculpture)
In the month of September, the gallery will showcase works by Indonesian artists Budi Ubrux (b.1968), Samsul Arifin (b.1979), Alfi Jumaldi (b.1973), Sri Astari Rasjid (b.1953), Gusmen Heriadi (b.1974), Edo Pop (b.1972)and Riki Antoni (b.1977). Ranging from oil and acrylic paintings to sculptures, these works were painted between 2001 and 2009, during the early stages of their artistic careers. The works reflect upon the realities of the modern world and are driven either by personal experiences of the artists or their individual inquiries into the socio-political and cultural issues that has afflicted their society.
Born in Semarang, Indonesia, Budi Ubrux has been engaged in numerous art-related works upon his graduation from the Yogyakarta Senior Visual Art School, before emerging as a dedicated full-time artist. The Grand Prize Winner of the Philip Morris Indonesian Art Awards in 2000, he has exhibited extensively both locally and overseas, including Switzerland, Russia, China and Korea. His works are powerful in reflecting the political and social realities of our time, such as the ironic role of the media, conveyed through unique faceless figures mummified in newsprint.
Alfi Jumaldi (b. 1973)
Born in West Sumatra, Alfi Jumaldi is twice the finalist of The Indonesian Art Award, and has widely participated in a numbers of exhibitions and art fairs in Indonesia, Singapore and China. He is also a founding member of the Jendela Fine Arts group, which supports artists in Yogyakarta. Alfi’s works are a quest for self reflection, revealing his own inner struggles by employing metaphorical symbols. Viewing Alfi’s works, one can detect a sense of disquiet and beauty, mingling in a surreal landscape.
Edo Pop (b. 1972)
An active member in the Indonesian art scene, Edo Pop cofounded the Bidar Sriwjaya workshop and Muara Art House. He also participated in overseas solo and group exhibitions in Denmark, USA and Canada. Concerned with materialistic consumerism, his estranged, eccentric figures are caricatures formed by excessive lifestyles. At times a female character holds her head above a cartoonesque body, reflecting an absence of thought, as people become consumed with the material.
Samsul Arifin (b. 1979)
Born in Malang, Indonesia, Samsul Arifin established himself as a multi-talented artist. In 2001, he won both Indonesian Art Institute awards for the Best Watercolour Painting and Best Sketching Work. The artist is often employs, with astute awareness, artistic signifiers in various combinations to construct meanings in his creations. In his series of Barbie Dolls paintings, he has invested much deep thought to effectively manipulate object, colour, space and composition in his works, in criticizing the penetration of imported cultures.
Riki Antoni (b. 1977)
Born in Padang, West Sumatra in 1977, Riki Antoni graduated from the Indonesian Institutes of Arts, Yogyakarta in 2006. His works were widely exhibited in different cities in Indonesia, including the group exhibition of the Artists of Minangkabau held in the National Gallery in Jarkarta. Riki’s paintings are a vigorous expression of self and his fascination for the proverbial, his colourful creations probing viewers to question what constitutes civilised behaviour, and the vulnerabilities that lie beneath a vibrant façade.
Sri Astari Rasjid (b. 1953)
Born in 1953 in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sri Astari Rasjid briefly studied English Literature at the University of Indonesia (1973). She went on to study fashion in London in 1976 and subsequently became a fashion journalist and fashion designer. In 1987, Sri Astari honed her art education and technical skills at the University of Minnesota, USA and the Royal College of Art in London in 1998. She was one of the recipients of the Philip Morris Indonesia VI awards and was also one of the winners of the Millennium Painting Competition of the Winson and Newton Awards (1999). In 2013, she participated in the Indonesia National Pavilion at the 55th Venice Biennale Arte. She started her career as a professional artist in the early 90s, actively taking part in exhibitions in Indonesia and abroad. Besides being an artist, Sri Astari has been an active player in the arts world –
As the executive director of the 9th Jakarta Biennale, she realized curator Jim Supangkat’s suggestion to introduce installation forks for the first time, and was an important mover as executive committee for the seminal exhibition of contemporary art of the Non-aligned countries in 1995. As a member of the Indonesia Art Foundation (Yayasan Seni Rupa Indonesia), Sri Astari also actively contributes to the education of young artists and the development of art in Indonesia. In early January 2016, Sri Astari was appointed the ambassador of Indonesia to Bulgaria.
Gusmen Heriadi (b. 1974)
Gusmen Heriadi was born in 1974 in Pariaman, West Sumatra, Indonesia. Having graduated from the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) in 2005, he now works as an illustrator at Tabloid Altternatif Pualiggoubat Mentawai in his hometown. Gusmen has been actively exhibiting his work over the past two decades. He won an award in Indonesia for Space and Image, that is exhibited at Ciputra World Marketing Gallery. He has also been a finalist of both the Philip Morris and Indofood Art Awards (2000 and 2002), and has been honoured with a Special Appreciation at the Jakarta Art Awards in 2006. The objects featured in his paintings are often metaphors of his feelings and inner debates about the issues of culture and tradition in a modern society. Most of his works are products of his dreams, his responses to life, and his philosophical views. These philosophical and critical thoughts are the result of cultural development and family habits, as well as influences from the breadth of his artistic life and pursuits
Artist Zhuang Shengtao (b. 1944) was born in Chao’an, China. He moved to Singapore in 1955 where he enrolled in Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts later in 1964 and studied Chinese painting and calligraphy under the tutelage of renowned Singaporean calligrapher, See Hiang To. Being exposed to many years of education in the Chinese classics gave him a steadfast grounding in Chinese literature, brushwork and the philosophy of Taoism. He excelled in his academic studies and majored in Chinese Literature at the Nanyang University in Singapore, where he obtained both a Bachelor’s degree in 1974 and a Master’s degree in 1977. In 1981, Zhuang traveled to France to study French at the University of Nice (Nice, France) and the Alliance Francoise (Paris, France). Zhuang also studied printmaking at the Cornish College of the Arts (Seattle, Washington, USA) in 1988 and achieved a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Washington (Seattle, USA) in 1990.
During his sojourns to Europe and the USA, he visited various museums and galleries, immersing himself in the rich histories and cultural offerings of the respective countries. The experience gained from traveling broadened his perspectives and inspired him to seek new ways to contemporize traditional Chinese calligraphy and ink painting. He felt compelled to experiment with unconventional methods of expression after his return to Singapore. The crucial period that Zhuang spent traveling to Europe and the USA was to become a deep influence on his creative practice, even to this day. Hence, between the period of 1984 to 2010, there is a significant development in his artistic pursuit from one of tradition to that of the contemporary. The abstract and organic compositions of his ink paintings from the past decade or so are reminiscent of the dynamic, raw and sweeping aesthetics of post-war Western art, yet maintain the elegance and symbolism of Chinese calligraphy and ink painting. Zhuang has participated in solo and group exhibitions in Singapore and other countries, including ‘Journey of Ink’, (1993, Singapore National Museum Art Gallery), ‘Power and Poetry – Monuments and Meditations in Chinese Contemporary Ink Paintings’ (1998, Singapore Art Museum), ‘5th International Ink Painting Biennial of Shenzhen’ (1999, Shenzhen, China) BenSe Art Museum, (2009, Suzhou, China) and ‘The Ink Art of Zhuang Shengtao’ (2017, iPreciation Gallery, Singapore).
Education
1990 | Master of Fine Arts, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
1977 | Master of Arts, Nanyang University, Singapore
1974 | Bachelor of Arts (Honours), First Class, Nanyang University, Singapore
1964 | Foundation Class, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Undertone – A Group Exhibition by Yeo Tze Yang, Goh Jian Hong & Bess Chan
Preview Date: 6th July 2017, Thursday, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Exhibition Period: 7th July 2017 – 22nd July 2017
iPRECIATION is pleased to present “Undertone”, an exhibition featuring the works of three talented emerging artists from Singapore – Yeo Tze Yang, Bess Chan and Goh Jian Hong. Armed with a critical awareness of the rapidly changing world, these artists represent a burgeoning new generation of thinkers, dreamers and image-makers. Akin to the underlying, initial layers of paint on a blank canvas which may seem unassuming on first glance, each of them play an essential and inextricable role in the structure of a bigger picture. As artists just beginning to make their mark in the local arts scene, they signify a multitude of possibilities. Unified by a mutual desire to express their interpretations of the social issues and dysfunctions that arise from the urban environment they are situated in, they employ different tangents of painting practices to create works that are sincere, insightful and thought-provoking.
Yeo Tze Yang (b. 1994, Singapore) is a painter of everyday life. His paintings often depict the unnoticed and by-passed places and objects of his immediate surroundings. Avoiding contemporary conceptual approaches to art, he instead reverts back to a more direct and emotive artistic direction. He believes in the unity of life and art, and envisions his works to speak for themselves to viewers of any background. The result of such a process is an accumulation of images, thoughts, emotions, stories and memories that in turn become allegories of his life. Yeo was awarded the Silver Prize under the Established Artist Category for the UOB Painting of the Year competition in 2016. He has exhibited widely in venues such as Shophouse 5, Goodman Arts Centre, Institute of Contemporary Art, Art Apart Fair and the Affordable Art Fair in Singapore. His works are part of private collections in Singapore, Australia, the UK and the USA. His first solo exhibition, A Place Behind My Eyes, was held at ION Art by Utterly Art in 2015. Yeo is currently pursuing his Bachelor’s Degree in Southeast Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore.
Bess Chan (b. 1996, Singapore) is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, London. Being born in Singapore, brought up in Hong Kong, and having studied in the UK ever since she was 14, her practice revolves around a continuous documentation of her constant shuffle between these places. Thus, her artistic interest lies in the uncertain nature of the concept of “home” and the ephemerality of contemporary life. Her paintings are drawn from momentary encounters on the streets that are archived and accumulated as photographs over time. Fragmented and distant memories are pieced together on the canvas into scenes constructed from imagination. Portraying the subtle, quiet things and fleeting moments in her immediate surroundings, the paintings essentially become visual reconstructions of the artist’s personal experiences, memories and interior states of being.
Goh Jian Hong (b. 1992, Singapore) is a visual artist who works with a range of media including oil and acrylic painting, sculpture, drawing and mixed media. He is currently pursuing his studies in Art Education at the National Institute of Education (Singapore) and holds a Diploma in Art Teaching from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore). Goh has been a member of both the Modern Art Society (Singapore) and the Singapore Watercolor Society since 2016. He has attended various art and academic symposiums and workshops in Asia. His work has been exhibited both locally and internationally, including the “Fleuve De Vie, River of Life – Group Exhibition”, Society Kentridge Guild House Gallery, National University Singapore (2016) and “Baum des Lebens: Trajectory of Civilisation, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore (2016).
Featured Artwork Partial Images (Left to Right): Bess Chan – Five to Ten, 117 x 290 cm (Diptych), Oil on Canvas, 2017 | Yeo Tze Yang – Queue, 91 x 61 cm, Oil on Canvas, 2017 | Goh Jian Hong – Telok Kurau Primary to Telok Kurau Studios, 60 x 80 cm, Oil on Canvas, 2017
When Space Dissolves into Luminosity; Where Flowers Bloom Amidst Rocks – A group exhibition by Chng Seok Tin, Han Sai Por, Chiew Sien Kuan, Oh Chai Hoo, Chua Chon Hee, Lim Soo Ngee, Ng Siok Hoon, Terence Tan, Lynn Lim, Yang Zhong Da
Private Preview: 13th April 2017, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Exhibition Opens to Public: 15th April – 25th April 2017
iPreciation is proud to present “When Space Dissolves into Luminosity; Where Flowers Bloom Amidst Rocks”, a group exhibition comprising works by 10 Singaporean artists. This exhibition coalesces the rich diversity and talent of these unique individuals, some of whom are young and emerging artists and the others, established art practitioners with a wealth of experience in the local and international cultural scene. The works on view spans across different mediums; ranging from sculptures, paintings, prints and mixed media. This exhibition examines how artists of today approach questions of authenticity while navigating the ever complex world. This common pursuit for authenticity reflects a desire to be free, autonomous and true to oneself, in a bid to achieve a sense of fulfillment and harmony in life. In light of this sentiment, the artists selected for this exhibition present works that have been informed by inspiring situations. These diverging works are imbued with a critical awareness of the everyday environment and the dilemmas and discontent that arises from progress.
In the visual imageries of Chiew Sien Kuan, Oh Chai Hoo, Ng Siok Hoon and Terence Tan, lies a burgeoning sense of detachment from the physical world, where space seems to dissolve into luminosity and manifest into a utopian state. Other works in this exhibition explore notions of desire, limitations and how one relates to the material world. Both Lim Soo Ngee and Yang Zhong Da highlight subtle details by bringing seemingly incompatible worlds together to create compositions with a streak of odd humor and curiosity. On the other hand, the works of Chng Seok Tin, Han Sai Por, Chua Chon Hee and Lynn Lim are deeply rooted in nature and its inextricable connection to the very essence of life. Each of their creations linger between the fictional and the experiential, suggesting perhaps, within the intersections and between the realm of the real and the imagined is where the authentic lies.
Exhibition Opens to Public: 17th March – 1 April 2017
iPreciation is honoured to present a solo exhibition by Singaporean artist and Ink master, Zhuang Shengtao. This exhibition brings together a selection of 34 works created between the years 1984 to 2010, a period marked by his significant artistic development from one of tradition to that of the contemporary. These works are a synthesis of traditional and modern themes, where bold brush strokes and abstract characters meet, reminiscent of the aesthetics of modern Western art, yet retaining the fundamentals and symbolism of Chinese calligraphy. They reflect Zhuang’s roots in Chinese Ink painting and calligraphy and his desire to incorporate the free-spirited and expressive quality of the Western art he encountered during his travels to Europe and the USA in the 1980s.
Born in China in 1944, Zhuang came to Singapore in 1955 with his parents. He enrolled in a part-time art program at the Nanyang Academy Of Fine arts in 1964, studying Chinese painting and calligraphy under the tutelage of renowned ink artist, Shi Xiang Tuo. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 1974, and a Master’s degree in 1977, both obtained from Nanyang University, Singapore. He later went on to study French in Singapore, at the University of Nice (Nice, France) and the Alliance Francoise (Paris, France) in 1981. He moved to the USA in 1987 and enrolled in an Advanced English program at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, California. Zhuang also studied print making at the Cornish College of the Arts (Seattle, Washington, USA) in 1988, and achieved a Master of Fine Art in the University of Washington, (Seattle, USA) in 1990. He has participated in many solo and group exhibitions in Singapore and other countries, including the ‘Three Singaporean Artists’ (1983, Raya Gallery, Australia), ‘New Direction – Singapore Contemporary Art in the 80s and The National Museum Centennial Art Exhibition’ (1987, Singapore National Museum Art Gallery), ‘Journey of Ink’, (1993, Singapore National Museum Art Gallery), ‘Power and Poetry – Monuments and Meditations in Chinese Contemporary Ink Paintings’ (1998, Singapore Art Museum), ‘5th International Ink Painting Biennial of Shenzhen’ (1999, Shenzhen, China) and in BenSe Art Museum, (2009, Suzhou, China). Zhuang now lives and works in Suzhou, China.
iPreciation will be participating in Art Basel Hong Kong 2017, presenting a solo exhibition of works by Irene Chou (b. 1924 – 2011).
Chou was a leading pioneer of the New Ink Painting Movement in Hong Kong during the 1960s, known for her unique blend of traditional Chinese ink painting together with the aesthetics of modern and abstract Western art. The works that will be presented at Art Basel Hong Kong 2017 for the solo exhibition are special and poignant – they were mostly created over a period of time after she suffered from a stroke in 1991 and before she passed on in 2011. They reflected her strong and unwavering artistic spirit in redefining the boundaries of conventional Chinese painting, even in difficult times. Her art took a more introspective turn to the metaphysical contemplations of life and the universe –the art of her inner world. Her works are collected by the British Museum, the Chinese University Museum, the Fung Ping Shan Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Arts, the University of Hong Kong, the City Gallery in Manila, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the National Arts Centre, the National Museum of History in Taipei, the Queensland Art Gallery, the Melbourne Raya Gallery in Australia, GIC Singapore, Jurong Town Corporation, Harbour View, Keppel Land and the Museum of Brisbane.Chou’s works have been collected by the British Museum, the Chinese University Museum, the Hong Kong Museum of Arts, the City Gallery in Manila, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the National Museum of History in Taipei, the Queensland Art Gallery and the Melbourne Raya Gallery in Australia.
For more information, please contact us at brian.foong@ipreciation.com or audrey.tay@ipreciation.com
Jon Chan is a Singaporean painter who explores the dimensions between unsolicited real-time performances and their meditation and circulation as images, attenuating any parallels between these two domains. His works in this exhibition will draw inspiration from his interest in comics as well as real-time situations. He attained his Diploma in Fine Art (Painting), Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) and Masters of Fine Arts in Lasalle College of the Arts Singapore, and has been awarded the Winston Oh Travel Award in both 2003 and 2007. He has also been a recipient of the JCCI Arts Awards in 2007.
Education
2007 | BA (First Class Honours) and MA Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019 | Gaze and Gloss, Grey Projects, Singapore
2016 | Paraphernalia, Grey Projects, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
2014 | Modern Love, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Ashley’s practice is founded from drawing. Her works have been reflections from the epidemics of visual culture and the complexity of human condition. They stem from private thoughts and ontological questioning. Encompassing drawings, installation, sculpture and writing, she displays and deconstructs weariness and heaviness from a modern world.
In her recent practice she considers inarticulation (the absence of conventional dialogue, the concept of a loss for words) and softness, in an effort to bring back what was becoming less visible in the human condition. Her shift to biocentrism also centers on her interest towards axiology and morality, questioning value, ethics and beauty.
Ashley’s work discusses the limitation of spoken words, underlining pain and longing within a highly dense population and its increasing reliance of technology for distractions and its results of producing disaffection, alienation and depression. Within her art practice, she attempts to communicate and push forth kindness and equanimity, introducing lightness and encouraging slowness amidst the world of instant gratification and increasing pressure. She works within a construct of creating depth and curiosity.
Ashley completed her Masters Degree in Fine Arts at Chelsea College of Art & Design, London. She attained her BA (Hons) from LASALLE College of Arts, Singapore with first class honors. She has been the recipient of the Lasalle Award of Academic Excellence (2011), Winston Oh Travel Award (2010) and NAC scholarship (Local) in 2010. She has participated in numerous group shows in London, Singapore, Turkey, and Thailand and artist residencies with Elsewhere Museum (North Carolina, USA), Eastside (Los Angeles, USA), Vermont Studio Center (Vermont, USA) and School of Visual Arts (New York, USA).
Education
2012 | Masters in Fine Art, Merit, University of Arts London, Chelsea College of Art & Design, United Kingdom
2011 | Ba(Hons) in Fine Art, First Class Honours, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2016 | The Haze in their eyes, Becky Art Space, Jeonju, South Korea
2015 | You must imagine Sisyphus happy, FOST Gallery, Singapore
2012 | The Lost Children, Gallery du Monde, London, UK
2012 | Room, Foxriver Gallery, Singapore
2011 | A Thousand Words and more, Kartestudios, Singapore
2011 | Silent Infatuations, Trispace, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
2019 | Bloom, iPreciation Gallery, Singapore
2019 | ON/OUT OF PAPER, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
2019 | LOEWE Craft Prize 2018 Finalists from the East, ESH Gallery, Milan, Italy
2018 | Loewe Craft Prize, London Design Museum, London, UK
2017 | Finding Tenderness, Waterlon Galarie, Chicago, USA
2017 | Skin, Becky Art Space, Jeonju, South Korea
2017 | Mokuhanga Lab, CfSHE Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
2016 | Imaginarium: An Odyssey, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
2016 | In their Oceans, Esplanade, Singapore
2015 | The Measure of your Dwelling: Singapore as Unhomed, Ifa Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2015 | Economy, LATENT SPACES, Art Stage, Singapore
2014 | Art on Paper Biennial, Weatherspoon Museum, North Carolina, USA
2014 | Smallness, FASS Gallery Sabanci, University, Istanbul Turkey
2014 | (Machines) Contemplating the bodies, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore
2013 | Found, Museum of Contemporary Arts (MoCA@Loewen), Singapore
2013 | Dialogue, the promise, CMU Art Center, Chiang Mai, Thailand
2013 | Night as Mine, Institute of Contemporary, Art Singapore, Singapore
2013 | Looking for Time, The Private Museum, Singapore
2013 | Future Map, Lethaby Gallery, London, UK
2012 | The Affordable Art Fair, London, UK
2012 | project showcase: {ART}, PUSH!, London, UK
2012 | Without boats, dreams dry up, Cape Farewell @ Triangle, Space Chelsea College, London, UK
2010 | France + Singapore New Generation Artists, Aliance Francaise, Singapore
Public Commissions
2011 | Cessation Singapore Art Museum 8Q, Singapore
2011 | Butterflies Din Tai Fung @ Marina Bay Link Mall, Singapore
2011 | Small Worlds Esplanade, Singapore
2011 | Bottom of the World Explanade, Singapore
Awards
2011 | Recipient of Lasalle College of the Arts Academic Excellence Award
2010 | National Arts Council Scholarship
2010 | WINSTON OH Travel Award Travelogue Practice
For the full list of exhibitions, public commissions and awards, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Singapore monumental sculpture, Ling Ting, by Singapore contemporary artist Chen Sai Hua Kuan is currently exhibiting in Gillman Barracks. Presented by our gallery and sponsored by National Arts Council, this interactive artwork hopes to create awareness of listening to one’s heart in a stressful society. Exhibition runs till early October.
Afterimage… – A group exhibition by Hilmi Johandi, Jon Chan, Khairulddin Wahab, Kenichiro Fukumoto & Allan Balisi
Preview Date: 16th February 2017 Exhibition Period: 17th February 2017 – 4th March 2017 Artist Talk: 18th February 2017, 2pm
iPRECIATION will be presenting a group exhibition titled “Afterimage…” featuring five emerging artists from Asia. They are Hilmi Johandi (Singapore), Khairulddin Wahab (Singapore), Jon Chan (Singapore), Kenichiro Fukumoto (Japan) and Allan Balisi (Philippines). The exhibition will include a weekend artists’ talk. The five artists featured in this exhibition work primarily with the medium of paint; the common thread that runs through their practice is the individual inquiry into the hyper visual culture they are situated in. The works on showcase were created in light of this position and offer diverging perspectives on the afterimage.
Hilmi Johandi (b. 1987, Singapore) graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore, with a Bachelor’s degree (Honours) in Fine Arts in 2013. He uses cinematic language to develop methods of compressing temporal and physical spaces into non-linear narratives in his paintings. He composes and synthesises images from films, archival footages and photographs into fragmented montages that often hint at the social effects of rapid development, and the conflicts between traditional and modern ways of living. He has been involved in solo and group exhibitions including Framing Camellia (Affordable Art Fair Young Talent Programme 2013/14 Winner’s Solo Exhibition, SIngapore, 2014), Dusk to Dawn | Fajar ke Senja (Galerie Steph, OCBC Art Space, Singapore, 2014), Primavera 4 (Galerie Frédéric Lacroix, Paris (2015), Portraits in Verses (Fred Torres Gallery, New York, 2015) and A Figment of Film (ADM Gallery, National Technological University, Singapore, 2016)
Khairulddin Wahab (b. 1990, Singapore) graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts, in 2014, with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Fine Arts. His artistic practice is informed by his interest in the politics of representation and the philosophy of photography. His interest in the photographic image stems from its significance as a site for memory, history and the emergence of a hyper visual culture in the digital age. His paintings inquire on the authenticity of representation and the construction of its meaning. He has participated in many group exhibitions, including “Art of ASEAN: Our Exhibition” (Bank Negara Malaysia Museum and Art Gallery, 2015), “Grass is Greener on the Other Side” (Winston Oh Research Award, Project Space, Singapore, 2014) and the Arte Laguna Prize Exhibition (Romanian Institute, Venice, Italy, 2013).
Jon Chan (b. 1982, Singapore) graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) in 2007, and a Masters of Fine Arts from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, in 2008. Chan is the winner of the 2003 and 2007 Winston Oh Travel Award. He was also the winner of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Arts award in 2007. In 2016, he presented a series of works in “Paraphernalia”, a solo exhibition at Grey Projects, Singapore. He has also participated in group exhibitions including “Visual Rage” (Institute of Contemporary Arts, Singapore, 2007) and “Departure 2” (iPreciation Gallery, Singapore, 2016). In his body of work for this exhibition, there is a dichotomy between mediated images and how they either intrude or merge with everyday vicissitudes. He is interested in focusing on narratives without the presence of figures. By doing so, he hopes to highlight the unseen structures and borders that govern space both physically and metaphorically.
Allan Balisi (b. 1982, Philippines) holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Major in Advertising) from the Far Eastern University, Manila, Philippines (2005). His works often possess a strong narrative undercurrent, despite its fragmentary albeit figural nature. He extracts and isolates his subjects from their original contexts and re-encodes them with new ones, mostly as surrogate experiences and borrowed memories, with which he attempts to decrypt and mitigate his personal confusions on matters such as memory and history. His solo and group exhibitions include “Five Paintings” (Blanc Gallery, Manila, 2013), “We are Awake Elsewhere” (Richard Koh Fine Art, Singapore, 2012) and “End Result” (Light & Space Contemporary, Manila). He has also previously been short-listed for the Ateneo Art Awards in 2009 and 2013.
Kenichiro Fukumoto (b. 1986, Hiroshima, Japan) studied at Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore, as an exchange student in 2013. In 2014, he graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts (Painting) from Tokyo National University of the Arts. He was also awarded the Tokyo Wonder Wall Prize and Art Award Tokyo Marunouchi in 2014. He has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions, including the “TWS Emerging – Open Call Exhibition” (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, 2014) and “Cross Encounters” (Japan Creative Center – Japan Embassy, Singapore, 2013). His works frequently explore self-created forms and images among the various shapes found in the realms of fine arts, industrial art, folk crafts and decorative art. Since 2013, he has been influenced by tropical plants and other elements of nature he encounters while travelling around South East Asia.
(Left) Chng Nai Wee – Howl (Partial Image), 2016, 243 x 121.9 cm, Mixed Media on Aluminium Panel (Right) Baet Yeok Kuan – Memorable Recollection – King and Elephants 2, 2015, 50 x 60 cm, Oil on canvas
Private Preview: 12th Jan 2017, 6.30pm – 8.30pm
Exhibition Opens to Public: 13th – 26th Jan 2017
iPreciation presents “Juxtaposition”, an exhibition by Singaporean artists, Baet Yeok Kuen and Chng Nai Wee. This exhibition features the latest selection of paintings from both artists. The works reflect personal narratives from both of their lives and their mutual interests in exploring new possibilities in the medium of painting. Symbolic objects from Baet’s childhood encounters appear in his oil paintings, such as a set of colonial era coinage, a yellow lemon and an elephant. These objects spark a tender wave of recall for him, as they gave him an insight to the workings and relationships of the world. With his background as both an artist and ophthalmologist, Chng fleshes out compartments of the human body in his new series of works, showing how our energies course through arteries and veins. Through the depiction of organ and tissue dissections, he shows how the fragility and weakness of our bodies echo the sense of helplessness and desolation of the individual.
Both Baet and Chng explore the duality of the subconscious and unconscious mind in their mixed media paintings, creating a many-layered effect that is free to be interpreted differently by viewers. Though different in choice of subjects, they both push boundaries with their experimental fusing of traditional media and new technology, such as aluminium panels, mixed media materials and oil painting. “Juxtaposition” is part of Singapore Art Week (11 – 22 January 2017). A joint initiative by the National Arts Council, the Singapore Tourism Board and the Singapore Economic Development Board, Singapore Art Week reinforces Singapore’s position as Asia’s leading arts destination. The twelve-day celebration of the visual arts offers a myriad of quality art experiences, from art fairs, gallery openings, exhibitions, lifestyle events and public art walks, to enriching discussions on art and culture. For more information, please visit www.artweek.sg.
Baet Yeok Kuan (b.1961, Singapore).
Baet holds a Diploma in Fine Art (Painting) from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (1987) and a Masters in Fine Art from the University of Central England, Birmingham (1992).In 1995, he was conferred the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council Singapore. He has represented Singapore in several international symposiums including the New Generation Contemporary Singapore Art Exhibition and Symposium, Japan (1990) and Second ASEAN Artist Creative Interaction, Indonesia (1997), Singapore-India Artists Exchange Programme, India (1999) and Artist-in-Residence in University of Philippines (2003). He has also won several awards such as the Grand Prize of the UOB Painting of the Year Competition (1987), Second Prize in the Contemporary Art Competition (Sculpture), Area Prize and Judge Prize in the Third Tokyo Urbanart Competition (1994).
He was President of the Modern Art Society Singapore from 2003 to 2004. He has also completed many local public art projects, including Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3, National Museum and National Library Board. He recently completed a site-specific installation “24 Hours in Singapore” on the Asian Civilisations Museum lawn, in commemoration of SG50, an inaugural commission by the Public Art Trust. He is currently the Vice President of Federation of Art Societies and Modern Art society Singapore. To date, he has held six solo exhibitions and participated in numerous group exhibitions locally and overseas, including Asia, Australia, Canada, France, United Kingdom and United States. Baet’s works have been collected by museums and notable private collections, including Fukuoka Art Museum in Japan, National Museum of Singapore, National Arts Council, National Art Museum, NUS Museum, St. Regis Hotel and Mapletree business city.Museum, St. Regis Hotel and Mapletree business city.
Chng Nai Wee (b. 1969, Singapore)
Chng graduated with an Honors in Medicine and Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (1993) and Ophthalmology from the National University of Singapore (1999). He attended Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts classes from 1986 to 1987. He also studied in Yale University School of Architecture (1999, 2004 & 2014) as a graduate student. He has delivered lectures on Art and Technology, Art and Dot-Com Resources, and received Hitwise Online Performance Awards for his comprehensive documentation of Singapore Art. His works draw inspiration from his unique background in Biomedical Sciences, Design, and Information Technology. He has also served as a speaker for the inaugural Creativity in the Arts, Sciences and Technology seminar at the National University of Singapore, a judge for the Singapore Sculpture Competition, and a member of the Arts Education Council. Among the awards that he has received are the Young Artist Award, National Arts Council (1999), Tan Tse Chor Art Award, Singapore Art Society (1995), and Double Honorable Mentions, Philip Morris Asean Art Awards (1994).
In his wide repertoire of works, he displays a deep understanding of Anatomy and Histology, as seen in his solo show, Biotechnics, at the Substation, Singapore (1998). His outdoor light art installation, Moleculux – Luminsecent Bodies in Hyperspace, in his solo show at Sculpture Square, Singapore (2001), displayed his profound interest in the intersection of geometric modular construction and optics. Other solo shows include Recent Works (1994), and New Works (1991) at the National Museum Art Gallery. Chng has also exhibited at the inaugural show of Sculpture Square (1999) and Esplanade (2002) with his work “Biotics”, which posits a future of pharmaceutical enhancements of the Human race, and “Like or Not?”, large scale pneumatic sculptures at the latter venue, that question the relationship between perceptual affinity and biomimetic architectural forms. His public works include Panthenon – Innards of Consciousness (Biopolis, Singapore, 2003), and Techgenesis (National Arts Council lobby (1999), a fusion of the innards of computer circuitry and raw construction materials. His works have also been permanently acquired by the Singapore Art Museum.
Preview Date (By Invitation Only): 10th November 2016
Exhibition Dates: 11th November – 26th November 2016
Artist Talk: 26th November 2016, 3pm
iPreciation presents ‘Gone By, Just Before The Present Time’ by Chen Sai Hua Kuan and Wang Ruobing.
This exhibition features the latest mixed-media works co-created by artists Chen Sai Hua Kuan and Wang Ruobing. As suggested by the title, the works explore both artists’ personal and collective memories of historical landmarks in Singapore. Derived from a familiar form of child’s play, where images overlap and form optical illusions, the installation works allow viewers to participate in an interactive experience as they walk pass. In doing so, the viewer’s abstract sense of memories and places are translated into visual perception, hence being reminded of the transitory present. The exhibition leads viewers down memory lane through old and new landmarks featured in the works, such as the former National Library building which was demolished to make way for the Fort Canning Tunnel, and the Lau Pa Sat food centre which is now surrounded by skyscrapers. The complex images dispel the sense of familiarity that is associated with these iconic landmarks and highlights the relationship between heritage and tradition. Through such an approach, both artists demonstrate the ways in which images of the past change over time and how the past is being used for present progress.
Chen Sai Hua Kuan (b. 1976, Singapore) holds a Diploma in Fine Arts from LASALLE College of the Arts (1997) and a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London (2007). His art practices extend across a wide range of methods and approaches, including film, mixed media, performance, photography, sculpture, sound and installation. His work often centres around the exploration of space and time in relation to architectural concerns. Sai takes inspiration from everyday materials and experiences in the environment. By ‘documenting, collecting, constructing and deconstructing them’, he subverts the meaning of these objects and situations, altering the usual ways in which they are perceived in daily life.Sai’s works have been exhibited extensively in many solo and group exhibitions, including “Sound Like”, (2016, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin), “Ling Ting 2”, (2016, ENVISION: Sculptures @ the Garden City, Singapore) and (2015, Grand Palais Paris, Art Paris Art Fair),“Singapore Eye”, (2015, Saatchi Gallery, London), “Space Drawing”, (2014, OSAGE Gallery, Hong Kong), “Sound of the Earth” (2013, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan); ‘EV+A’ (2010, Ireland); ‘Moscow International Biennale for Young Art’ (2010, Russia); “Busan International Short Film Festival”, (2010 Busan, South Korea); ‘14th Media Art Biennale WRO’ (2011, Poland); ‘Luleå Art Biennial’ (2011, Sweden), and “International Festival for Arts and Media Yokohama” (2009, Yokohama, Japan).
Wang Ruobing (b. 1975, Chengdu, China). Wang was born in Chengdu, China and studied at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore, where she graduated with a diploma in 1997. She went on to study at LASALLE College of the Arts (1997) and University of London (2001). In 2005, she became a citizen of Singapore and has since been based here, practising art and also taking on various projects as a curator and researcher. She later received her Doctorate degree in Philosophy of Fine Art from Oxford University in 2010, on the Ruskin scholarship, and Lamb and Flag scholarships. From 2011 to 2014, she worked at the National Gallery Singapore as a curator and is currently lecturing at LASALLE College of the Arts in 2016. Wang adopts diverse methods in the process of her projects, of which comprises installation, sculpture, photograph and video. Her work challenges and explores ways of seeing, often disrupting perception and highlighting the anthropological nature of her subjects. She frequently works with found objects and spaces from everyday life, correlating them with social, political, urban and environmental issues. She has participated in several solo and group exhibitions, including “Over the Horizon”(2016, The Concourse, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore), “#TransActing: A Market of Values” (2015, Chelsea College of Arts, London, UK), “Follies for è birds”, (2014, National Museum, Singapore), “The Earthly World” (2010,The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art and The Dolphin Gallery, UK), “EVA International” (2010, Limerick, Ireland), “Green For Something” (2010, Mora Gallery, Bucharest, Romania, 2010), “Perfect Forest – Seeded II” (2004, The Substation Gallery, Singapore), “Seeded I” (1999, The Substation Gallery, Singapore).
Turn Loose The Mermaids – Luke Heng, Jeremy Sharma and Warren Khong VIP Private Preview Date: 15th September 2016 Exhibition Dates: 16th September 2016 – 1st October 2016
iPreciation is proud to present “Turn Loose The Mermaids”, a group exhibition co-created by Luke Heng, Jeremy Sharma and Warren Khong. This exhibition highlights the practices of three Singapore artists that are divergent of painting. Exploring and intertwining medium, space, materiality, acoustics and objects, new readings emerge beyond the formal into one that is conceptual, relational and experimental.
Referencing the name of a song’s title, “Turn Loose The Mermaids” evokes the imaginary and the unconscious that emerge from the unknown to take hold and form. With this in mind, the project asks “how can form and material speak of ideas and thus engage with the viewer?”; “how can artists trained in the formal aspects of painting extend these ideas and sensibilities to structures, image, space and media?”; “How does one contribute or liberate new knowledge and discourse to the contemporary in a field burdened by its own history, can aesthetics here be as critically valued as socially engaged narratives?”
Jeremy Sharma is a Singaporean artist that works across media around ideas of aesthetics and production. His practice investigates various models of enquiry in the information age, addressing our present relationship to modernity and interconnectivity in the everyday and our place in an increasingly fragmented and artificial reality. Sharma graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Art (Fine Art) with high distinction in 2003 and a Master of Art (Fine Art) in 2006. He has since had a many group and solo exhibitions and is currently also a lecturer at Lasalle College of the Arts.
Luke Heng’s works are primarily concerned with the conceptualization and manifestation of painting. Interested in the formal qualities of a painting, the Singaporean artist works to materialize a painting through various approaches when considering the ontological possibilities of what a painting is and what it can possibly become. Heng graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) first class honours in 2013. He is currently lecturing in Lasalle College of the Arts, while he practices art independently.
Warren Khong is a contemporary Singaporean artist that situates his practice mainly in the field of painting. Akin to the aims of this exhibition, he contemplates the concepts of painting and its relation to surface and materiality in his works, while keeping in mind the aesthetics of beauty in the artificiality of creation. Khong graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts with a diploma in Fine Art on 2006, then went on to attain his Bachelors in Fine Art: Painting and Drawing from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in partnership with University of Huddersfield, U.K. in 2009. In 2015, he then graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts, partnership with Goldsmiths’ College,with a Masters in Fine Arts.
Bazaar Art Jakarta – Sri Astari Rasjid VIP Preview Date: 25th August 2016 (By Invitation Only) Exhibition Dates: 26th August 2016 – 28th August 2016
Location: The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta Pacific Place
Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD) Jalan Jenderal Sudirman No. 52-53, Jakarta Selatan, DKI Jakarta 12190, Indonesia
Booth B7
iPreciation will be participating in Bazaar Art Jakarta this August, presenting a solo exhibition of works by Sri Astari Rasjid.
Born in 1953 in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sri Astari Rasjid briefly studied English Literature at the University of Indonesia (1973). She went on to study fashion in London in 1976 and subsequently became a fashion journalist and fashion designer. In 1987, Sri Astari honed her art education and technical skills at the University of Minnesota, USA and the Royal College of Art in London in 1998.
Sri Astari’s works often incorporate paradoxes, akin to traditional Javanese cultural expressions which have a unique and sophisticated way of managing paradoxes. Javanese courts have had a long history of brutal and bloody struggles of power, yet the Javanese are known for their fine and delicate artistic expressions. Direct encounters of conflicts, complexities and contradictions are avoided and instead arranged excellently in metaphors to subdue explosive possibilities. As the Javanese cultural expressions predicate gentleness over violence, Sri Astari’s works are characteristically gentle yet powerful in communicating their ideas. .
In this exhibition, we will be featuring ‘Armor for Change’ previously exhibited in our outdoor exhibition in Singapore, ENVISION: Sculptures @ The Garden City. The artwork features a 2.5 metre kebaya made of aluminium. This work shares the same inspiration as Sri Astari’s previous work, the ‘Kebaya’ – an esoteric metaphor she employs to contemplate feminine and masculine issues. ‘Armor For Change’ follows the trajectory of Sri Astari’s artistic interrogation on the detrimental impact of traditional concepts on women’s lives. We will also be presenting ‘Armors For the Soul’ which demonstrates Sri Astari’s work of paradox, where the cascading ripples of the garment flows in an elegant, soft, artistic rhythm, contrasting against the shine of the cast aluminum and stainless steel, a reminder of the sturdiness behind the elegance.
Other works featured are ‘Still Strong In My Memory’, ‘Eling’, ‘Contestants’, ‘La Vie En Rose’, ‘Drunken Bag’ and ’50 Years Barbie Lethal Venture’ where the last 3 mentioned artworks features the ‘bag’, another metaphor often used by Sri Astari to convey her ideas and criticisms. Like two sides of a coin, her bags carry two opposing ideas, such as La Vie en Rose (‘Life in pink’) carved on one side, and La Vie en Noire (‘Life in black’) on the other side. These works demonstrate the artist’s bold criticisms on her own social environment, of its tendencies for consumerism; highlighting ideas on society’s contemporary fetishism and prevailing social insecurity.
Besides being an artist, Sri Astari has been an active player in the arts world. As the executive director of the 9th Jakarta Biennale, she realized curator Jim Supangkat’s suggestion to introduce installation forks for the first time, and was an important mover as executive committee for the seminal exhibition of contemporary art of the Non-aligned countries in 1995. As a member of the Indonesia Art Foundation (Yayasan Seni Rupa Indonesia), Sri Astari also actively contributes to the education of young artists and the development of art in Indonesia. She was recently appointed as Indonesia’s ambassador to Bulgaria in January 2016.
For VIP tickets to visit the fair, please contact the gallery at june.ong@ipreciation.com or brian.foong@ipreciation.com
Departure 2 – Milenko Prvacki, Betty Susiarjo, Ashley Yeo, Jon Chan, Ezekiel Wong Kel Win Preview Date: 12th August 2016 Exhibition Dates: 13th August 2016 – 27th August 2016
iPreciation is proud to present “Departure 2”, the second edition of the group exhibition that first started in 2014. This year, the group exhibition will be featuring the works of Betty Susiarjo, Ashley Yeo, Jon Chan and Ezekiel Wong alongside Milenko Prvacki’s most recent works. In tandem with 2014’s exhibition, the second edition of ‘Departure’ is based on the simple premise of exploring the works and development of the students of Prvacki at Lasalle College of the Arts, in their after-art-school period, having been exhorted by their master to depart and develop their own as artists. Hence, “Departure 2” will be a visual art exhibition that captures new generations of work representing different tangents of painting and art practices, concepts and ideas here in Singapore. This exhibition will comprise of a good range of media – from paintings to drawings to 3D work – with a mix of styles and ideas.
“Departure 2” is curated by cultural medallion, educator, and artist, Milenko Prvacki. He has taught art to many generations of young artists in Lasalle College of the Arts Singapore and has hand-picked some of his top students to exhibit with him this year at iPreciation. This exhibition affirms Prvacki’s involvement in Singapore’s Art Scene has extended beyond his artistic practice, but also through his mentorship as an art educator. His efforts to develop Singapore’s contemporary art are evident in the “Departure”
Betty Susiarjo is a mixed-media artist born in Indonesia and based in Singapore. She graduated with a President Distinction Diploma in Fine Art from Lasalle SIA Collage of the Arts, Singapore in 2002, and has since obtained her Bachelors of Arts (Honours) Fine Art, Master of Art (Fine Art) and Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Art and Design) in England from Surrey Institute of Art and Design, Winchester School of Art and Goldsmiths University of London respectively. Her works explore the concepts of temporality, materiality and beauty. Often incorporating craft through the use of embroidery and beads, into her works, her works evoke a sense of poetic yet ethereal beauty.
Ashley Yeo is a Singaporean artist whose practice is founded on drawing. Her works are reflections on the epidemics of visual culture and the complexity of human conditions, that stem from private thoughts and ontological questioning. She attained her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Fine Art from Lasalle Collage of the Arts, Singapore with first class honours and completed her Masters Degree in Fine Arts at Chelsea College of Art & Design. She has also been the recipient of Lasalle Award of Academic Excellence in 2011, Winston Oh Travel Award in 2010 and NAC Scholarship (local) in 2010.
Jon Chan is a Singaporean painter who explores the dimensions between unsolicited real-time performances and their meditation and circulation as images, attenuating any parallels between these two domains. His works in this exhibition will draw inspiration from his interest in comics as well as real-time situations. He attained his Diploma in Fine Art (Painting), Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honours) and Masters of Fine Arts in Lasalle College of the Arts Singapore, and has been awarded the Winston Oh Travel Award in both 2003 and 2007. He has also been a recipient of the JCCI Arts Awards in 2007.
Ezekiel Wong Kel Win is a Singaporean artist known for his sardonic wit and humour. His works contain elements of satire that highlight societal conflicts, geopolitical issues and his own personal confrontations. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts (Honours) from Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore-Goldsmiths, University of London and has been awarded the Affordable Art Fair Young Talent Program Solo Exhibition Award, Singapore in 2014/15 as well as the Future Leadership Scholarship in 2013.
Kumari Nahappan – Private Viewing Of Important Paintings
Date: 1 – 29 December 2016 (By Invitation Only)
iPreciation is honoured to present 10 important paintings by Singaporean artist, Kumari Nahappan. The selection of acrylic paintings are boldly adorned with the artist’s signature use of vibrant shades of red, a colour that is also frequently seen in her sculptural and installation work. These paintings are available for private acquisition. These works were previously exhibited in the Museum der Kulteren in Basel, Switzerland (2007-2008), the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands (2010-2012) and Art Science Museum in Singapore (2015). Inspired by Hindu rituals, offerings and philosophy, Kumari’s abstract paintings often reflect on life, power and energy, evident in her use of rich colors and minimal yet bold compositions. This exclusive viewing will allow invited viewers to experience the enigmatic quality of her paintings up-close.
Born in 1953 in Malaysia, Kumari Nahappan is a prominent artist in the region of Southeast Asia; Kumari lives and works in Singapore and her practice encompasses inter-disciplinary genres, painting, sculpture and installations. Trained in interior design in Willesdon College of Technology in London UK in the mid-1970s, she pursued a successful interior design career before studying fine art at the LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, securing a Masters of Fine Art from the RMIT University, Melbourne.
Kumari is celebrated for her iconic sculptures in landmark locations in Singapore including Saga for Changi Airport, Nutmeg & Mace for the ION Orchard, Pedas-Pedas for the National Museum and Pembungaan for OUE Bayfront (the largest bronze mural in Singapore at over 45m) and other sculptures for corporate developments. Her sculptures have graced sites overseas including the G Tower in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), the J.Y. Campos Centre in Manila (the Philippines), and the Chengdu International Finance Square (China) in 2014.
Kumari was invited to show at the Museum der Kulturen in Basel in [2007/8] and at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam [2010]. More recently, she has enjoyed critical and popular acclaim for her installation Anahata, a monumental work comprising of 4000kg of saga seeds for the Singapore Biennale 2013. Her works have been exhibited at the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo and Singapore Art Museum, Seoul Art Centre in Korea, Museum Rudana in Indonesia as well as in gallery exhibitions in Sweden, Germany, London, Italy, New York, Australia, Hong Kong and China. As an acclaimed artist, her works have also been collected by Singapore Art Museum, Art Bank, Ken Tyler Collection, New York, Rudana Museum in Bali, Ritz-Carlton, Singapore, Rolex, Thailand, Changi Airport, Singapore High Commission, Japan and Thailand and various other important public and private collections across the world.
This showcase is not open to the public. Please contact us at 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com to arrange for a private viewing appointment
Oh Chai Hoo(b. 1960) is a Singaporean artist who works extensively with various mediums. He started his artistic creations at the age of 14 and a year later, the budding talent held his first group exhibition with respected pioneer artists like Chen Wen Hsi and others. Over the decades, Oh’s mastery of the brush is as admired as his fearless experimentation with the medium. Nonetheless, despite all the ventures, he never strays far from ink.
Deeply intrigued by the work of nature, Oh Chai Hoo is particularly fascinated by the formation of sedimentary rock structures. Within the weathered surfaces, down the jagged rims, between the notches and cracks, therein lies the beauty of imperfections. In his words, “my rocks speak for themselves” (我的石頭會說話). Indeed, his works tell compelling stories of magnificent mountainous, cliff-like forms that have stood the test of time.
Oh Chai Hoo believes in honesty and truthfulness in the creation of art. Unlike other types of medium, Chinese ink is especially demanding. It requires one to be attentive, confident and sincere, for every brushstroke is irreversible and every brush touch allows no room for correction. This medium hence captures everything about the artist – his state of mind, personality and style.
Oh’s paintings are a stunning play on tonality. His extraordinary command in the concentration and saturation of pigments captures the glorious movements of water and wind. While his black and white paintings invoke a sense of timelessness with their almost-realistic appearance, Oh’s coloured paintings lean towards the mystical spectrum and are imbued with imaginative expressions. His enigmatic works are a reflection of both the physical and the spiritual.
Oh Chai Hoo graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1982 and is a full-time artist who is actively involved in the local arts scene. He is also a member of various art groups including the Singapore Sculpture Society and Nanyang Clay Group and has had various solo and group exhibitions in Singapore, Taiwan, China, U.K., Korea and Japan.
Education
1982 | Graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
2020 | Siaw-Tao’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Singapore
2019 | iPreciation 20th Anniversary: Reverie Collection – 25 Years of Art Collecting Journey, iPreciation, Singapore / Siaw-Tao’s 49th Anniversary Exhibition, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Singapore
2017 | Virtuoso In Ink, Art Agenda S.E.A, Chan + Hori Contemporary, Singapore
iPreciation is pleased to present Singaporean artist Oh Chai Hoo’s solo exhibition from 1st July 2016 to 16th July 2016. This exhibition will feature the artist’s most recent series of ink paintings inspired by rock structures, ceramic seal carvings, as well as his experimental ceramic sculpture work on rock forms (akin to the classical scholarly tradition).
Entitled “Lifetime of Change《物换星移》”, the exhibition entails the artist’s fondness for nature, in particular the natural formation of rock structures. As he is inspired by the natural accumulation of sediments in the formation of rocks over time, his rocks highlight the beauty of the imperfections of rock forms. In the artist’s own words, he asserts that “我的石头都有说话的。(All my rocks speak for themselves.)” Each of his works tells its own story.
Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960) is a local artist who works extensively with various medium. He started his artistic creations at the age of 14, and holding his first group exhibition at 15 with respected artists like Chen Wen Hsi and others. His mastery of the brush is as admired as his fearless experimentation with the medium. The works in this exhibition will feature his unique use of self-ground pigments on rice paper. With his constant development of new techniques for ink on paper, he pushes the boundaries of the art form’s rich heritage to create works that are powerful fusions of Eastern and Western traditions of fine art. This exhibition will witness yet another leap in the bold aesthetics of his ink work, as seen in the truly maturing, confidently-executed works as he enters this phase of his artistic practice.
Oh graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1982 and is a full time artist who is actively involved in the local arts scene. He is a member of various arts groups including the Singapore Sculpture Society and Nanyang Clay Group, and has had various solo and group exhibitions. He has exhibited in Singapore, Taiwan, China, U.K., Korea and Japan, and has won prestigious awards including the Highly Commendable Award for Abstract Medium in the 18th UOB Painting Competition, Singapore.
Image of artwork
Existence,如实存在,2016,68x150cm,Black pigments on rice paper
Greetings from iPreciation! This March, while focusing on our upcoming exposition at Art Basel Hong Kong, we are continuing to represent our local artists in the gallery. Works exhibited by our local artists include Milenko Prvacki, Luke Heng and Tay Bak Chiang.
Also on display are Cheung Yee’s paper mache paintings and early works by Indonesian artists Edo Pop and Budi Ubrux. At the far end of the gallery, we are showcasing black and white photographs by Gao Xingjian, these were taken from his second film “Apres Le Deluge” (After the Flood), a 28min long film that will be shown in the FIlm section at Art Basel Hong Kong 2016.
At the window display and inner galleries, we are exhibiting rarely seen stainless steel Living World Series sculptures by Ju Ming, which are also a part of current ENVISION: Sculptures @ the Garden City in the heart of Singapore’s civic district.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more updates on our gallery related happenings.
Budi Ubrux (left) and Edo Pop (right)
Budi Ubrux (left) and Edo Pop (right)
Milenko Prvacki’s “Unsent Letter” paintings from 2014 solo show E La Nave Va
Milenko Prvacki, various sizes, mixed media on linen
Middle work (diptych) is called North South East West
Gao Xingjian’s black and white photographs from his 2nd film “Apres le Deluge” After the Flood
Ms Helina Chan gave some views to a recent Chinese article that discusses the National Gallery’s current exhibitions on Wu Guanzhong and Chua Ek Kay. For the full article, please click here.
Lookout for ENVISION and Ms Helina Chan to be featured on Channel News Asia programme “On the Red Dot” broadcast on Friday 8 April at 9.30pm, report on Wednesday 13th Apr at 2.30pm.
On the Red Dot is is a half-hour current affairs series that is aired on Channel 5 and Channel News Asia, the show focuses on the little red dot: Singapore and seeks to showcase the people and the communities that make up Singapore. Watch this space for more updates!
Trail of Heart – A solo exhibition of recent oil paintings by Jin Jie
Exhibition period: 22nd April – 7th May 2016
iPreciation is pleased to debut a solo exhibition of recent oil paintings titled “Trail of Heart” by Chinese contemporary painter Jin Jie at the gallery. This is the artist’s first solo exhibition outside of China.
Jin Jie 金捷 was born in 1965 in Jiangsu province, China, he graduated from Oil painting studies in Nanjing University of Arts in 1991, and went on to achieve an M.A. in Western Arts and Lecture in 1997. In 2008, he obtained a Ph.D in Fine Art from his alma mater Nanjing University of Arts in Jiangsu province. In this exhibition, we are presenting his oil paintings from 2011 – 2016.
Images of artworks
A Lakeside Garden,湖园争印, 2015, 60 x 60cm, Oil on Canvas
Tree Branches Beneath The Sky, 纤枝劲立, 2015, 60 x 60cm, Oil on Canvas
Riverside, 河畔啼明, 2015, 60 x 60cm, Oil on Canvas
Branches Through The Light, 枝相映色, 2015, 60 x 60cm, Oil on Canvas
Village, 松阳村舍, 2015, 60 x 60cm, Oil on Canvas
Lonely Cloud, 孤云闲伴, 2015, 60 x 60cm, Oil on Canvas
Moving Willow Branches,丝绦垂绿, 2015, 60 x 60cm, Oil on Canvas
Mulberry Branches, 吴桑绿枝, 2015, 60 x 60cm, Oil on Canvas
Vine On The Wall, 墙伴缠藤, 2015, 60 x 60cm, Oil on Canvas
TODAY Newspaper created a fun upbeat time-lapse video, covering all 14 sets of sculpture as part of ENVISION. The scenic walk started from the Arts House across Empress Place to the Fullerton Hotel, over to Clifford Square, the Fullerton Bay Hotel and eventually finishing up at Marina Bay City Gallery. To view video, click here.
iPreciation is pleased to announce that the gallery will be taking part for the first time at Art Miami New York, Pier 94 in early May 2016.
We will be presenting a solo exhibition of Gao Xingjian’s early and recent ink paintings. Please click here for more information.
Gao Xing Jian (b. 1940, China/France) is an important leading cultural figure who is not only a painter but an accomplished and internationally recognised writer, playwright, director, painter and photographer who is the first Chinese to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2000.
Art Miami New York 2016 is presented by the ownership team of Art Miami which debut last year at Pier 94 in early May 2015. This upcoming fair is the 2nd edition of Art Miami New York, happening in the same week alongside other important art events such as the Spring auctions and Frieze Week.
Gu Wenda, internationally recognised contemporary artist from Shanghai/New York gave Channel News Asia an exclusive interview during his recent trip to Singapore in mid Jan 2016. Mr Gu was in town during the launch of ENVISION: Sculpture @ the Garden City in Singapore, a large scale outdoor public art exhibition ongoing till 15 April 2016.
The 8-min interview was broadcast on 18th Feb 2016 in the FIRST LOOK ASIA morning programme. To view the video, click here.
Public Talk – The first talk about was held on 22nd Jan, click here for more details.
Share and Follow us on Facebook @ipreciation, tag us at #EnvisionSg
iPreciation is proud to present ENVISION: Sculptures @ the Garden City – a new platform to exhibit a group exhibition of monumental sculptures by Singapore and internationally renowned Asian artists. For the inaugural exhibition in 2016, ENVISION will present 13 sets of works by 11 artists namely Baet Yeok Kuan (b. 1961, Singapore), Chen Sai Hua Kuan (b. 1976, Singapore), Gu Wenda (b. 1955, China/USA), JuMing (b. 1938, Taiwan), Kumari Nahappan (b. 1953, Singapore), Lim Soo Ngee (b. 1962, Singapore), Shen Lieyi(b. 1969, China), Sri Astari Rasjid (b. 1953, Indonesia),Yuyu Yang (b. 1926 – d. 1997, Taiwan), Zhan Wang (b. 1962, China) and Zhang Huan (b. 1965, China) from China, Indonesia, Singapore and Taiwan,
ENVISION is part of iPreciation’s mission to promote, exhibit and integrate public art in Asia; our recent project in Singapore was Ju Ming’s monumental Taichi Series held at Singapore Botanic Gardens from Jan – May 2015. In 2016, ENVISION will take place in key urban and cultural zones in the heart of the city, the exhibition trail starts from Arts House, Asian Civilisations Museum, Empress Place, The Fullerton Hotel, Clifford Square, The Fullerton Bay Hotel and along the Marina Bay Boulevard (near City Gallery).
ENVISION is the international debut platform for Gu Wenda‘s Tian Xiang (above), an important work that took him more than 20 years to conceptualise. Tian Xiang is an installation of 24 ‘ru’ stones in different shapes and sizes, weighing from 500 – 8000KG. These huge pieces of natural stones come from the sea bed, billions of year old lime stone corroded by the sea water. Each stone is inscribed with a simplified stroke of a Chinese calligraphic character that reinforces Chinese solar terms. Inspired by philosophical theories and stories of our celestial universe, Gu sets out to bring man and nature closer. Creating this ‘stone forest’ in the heart of Singapore’s civic district, one has the opportunity to experience, immerse and get up close with these significant relics and artefacts; a product of nature’s powerful forces. Image caption below: Tian Xiang, 2014, Stone and ink (24 individual stones).
Ju Ming‘s bronze and stainless steel sculptures from the Living World Series, (1999-2011) aims to capture everyday scenes of people coming together, playing and going about their daily lives. Ju Ming says “The language and essence of the sculptures are drawn and inspired by crowds that I see, people in the market, people queuing as well as those standing, sitting or walking around. They are constantly happening and constantly ending, which is why the works are named as the Living World. This is the issue and spirit I want to interpret.”
Baet Yeok Kuan created an assemblage of abstract geometric forms welded together, perfecetly balanced in mid air supported by a singular base. The sheer scale and rich textural qualities lends gravitas to the work, powerful, striking and beautiful at the same time. Image Caption below:O What a Flower, 2015, Colten steel
Kumari Nahappan has been collecting saga seeds since she was a child, using them as a reference in her work. Saga seeds are commonly found across Southeast Asia, sometimes they are called “love seeds” because of their vivid red colour and round heart-like shape. By arranging the works in clusters, Kumari aspires to harness their collective energy and transmit positivity and joy to the viewer. Image Caption below: Road to Fifty, 2015, Painted fiber glass (50 editions)
Lim Soo Ngee‘s local Myna birds are identified by their brown body and yellow patch behind the eyes. The artist was inspired to make this work when he discovered that the dominant species of migrant Javan Myna birds has led to the demise and near extinction of the local species. This work raises awareness on man’s relationship with the environment to highlight how migratory patterns or external factors can leave an indelible impact on the local population. Image Caption below: Local Mynas, 2015, Bronze and paint (set of 3)
Chen Sai Hua Kuan created an interactive sound sculpture that encourages participation and contemplation from the audience. Many city-dwellers have become too busy to listen, this playful work was conceptualised by the artist to create a conducive space to inspire an act of listening. The shape of the structure appears to be unusual, where the curved lines and organic form creates a sense of curiousity for the viewer, inviting one to come up close to interact with it. This sculpture premiered on the steps of the Grand Palais in Paris in March 2015, and was featured in the International New York Times. Image Caption below: Ling Ting 2, 2015, Steel with paint
Zhan Wang‘s most celebrated work to date is this series of “artificial rocks” – stainless steel replicas of rocks and boulders. The beaten and irregular surface of this monumental rock is a site of abstraction, pulling the viewer and the surrounding environment into a distorted reality. The undulating surface and choice of material questions the authenticity of thee work, whether it’s man-made or natural occurring. Image caption below:Artificial Rock No.133, 2007, Stainless steel (4 editions)
Shen Lieyi shares that “Man, universe, sky, water, natural forms, all our cultural emotions and existential experiences stem from nature. I think it is my duty as a sculptor to transform the invisible emotions into visible imageries, which are not merely shadows of the thoughts.” In traditional Chinese culture, water is symbolic of the yin factor and stone is symbolic of the yang factor. The surfaces of these sculptures look as if rain drops are falling with ripples frozen in time; these lines are permanently etched on the black granite stones. The juxtaposition of hardness and softness creates a strong visual impact, echoing the laws of nature and emphasizes man’s relationship with Heaven and Earth. Image Caption Below: Rain, 2001, Black granite stone (set of 3)
Zhang Huan‘s work features two pandas names “Hehe” and “Xiexie”, where in Chinese it means harmony. The pandas embody ideals of righteousness, perseverance, optimism and generosity, to extol the virtues of peace and harmony amongst mankind. Made of stainless steel, these works were first exhibited at the Shanghai World Expo in 2013. The artist is deeply influenced by Buddhist philosophy, and this work encourages one and all to be at peace with oneself and contribute towards a more harmonious society. Image Caption below: Hehe Xiexie (set of 2), 2010, Stainless steel (15 editions)
Throughout his life, Yuyu Yang sought to create works that shared his love for nature and embodied the ideals of peace and harmony between man and nation. He is considered to be a pioneering Asian artist who worked primarily in stainless steel since the 1960s, where the smooth flawless quality of these mirror-like surfaces lends favourably to the sculptures to sit well within the environment. The balance of the natural world and his sculptures had become a central theme or philosophy in his life’s work. Image caption below: Mirror of the Soul, Stainless steel, 1971 (9 editions)
For the past 30 years, Sri Astari Rasjid has been creating work that deals with Javanese cultural issues within a modern cultural framework. An important part of her oeuvre has been the detrimental impact of traditional concepts on women’s lives, visualized amongst others, through the kebaya the traditional blouse for women, and its related accessories. In retrospect, the kebaya was initially viewed as repressive to women, but over the course of time this perspective has changed into one of protection of the inner being. Today, it is transcending the issue of gender, as evident in this work, where the butterfly featured prominently on the sculpture as a brooch is a metaphor for change. Image caption below: Armor for Change, 2015, Aluminum (5 editions)
“ENVISION: Sculptures @ The Garden City” is part of Singapore Art Week (16 – 24 January 2016). An initiative by the National Arts Council, in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore Economic Development Board, Singapore Art Week reinforces Singapore’s position as Asia’s leading arts destination. It is a nine-day celebration of the visual arts, offering a myriad of quality art experiences, from art fairs, gallery openings, exhibitions, lifestyle events and public art walks, to enriching discussions on art and culture. www.artweek.sg
To view all the exhibits, browse through our E-catalogue!
After a successful solo exhibition at iPreciation in 2014, Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973, Malaysia/Singapore) continues to push boundaries and contemporize the genre of Chinese painting through the use of acrylic and pigments on canvas.
In this body of new paintings, Tay’s progressive attempts have borne fruit; experimenting with mineral-rich tones that range from brilliant blues to opalescent greens and shimmering yellows. In this exhibition we observe an extension of the rock series and his foray portraying the ancient Chinese instrument guqin as a new exploratory subject matter.
The inspiration behind his stone paintings stem from his walks in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve in Singapore some years back. He was inspired by the hulking forms in nature, though inanimate, they appeared full of life and personality. To achieve three dimensionality and character for the stones, Tay manipulates colour and shades to achieve subtle gradations and ink-like translucency using acrylic paint, a technique forged and refined by the artist since his encounter in the nature reserve.
In this exhibition Tay also explores the depiction of one of China’s oldest stringed instrument; the guqin a seven-stringed zither, viewed as a symbol of Chinese high culture and the most expressive of the essence of Chinese music. In Chinese, “gu” means ancient and “qin” means musical instrument. Symbology characterizes this instrument, for example, it measures 3’6.5” (Chinese feet and inches) to symbolize 365 days of the year; the upper surface is rounded representing the sky and the bottom is flat representing the earth. The first 5 strings represent the elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. The 6th string is sorrowful and the 7th string represents strength. The thirteen mother-of-pearl inlays along the outer edge represents the 13 months of the lunar year. The guqin has been frequently referred to as the preferred instrument of the sages and literati. In imperial China’s past, monks, scholars and ladies of the elite society were supposed to master the four traditional arts, and one of them is qin, for the purposes of enriching the heart and elevating the human spirit.
Tay’s minimalist compositions are not about representing minimalistic images or technical skills, but to evoke a sense of poetry and inner emotion, a nod to the values of Chinese literati painting rendered with a contemporary sensibility. Before the works are exhibited in Art Basel Hong Kong in March 2016, the paintings were previewed at iPreciation.
To view all the exhibits, PLEASE browse through our E-catalogue (top of page).
(above) Gao Xingjian,Intérieur et exterieur, 2011, 114x146cm, Ink on canvas
Gao Xingjian – a solo exhibition of Gao’s ink paintings, presented in a dedicated booth at Art Miami New York in May 2016, represented by iPreciation. Art Miami New York Art Fair opens to public from 3 – 8 May at Pier 94, New York City.
For press queries related to artists or images, please email enquiry@ipreciation.com
+++
iPreciation is pleased to announce that the gallery will be taking part for the first time at Art Miami New York, Pier 94 in early May 2016. We are proud to present a solo exhibition of Gao Xingjian’s early and recent ink paintings. Gao Xing Jian (b. 1940, China/France) is an important leading cultural figure who is much more than a painter as an accomplished and internationally recognised writer, playwright, director, painter and photographer who is the first Chinese to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2000. In 1989, he was awarded the Asian Cultural Council Fellowship from the United States. In 1992, he was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and in 2002 the Legion of Honor by the French government. In 2006, he was conferred the Lions Award by the New York Public Library (NYPL) at Library Lions Benefit event.
Art Miami New York 2016 is presented by the ownership team of Art Miami which debut last year at Pier 94 in early May 2015. This upcoming fair is the 2nd edition of Art Miami New York, happening in the same week alongside other important art events such as the Spring auctions and Frieze Week.
Managing Director Ms Helina Chan, shares “We are excited to present Gao’s ink paintings to the American audience. He is truly a unique Renaissance man of today, his intellectual rigour and strong sensibility as both a writer and painter really comes forth in these paintings. I hope the American museums and collectors will recognize his talents; Gao is not only a Chinese artist, he is an international artist who deals with the human condition and expresses his state of mind in a language that can be universally understood .”
(above left) Tay Bak Chiang, Stringless Qin 无弦琴, 2015; (above right) Tay Bak Chiang, After the Feast 盛宴过后, 2015. Each is 140x140cm, Pigments & acrylic on canvas
Tay Bak Chiang – a solo exhibition of recent paintings, presented in a dedicated solo booth at Art Basel Hong Kong 2016.
Gao Xingjian – Apres le Deluge (After The Flood) 洪荒之后 has been selected for inclusion in the Film sector at Art Basel Hong Kong 2016.
Art Basel Hong Kong 2016 opens to public from 24 – 26 March; the VIP Preview takes place from 22 – 23 March. The fair will be held at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
+++
iPreciation is pleased to announce that the gallery will return to Art Basel Hong Kong 2016, with a solo exhibition of Singaporean painter Tay Bak Chiang’s new body of paintings under the Insights section and a film screening by Nobel Prize Laureate Gao Xingjian under the Film section at Art Basel Hong Kong 2016.
For press queries related to artists or images, please email enquiry@ipreciation.com
Tay Bak Chiang
After a successful solo exhibition at iPreciation in 2014, Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973, Malaysia/Singapore) continues to push boundaries and contemporize the genre of Chinese painting through the use of acrylic and pigments on canvas.
In this body of new paintings, Tay’s progressive attempts have borne fruit; experimenting with mineral-rich tones that range from brilliant blues to opalescent greens and shimmering yellows. In this exhibition we observe an extension of the rock series and his foray portraying the ancient Chinese instrument guqin as a new exploratory subject matter.
The inspiration behind his stone paintings stem from his walks in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve in Singapore some years back. He was inspired by the hulking forms in nature, though inanimate, they appeared full of life and personality. To achieve three dimensionality and character for the stones, Tay manipulates colour and shades to achieve subtle gradations and ink-like translucency using acrylic paint, a technique forged and refined by the artist since his encounter in the nature reserve.
In this exhibition Tay also explores the depiction of one of China’s oldest stringed instrument; the guqin a seven-stringed zither, viewed as a symbol of Chinese high culture and the most expressive of the essence of Chinese music. In Chinese, “gu” means ancient and “qin” means musical instrument. Symbology characterizes this instrument, for example, it measures 3’6.5” (Chinese feet and inches) to symbolize 365 days of the year; the upper surface is rounded representing the sky and the bottom is flat representing the earth. The first 5 strings represent the elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire and Earth. The 6th string is sorrowful and the 7th string represents strength. The thirteen mother-of-pearl inlays along the outer edge represents the 13 months of the lunar year. The guqin has been frequently referred to as the preferred instrument of the sages and literati. In imperial China’s past, monks, scholars and ladies of the elite society were supposed to master the four traditional arts, and one of them is qin, for the purposes of enriching the heart and elevating the human spirit.
Tay’s minimalist compositions are not about representing minimalistic images or technical skills, but to evoke a sense of poetry and inner emotion, a nod to the values of Chinese literati painting rendered with a contemporary sensibility. Before the works are exhibited in Art Basel Hong Kong in March 2016, there will be a preview of his latest works at iPreciation.
Gao Xingjian
Gao Xing Jian (b. 1940, China/France) is an important leading cultural figure who is much more than a painter also an accomplished and internationally recognised writer, playwright, director, painter and photographer who is the first Chinese to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2000. In 1989, he was awarded the Asian Cultural Council Fellowship from the United States. In 1992, he was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and in 2002 the Legion of Honor by the French government. In 2006, he was conferred the Lions Award by the New York Public Library (NYPL) at Library Lions Benefit event.
Gao Xingjian is the epitome of a well-rounded scholar, or as described by the 2008 Milan Arts Festival – ‘the modern Renaissance man’. Equal to his literary oeuvre, his paintings and film are works of art with a fine level of originality. Gao possesses an insatiable intellectual curiosity; he studied European oil paintings, film, photography which led him to interrogate the aesthetic effect of using different techniques on different medium. Since 1964, Gao has been painting exclusively with various kinds of inks, demonstrating a radical departure in subject matter from traditional Chinese ink painting. Inspired by western paintings’ core idea of light, Gao embodies this ‘light’ presence in his work, fusing a significant aesthetic and critical language in Western painting with Chinese ink painting which traditionally do not portray light. Gao’s ink paintings are never mere black, portray a spectrum of fifty shades of grey. His reflection on this visual genre; the interplay of light, positive and negative space continues to inform and inspire new directions in his paintings.
Gao created 3 films in the 2000’s, the first one is called “Silhouette/Shadow 側影或影子” in 2006, followed by “After the Flood 洪荒之後” in 2008 and “Requiem for Beauty 美的葬禮” in 2013.
Created in 2008, Apres le Deluge (After The Flood) is a short film lasting only twenty-eight minutes. Gao describes this work as a cinematic poem where language is dispensed. This film is similar to his other film Silhouette / Shadow, but language is totally dispensed with, and the six dancers and actors in this film do not utter any words or dialogue. The black-and-white paintings serve as background to the scenes, and the performers perform before a screen onto
which the paintings are projected. Apres le Deluge is essentially a black-and-white film, and it is only at times when a consciousness of life reawakens that a small amount of pale colour is added.
This film was unexpectedly corroborated by the 2008 earthquake (9.00 on the Richter scale) in Japan’s Miyagi County coast; unlike disaster films, Apres le Deluge constitutes painting and performance and is devoid of reality. The narrative structure is abandoned, each scene is viewed either as painting or photograph linked only by movements and/or sounds.
Gao moved to France in 1987 and became a French citizen in 1997. He currently lives and works in Paris.
iPreciation is proud to present the international debut of Gu Wenda’s monumental installation of 24 stones titled “Tian Xiang” at the current outdoor exhibition ENVISION: Sculptures @ the Garden City.
“Tian Xiang” is an installation of 24 ‘ru’ rocks in different shapes and sizes. These huge pieces of natural rocks come from the bottom of the sea; billions of year old lime-stones corroded by the sea water and mounted by fossilized aquatic specimens. The rocks are named ‘ru’ as a reference to the Shandong province which is known as the birthplace of Confucianism.
There are 24 rocks, because there are 24 terms that make up the solar calendar. In typical Gu Wenda fashion, he merged the 2 characters of each solar term to create his own unique phrase or a fictional Chinese character.
Inspired by philosophical theories and stories of our celestial universe, Gu Wenda sets out to bring man and nature closer together. Creating a ‘rock forest’ with this dynamic installation of 24 large rocks, one has the opportunity to experience, immerse and get up close to these significant relics and artefacts, a product of nature’s powerful forces. Gu started thinking and planning this project sometime in 1993, with the idea to create 50 stone steles. It has taken him more than 20 years for the project to come to fruition.
In conjunction with the opening of ENVISION: Sculptures @ the Garden City and Singapore Art Week 2016, iPreciation organised a public talk titled “Commissioning Public Art in the City” on Friday, 22nd Jan 2016 @ Ngee Ann Auditorium, Asian Civilisations Museum.
Video recording clip is available upon request, please email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com
Speakers:
Gu Wenda is one of the world’s leading international contemporary artist from China. Born in Shanghai in 1955, Gu graduated from Shanghai School of Arts in 1976. In 1981, he received his MFA from the China Academy of Arts and continued to teach in his alma mater from 1981 – 87. Later in the same year in 1987, Gu moved to the USA to study at The Academy of Art College, San Francisco and started his life as an independent artist. To date, he has participated in numerous international solo exhibitions and prestigious platforms such as biennales, art festivals and art fairs across the world. Gu’s work has been included and referenced in many publications and recent art history books. Gu is widely collected by many international museums and public institutions world-wide. He currently lives and works between Shanghai and New York.
Andrew Mead is an internationally experienced architect specialising in the planning, design and construction of rapid transit stations and associated facilities. He graduated from the University of Sheffield in 1985 and is a registered Architect in the U.K. Since 2013, Andrew is currently Chief Architect of the MTR Corporation in Hong Kong managing a team of over 100 people, responsible for design quality and management of all MTR’s rail projects. Andrew has wide technical knowledge of metro design and operations, having 30 years’ experience in the design and construction of over 200 metro and light rail stations in London, Toronto, Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong. From 2008 – 2013, he was Principal Design Manager, Architect at Land Transport Authority Singapore, responsible for the development of the Downtown line and Thomson Line.
Francis Wong is currently Chief of Art Management in CapitaLand. He studied Architecture in Cambridge University, UK and Conservation Studies in York University, UK. He has over 20 years of experience working as an architect in the public and private sectors before joining CapitaLand in 2006. Some of his award-winning projects include the Singapore Art Museum at the former St Joseph’s Institution. In CapitaLand, he has held various key positions in design and project management, including Chief Development Officer of The Ascott Limited. Francis writes the “Art @ CapitaLand” column for CapitaLand’s online Inside Different Geographies magazine and is the author of the book CapitaLand: The Art of Building Communities. He has conducted many art appreciation talks and tours to CapitaLand staff, CapitaLand tenants, and the general public.
Moderated by Dr Kenson Kwok, who is the Founding Director of the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Peranakan Museum in Singapore. Dr Kwok graduated with B. Architecture (Hons) from the University of Sydney in 1972 and went on to obtain his PhD in environmental psychology from University College London in 1983. At the end of 2009 Dr Kwok retired from an eighteen year career with the National Heritage Board of Singapore. He was awarded the Public Administration Medal (silver) by the Singapore government, he was also conferred the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur in 2005 by the French government. Dr Kwok currently serves on the board of Singapore’s National Gallery, and on committees of the National University of Singapore Museums and the Southeast Asian Ceramic Society.
On 21st Jan 2016, we organised a private preview event to celebrate the launch of ENVISION: Sculptures @ the Garden City. Held at the Post-Bar, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, we invited participating artists, international media, collectors and government stakeholders to view the works and meet some of the artists in attendance namely Gu Wenda, Shen Lieyi, Sri Astari Rasjid, Baet Yoke Kuan and Kumari Nahappan,
To view the video recording of the event, click here.
South China Morning Post.com featured Lee Wen on the occasion of winning the 2nd Joseph Balestier Award for the Freedom of Art. The article is titled “US award to Singapore artist for promoting freedom of expression ‘not political’
Born in 1953 in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sri Astari briefly studied English Literature at the University of Indonesia (1973). She went on to study fashion in London in 1976 and subsequently became a fashion journalist and fashion designer. In 1987, Sri Astari honed her art education and technical skills at the University of Minnesota, USA and the Royal College of Art in London in 1988. For the past 30 years, Sri Astari had been creating work that deals with Javanese cultural issues within a modern cultural framework. She was one of the recipients of the Philip Morris Indonesia VI awards and was also one of the winners of the Millennium Painting Competition of the Winson and Newton Awards (1999). Sri Astari was awarded the Kartini Award in 2015.
Having started her career as a professional artist in the early 90s, Sri Astari had actively taken part in exhibitions in Indonesia and abroad. Sri Astari had exhibited multiple times in the National Gallery of Indonesia, as a feminist artist, she was also part of the “Kartini, The Power of Women in Art” exhibition in Yogyakarta in 2011. Prior to her shift towards the international art scene, Sri Astari also held solo exhibitions such as Recollections, Bali (1999-2000), Wings & Excursions, Bali (2000-2001) and His/Hers Exhibition in 798 District, Beijing (2008). In 2013, she participated in the Indonesia National Pavilion at the 55th Venice Biennale Arte, 56th Edition of Spoleto International Festival in Italy and “Indonesia National Pavilion 55th International Art Exhibition” also in Italy. In the following year, Sri Astari also exhibited in South Korea, Hong Kong and Art 14 London in UK. iPreciation is honoured to have held an inaugural group exhibition of monumental sculptures showcasing Sri Astari’s Armor for Change at ENVISION: Sculptures @ the Garden City in 2016. In the same year, iPreciation also held a successful solo exhibition for Sri Astari at Bazaar Art Jakarta.
Sri Astari had been an active player in the art world. As the former executive director of the 9th Jakarta Biennale, she agreed to curator Jim Supangkat’s suggestion to introduce installation works for the first time and was an important mover as an executive of the committee for the seminal exhibition of contemporary art of the Non-aligned countries in 1995. As a former member of the Indonesia Art Foundation (Yayasan Seni Rupa Indonesia), Sri Astari had dynamically contributed to the education of young artists and the development of art in Indonesia.
In early January 2016, Sri Astari was appointed the ambassador of Indonesia to Bulgaria, and after four and a half years, she left the role in 2020. She passed away two years later in 2022.
Born in 1975 in An Yang, Henan Province, China, Zhang Huan graduated with a Masters from the Central Academy of Fine Arts Beijing in 1993. He is best known for his controversial early works in performance art. He began his career in Beijing and in 1998 he moved to New York where he established his international career with large-scale public performances. Zhang Huan makes art about the human condition, exploring universal aspects of human nature. After spending some years in New York, the artist moved back to China in 2005, and established a studio in an old factory in Shanghai.
In the decade preceding the new millennium, Zhang was featured in exponentially more international exhibitions in places like Tokyo, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, Venice, France, Portugal, Toronto and Mexico. Worthy of mention is his contribution to “Inside Out: Chinese Art at the End of the Twentieth Century” at PS 1 Museum of Modern Art (1998). Following which in the 2000s, he also contributed to numerous exhibitions by esteemed museums such as Daelim Contemporary Art Museum in Seoul, PS 1 Museum of Modern Art in New York, National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Pace Gallery, Center Museum of Contemporary Art in Spain, The Israel Museum in Jerusalem, Museum of Fine Arts in Houston and Center Pompidou in Paris. On his own, he has held several solo exhibitions such as his famous “Family Tree” at Galerie Albert Benamou, Paris (2001), “Zhang Huan: Altered States” in Asia Society, New York (2007), “Zhang Huan: Hope Tunnel” at Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Beijing (2010) and “Zhang Huan: Amituofo” at Museum of Contemporary Art Taipei (2010). In 2010, Zhang was also featured in “Art for the World, The Sculpture Project of The Expo Boulevard” during the World Expo 2010 which was held in Shanghai. In the same year, he was also part of “Haunted: Contemporary Photography/Video/Performance” by The Guggenheim Museum in New York and “Arts and Cities” during Aichi Triennial 2010 in Aichi. His prominence in the international contemporary art scene quickly led to him being recognized as the Robb Yearly Artist, China in 2010.
Zhang continued to exhibit actively with much critical acclaim, some of his solo shows include, “Zhang Huan: Q Confucius” at Rockbund Art Museum, Shanghai (2011), “Zhang Huan: The Mountain is Still a Mountain” at White Cube, London (2012), “Looking East, Facing West: The World of Zhang Huan” at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, Michigan (2013) and “Zhang Huan; Soul and Matter” at Palazzo Vecchio and Forte di Belvedere, Florence (2013). Concurrently, he has also contributed to shows by the likes of Palazzo Grassi, Francois Pinault Foundation in Venice (2011), Museum of Science and Art in Lausanne (2011), Minsheng Art Museum in Shanghai (2012), Rubell Family Collection in Miami (2013), Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (2013), Gwangju Museum of Art in Gwangju (2014), Long Museum in Shanghai (2015), Seattle Art Museum (2015), and Taipei Fine Art Museum (2015). More recently, he was invited to the 55th Venice Art Biennale (2013) and enjoyed solo exhibition like Art Project Salzburg in Austria (2015) and Storm King Art Centre in New York (2014). Consequently, Zhang Huan was awarded the French Legion of Honour in 2014, a prestigious award in recognition of his achievement and significant contribution to contemporary art discourse.
As an acclaimed artist, Zhang’s photography, ash paintings and installations are widely collected by museums and important private collections, such as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Guggenheim Museum, New York, Metropolitan Museum New York, Fukuoka Art Museum, Japan, Asia Museum of Fukuoka Japan, Museum of Lucern, Switzerland, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Pompidou Center, Paris, Shanghai Art Museum in China, Red Mansion Foundation, London, Charles Saatchi Collection, London, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio, Rubell Family Collection, Miami and Florida and many other important public and private collections.
Born in Hangzhou in 1969, Shen Lieyi graduated from the Department of Sculpture, China Academy of Art in Hangzhou in 1995. Since 2002, he has been working at the China Academy of Art, engaging in the teaching and creation of public art. Currently he is also the director of China Sculpture Institute, Vice-President of Zhejiang Sculptors Association, and the Executive Deputy Director of the Department of Public Space Art at the China Academy of Art.
Since the early 2000s, Shen actively participated in numerous sculpture competitions in China and overseas. In 2010, his work “Water” in West Lake, located in Southern Song Imperial Street, received the “Excellent Prize” in the 2010 National Excellent Urban Sculpture Construction Project held by the National Urban Sculpture Construction Steering Committee. In 2012, he took part in the 4th West Lake International Sculpture Invitational Exhibition in Hangzhou. Within the same year, he won the Example Prize of “Artistic Projects of Public Facilities”, in the 2012 National Excellent Urban Sculpture Construction Project held by National Urban Sculpture Construction Steering Committee for a Public Art Work Design Project in Xiaoshan Airport T3 Terminal. In 2013, he took hom the 3rd Liu Kaiqu Award at the International Sculpture Exhibition Nord Art 2013 in Budelsdorf, Germany. To date, Shen continues to actively participate in public art-related exhibitions, competitions and commission public art projects.
Besides creating work for projects in China, Shen also completed commission projects overseas. In 2012, he was by the Shanghai municipal government to create a work as a gift to Basel Switzerland. The sculpture was titled “Boat” which is currently displayed in Basel St. John Park in Switzerland.
Shen continues to teach at the College of Sculpture and Public Art in the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou.
Born in 1953, Kumari Nahappan is a prominent artist in the region of Southeast Asia; her practice encompasses inter-disciplinary genres, painting, sculpture and installations. Trained in interior design in Willesdon College of Technology in London UK in the mid-1970s, Kumari pursued a successful interior design career before studying fine art at the LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, securing a Masters of Fine Art from the RMIT University, Melbourne.
Kumari is celebrated for her iconic sculptures in landmark locations in Singapore including Saga for Changi Airport, Nutmeg & Mace for the ION Orchard, Pedas-Pedas for the National Museum and Pembungaan for OUE Bayfront (the largest bronze mural in Singapore at over 45m) and other sculptures for corporate developments. Her sculptures have graced sites overseas including the G Tower in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), the J.Y. Campos Centre in Manila (the Philippines), and the Chengdu International Finance Square (China) in 2014.
Kumari was invited to show at the Museum der Kulturen in Basel in [2007/8] and at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam [2010]. More recently, she has enjoyed critical and popular acclaim for her installation Anahata, a monumental work comprising of 4000kg of saga seeds for the Singapore Biennale 2013. Her works have been exhibited at the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo and Singapore Art Museum, Seoul Art Centre in Korea, Museum Rudana in Indonesia as well as in gallery exhibitions in Sweden, Germany, London, Italy, New York, Australia, Hong Kong and China.
As an acclaimed artist, Kumari’s works have also been collected by Singapore Art Museum, Art Bank, Ken Tyler Collection, New York, Rudana Museum in Bali, Ritz-Carlton, Singapore, Rolex, Thailand, Changi Airport, Singapore High Commission, Japan and Thailand and various other important public and private collections across the world.
Born in Beijing in 1962, Zhan Wang studied at the Beijing Industrial Arts College for a year from 1995 – 96. He returned to the same college to further his studies from 1978 -81. Two years later, he spent five years studying in the Sculpture Department, Central Academy of Fine Arts Beijing before graduating in 1988.
Zhan Wang is widely recognized as one of China’s leading contemporary artists today. Working in installation, photography and video, his sculpturally informed practice challenges ideas of landscape and environment, addressing the urban, rural, artificial and industrial. Zhan Wang’s art is a particular perspective fundamentally anchored in his relationship to his own cultural heritage.
Throughout the 1990s, as a young artist, Zhan took part in many group exhibitions and sculpture competitions in China (Beijing, Chongqing, Chengdu, Guilin, Qingdao, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, and Shanghai. In 1996 he began to exhibit overseas, invited to participate in platforms such as the International Sculpture Wild-Open Show in Fukuoka, and “The First Academic Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Artist” at the Hong Kong Arts Centre. Between 1997 – 99, he was also invited to exhibit at The Watari-um Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, the Hayward Gallery in London and the P.S.1 Contemporary Art Centre in New York, and other exhibitions in Taiwan, Auckland, Chicago, and San Francisco.
In the 2000s, the artist continued to actively participate in many exhibitions and platforms in China such as the National Art Museum of China. For international exhibitions, he has exhibited his work in Asia: Singapore, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Seoul, Busan; in the USA, San Francisco, Washington D.C and in Europe, Venice, Brussels, Budapest, London, Sweden, and Germany. Notably, in 2000, Zhan took part in the 3rd Shanghai Biennale at the Shanghai Art Museum. Three years later in 2003, Zhan participated in the Chinese Pavilion at the 50th edition of the Venice Biennale.
To date, Zhan Wang has exhibited extensively in major museums and galleries across the world including the National Museum of China (Beijing, China), Williams College Museum of Art (Massachusetts, USA), Kunst Museum (Bern, Switzerland), Mori Art Museum (Tokyo, Japan), International Center of Photography (New York, USA) and the Asia Society Museum (New York, USA) just to name a few. He has also executed a number of art projects at significant landmarks such as Mount Everest and the Great Wall of China. He currently lives and works in Beijing, China.
Solo Exhibitions
2019 | The Invisible, Eslite Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan
2017 | Forms in Flux, Long Museum West Bund, Shanghai, China
2015 | Space Art Project “One Plus One”, Shanghai Hong Fong,Shanghai, China
2015 | “Nothing for the time being”, OCT Contemporary Art Terminal, Shanghai, China
2014 | Morph, Long March Space, Beijing, China
2012 | Form of Formless, Long March Space, Beijing, China / Universe, Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Singapore
2011 | My Personal Universe, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art, Bejing, China
2013 | Passage to History：20 Years of la Biennale di Venezia and Chinese Contemporary Art Biennale Arte 2013, Venice, Italy
2013 | Those Leading Contemporary Art Practices A Juried Invitational Exhibition of AAC (the Award of Art China), Today Art Museum, Beijing, China
2012 | Chinese public Art in Cassell, Cassell, Germany
2011 | Songzhuang Art Festival: If – Chinese Contemporary Sculpture Scenery, Songzhuang, Beijing, China
2011 |3rd Art Changsha, Hunan Provincial Museum, Changsha, China
2011 |Shanshui – Chinese Landscape in Chinese Contemporary Art, Museum of Art in Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
2010 | Zaoxing: Artwork from the Faculty of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing, China
2010 | Great Performances, Pace Beijing, Beijing, China
2010 | Crossing Horizons: Contemporary Art From China, National Gallery Chile, Santiago, Chile
2009 | Collision, Experimental Cases of Contemporary Chinese Art, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing, China
2009 | Sculpture in Nature, Nature of Sculpture, Foundation de 11 Lijnen, Oudenburg, Belgium
2009 | Beijing – Havana: New Contemporary Chinese Art Revolution, National Museum of Fine Arts of Cuba, Havana, Cuba
2008 | Chinese Exhibitions and Events in London, British Museum, London, UK
2008 | The Revolution Continues – New Chinese Art, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
2008 | Chinese Gardens for Living: Illusion into Reality, Dresden State Art Collections, Dresden, Germany
2008 | Beijing – Athens, Contemporary Art from China, Athens National Contemporary Art Center, Athens, Greece
2007 | Reincarnation, Doris McCarthy Gallery, University of Toronto Scarborough, Canada /
2007 | Recapture History – Contemporary Chinese Art From the Collection, Guangdong Museum of Fine Arts, Guangzhou, China
2007 | Net: Re-Imagining Space, Time and Culture, Chambers Fine Arts, Beijing, China
2007 | Art Now Shanghai, Inaugural Exhibition of Beijing Art Now Gallery in Shanghai, Art Now Gallery, Shanghai, China
2006 | New Occidentalism – Chinese Contemporary Art in Beijing, Hongxuan Plaza, Beijing, China
2006 | Art in Motion, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China
2006 | Hyper Design: The 6th Shanghai Biennale, Shanghai Museum of Art, Shanghai, China
2005 | Electrical Scape: International New Media Art Exhibition, Zendai Museum, Shanghai, China
2005 | Chinese Avant-garde Sculpture, Museum Sculptures by the Sea, Hague, Netherlands
2005 | Universal Experience – Art, Life and the Tourist’s Eye, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL, USA; Haywood Gallery, London, UK
2005 | The Elegance of Silence, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
2004 | Beyond Boundaries, Shanghai Gallery of Art, Shanghai, China
2004 | Sightseeing from Beijing: Exchange Exhibition with Central Academy of Fine Arts, Sydney College of Arts and University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
2003 | Blue Sky Unguarded, Yizhuang, Beijing, China
2003 | Dreams and Conflicts – The Dictatorship of the Viewer, Synthi-Scapes: Chinese Pavilion, 50th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy
2002 | The Long March – A Walking Visual Display, Ruijin, Jiangxi/ Xichang Satellite Launch Center, Xichang, China
2002 | Chinese Contemporary Art Touring Exhibition, Museum Küppersmühle, Duisburg, Germany
2001 | Hot Pot: Chinese Contemporary Art, Kunstnemes Hus, Oslo, Norway
2001 | New Starting Point, Art Gas Station, Beijing, China
2001 | Cross Crossing, Modern Art Gallery, Chengdu, China
2001 | Dream: Contemporary Art of China, Atlantic Fine Art, London, UK
2000 | Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Sculpture from China, Qingdao Sculpture Museum, Qingdao, China
2000 | Oriental Plaza Selected Contemporary Sculpture from China, Oriental Plaza, Beijing, China
1999 | Cities on the Move, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Copenhagen, Denmark; Hayward Gallery, London, UK; Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland
1998 | Signs of Life: Group Exhibition of Modern Chinese Art, Modern Art Studio, Beijing, China
1998 | Cities on the Move, Museum of Contemporary Art, Bordeaux, France; P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, New York, USA
1998 | Autonomous Action – New Chinese Art on Video, Art Space, Auckland, New Zealand
1997 | Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Watari-um Museum, Tokyo, Japan
1997 | Eternal Memory – Nanshan Sculpture Exhibition, Nanshan Sculpture Institute, Shenzhen, China
1997 | Cities on the Move – Asian Contemporary Art (Touring Exhibition 1997 –1999) China
1996 | TEDA International Sculpture Competition, Tianjin, China
1996 | The First Exhibition in Mountain-Forest Sculpture Park, Huairou, Beijing, China
1995 | 45 Degrees as a Reason, Art Exchange, Hangzhou/ Shanghai/ Beijing, China
1995 | Development Plan, Triplicate Studio 1st Exhibition, remains of the original Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China
1995 | Women·Site, Triplicate Studio 2nd Exhibition, Contemporary Art Gallery, Beijing, China
1994 | Cleaning Ruins Project, Wang Fujing, Beijing, China
1994 | Second National Urban Sculpture Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
1994 | Agree to 11/26 as a Reason, Art Exchange, Hangzhou/Shanghai/Beijing, China
1993 | Taiwan – Beijing Two Sides of the Strait, Sculpture Exchange, Kaohsiung Art Gallery, Taiwan; Yan Huang Art Museum, Beijing, China
1992 | 20th Century China, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
1992 | Contemporary Youth Sculptor Invitation Exhibition, Gallery of Zhejiang Academy of Fine Arts, Zhejiang, China
1991 | New Generation Art Exhibition, Chinese History Museum, Beijing, China
1990 | The First Studio Art Exhibition, CAFA Gallery, Beijing, China
1987 | Art Academy Student Work Exhibition, Museum of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing, China
1986 | Beijing Youth Art Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
Yuyu Yang, also known as Yang Ying-feng, was born in Ilan County, Taiwan, in 1926. Yang received his education from the Tokyo Academy of Fine Arts (now National Tokyo University of Art), Fu Jen Catholic University in Peiping (Beijing today) and the National Taiwan Normal University Fine Arts Department. In the 1960s, he conducted research studies in sculpture at the University of Rome and the National Institute of Design and Mint in the Eternal City. Yang lectured at the National Academy of Arts, Tamkang University and Minchuan College and published more than 20 titles on art. His lifetime career in the arts produced more than a thousand works, ranging from prints, sculpture, laser art, to landscaping and architectural designs, many of which were award winning. Yang was a teacher and mentor to Master sculptor Ju Ming, the Taiwanese artist renowned for his Taichi Series and Living World Series.
Yuyu Yang’s love for nature dates back to his days as a boy in picturesque Ilan where he grew up amidst lush mountains and rivers. With an interest in architecture and 3D-making, he studied the relationship between building materials and environmental science with regional climate and human living environments. In Beijing during his university days, Yang learnt taichi and visited the Yungang Buddhist grottoes, constantly eager to imbibe the essence of Chinese culture.
Three years sojourn in Rome in the 1960’s gave Yang a greater understanding of Western art history and aesthetics, and an appreciation for the differences between the East and the West, historically, culturally and artistically. From 1964–66, Yang actively took part in many exhibitions across different cities in Italy, including Legano, Turin, Rome, Messina, Spa and Venice. One of the notable exhibitions was in 1994, where he participated in a group show titled “Contemporary Chinese Art Exhibition” at the Modern Art Museum in Rome. In 1966, he was awarded a prize for sculpture and painting at the “Olympics of Art and Culture” event in Abano Terme, Italy.
From 1968 to early 1980s, he continued to exhibit extensively overseas including Tokyo, Osaka, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, New York and Seattle. This work “Mirror of the Soul” was displayed at the 2nd Modern International Sculpture Museum in Hakone, Japan.
Upon his return to Taiwan, he cast his focus on the Chinese philosophy of “unity between man and heaven” with its emphasis on man and harmony, co-existence with the natural world. In the 1970s, he worked in a local marble factory and started a series of innovative works called “Lifescape Sculpture”, wherein “life” is the external form of sculpture that must interact with the outside natural environment. Working primarily in stainless steel, Yang favours the smooth, flawless quality of these mirror-like surfaces that lends his sculpture to sit well within the environment. The natural balance or juxtaposition of the natural world and his sculptures has become a central theme or philosophy in his life’s work.
From the mid 1980s to early 1990s, Yang created a few notable public art projects for museums and corporations, some key international examples include the Union Bank of Singapore, Peking Olympic Sports Centre in China and the Sunrider Museum in Los Angeles, USA. In Taiwan, his work has been acquired and installed by Taipei Fine Arts Museum, International Convention Centre in Taipei, Taipei Bank, Kaohsiung World Trade Building, Tinan County Stadium and National Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. During this time, Yang continued to participate in group exhibitions internationally including the National Museum in Singapore, in Paris, Japan, New York and New Jersey.
In 1993, he enjoyed a retrospective exhibition “Yuyu Yang 60-year Retrospective Exhibition” at the Taiwan Museum of Art in Taichung. In 1995, he was the first international Fellow of the Royal Society of British Sculptors. Subsequently in (1996), he was invited by the Royal Society of British Sculptors to hold a six-month special exhibition at Chelsea Harbour, London, U.K.
In 1997, the year before he passed away, Yang completed a public art commission for the Yilan County Government in Taiwan and Hakone Open-Air Museum in Japan organised a solo exhibition titled “Lifescape Sculpture of Yuyu Yang”.
In 1998, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Library celebrated his life’s work by organising an exhibition called “Sculpturing Time and Space – Yuyu Yang (1927 – 1997). Yang died in Hsinchu, Taiwan in 1997.
Born in 1961, Baet Yeok Kuan graduated with a Diploma in Fine Art (Painting) from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1987 and received his MA in Fine Art from the University of Central England, Birmingham in 1992. In 1995, Baet was conferred the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council Singapore.
He represented Singapore in several international symposiums including the New Generation Contemporary Singapore Art Exhibition and Symposium, Japan (1990) and Second ASEAN Artist Creative Interaction, Indonesia (1997), Singapore-India Artists Exchange Programme, India (1999) and Artist-in-Residence in University of Philippines (2003).
Baet has won several awards such as the Grand Prize of the UOB Painting of the Year Competition (1987), Second Prize in the Contemporary Art Competition (Sculpture), Area Prize and Judge Prize in the Third Tokyo Urbanart Competition (1994). He was President of the Modern Art Society Singapore from 2003 to 2004.
Baet has completed many local public art projects to date including Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 3, the National Museum and the National Library Board to name a few. He recently completed a site-specific installation “24 Hours in Singapore” on the Asian Civilisations Museum lawn, in commemoration of SG50, an inaugural commission by the Public Art Trust.
To date, Beat’s works have been collected by museums and notable private collections, some notable ones include Fukuoka Art Museum in Japan, National Museum of Singapore, National Arts Council, National Art Museum, NUS Museum, St. Regis Hotel and Mapletree business city.
Education
1992 | M.A. Fine Art (Sculpture) University of Central England in Birmingham, UK
1988 | Diploma in Fine Arts (Painting) Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2002 | “Dilation ” Sculpture Square, Singapore
1998 | INFLAMED, Sculpture and Drawing, Art Forum Gallery, Singapore
1994 | Sculptures and Installations, Commonwealth Institute Today Gallery, London, UK
1993 | ‘Untitled 91-92, Sculptures and Installations’, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore
1988 | One Man Show, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
2017 | Juxtaposition – An Exhibition by Baet Yeok Kuan & Chng Nai Wee, iPreciation Gallery, Singapore
2013 | Made in Singapore -Three Quarters of a Century, Nafa Gallery,Singapore
2011 | Site-specific work – Sculpture in the Park, SSS Sculpture Pavilion, Singapore
2009 | The Call of Tradition Singapore Art Show 2009 National Art Council – NAC, FASS, Singapore
2006 | 21st Asia International Art Exhibition,Singapore Art Museum
2005 | 20th Asia International Art Exhibition, Ayala Museum, Philippines
2003 | 18th Asia International Art Exhibition, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong
1997 | International Sculpture Exhibition Quebec, Canada
1992 | Fresh Art Show, The Business Design Centre, London, UK
1990 | New Generation in Contemporary Singaporean Art’, Two Artists Show, The Japan Foundation ASEAN Culture Centre Tokyo, Hitachi, Japan 1987 | Salon Des Singaporains, Grand Palaris, Paris, France
1984 | National Day Art Exhibition, National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore
Awards
1995 | Young Artist Award, National Arts Council, Singapore
1994 | Area Prize and Judge Prize, The Third Tokyo Urbanart Competition 1994, Parco, Singapore, Tokyo, Japan
Born in Shanghai in 1955, Gu Wenda graduated from Shanghai School of Arts in 1976. In 1981, he received his MFA from the China Academy of Arts where he studied classical landscape painting and continued to teach in his alma mater from 1981–87. Later in the same year in 1987, Gu moved to the USA to study at The Academy of Art College, San Francisco and started his life as an independent artist. To date, he has participated in numerous international solo exhibitions and prestigious platforms such as biennales and art fairs across the world. Gu’s work has been included and referenced in many publications and recent art history books. He currently lives and works between Shanghai and New York.
Gu’s international artistic career took off since he moved to the United States in 1987. Over the last twenty-seven years, he has been actively and extensively taking part in numerous exhibitions worldwide, including prestigious biennales, international festivals (Brussels, Los Angeles, the Hague), site-specific commissions and installations in various indoor and outdoor settings within museums, universities, corporate and private spaces.
Gu Wenda is widely recognised for his conceptual and formal alterations of Chinese character to create fake and miswritten symbols to create large scale ink paintings, installations and performances; sometimes using ink made from natural human hair. Gu’s work represents a new form of mysticism, with his installations as the temples where these mysteries can be contemplated. Gu’s artistic practice attempts to extend the boundaries of human perception, feeling, thought and expression of humanity’s deepest wishes and most powerful dreams.
Since 1981, Gu has participated in numerous international solo and group exhibitions and biennales. The countries and regions that have shown his work include China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Malaria, Israel, Australia, Germany, Norway, France, Russia, the Netherlands, Italy, Britain, Mexico, Switzerland, Sweden, south Africa, Poland, Brazil, Canada, Turkey, Chile, Denmark, Belgium, Croatia, Romania, Hungary, Argentina and the United States. He has also been invited to lecture at various art academies, universities and institutions worldwide, including San Francisco Art Institute; Maine College of Art; Art Institute of Chicago; School of Visual Art, New York; Stanford University; Harvard University; Yale University; Cornell University; University of Chicago; Oslo National College of the Arts, Norway; Royal University College of Fine Arts, Sweden; Minneapolis College of Art and Design; York University, Toronto; National Gallery of Australia; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and among others.
Gu Wenda was an associate professor of studio art at the University of Minnesota from 1989 to 1990 and received the title of Honorary Minnesotan from the Governor of Minnesota. In 2000, Gu became a candidate for an honorary doctorate from the Maine College of Art. He is a guest artist and adjunct faculty member of Cooper Union in New York, a panel member of the international artists residence of PS1 Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1995, a panel member of the student scholarship committee of the Chicago Art Institute in 1998, and a jurist for the Macao Arts Festival for the application of United Nations world heritage in 2003.
Gu’s work is widely collected by many international museums and public institutions, some notable ones in Asia include Shanghai Museum of Art, China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, National Museum of Art in Beijing, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Fukuoka Art Museum Japan. In Europe, they include the British Museum, Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, Royal Hapsburg Collection Germany, Origo Foundation in Switzerland, Olenska Foundation in Geneva, the Uli Sigg Collection in Geneva; in the USA, they include San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, Asian Art Museum San Francisco, Museum of Modern Art New York, Guggenheim Museum New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, Denver Museum of Art, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Seattle Art Museum, University of Princeton and the Smith College Museum of Art.
Education
1976 | Shanghai School of Arts And Crafts, Shanghai, China
1981 | MFA National Academy of Arts, Hangzhou and Shanghai, China
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2017 | Gu Wenda: Journey to the West, Shanghai 21st Century Minsheng Art Museum (M21), Shanghai, China
2014 | Gu Wenda, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong
2010 | He Xiangning Museum, Nanshan, Shenzhen, China OCAT Contemporary Art Terminal, Shenzhen, China
2006 | Jiang Su Museum, Nanjing, China / He Xiangning Art Museum, Shenzhen, China / Elaine L Jacob Art Gallery, Wayne State University / Detroit, MI Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong / Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York / NY Denver Art Museum, Denver, CO / Palazzo Ducale, Genoa, Italy / California State University, Fullerton, CA China Institute, New York, NY
2004 | Forest of Stone Steles: Retranslation & Rewriting Tang Poetry, Hong Kong Performing Arts Center, Asia Cultural Cooperation Forum, Hong Kong / Wenda Gu: Middle Kingdom To Biological Millennium, Institute Of Contemporary Art At Maine College of Art, Maine, USA, Bates College, Maine, USA / Wenda Gu’s Wedding Life #6, An Art Performance, Bates College, Maine, USA / Wenda Gu’s Phrase Neon Project ‘Fu Lai Jia Mo’, Salvatore Ferragamo, New York, USA
2003 | Wenda Gu: From Middle Kingdom To Biological Millennium, University of North Texas, USA, Kansas Art Institute, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
2001 | Translation & Intersection: Wenda Gu’s New Installations, National Gallery Of Australia, Canberra, Australia / Tug of War, An Art Performance, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia / Wenda Gu’s Wedding Life: Germany, An Art Performance, The House of World Cultures, Berlin, Germany
2000 | United Nations: Great Wall Of The Millennium, New York State University, Buffalo, New York / Wenda Gu’s Wedding Life: Hong Kong, An Art Performance Hong Kong Museum Of Art, Hong Kong
1999 | United Nations: Babel Of The Millennium, San Francisco Museum of ModernArt, San Francisco, CA / Wenda Gu’s Wedding Life: America, An Art Performance, Asian Art Museum Of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
1998 | United Nations-Vancouver Monument: The Metamorphosis, Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery, The University Of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada / Confucius Diary, An Art Performance, Downtown Vancouver, Canada
1997 | United Nations-Hong Kong Monument: The Historical Clash, Made for Hong Kong Handover 1997, Hanart Gallery, Hong Kong
1996 | United Nations-Us Monument #2: Dreamerica Steinbaum, Krauss Gallery, New York, NY / United Nations-Britain Monumnet: The Maze, Angel Row Gallery, Nottingham, Camerawork, London, UK
1995 | Enigma Beyond Joy & Sin, Alternative Museum, New York, NY / United Nations-Us Monument #1: Post- Cmoellotniinaglpiostm, Space Untitled Gallery, New York, NY / The Enigma Of Blood, Khan Gallery, New York, NY
1994 | Enigma Beyond Joy & Sin, The University of Rhode Island, RI, Berlin Shafire Gallery, New York, NY / United Nations-Italy Monument: God & Children, Enrico Gariboldi Arte Contemporanea, Milan, Italy
1993 | The Mythos Of Lost Dynasties, Hanart Gallery, Hong Kong
1992 | Enrico Gariboldi Arte Contemporanea, Milan, Italy Wallace Anderson Gallery, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA
1990 | Two Thousand National Deaths, Hatley Martin Gallery, San Francisco, CA
1987 | University Art Gallery, York University, Toronto, Canada, Vangtze Art Gallery, Toronto, Canada
1986 | Artist Gallery, Xi’an, China
Selected Group Exhibitions
2020 | Shanghai Waves: Historical Archives and Works of Shanghai Biennale, Shanghai, China / The Allure of Matter: Material Art from China, Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL / A Botanical Garden at Hanart, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, New York, NY
2018 | Fuck Off Generation: Chinese Art in The Post-Mao Era Part II: Ethan Cohen Gallery, New York, NY / Turning Point – 40 Years of Chinese Contemporary Art, Long Museum, Shanghai, China / Clouds Stretching for a Thousand Miles” Ink in Asian Art, Asia Society and Museum, New York, NY
2017 | Art and China after 1989: Theater of the World, Guggenheim, New York, NY / Thinking Ink: Improvisations on Cultural Criteria, Gajah Gallery, Singapore
2016 | ShanShui Within, Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai, China Envision” Sculptures @the Garden City, Singapore
2015 | Art Basel in Hong Kong 2015, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong, New Ways of Seeing: Beyond Culture, Dorsky Gallery, Long Island City, NY
2014 | Art Basel in Hong Kong 2014, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong Flow: Ink Innovators, Ethan Cohen Gallery, New York, NY
2013 | Ink Art: Past as Present in Contemporary China, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY / Gu Wenda: Central Park, Chambers Fine Art, New York, NY Don’t Be Shy, Don’t Hold Back, SF MoMA, San Francisco, CA / Ink Performances, Iris &. B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts at Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
2011 | Su Zhiguang: Drift, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) Beijing, Beijing, China
2010 | Calligraffiti: Writing in Contemporary Chinese and Latino Art, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA
2009 | Recompositions, Xin Dong Cheng Space for Contemporary Art, Beijing, China / Asian Ink Masters, Ethan Cohen Gallery, New York, NY
2004 | Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition At National Gallery Of Malaysia Contemporary Chinese Painting, Art Museum, Wooster College, Wooster, OH / Contemporary Chinese Painting, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH
2003 | United Nations World Heritage, Macau Tower, Macau / Radical Line, Fine Arts Galleries, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH / United Nations World Heritage, Nanjing Museum Of Art, China, National Gallery, Beijing, China
2002 | New Way Of Tea, Asia Society And Museum, New York, NY / The Nomad Trilogy: Tea, A Stage Design For Yin Mei’s Solo, Dance, Asia Society, New York, NY
2001 | Power Of Word, Emerson Gallery, Hamilton College, Clinton, New York / 20 Years Of China Contemporary Ink Paintings, Guangdong Art Museum, Guangzhou, China / Words Vs. Meaning, University of Ohio, Athens, OH
2000 | United Nations: Great Wall Of The Millennium, New York State University, Buffalo, NY / Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, UK / Power Of The Word, Faulconer Gallery, Grinnell College, Grinnell IA / Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan / Conceptualist Art: Points Of Origin 1950s-1980s, Miami Art Museum, Miami, FL
1999 | Biennale Of Asian Contemporary Art, Museum Of Contemporary Art, Genova, Italy / Power Of Word, Taiwan Museum Of Art, Taichung, Taiwan / South East Asia Letter Art, Seoul Arts Center, Seoul, Korea / Conceptualist Art: Points Of Origin 1950s-1980s, Queens Museum Of Arts, Queens, New York, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN
1998 | Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York, NY / First Shenzhen Ink Painting Biennale, Guanshanyui Art Museum, Shenzhen, China / Art Beatus Gallery, Vancouver, Canada / Asian American Artists: Cross-Cultural Voices, University Art Gallery Staller Center For The Arts, State University Of New York, Stony Brook, NY
1996 | Interpol, Center For Contemporary Art & Architecture, Brooklyn, NY Contemporary Art Center Of Moscow, Stockholm, Sweden / Scratch, Thread Waxing Space, New York, NY
1995 | New Art In China, Vancouver Art Gallery, Vancouver, Canada / Twentieth Century Chinese Painting: Tradition & Innovation, Hong Kong Museum Of Art, Hong Kong / Steinbaum Krauss Gallery, New York, NY / 5th Construction In Process, Mitzpe Ramon Desert, Israel
1994 | New Art In China, Art Gallery Of Western Australia, Perth, Australia / Heart Of Darkness, The Kroller-Muller Museum, The Netherlands / Art Omi, New York, Ghent, NY
1993 | Silent Energy, Modern Art Museum, Oxford, UK / Fragmented Memory, Wexner Center For The Arts, Columbus, OH / Mao Goes Pop, Museum Of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia
1991 | New York Diary-25 Different Things, MoMAPs1 Museum, Long Island City, New York / Vanishing 36 Pigment Golden Sections, A Permanent Land Art, Museum City Project, Fukuoka, Japan / Exceptional Passage-China Contemporary Art, Art Gallery, Altium, Fukuoka, Japan
1990 | De-, A Permanent Land Art Project, France
1989 | No U Turn-China Avant-Garde, China National Art Museum, Beijing, China / Blackness, Hanart Gallery, Hong Kong / Blackness, Hanart Gallery, Taipei, Taiwan / Neo-Tradition, National Museum of Decorative Arts/Nordenfjeldske Kunstindustrimuseum, Trondheim, Norway / 9th Annual Birren, Stamford Art Association (SAA) Gallery, Stamford, CT
1988 | Scripta Manent, La Gleris Dea Arts Lavalin, Montreal, Canada 13th International Biennale Tapestry, Musee Cantonal Des Beaus- Arts, Lausanne, Switzerland
1985 | Selected Contemporary Ink Painting From China, Japan National Art Exhibition Of Sports, China National Art Museum, Beijing, China / Neo-Ink Painting Invitational Of China, Wuhan Exhibition Center, Wuhan, China
1979 | Shanghai Art Exhibition, Shanghai Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Awards
2004 | “Wenda Gu – Art From the Middle Kingdom To Biological Millennium” Won the Publications Second Award Of The American Museum Association, USA / “Wenda Gu – Art From the Middle Kingdom To Biological Millennium” Won The Publications Design Award Of The New England Museum Association, USA / The Award Of Art Document Magazine, China
1997 | Grant of The Pollack-Krasner Foundation, New York City, USA
1987 | The Canada Council For Visiting Foreign Artists, Toronto, Canada / Excellent Writing, Art Trend, China / Second Prize of Calligraphy & Seal Carving, China National Museum Art Museum, Beijing, China
1986 | Excellent Work, 6th National Art Exhibition of China, China National Art Museum, Beijing, China
1985 | Second Prize of China National Art Exhibition of Sports, China National Art Museum, Beijing, China
“Tian Xiang 天象” is part of an important series of work (Forest of Stones Steles – Story of Solar Calendar) that took the artist over 20 years to realise. This work is an installation of 24 ‘ru’ rocks in different shapes and sizes. These huge pieces of natural rocks come from the bottom of the sea; billions of year old lime-stones corroded by the sea water and mounted by fossilized aquatic specimens. The rocks are named ‘ru’ as a reference to the Shandong province which is known as the birthplace of Confucianism. Each rock is inscribed on top and all around with a simplified stroke of a Chinese calligraphic character that references Chinese solar terms. Inspired by philosophical theories and stories of our celestial universe, Gu Wenda sets out to bring man and nature closer together. Creating a ‘rock forest’ with this dynamic installation of 24 large rocks, one has the opportunity to experience, immerse and get up close to these significant relics and artefacts, a product of nature’s powerful forces. Gu started thinking and planning this project sometime in 1993, with the idea to create 50 stone steles. It has taken him more than 20 years for the project to come to fruition.
Ling Ting 2 (in Mandarin hanyu pinyin, means ‘Listening’) is an interactive sound sculpture that encourages participation and contemplation from its audience. The shape of the steel structure appears to be unusual forms of the tuba, French horn or listening instruments where the curved lines and organic form creates a sense of curiosity for the viewer, inviting one to come up close to interact with it. Many city-dwellers have become too busy listen to listen; this playful work was conceptualized by the artist to create a conducive space to inspire an act of listening. The act of listening becomes a major component of this creative experience, offering its participator a space for isolation and critical reflection. In March 2015, Ling Ting 2 premiered on the steps of the Grand Palais in Paris, during the Art Paris Art Fair and was featured in the International New York Times.
Gao Xingjian was featured in World Journal (the largest Chinese language newspaper both print and digital in the USA) on the occasion when iPreciation took part in Art Silicon Valley from 8th – 11th October 2015.
iPreciation in collaboration with Wharf Properties is proud to present Ju Ming Living World Series – Traveling Exhibition in China.
Exhibition Timeline:
Shanghai Times Square and Shanghai Wheelock Square 2nd Nov – 30th Nov 2015
This year, a selection of sculptures from Ju Ming’s Living World series embarked on a year-long travelling exhibition across 4 cities in China: Chengdu, Chongqing, Dalian and Shanghai. Working in close partnership with Wharf Properties, this initiative marks the first time that Ju Ming’s works are presented in a commercial environment in China, as in the past Ju Ming has enjoyed numerous museum exhibitions. The next and final city stop will be at Shanghai’s Times Square and Wheelock Square. For the last installation, the public art exhibition will present works from the artist’s Living World Series – Swimming, Skirt Story, Shopping, Resting and Treasure.
Chengdu IFS / Chongqing Times Square / Dalian Times Square Opening Photos
Lining Up, 10 bronze sculptures, life size
Lining Up, 10 bronze sculptures, life size (from behind)
Rest, 2002, Bronze, 249x110x127 cm
Treasure, Bronze, 130x217x168 cm
Swimming, 2009, Stainless Steel, 145.2×66.2×62.8 cm
Swimming, 2008, Stainless Steel, 48.8×89.5×31.4 cm
Swimming, 2009, Stainless Steel, 57.4x65x45.6 cm
Parachute, 6 Bronze sculptures
Shopping, Bronze, L 58x104x165.5 cm, R 98.5×57.5×166 cm
Parachute & Swimming sculptures
Skirt Story, Bronze, 2006
Skirt Story, Broze, 95.8×53.5x40cm
For more information on the project, please contact us at:
Born in 1950 in Baia Mare, Romania, Delia Prvacki has been a full time artist since 1992. She studied at Institute of Fine Arts, Bucharest between 1970 and 1975 where she earned a Master Degree in Applied Arts/Ceramics.
Delia grew up in a family with strong affinity for art, her father was a poet and her mother and siblings inherited love for fine arts and music. She started experimenting with clay and in 1975 she moved to ex-Yugoslavia, where she lived and worked for the next 17 years, broadly recognised and appreciated as a professional ceramicist. In 1992, together with husband and artist, Milenko Prvacki and daughter Ana, Delia emigrated to Singapore, becoming a Singapore citizen in 2002.
Delia’s body of work since early ‘80s has been focused on establishing a new vocabulary and significance for the sculptural medium generated by available technologies and endless modalities of expression in ceramics, often experimenting with mixed techniques and strongly influenced by her passion for other forms of arts and archaeology as well. Since moving to South East Asia, the experience of a radically different natural (tropical vegetation, light, weather) and cultural environment (particularly the need to respond to the dilemmas posed by modern urban society) has generated and inspired new subject matters. These experiences have also reaffirmed her choice to work predominantly with a range of ceramic material and re-examine its potential.
Since 1995, in parallel to her independent practice, Delia has successfully completed numerous public projects for private and government clients such as leading hotel and lifestyle developments in Asia, National University of Singapore, Dhoby Ghaut MRT and LTA. Her monumental murals and colourful ceramic mosaics are a testament to her unique vision and singular interpretation of mural work and integrated forms in urban and natural environment. Delia has also been collected by several museums in Yugoslavia, Singapore and many private collections in Singapore, Romania, Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Australia and the USA.
1998 | Annual Exhibition, Art Forum Gallery, Singapore
1998 | Look, Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore
1969 | Five Brothers iliesiu, Theater Comedia, Bucharest, Romania
Selected Public Works
2015 | Marina South Pier MRT Station
2005 | Odyssey, National University of Singapore, Singapore
2011 | Art of Healing, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore
1997 | Suspended Garden, Grand Plaza Hotel, Singapore
1996 | Murals, Sedona Hotel (Lobby and Reception Counter), Rangoon, Myanmar
1979 | Portal, Memorial Home of Mihailo Pupin Idvor, Yugoslavia
Awards
1989 | Special Award and Critics Award, The Yugoslav Triennial of Ceramics Belgrade and Subotica, Yugoslavia
1988 | Award of the Belgrade October Salon, Yugoslavia
1987 | Award of the Pancevo October Salon, Yugoslavia
1985 | Award of the Pancevo October Salon, Yugoslavia
1983 | Special Award and Critics Award, The Yugoslav Triennial of Ceramics Belgrade and Subotica, Yugoslavia
1981 | Annual Art Award, The Serbian Association of Applied Artists, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
1982 | Grand Prize at the May Exhibition, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
1982 | Plaque of the Association of Artists, October Salon, Yugoslavia
Selected Permanent Collections
NUS Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore
NTU Museum, Experimental Medicine Building, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Singapore Management University, Singapore
Museum of Modern Art, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Museum of Decorative Art, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Marble and Sounds Symposium-Collection, Arandjelovac, Yugoslavia
Museum of Ceramics, Porvoo-Borgaa, Finland
Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
And many other private collections in Singapore, Romania, Yugoslavia, Slovenia, Australia and the United States. For full list of exhibitions, public works, awards and collections, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Born in 1962, artist Lim Soo Ngee is currently senior lecturer at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore. He earned a Diploma in Fine Art (Sculpture) from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1989 before continuing to pursue a Master of Fine Arts (Sculpture) from Edinburgh College of Art in 1997. Lim’s approach to sculpture is immensely intimate, musing over the different relationships between humanity, the environment and society. As such, his works usually present themselves as whimsical narratives that offer a commentary on the human condition.
Lim Soo Ngee has represented Singapore in numerous exhibitions both locally and internationally, and is a regular contributor to many international sculpture symposiums, such as the inaugural International Woodcarving Symposium, Singapore in 2007 and the Hong Kong International Sculpture Symposium 2009. His work was featured in the International Sculpture symposium of the 11th Asian Art Festival and is in the permanent collection of the Asian Sculpture Theme Park, Inner Mongolia, China.
His works are in the collection of the Singapore National Art Gallery, Esplanade Singapore, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Singapore, Ngee Ann Kongsi Singapore, and other local and international private collections.
Education
1997 | MFA in Sculpture, Edinburgh College of Art – Heriot-Watt University, UK
1989| Diploma in Fine Art (Sculpture), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2018 | Ritual · In Progress, iPreciation, Singapore
Chiew graduated from NAFA in 1989 majoring in painting and obtained both his Bachelor of Fine Art and Master of Fine Art at the University of Tasmania. In 1992, he was awarded the Highly Recommended Prize in the Australian Bicentennial Art Award of Young Artists (Painting). The following year, he attained First prize in the 3D category at the Phillippe Charriol Foundation Contemporary Art Competition (Sculpture). His artistic research interest is pertaining to Painting & drawing ( ) Machine – re-examining traditional aesthetics through the use of materials, be it found objects, recycled, experimental or conventional.
Chiew’s drawings and paintings are personal commentaries on the issues of modernity and rapid urbanisation that affect people’s sense of being, creating altered states of mind. His work is preoccupied with issues of environmentalism, renewal, loss of urban spaces, economic progress and technological development that have inevitably influenced and changed people’s sense of reality. Chiew’s paintings reflection of subconscious minds that are in constant flux, reacting to these changes around us. With broad confident strokes, Chiew draws and paints exuberantly on paper, demonstrating a unique sense of freedom and free-spiritedness in his style of painting. His sculptures are characterised by the use of found objects sourced over a period of time sometimes 10 – 15 years. By formalising the accidental, he probes into the subconscious mind enticing the viewer to re-think and re-examine the subject matter in the work. The seemingly random assemblage of materials may not seem finished, it is constantly a work in progress.
Educational Qualifications
2007-2008 | Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDHE), Nanyang Technological University, National Institute of Education, Singapore.
2005-2006 | MFAD, University of Tasmania, Launceston
1994 | BFA, University of Tasmania. Hobart
1986-1989 | Diploma in Fine Art, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.
Academic and Administrative Experience
2022-2023 | NAFA Adjunct Lecturer
2010-2023 | UniSim/SUSS GSP157 – Western Painting (Oil) Project Lecturer
1989-2022 | NAFA Full-Time lecturer
2015-2018 | Diploma Programme Leader
2007-2014 | Deputy Head of Department of Fine Art
1999 – Current | Member, FA Curriculum Development Advisory Committee, NAFA
1999 | Deputy Head of Fine Art Department
1995 – Current | Member, FA Departmental Curriculum Development Committee, NAFA
1995-1998 | Acting Head of Fine Art Department
Teaching/Research Interests
Painting, Drawing & Sculpture.
Consultative Service
2009-10 | Youth Olympic Village Art Installation
2008 | World Toilet Art, World Toilet Summit by World Toilet Organization
2004 | Judge for Uniliver International Schools Art Project 2004, Singapore
2003 | Judge, Scarecrow Making Competition “Go green, ok, party” (Environment Day 2003) Chinese Garden , organised by Taman Jurong CCC, with South-West CDC and Town Council.
1999 | Representative, NAFA Fine Art Student Art Exhibition at Cultural Centre of the Arts Lima, Peru
1993 | Representative, The 7th Asian-Pacific Conference on Arts Education
Recent Research and Select Publications
2023 | “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”, 27 Oct – 21 Nov 2023, 7879 Gallery and Clayworks
2022 | National Taiwan University of Arts Department of Sculpture 11th Shoesbox Sculpture Exhibition, Taiwan. / Visual Thinking: Sense of Knowing Catalogue, Curated by Dr Wang Ruobing
2021 | Artist as Collector Catalogue presented by Comma Space
2019 | Solo Exhibition Catalogue -Soul Yield
2014 | SingaPlura, Celebrating Design2014, Dhoby Ghaut Green
2013 | Art Apart Fair 2013, Parkroyal on Pickering.
2012 | 8th Ngee Ann 3D Art Exhibition, Construct Elements
2011 | VISIONS OF LIGHTNESS, ION Art Gallery
2010 | EXCAVATION – Ten Singapore Artists, The Art Studio @ Old School.
2006 | Flight 06, University of Tasmania, Launceston / Withdrawing, NAFA, Singapore
2000 | Young Contemporary Artists in Singapore
Exhibitions
2023 | Shoebox Sculpture Biennale 2023, Singapore
2021 | Artist as Collector presented by Comma Space, Gillman Barracks curated by Dr Wang Ruobing / Chiew Sien Kuan Solo Exhibition, The Little Love Story of Singapore, Esplanade Tunnel, Singapore
2019 | Chiew Sien Kuan Solo Exhibition, Soul Yield, NAFA Galleries, LHT, Singapore
2018 | Group Exhibition – ‘Motionless Boundary’, Da Xin Art Museum, Tainan, Taiwan, 07 July – 12 August 2018 / Group Exhibition – ‘Motionless Boundary’, Element Art Space, Singapore, 07 July – 12 August 2018 / Painters, Nakata Private Museum, Onomichi, Japan / Moving Mountains, Artsembly, Esplanade Mall, Singapore
2017 | Vol.3 | DR/OP: Beyond Boundaries, 17 August-27August 2017, Block B, #03-18 & #04-10 Goodman Arts Centre, Singapore / When Space Dissolves into Luminosity; Where Flowers Bloom Amidst Rocks, ipreciation Gallery, Singapore
2016 | Through the Year, Group Show, New Treasure Art Gallery, Burma / Drop-connect Art Exhibition, Japan
2014 | NOTHING IN COMMON Art Exhibition, ION Art Gallery / 6767 Draw Bridge, NAFA Galleries 1 & 2, / SingaPlura,Celebrating Design 2014,Dhoby Ghaut Green
2013 | ASIAN CONTEMPORARY SCULPTORS, Guangzhou, / Art Apart Fair 2013, Parkroyal on Pickering.
2012 | 8th Ngee Ann 3D Art Exhibition, Construct Elements
2011 | VISIONS OF LIGHTNESS, Pipal Fine Art, KL/ VISIONS OF LIGHTNESS, ION Art Gallery
2010 | NAFA-LASALLE fine art staff show 2010, NAFA / EXCAVATION – Ten Singapore Artists, The Art Studio @ Old School.
2009 | Ngee Ann 3D Art Exhibition – Form and Reform, Ngee Ann Cultural Centre / 4th CDL Singapore Sculpture Award Show, SAM / Warm Machines, Esplanade Concourse Space
2007 | Escape Clause, NAFA Gallery 2
2006 | Space Envisaged: 7 Propositions, Public Art Space, Pan Pacific Singapore / Withdrawing, NAFA Gallery 2 / Flight 06, Academy Gallery, University of Tasmania, Australia
2004 | “In The Flesh…The Nude in Contemporary Art”, NAFA Selegie Gallery / Ngee Ann 3D Art Exhibition, Ngee Ann Cultural Centre
2003 | International Snow Sculpting Event of the Quebec Carnival, Canada / Hopea Sangal Tree Sculpture Symposium, Singapore
2002 | “The Abstraction” Art Exhibition, NAFA Selegie Gallery.
2000 | “Five Colors”-Group Exhibition, Paragon Art Gallery. / “Just Five” – Group Exhibition, Artfolio SPACE. Singapore / “AD2000” – Staff Art Exhibition, Selegie Gallery
1999 | The “NAFA Staff Art Exhibition”, Art Festival’99. NAFA Selegie Art Gallery
1998 | International Plein Air Painting Workshop in Plovdiv. Bulgaria.
1995 | “The Philip Morris” Group of Companies Art Exhibition. Singapore / “A Slice of Life” Group Exhibition. Entrepot Art Gallery Centre for the Arts, Hobart, Tasmania.
1992 | Painting of the Year Competition and Exhibition. / “Three Phrases of Sky” Three Man Exhibition. / International Art Workshop’92 Antalya, Turkey. / The “Six Field” Six Men Show, Empire Place Art Gallery, Singapore.
1991 | Painting of the Year Competition and Exhibition.
1990 | NAFA Lecturer, Art Exhibition Thailand, Singapore.
1988 | Singapore-Philippines Contemporary Printmaking Exhibition National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore. / Ministry of Communication and Information Art Competition and Exhibition. / Artist Village Drawing Show, Singapore. / “Initiato” Art Exhibition, Goethe-Institute, Singapore. / IBM Art Award Exhibition.
April Ng, born in 1963, received her Diploma in Fine Art from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1989 and graduated with a Master in Fine Arts (Printmaking) from The Slade School of Fine Art (UCL), UK, in 1993. She was a part-time lecturer at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts and is currently teaching at National Institute of Education.
April approaches her artistic practice with the same life philosophy – to live and to achieve simplicity. With over twenty-five years’ experience in print-making, April is a master of print-making techniques, constantly exploring new directions and applications. Inspired by nature and its organic forms, April seeks to capture and distil the qualities of flora and fauna.
The rich and laborious process of print-making is evident in April’s work, through this particular series that plays on the idea of a simplified ‘still-life’ picture. The works are carefully composed arrangements of lines, dots, forms with blocks of colour, resulting in a beautiful visual simplicity. The background is sparse, white and unadorned, yet it exudes a space for depth and imagination. Paper is a unique medium, that expresses itself in a myriad of ways when it is pressed, embossed, layered upon, leaving behind visible traces and marks from the artist’s hand.
April is the recipient of the Honourable Mention Award, Philip Morris Group of Companies Singapore Art Award (2001) and her works are in many private and corporate collections both local and internationally. Her commissioned works includes the Royal Singapore Arm Forces and the Land Transport Authority Singapore for the North East Line Mass Rapid Transit Art in Transit series (Woodleigh Station). Her works have been exhibited in numerous shows locally and internationally, including Portugal, Taiwan and United Kingdom. Her prints were recently exhibited at the WooJaeGil Art Museum in Gwangju from 15 – 30 September 2015.
Education
1993 | Higher Diploma in Printmaking, The Slade School of Fine Arts, University College London, London, UK
1989 | Diploma in Fine Arts (Painting Studio), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2016 | Release of No Trace, Merlin Gallery, Singapore
2012 | dot line plane, Art 2 Gallery, Singapore
1998 | TWO, Substation, Singapore
1994 | Stiftelsen 3.14, Bergen, Norway
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2017 | Touch《觸》- Duo Show, Art Projects Gallery, Hong Kong
2016 | Asian Graphic Art Competition and Exhibition 2016, Vietnam
2015 | Portable Art Week, iPreciation, Singapore
2015 | WooJaeGil Art Museum, Gwangju, South Korea
2015 | 9th international contemporary printmaking Biennale, Trois-Rivières, Canada
2015 | These Sacred Things, Jendela Visual Arts Space, Esplanade, Singapore
2014 | Practice and Perfection exhibition, Nanyang Academy of Fine Art, Singapore
2014 | Nothing in Common, ION art gallery, Singapore
2013 | What the Matter, Jendela Visual Arts Space, Esplanade, Singapore
2012 | 1st Macau Printmaking Triennial, Old Court Building, Avenida da Praia Grande, Macau
Awards
2016 | Third Prize – 2nd Asean Graphic Art Competition and Exhibition 2016, Vietnam
2016 | The 5th International Symposium of Woodcarving, Brienz, Switzerland
2001 | Honorable Mentions Award, Philip Morris Group of Companies Singapore Art Award 2001/2002, Singapore
1997 | Honorable Mention Award, Philip Morris Group of Companies Singapore Art Award, Singapore
1996 | Distinction Award in The 15th Painting of The Year Exhibition, UOB, Singapore
1994 | Distinction Award in the Painting Category, Philippe Charriol Foundation Contemporary Art Competition, Singapore
1994 | Merit Award in Singapore Urban-art Competition, Singapore
1994 | Winner’s Award in Tokyo Urban-art Competition, Japan
1993 | Distinction Award in The Painting Category, Philippe Charriol Foundation Contemporary Art Competition, Singapore
For full list of exhibitions and awards, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com
Exhibition period: 28th October – 21st November 2015
iPRECIATION is pleased to present a second solo exhibition of Singapore’s foremost multidisciplinary artist Lee Wen from 28th October – 21st November 2015. Following on from his successful inaugural solo exhibition at Art Basel Hong Kong 2014, “Songs Unsung” is a selection of works and ideas that reveal the hidden, intimate and lesser exposed productions of the artist’s wide ranging repertoire. These works reflect the processes related to his famous performances or installations and ephemeral works within the post-modern and currency of contemporary art trends.
This exhibition will showcase works from 1990 – 2015 that includes drawings, paintings and limited edition fine art photography taken from Lee’s performances in Kyoto (1995) and Chicago (2013). In this exhibition, there are two early paintings titled “Crucifixion” and “Hard Rain” where Lee’s performative gestures are rendered through the act of painting that is expressive and fraught with personal commentaries. The paintings were executed in thick quick brushstrokes, as a means of communication and exercise in manifesting the metaphysical.
“Songs Unsung” reveals works and ideas that have been hidden in the recesses of the artist’s mind and unexposed to the world, but now have been taken forward for sharing by the artist. These works were curated in a deliberate attempt to break against the grain of curatorial trends, the performances were born out of personal experiences which touched upon his humanity and this presentation is a humble desire to share and reach out with open sincerity based on inner reflection as well as external explorations of social repercussions. With this understanding of Lee’s artistic practice and beliefs, these simple but strong ideas are testament to Lee’s standing in the history of Singapore’s art development and a true pioneer of contemporary and performance art in Singapore.
Images of artworks
This Blue Again,
2015,
150x123cm,
Color pencil on paper
Crucifixion,
1990,
88x61cm,
Acrylic on canvas
The Red Sun,
2014,
33×23 cm,
Color pencil on paper
Flowers of Evil – Karachi,
2014-2015,
109.5×79 cm,
Colour pencil on paper
Between,
2014,
33×23 cm,
Colour pencil and graphite on paper
Pralaya series No.2,
2002,
29.8x42cm,
48×60.5cm(framed),
Graphite on paper
Harvesting beauty in the fields,
1995,
Edition 1/5
86x124cm (34×49″) (unframed)
Giclee print on cotton rag paper
Call of the Red,
2013, Ed 1of5,
112x216cm (unframed),
Giclee print on cotton rag paper
From 8 – 11 Oct, the gallery will be taking part in the 2nd edition of Art Silicon Valley, a new art fair centrally located between Silicon Valley and San Francisco. This year, the boutique event will showcase modern and contemporary art from fifty international galleries. iPreciation will be featuring works by Ju Ming, Gao Xingjian, Milenko Prvacki, Tay Bak Chiang and Wee Kheng-li. www.artsvfair.com
iPRECIATION will be presenting a unique group show of small portable collectible fine art from 2 – 10 October 2015. This exhibition will showcase carefully selected works from 17 artists, featuring April Ng, Boo Sze Yang, Chen Sai Hua Kuan, Chiew Sien Kuan, Delia Prvacki, Hong Zhu An, Jeremy Sharma, Lee Wen, Leo Liu, Lim Soo Ngee, Michael Lee, Milenko Prvacki, Tay Bak Chiang, Terence Tan, Wang Ruobing, Warren Khong and Wee Kheng-Li.
April Ng,
The misplaced corner #01,
2015, 46 x 38 x 4 cm,
Ingalio & embossing print
Chen Sai Hua Kuan, Touching Both Buttons Will Not Help, edition of 3+2AP, 2012, 30 x 45 cm, Giclee print on paper
Chiew Sien Kuan,
Island Landscape 3, 2015,
56 x 73 cm, Mixed Media on Paper
Hong Zhu An,
The Quiet Moon,
2002, 34.5 x 35.5 cm,
Ink and Color on Rice Paper
Jeremy Sharma, Untitled (Overlay), 2013, 78 x 88 cm, Enamel paint on dibond with aluminium channel
Lee Wen,
how to be free – standing,
1979, 27.8 x 21 cm, Gouache on Paper
Leo Liu,
九宫。元－#10,
2015, 50 x 50 cm,
Chinese ink on Rice paper
Lim Soo Ngee, Angel with Animal, 2011, 15 x 15 x 42 cm, Painted Woodcarving
Michael Lee, Separation Clinic, from Monuments to Everything Else, 2010, Book sculptures
Milenko Prvacki, Unsent Letters, 2013,
10 x 15 cm, Mixed media on analog photographs
Tay Bak Chiang, 沉默是金 Silence is golden, 2015, 55x55cm, Pigments and acrylic on canvas
Terence Tan,
After eden #0215,
2015, 45 x 48 cm
Chinese ink on rice paper
Wang Ruobing,
Expose, 2007,
Varied Sizes,
Water Color and Drawing on Canvas
Warren Khong, #074, 2014, 26.2 x 42.3 cm, Enamel and matte varnish on found steel
Wee Kheng-Li, Gate, 2003, 34.5 x 50.8cm, C-print, Ed 1 of 8
Launch of monograph: Saturday, 15th August 2015, 2.30 pm
Press Release:
iPreciation is pleased to stage a solo exhibition “29.03.15” of Singapore artist Boo Sze Yang from 31st July – 22nd August 2015. This exhibition will feature the artist’s latest series of paintings which pay tribute to the day of the passing of Singapore’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew.
Entitled “29.03.15”, this exhibition distills the emotional tone of that fateful day that has become significant in Singapore’s history. Boo’s new paintings encapsulate time as a symbolic element which opens up readings into various situations which have occurred during this gloomy day. The mood in the paintings is quiet and sombre, people’s gestures and facial expressions reveal the nation’s profound, yet indescribable sense of loss and sadness. While the nation discusses the commemoration of LKY, the artist chooses instead to focus on the people of Singapore – “the ordinary, anonymous Singaporeans who did the extraordinary”. The presence of the commune that was formed and unified on this day spoke much more than it could be captured by the media, and these paintings offer a closer view on the psychological, dramatic and solemn effect on the people of Singapore. Without any direct visual references to LKY, the works inevitably capture a sense of his presence and his standing in people’s hearts via the impact and memory of his passing.
Boo is known for dealing with unconventional subject matter, from everyday domestic objects, crash-scenes, to the derelict interiors of cathedrals and glittering vast spaces of shopping malls. In his characteristic style, he paints the subject as means to unravel a metaphor for the human condition. His playfulness with brushwork, turpentine washes, scarping and adding of paint onto the primed canvas is what makes his paintings so compelling. In addition, Boo’s method of mixing of colours directly on the canvas and control over grey tones shows mastery of over twenty years of practice. The surfaces of the new paintings are thin, alike watercolours. With “29.03.15”, figures are submerged with space surrounding them, and fast paced marks culminate to form a scene as recollected from the photographs and memory.
Part of the exhibition programme includes the launch of the artist’s first monograph on the 15th August at 2.30 pm, offering a mini-retrospective of the artist’s works and development over the last twenty years, including the exhibition of significant older works to complement the new series of works, thereby continuing the dialogue and journey of the artist. This exhibition will coincide with Singapore’s National Day (Aug 9), a suitable time for contemplation, discussion and appreciation in this significant SG50 year of our nationhood. As Boo himself turns fifty this year, he reflects on the developments of our young nation and at the same time questions the future.
About the artist
Boo Sze Yang (b.1965 Singapore) graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in 1991; completed his Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Art at the University of Reading, UK in 1995 and received his Master in Arts Degree from Chelsea College of Art & Design, the University of the Arts London in 2004. He has exhibited in international solo and group exhibitions since 1999. His recent solo exhibitions include, “The Father,” iPreciation, Singapore (2014); “Boo Sze Yang: AIR,” Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei, Taiwan (2012); “Sanctuary,” Art at St Francis, Melbourne, Australia (2012); “The New Cathedral,” Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Galleries, Singapore (2012); and recent group exhibition participations include, “The Realm in the Mirror, the Vision Out of Image,” an Exhibition of Singapore Contemporary Art, Suzhou Jinji Lake Art Museum, Suzhou, China (2013); “The 2012-13 Sovereign Asian Art Prize,” Hong Kong (2013); “The 26th Asian International Art Exhibition (AIAE),” Hangaram Art Museum, South Korea (2011); “Exchange China-Singapore Art Showcase,” Yingu Art Mansion, Beijing, China (2010).
He is a recipient for the Asian Artist Fellowship Award 2010/2011 sponsored by Freeman Foundation for residency at the Vermont Studio Center in USA. In 2003, he was awarded the Juror’s Choice for the Philip Morris Singapore-ASEAN Art Award and in 2009, the Platinum Award, UOB Painting of the Year Competition. His works are in the collections of the Singapore Art Museum, the Singapore Istana Art Collection, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore, United Overseas Bank, Simmons & Simmons Contemporary Art Collection, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Yingu Art Mansion in Beijing.
Images of artworks
290315 #1, 2015, 120 x 150 cm, Oil on linen
290315 #2, 2015, 150 x 120 cm, Oil on linen
290315 #3, 2015, 150 x 120 cm, Oil on linen
290315 #4, 2015, 125 x 160 cm, Oil on linen
290315 #5, 2015, 150 x 175 cm, Oil on linen
,290315 #6, 2015, 150 x 200 cm, Oil on linen
290315 #7, 2015, 120 x 150 cm, Oil on linen
290315 #8, 2015, 120 x 150 cm, Oil on linen
290315 #9, 2015, 120 x 150 cm, Oil on linen
290315 #10, 2015, 150 x 150 cm, Oil on linen
290315 #11, 2015, 150 x 300 cm (diptych), Oil on linen
290315 #12, 2015, 200 x 300 cm (diptych), Oil on linen
Greetings from iPreciation! This July we are excited in preparing for our upcoming solo exhibition by Boo Sze Yang titled “29.03.15″. Meanwhile, we are continuing to represent our local and international artists in this months display with works by Tay Bak Chiang, Jin Jie, Doris Wong, Alfi Jumaldi, Milenko Prvacki, Boo Sze Yang,Tse Yim On and Ju Ming.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more updates on our gallery related happenings.
(from left to right) Tse Yim On, Capture Aoi Sora, Survival Game, Jubilant, 2014, Acrylic on canvas
Greetings from iPreciation! This June, while focusing on our upcoming solo exhibition by Boo Sze Yang titled “29.03.15″, we are continuing to represent our local and international artists in this months display with new works by Tay Bak Chiang and Tse Yim On. Works exhibited by our artists: Lee Wen, Milenko Prvacki, Tay Bak Chiang, Tse Yim On, Boo Sze Yang and Ju Ming, as well as Indonesian artists Alfi Jumaldi, Nasirun, Samsul Arifin and Budi Ubrux.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more updates on our gallery related happenings.
E La Nave Va, 2015, 110 x 200 cm, Acrylic on linen
E La Nave Va (And the Ship Sails On) – A solo exhibition by Milenko Prvački
Exhibition period: 15th May – 6th June 2015
iPreciation is pleased to stage a solo exhibition “E La Nave Va” (And the Ship Sails On) of Singapore artist Milenko Prvački from 15th May – 6th June 2015. Championing Singapore contemporary artists, iPreciation is proud to present a new body of paintings by Prvački, as well as the artist’s recent developments and new conceptual concerns which began in the artist’s residency participation for three consecutive years (2013-2015) in Santa Monica, California.
Milenko Prvački is one of the foremost contemporary painters working with abstraction in Asia, fleeing from his country Yugoslavia in 1991, and finding new home in the tropical island of Singapore. Today, his iconoclastic style is a result of a forty-over year experience in making art, exhibiting in major art institutions world-wide and being an art-educator and Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Lasalle College of The Arts. Prvački’s paintings reflect the liveliness of his thoughts and life events, achieving great formal balance by means of his mastery in instrumentation with paint and materials and compositions which resemble the tempo of jazz music.
Indirectly interested in the events of Frederico Fellini’s 1983 film under the same title, Prvački’s recent ouvre has been preoccupied with ideas behind a “journey”, be it the excitement for departure, fulfillment of arrival or merely a creative one happening in the artist’s studio. His paintings often develop a more metaphysical relationship to the idea of journey, as a ship full of passengers sailing on the endless ocean. Ever since departing from a major solo exhibition in 2012 “Milenko Prvački: A Survey, 1979-2012” at Institute of Contemporary Art Singapore, Prvački has been on a continuous journey, travelling across continents, one of which is the consecutive travel to the artist’s residency in Santa Monica, California.
The works in “E La Nave Va” are based on visual models that emerged from Prvački’s “storage” (as he likes to call it), developed during the residency period. Some of the models being: unsent letters, tables and sailing ships. At a glance these models seem unrelated, as is the case with numerous other symbols and signs found in Prvački’s paintings which have always been about connecting and disconnecting at various frequencies. His new paintings pose a simple question: “How can a painting communicate an idea?” There are tangents of these ideas present in each work, initiated with the “Unsent Letters” in 2013, a series which examine the dichotomy of communication using technology against a more traditional depiction of the written world, exploring the personal, unseen and unspoken. Each visit to the residency informed the works with new imagery, such as the recurring table-like form which the artist has been using as a device to further communicate his ideas about what painting is, structurally, but also as an object which is often neglected as dysfunctional to conversations and events that happen at the table.
Prvački’s paintings open up a space for slow contemplation and intrapersonal dialogue between the painting and its viewer. As Prof. Tony Godfrey states in the essay for the catalogue “We go to, we sit at a table, we pause and look down upon it. This action of go to, sit down, pause, look down and meditate is a good equivalent of how we should experience these recent paintings.” Regardless the motif, Prvački’s works serve as mental spaces where one deciphers words from forms, lines from materials, colors from objects, but never fully collect all its fragments that endlessly sail in liminal spaces, this being the substance of Prvački’s artistic ouvre for over forty years now.
This exhibition will also launch a catalogue featuring Prvački’s works from 2013 to 2015. The catalogue will include an incisive essay and review of Prvački’s recent works entitled “Learning to float, Or meditating on the table” by art historian, writer and curator Prof. Tony Godfrey.
About the artist
Born 1951 in Yugoslavia and graduating with a Master of Fine Arts (Painting) from the Institute of Fine Arts in Bucharest, Romania, Milenko Prvački is one of Singapore’s foremost contemporary artists and art educators. Prvački served as Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts for seventeen years at Singapore’s Lasalle College of the Arts. He currently holds the position of Senior Fellow at the institution. Recognized as a major artist in the region, Prvacki has exhibited extensively in Europe since 1971, and in Singapore and the region since 1993. He has held numerous solo exhibitions, including the recent retrospective Milenko Prvački: A Survey, 1979-2012, at the Institute of Contemporary Art Singapore, 2012. In the same year, Prvacki was honoured with the prestigious Cultural Medallion by the National Arts Council for his contributions in enriching Singapore’s visual art scene. He has also received the Silver Medallion for Knights in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Embassy in Singapore, 2011.
Collections
Milenko Prvački’s works are widely collected by institutions and private collectors worldwide. Permanent collections include: National Museum, Belgrade, Serbia; Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade, Serbia; Museum of Contemporary Drawing, Nurnberg, Germany; Singapore Art Museum, Singapore; National Gallery, Singapore; UOB Bank, Singapore; National Library, Singapore; NUS Museum, Singapore; SMU, Singapore and Gallery of New South Wells, Sydney, Australia
Paintings
Group Portrait with Table, 2014, 200 x 200 cm, Acrylic on linen
Portrait with table, 2014, 200 x 200 cm, Acrylic on linen
Unsent letter to…, 2014, 200 x 200 cm, Mixed media on linen
Fragmented, 2014, 150 x 248.5 cm, Mixed media on canvas
E La Nave Va, 2014, 130 x 260 cm, Acrylic on linen
Uncomfortable table, 117 x 207 cm, Acrylic on linen, 2015
E La Nave Va, 110 x 200 cm, Acrylic on linen,2015
Covered up with…, 2015, 195 x 100 cm, Acrylic on linen
In Honor of Velázquez, 2015, 100 x 100 cm, Acrylic on linen
E La Nave Va, 2014, 94.4x 104.8cm, Acrylic on linen
In Honor of Maestro Baba, 2015, 55 x 103 cm, Acrylic on linen
Unsent Letter, 2014, 50 x 130 cm, Acrylic on linen
Shift, 2014, 60 x 60 cm, Mixed media on linen
Arrival, 2015, 40 x 40 cm, Mixed media on canvas
Departure, 2014, 40 x 40 cm, Mixed media on canvas
Table, 2015, 40 x 40 cm, Mixed media on canvas
Unsent Letter, 2014, 40 x 40 cm, Mixed media on canvas
Unsent Letter, 2014, 40 x 40 cm, Mixed media on canvas
Unsent Letter, 2015, 40 x 40 cm, Mixed media on canvas
Works on Paper
Pallet 2, 2014, 21 x 30 cm, 44.5 x 53.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Pallet 2, 2014, 21 x 30 cm, 44.5 x 53.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table 2, 2014, 21 x 30 cm, 44.5 x 53.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table 3, 2014, 21 x 30 cm, 44.5 x 53.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 21 x 30 cm, 44.5 x 53.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 21 x 30 cm, 44.5 x 53.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 21 x 30 cm, 44.5 x 53.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 21 x 30 cm, 44.5 x 53.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 21 x 30 cm, 44.5 x 53.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 21 x 30 cm, 44.5 x 53.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 28 x 35 cm, 51.5 x 59 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 28 x 35 cm, 51.5 x 59 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 28 x 35 cm, 51.5 x 59 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 28 x 35 cm, 51.5 x 59 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 28 x 35 cm, 51.5 x 59 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 28 x 35 cm, 51.5 x 59 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2014, 28 x 35 cm, 51.5 x 59 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2015, 28 x 38cm, 51.5 x 61.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2015, 28 x 38cm, 51.5 x 61.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2015, 28 x 38cm, 51.5 x 61.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2015, 28 x 38cm, 51.5 x 61.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2015, 28 x 38cm, 51.5 x 61.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2015, 28 x 38cm, 51.5 x 61.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2015, 28 x 38cm, 51.5 x 61.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2015, 28 x 38cm, 51.5 x 61.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Table, 2015, 28 x 38cm, 51.5 x 61.5 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, 43 x 43 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, 43 x 43 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, 43 x 43 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, 43 x 43 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, 43 x 43 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, 43 x 43 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, 43 x 43 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, 43 x 43 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, 43 x 43 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, 43 x 43 cm (framed), Mixed media on paper
Greetings from iPreciation! This April, while focusing on our upcoming solo exhibition by Milenko Prvacki titled “E La Nave Va (And the Ship Sails On)”, we are continuing to represent our local and Indonesian artists in this months display. Works exhibited by our local artists: Wee Kheng-Li, Jeremy Sharma, Lee Wen, Milenko Prvacki, Tay Bak Chiang and Michael Lee, as well as Indonesian artists Alfi Jumaldi, Nasirun, Samsul Arifin and Budi Ubrux.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more updates on our gallery related happenings.
Installation views
Wee Kheng-Li, lightbox series, 59.5 x 85 x 6.5 cm each
Lee Wen, Anthropometry Revision series
Michael Lee, Dwelling series, Acrylic on canvas
Jeremy Sharma, Gray paintings, Enamel paint on dibond with aluminium channel
Installation view: Michael Lee, Milenko Prvacki, Lee Wen
Installation view: Jeremy Sharma, Budi Ubrux, Milenko Prvacki
Installation View: Milenko Prvacki, Ju Ming, Michael Lee
Milenko Prvacki, Unsent Letters works on paper and Untitled, acrylic on linen
Alfi Jumaldi, Meditation No. 12 and Postcard series
Greetings from iPreciation! This March, while focusing on our upcoming exposition at Art Paris Art Fair, we are continuing to represent our local artists in this months display. Works exhibited by our local artists: Chris Yap, Wee Kheng-Li, Jeremy Sharma, Lee Wen, Milenko Prvacki and Tay Bak Chiang. Also on display, ink paintings by Gao Xing Jian, paintings by Ye Jian Qing and Taichi Series by Ju Ming, which are a part of current Ju Ming Taichi Series, Monumental Outdoor Exhibition at Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more updates on our gallery related happenings.
Art Paris Art Fair: Singapore and Southeast Asia Guests of Honour
This year’s edition of Art Paris Art Fair places Singapore and Southeast Asia on the guests-of-honour platform, aiming to showcase the best art pieces from this region. Beyond its commercial platform, Art Paris Art Fair is dedicated to presenting and promoting art scenes of the east. In the past two years, Art Paris Art Fair introduced some of the best global contemporary art from Russia and China art to the Parisian and European audiences through its curated platforms. This year the focus will be on Singapore and Southeast Asian art. This is in conjunction with Singapore’s 50th birthday, where cultural programmes have been lined up in France for the Year of Singapore to celebrate 50 years of independence of the city-state.
Monumental Singapore Art Commission for the Entrance Steps of Grand Palais, Paris
One of these is a curated project under the aegis of Art Paris Art Fair: a monumental Singapore art commission for the Entrance Steps of the Grand Palais. Appointed curator Iola Lenzi has selected the interactive installation work of iPreciation’s Singapore artist Chen Sai Hua Kuan (b.1976), whose art piece entitled Ling Ting 2 聆听 (in Hanyu Pinyin, means ‘Listening’) will be the talked-about entrance piece at the Grand Palais.
On the significance of this prestigious space for the art commission, curator Iola Lenzi says, “…The location of the commission, the entrance forecourt of the Paris landmark the Grand Palais, is among the most sought-after and visible public spaces in the French capital…”
Consisting of two colossal speakers, Ling Ting 2 is an interactive sound sculpture that encourages self-discovery. When standing in the middle of the sculpture, the interconnected structure diverts the voice of the viewer to his/her own ears. It offers the viewer a singular experience allowing him/her off-track to think critically about just what it is that makes listening so powerful and so elusive. Our sonic environment is very complex in which sound is produced by nearly every action and movement. The identification of sound is an act of listening. At infinite levels, as John Cage discovered, sound needs special equipment or rooms to be noticed audibly. Ling Ting No.2 is playfully and engagingly conceptualized to create such an infinite space to inspire an act of listening – an intense listening experience that involves the sound of daily life of one’s own thought.
In curator Iola Lenzi’s essay on Chen Sai Hua Kuan’s work, she writes:
“… Singapore’s Hua Kuan Sai’s grandiose outdoor installation, Ling Ting 2 聆听 (‘Listening’) entices the audience bodily into a poised dialogue with him or herself. Viewers enter Sai’s piece erected at the entrance of the Grand Palais, Ling Ting doing its work to open up new spaces of hearing and contemplation. The interactive installation‘s visual appeal, with its sensually organic volutes like seashells clasped to the ear, draws the public in. The work produces a serene, enduring participative experience beyond the visual as it enlists sound, time, and space as well. This form of artistic construction, co-opting all the senses as well as audience and public space, is common to many artists of the region…..”
The National Arts Council and National Heritage Board support this project and the artist who will be presenting his work in Paris this March.
iPreciation’s Exhibition Booth Presentation
In view of the sophisticated French audience and European collectors, iPreciation aims to present the best of our key contemporary Singapore artists who occupy a significant place in Singapore’s contemporary art scene and history. The works in the show will feature pioneer contemporary artist Tang Dawu’s ink works; Cultural Medallion recipients Milenko Prvacki’s large abstract paintings and Lee Wen’s provocative performance photographs; new paintings of well-collected local artists Boo Sze Yang and Tay Bak Chiang; and conceptually-driven photography works by Wee Kheng-Li, Wang Ruobing and Chen Sai Hua Kuan. Apart from presenting the works of Singapore artists, iPreciation will also feature Hong Kong artist Tse Yim On’s playful pop-art pieces and Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming’s Taichi Series and Living World Series (whose work has been an inspiration to some of our artists). With the increased interest of International crowds and collectors in Southeast Asian contemporary art, this show will represent the great talents and energies that circulate our region.
Preview of artworks
Ju Ming (b.1938 Taiwan)
Living World Series-Wood LW250, 14.5x156x156cm, 86kg, 2008
Living World Series – Wood, 14x104x156cm, 58.4kg, 2008, 701×1050
Living World Series- Painted Wood 51.5x38x70.5cm, 22.5kg, 2007
Living World Series-Painted Wood 47×36.3×45.6cm 2006 16.3KG CR242
Living World Series- Painted Wood 87.6×30.7x28cm, 14.36kg, 2005
Living World Series- Painted Wood 78.2×39.5×30.4cm 2005 17.98KG CR151
Living World Series, 36.6 x 27.5 x 25.5cm, 28.2kg, Stone, 2009
Living World Series, 38.6 x 23.5 x 30cm, 18.5kg, Stone, 2009
Taichi Series L127.4x92x66.6cm, 169kg, R103.5×118.7×66.2cm, 159kg, Bronze, 1991, 3-8
Tachi Series 47.6×38.5×28.5cm, 17.36kg, Bronze, 1995, 7-10
Taichi Series 31.6×31.5x23cm, 9.1kg, Bronze, 1995, 16-20
Taichi Series 56.7x54x45.6cm, 40.24kg, Bronze, 1995, 6-20
Taichi Series L25.8x25x28cm, 6.1kg, R25.6×21.5x19cm, 5.3kg, Bronze, 1991, 16-20
Tang Da Wu (b.1943 Singapore)
01 鳳凰, 250 x 138 cm, Pastel & Ink on Paper, 2011
02 龍, 249 x 138 cm, Charcoal, Pastel & Ink on Paper, 2010
04 捲起再, 255 x 138 cm, Ink on Paper, 2011
10 嶺上多, 250 x 138 cm, Ink on Paper, 2010
11 花濺淚, 138 x 251 cm, Ink on Paper, 2011
12 鳥驚心, 138 x 244 cm, Ink on Paper, 2011
16 抵万金, 255 x 138 cm, ink on Paper, 2012
19 不勝箸, 264 x 138 cm, Ink on Paper, 2011
Milenko Prvacki (b.1951 Yugoslavia)
Unsent Letter, 2014, Acrylic and bitumen on paper, 200x200cm
Greetings from, 2014, 200 x 200 cm, Acrylic on linen
Unsent letter to…, 2014, 200 x 200 cm, Mixed media on linen
Collection, 2014, 60.2 x 94 cm, Acrylic and sand on linen
Unsent Letter, 2014, 64.2 x 94 cm, Acrylic and bitumen on linen
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, Mixed media drawings on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, Mixed media drawings on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, Mixed media drawings on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, Mixed media drawings on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, Mixed media drawings on paper
Unsent Letters, 2013, 22 x 23 cm, Mixed media drawings on paper
Lee Wen (b.1957 Singapore)
Splash! 潑！#7 & #8 2003, 109.2×109.2cm (w/o frame), 113 x 113cm (w frame) , Giclee print on cotton rag paper
Edition 3/5
Yellow on Yellow: Dreamboat 黃人身上的黃色：夢之船, 1998 – 2014, 152.4 x 101.6cm (w/o frame), 155 x 106 cm (w frame) , Acrylic print on photograph, giclee print on cotton rag paper
Boo Sze Yang (b.1965 Singapore)
The Artist #1, 2014, oil on linen, 150x120cm
The Artist #2, 2015, oil on linen, 150x120cm
The Artist #3, 2015, oil on linen, 150x120cm
The Father II, 2013, oil on canvas, 150×112.5cm
The Father IV, 2013, oil on canvas, 150x122cm
Wee Kheng-Li (b.1971 Singapore)
Cadenza Lane, 2011, 59.5 x 85 x 6.5 cm, Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Corner Mural, 2010, 59.5 x 85 x 6.5 cm, Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Azure Shadows, 2011, 59.5 x 85 x 6.5 cm, Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Tay Bak Chiang (b.1973 Singapore)
夜半钟声 The Bell Tolls Midnight, 2015, 160 x 140 cm, Pigments and acrylic on canvas
今夜星光璨烂 Starlit, 2015, 160 x 140 cm, Pigments and acrylic on canvas
当月光洒下 Moonlit, 2015, 160 x 140 cm, Pigments and acrylic on canvas
铁錚錚 Tough, 2015, 160 x 140 cm, Pigments and acrylic on canvas
古道边 By The Old Path, 2015, 160 x 140 cm, Pigments and acrylic on canvas
Sterling 金不换, 2014, 140 x 160 cm, Pigments and acrylic on canvas
Cats Eye 猫眼, 2014, 140 x 140cm, Pigments and acrylic on canvas
Dragon Orb 龙珠, 2014, 140 x 140 cm, Pigments and acrylic on canvas
Disarray Series-Red Wall 乱石阵之红墙, 2012, 160 x 140 cm, Chinese ink and pigments on canvas
Tse Yim On (b.1974 Hong Kong)
Capture Aoi Sora 活捉蒼井空, Acrylic on Canvas, 100x100cm, 2014
Survival Game 生存遊戲, Acrylic on Canvas, 100x100cm, 2014
Jubilant 喜氣洋洋, Acrylic on Canvas, 100x100cm, 2014
Wang Ruobing (b.1975 China)
Passing by, April 04 2010, 1326hrs, 2010, 40.5 x 447cm, Fine art print
Passing by, October 19 2011, 1341hrs, 2011, 34 x 451cm, Fine art print
Passing by, November 21 2014, 1814hrs, 2014, 35.8 x 435cm, Fine art print
Passing by, June 03 2009, 1553hrs, 2010, 36x541cm, Fine art print
Chen Sai Hua Kuan (b.1976 Singapore)
The Rise and Fall No.1, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.2, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.3, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.4, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.5, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.6, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.7, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
Chen Sai Hua Kuan, The Rise and Fall No.8, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
Installation views of Ling Ting 2
Description: Ling Ting 2, 2015, 500 x 300 x 450 cm, Steel and enamel paint
1
2
3
4
5
6
Gallery Booth installation views
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
About Art Paris Art Fair
Art Paris Art Fair is the springtime event for modern, contemporary art and design. It is dedicated to the promotion and discovery of the art scenes of the East. Art Paris Art Fair is an invitation to experience a new geography of the art world that passes through Moscow, Sarajevo, Beijing, Singapore… The fair brings together 140 international galleries from 20 countries in Paris, presenting a wide panaroma of modern and contemporary art including photography, design and art publishing. The fair is housed in one of Paris‘ grandest and most famous public buildings, the Grand Palais, constructed as a marker of French 19th century cultural and imperial power. Today the Grand Palais is home to public art and cultural expositions of the highest calibre. This event is under the patronage of the President of the French Republic, Monsieur Francois Hollande and the Minister of Culture and Communication, Madame Fleur Pellerin.
For more information of the fair please visit the official website: http://artparis.fr/en
Lunar New Year greetings from iPreciation! This February, we are displaying exclusive and auspicious artworks to reflect this festive season. Works exhibited by well-established artists from the region such as: Milenko Prvacki, Au Ka Wai, Tay Bak Chiang, Ye Jian Qing, Tse Yim On, Budi Ubrux, Samsul Ariffin, Irene Chou, as well as the monumental Taichi red pair by Ju Ming. Drop in to view the artworks on display.
You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more updates on our gallery display.
Taichi Series-Single Whip, 1994, Bronze, 206 x 290 x 147cm
Exhibition date: 17 January 2015 – 31 May 2015 (extended)
This monumental outdoor exhibition will feature 15 of Ju Ming’s bronze Taichi masterpieces, set within the beautiful lush green and historic landscaped gardens of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Ju’s monumental Taichi Series have previously been exhibited in the international cities of Paris, Berlin, and in the United Kingdom.
Since the 20th Century, the main thrust of development in Asian contemporary sculpture lay in the new interpretation of forms that interconnect modern civilization and its traditional culture. Ju Ming’s sculpture has its roots in the Chinese tradition and seeks to marry the traditional spirit of Chinese traditional painting and calligraphy with his distinct precise and poetic forms.
In his Taichi series, the concrete images of its human subjects exist in purely abstract blocks and volumes. Displayed outdoor, these sculptures work beautifully into their surroundings, creating an interaction with nature and pleasant engagement for audiences making this collaboration with the mature landscapes of the Singapore Botanic Gardens an ideal arrangement.
Exhibition Extended: We are pleased to announce that Ju Ming Taichi Series Monumental Outdoor Exhibition at Singapore Botanic Gardens is extended till 31st May 2015, due to the warm support both locally and overseas, for visitors who are unable to travel to Singapore before 16th April to view the exhibition.
Map and Directions
Note: Nearest entrance for those parking please use the Cluny Park Gate. Public and MRT Transport visitors please use the Bukit Timah Gate (alternatively Melati Gate or Cluny Park Gate).
Exhibition date: Saturday 10 Jan 2015 (opens to public at 1 pm) – 31 Jan 2015
Participating Artists: Chris Yap (b. 1969 Singapore), Wee Kheng-Li (b. 1971 Singapore), Wang Ruobing (b.1975 Chengdu, China) and Sai Hua Kuan (b.1976 Singapore).
Artist Dialogue session with Milenko Prvacki: 17th January 2015, at 11:30 a.m
In January 2015, iPreciation will start the new year with a group photography exhibition, presenting the works of four Singaporean artists – Chris Yap (b.1969), Wee Kheng-Li (b.1971), Wang Ruobing (b.1975) and Sai Hua Kuan (b.1976). This show aims to promote greater awareness and understanding of contemporary fine arts photography practice that currently exists here through Singapore artists who are keen to emphasize the role of visual intelligence, critical thinking / theory, and philosophy in engaging with the world through human eyes. The works will focus on the poetics of space and place, tensions of history and contemporaneity, all captured through scenes of the streets in Asia, from Singapore to Japan to Indonesia to China. Works shown will appear as museum-quality, fine art prints in frames, in traditional ink scroll formats and in latest LED lightbox installation presentations. With very few Southeast Asian artists-photographers who can present artistic ideas and dialogues through well-executed photographic works, this is an exceptional opportunity for visitors and Singaporeans to engage with new perspectives and representations in the bodies of photographic works. This exhibition will be the first of several dialogues within and outside of Singapore that will be an ongoing exploration of the concepts and artistic development of professional artists-photographers-printmakers in Singapore.
Photography mobilize the idea of history, time and space. Through their lenses, these artists have focused the audience on interesting observations of the streets of Singapore and Asia, where each scene becomes an observed anthropological and cultural space. In walking through these spaces with these artists, we walk into a historical moment in time – a unique point in history that has arrived and left, its moment immortalized only on the captured images. This show invites Singaporeans and collectors interested in photography and art to engage with the work. For photographs are not just stories or an end in themselves. They provide evidences of stories – evidences that demand investigation and interpretation, and an invitation to look beyond the aesthetics and techniques of photography, into informed critical observations of our visual history to interpret and understand our society and culture.
Installation Views:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Artworks:
Chris Yap
Art Science 1,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Art Science 2,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
CBD,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Chinatown 01,Pigment ink on archival photo paper,119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Chinatown 02,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Chinatown 03,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
East Coast 01,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
East Coast 02,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
East Coast 03,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Esplanade 01,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Esplanade 02,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Haw Par Villa,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Katong,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Kuo Chuan Ave ,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Little India,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Merlion 1,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Merlion 2,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Raffles 01,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Raffles 02,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Singapore Botanic Gardens 1,Pigment ink on archival photo,119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Singapore Botanic Gardens 2,Pigment ink on archival photo,119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Singapore Flyer,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Toa Payoh 1,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Toa Payoh 2,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Toa Payoh 3,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Victoria Concert Hall 1,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Victoria Concert Hall 2,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Victoria Concert Hall 3,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Victoria Concert Hall 4,Pigment ink on archival photo paper, 119.5x153cm(framed),2014
Wee Kheng-Li
Yellow Patterned Curtain,2010,59.5x85x6.5cm,Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Red Window Ornaments,2011,59.5x85x6.5cm,Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Window With Blue Hose,2012,59.5x85x6.5cm,Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Cadenza Lane, 2011, 59.5 x 85 x 6.5 cm, Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Azure Shadows, 2011, 59.5 x 85 x 6.5 cm, Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Corner Mural, 2010, 59.5 x 85 x 6.5 cm, Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Three Mops,2011,59.5x85x6.5cm,Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Translucent Sheeting,2010,59.5x85x6.5cm,Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Winter Camellias,2011,59.5x85x6.5cm,Archival digital pigment print on transparent film mounted in light box
Chen Sai Hua Kuan
The Rise and Fall No.1, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.2, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.3, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.4, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.5, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.6, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.7, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
Chen Sai Hua Kuan, The Rise and Fall No.8, 2014, 90x160cm, Photography
The Rise and Fall No.9,2014,90x160cm,Photography
The Rise and Fall No.10,2014,90x160cm,Photography
The Rise and Fall No.11,2014,90x160cm,Photography
The Rise and Fall No.12,2014,90x160cm,Photography
The Rise and Fall No.13,2014,90x160cm,Photography
The Rise and Fall No.14,2014,90x160cm,Photography
The Rise and Fall No.15,2014,90x160cm,Photography
The Rise and Fall No.16,2014,90x160cm,Photography
Wang Ruobing
Passing by, June 03 2009, 1553hrs, 2010, 36x541cm, Fine art print
Passing by, April 04 2010, 1326hrs, 2010, 40.5 x 447cm, Fine art print
Passing by, April 27 2011,1440hrs-ABC Birds Centre,2011,61x480cm,Fine art print
Passing by, October 19 2011, 1341hrs, 2011, 34 x 451cm, Fine art print
Passing by, November 21 2014, 1814hrs, 2014, 35.8 x 435cm, Fine art print
Seasonal greetings from iPreciation! This December, we are displaying exclusive, not-seen-before, smaller sized works by our artists, perfect if you’re looking for a special gift or to embellish your home. The works on display capture a varied range of styles and subjects. Works are from well-established artists from the region such as: Milenko Prvacki (Yugoslavia, 1951), Lee Wen (Singapore, 1957), Budi Ubrux (Indonesia, 1968), Yunizar (Indonesia, 1971), Ye Jian Qing (China, 1972), Hong Zhu An (China, 1955) and Hiroshi Oohira (Japan, 1961); the new generation of artists such as Michael Lee (Singapore, 1972), Tay Bak Chiang (Singapore, 1973), Au Ka Wai (Hong Kong, 1973), Tse Yim On (Hong Kong, 1974), Riki Antoni (Indonesia, 1977), Jeremy Sharma (Singapore, 1977) and Doris Wong (Hong Kong, 1981); as well as emerging artist Hilmi Johandi (Singapore, 1987). Drop in to view the artworks on display.
You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram for daily artist profile features.
Exhibition period: 7 November 2014 – 29 November 2014
Exhibiting artists: Milenko Prvacki, Lee Wen, Boo Sze Yang, Au Ka Wai, Cheung Yee, Earl Lu, Irene Chou, Hong Zhu An, Michael Lee, Jeremy Sharma, Filip Gudovic, Hiroshi Oohira, Doris Wong Wai Yin, Micahel Chen, Riki Antoni, Shen Liang and Tse Yim On.
Donated artworks and auction items at Benefit Gala DInner, 2014
In Singapore, over 600,000 people suffer from a Rheumatological disease, hence affecting more than 11% of our population. Many of these conditions are complex autoimmune diseases, affecting major organs including the joints, brain and nerves, lungs, heart and nerves. Unfortunately, treatment options are limited and in some cases, there are none – symptoms can only be managed. The prevalence of these diseases is set to increase as our population ages. It is, therefore, with the urgent need for research into these diseases to accelerate discoveries and uncover cures.
After a successful launch and generous support from some institutions and individuals, Reverie Rheumatology Research Fund has managed to raise an amount of S$623,000, with potential government matching dollar for-dollar an amount of S$1,246,000. The Research Fund’s target is to raise S$3 million in the first 2 years and to $12.5 million in the medium term. With the Singapore Government matching these raised funds dollar-for-dollar, this would provide an endowment fund of S$25 million to sustain long term research to improve the lives of patients with Rheumatological diseases and to train and retain local researchers.
All the funds raised will be channeled into research initiatives in five Rheumatological diseases – SLE, Systemic Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis and Spondyloarthritis – under the SingHealth Duke-NUS Medicine Academic Clinical Program. SingHealth’s partnership with Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School harnesses the collective strengths in clinical care, research and education to advance Medicine so that ultimately, the patients and local community will benefit from better treatment and care.
To make a donation you can directly click on the Donation Form below or you may choose to acquire the below artworks and all the proceeds will go the Reverie Rheumatology Research Fund.
Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the undersigned or Ms June Ong / Mr Filip Gudovic, at email june.ong@ipreciation.com / filip.gudovic@ipreciation.com and Ms Amy Gay / Ms Lisa Law at email amy.gay@sgh.com.sg / lisa.law.a.p@sgh.com.sg.
Channel News Asia coverage of our 15th Anniversary Celebration in support of the Reverie Rheumatology Research Fund at the Four Seasons Hotel. The event has been successful in raising awareness of rheumatological diseases. We hope that you can spread the word and help us raise more funds for this cause.
You can help in this noble cause by donating to the Reverie Rheumatology Research Fund. To make a donation please click on the following link: Donation Details
Exhibition period: 2nd October – 25th October 2014
Artist Talk: Saturday, 11th October 2014 – 11:30 a.m (Open for Public)
Venue: iPRECIATION (誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road HPL House #01-01 Singapore 249724 Tel 65 6339 0678
This October, iPRECIATION is staging Tay Bak Chiang’s solo exhibition titled “Cleavages Fractures Folds.” This is his eighth solo exhibition after previous ones such as Fa Zi Hua Sheng《法自画生》(2003), Between Breaths《呼吸之间》(2010), Ingenuity《天工》(2011), Hear the Wind Sing《且听风吟》(2012), The Breath of A Blade《剑气》(2013) and 《石頭記》The Story of the Stone, where themes of his work have been predominantly inspired by nature.
Cleavages Fractures Folds debuts Tay Bak Chiang’s first-ever complete solo exhibition featuring Chinese ink and pigment works on canvas instead of the traditional rice paper. Merging the historical genre of ink painting on contemporary canvases creates a significant exploration and breakthrough, and Bak Chiang is the first Singapore artist to experiment and successfully present a contemporised style of the traditional 3000-year-old Chinese ink painting through a clever manipulation of ink, pigments, canvases and raw linens. He has developed an innovative technique of using powdered colour pigments to produce distinct texture in traditional Chinese ink painting. This set of works also marks his progressive attempts to move away from representational forms and introduce new perspectives in the portrayal of nature with minimalistic simplicity. Stones, to him, are not lifeless objects, but are bestowed with worldly experiences and personal expressions. This which, he expresses through his unique visual language that is in synch with current contemporary art ideas.
iPRECIATION is proud to collaborate with the artist in this endeavor. Cleavages Fractures Folds is supported in art analysis and essay writing by industry veteran Kwok Kian Chow. The show reflects the artist’s spirit of consistently reflecting, questioning and experimenting with new ideas within the traditional Chinese painting medium in today’s contemporary art world. It will begin new dialogues in this art genre amongst local artists.
Tay Bak Chiang
A graduate from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore in 1995, Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973) also studied at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China, in 1997. In 2002, he received the Young Artist Award from the National Arts Council of Singapore. He was awarded the First Prize in the Chinese Painting category in the 19th and 22nd United Overseas Bank Painting of the Year Competitions (2000 and 2003 respectively). He has since been prolific in creating new ideas and works, developing a new visual language, and boldly pushing boundaries of Chinese ink painting from working on rice paper to canvases.
Press Release:
Cleavages Fractures Folds debuts Tay Bak Chiang’s first-ever solo exhibition featuring pigment and acrylic works on canvas. Formerly trained and known for his works in Chinese ink on traditional rice paper, current works show Tay folding the spirit of historical Chinese ink painting over the modern convention of acrylic painting on canvas. This merge indicates a significant breakthrough for the artist, as he consistently reflects, questions and experiments through the synthesis of the tradition and contemporary. The current works activate the painted surface full of distinct textures and representational paradoxes. Not only does Cleavages Fractures Folds provide us with a contemporary perspective on the philosophy behind nature, it also stands for a visual survey of ontological nature – materializing nature as a canvas fold and pigments that surface out of it.
Wang Ruobing was born in Chengdu, China in 1975 and graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1997. Following that, she went on to study at LASALLE College of the Arts (1997 – 98) and the University of London (2001 – 02). She received her Doctorate degree in Philosophy in Fine Art from Oxford University in 2010, on the Rushkin Scholarship and Lamb and Flag scholarship of Oxford University.
Wang’s work challenges and explores the ways of seeing and the growth of knowledge, often in relation to concerns of everyday activities. Adopting diverse methods and approaches in the presentation of her work, including drawing, film, photography, sculpture, and installation, she disrupts perception and draws attention to the anthropological nature. In her recent practice, the artist plays with everyday objects and photographs the urban landscapes to delve ever more deeply into questions of perception in mediating how we see and understand the rapidly changing world. She currently lives and works in Singapore.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2016 | “Over the Horizon”, the Concourse, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore
2010 | “The Earthly World”, The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art and The Dolphin Gallery, UK
2010 | “凹凸”, The Project Space, The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, UK
2010 | “Passing by, June 03 2009, 15 53 36hrs”, The Dolphin Gallery, UK
2009 | “Eat Me”, The Dolphin Gallery, UK
2007 | “Expose”, The Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art, UK
2007 | “Teacher, teacher! Johnny’s peeing on the landscape!” The Dolphin Gallery, UK
2004 | “‘Perfect’ Forest”, the Concourse, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore
2004 | “Wish–Making Public Art”, Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery, Singapore
2004 | “‘Perfect’ Forest –Seeded II”, The Substation Gallery, Singapore
1999 | “Seeded I”, The Substation Gallery, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
2016 | “The Great Lubricator”, The Alliance Française de Singapour, Singapore
2015 | “#TransActing: A Market of Values”, Chelsea College of Arts, London, UK
2015 | “Walking through Haw Par Villa”, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Singapore
This September, iPreciation is presenting a set of recent works by our local and international artists. We are currently exhibiting works by Wang Ruobing & Chen Sai Hua Kuan, which were recently exhibited at the Singapore National Museum as a part of Singapore Night Festival. Ruobing’s Greenscape (Singapore) assembles the topography of Singapore using thousands of green objects found in our daily life. Greenscape is meant to be conceived as a visual survey, blurring boundaries between ecology and industrialization. The new display also features works by: Tay Bak Chiang, Milenko Prvacki, Lee Wen, Jeremy Sharma, Tang Da Wu, Ye Jian Qing and Ju Ming.
This August, iPreciation is presenting a set of new works by our local and international artists. The new display features a combination of various trajectories in painting, photography and sculpture. Artists on display include: Tay Bak Chiang, Milenko Prvacki, Lee Wen, Boo Sze Yang, Chris Yap, Michael Lee, Ye Jian Qing and Ju Ming
This July, iPRECIATION will be presenting our local artists. The new exhibition display introduces current works by both established and emerging artists to the audience, reflecting their ideas, philosophical thoughts and social inquiries on the contemporary society of Singapore. Works on display are from Singapore artists Qwek Wee Chew, Lee Wen, Milenko Prvacki, Tay Bak Chiang, Michael Li, Chris Yap, Jeremy Sharma and Hilmi Johandi. We are also featuring the newly exhibited work, Landscape, by Chris Yap, a multi-talented artist and fine art photographer.
Our new display also features the Living World Series by Taiwanese sculptor, Ju Ming. This series reflects the artist’s views on humanity and culture in contemporary society. The series currently exhibited are Painted Wood and Swimming.
Venue: iPRECIATION (誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road HPL House #01-01 Singapore 249724 Tel 65 6339 0678
iPRECIATION is proud to present a group exhibition featuring the works of Milenko Prvacki and his students. Curated by Milenko who is a Cultural Medallion recipient, educator, artist and painter, Departure will be a visual art exhibition that captures the new generations of young artists whose work represents different tangents of painting practices, concepts and ideas here in Singapore. The works exhibited will range from paintings and drawings to mixed media installations, presenting new perspectives in representation, abstraction, materiality, space and time in painting and other mediums of art works.
Milenko has taught art to many generations of young, emerging Singaporean artists graduating from LaSalle College of the Arts, and his influence has been broad and positive. Participating artists – Jeremy Sharma, Luke Heng, Filip Gudovic and Hilmi Johandi – are some of Milenko’s best students, hand-picked by the master. This exhibition will continue the dialogue of contemporary art practices in Singapore through the departure of Milenko Prvacki’s own practice and the environment created by LaSalle College of the Arts, in order to reach out to a variety of audiences within the Singapore public and to create a larger awareness of present modes of enquiry into painting and installation through these young artists’ works.
Born 1951 in Yugoslavia and graduating with a Master of Fine Arts (Painting) from the Institute of Fine Arts in Bucharest, Romania, Milenko Prvacki is one of Singapore’s foremost contemporary artists and art educator. Prvacki served as Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts for 17 years at Singapore’s LASALLE College of the Arts. He currently holds the position of Senior Fellow at the institution. Recognized as a major artist in the region, Prvacki has exhibited extensively in Europe since 1971, and in Singapore and the region since 1993. He has held numerous solo exhibitions, including the recent retrospective Milenko Prvacki: A Survey, 1979-2012, at the Institute of Contemporary Art Singapore, 2012. In the same year, Prvacki was honoured with the prestigious Cultural Medallion in Singapore.
Jeremy Sharma (b.1977) works primarily as a painter but his body of work encompasses video, photography, drawing and installation. He obtained his Master of Art (Fine Art) at the LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts / Open University, United Kingdom in 2006, and his Bachelor of Art (Fine Art) with High Distinction from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), Australia in 2003. Over the past nine years, he has had a number of solo exhibitions in Singapore, which includes Apropos (2012) at the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, Variations (2011) at Art Forum Gallery, and The Protection Paintings – Of Sensations and Superscriptions (2008) at Jendela. He has participated in numerous group exhibitions in Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Italy, England and the United States. Jeremy currently teaches in the Faculty of Fine Arts at LASALLE College of the Arts.
Hilmi Johandi (b.1987) graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts – Goldsmiths University of London with a Bachelors Degree with First Class Honours in Fine Arts. He has participated in a number of exhibitions in Singapore since 2009. He has showcased at the Young Talent Programme 2013 for the Affordable Art Fair Singapore and was nominated for The Young Talent Programme Winners’ Solo Exhibition for 2013/14. His recent participations include Neo-Folk at Ikkan Gallery, Singapore; Flux – City of Change, a curated exhibition for Strarta Art Fair in Saatchi Gallery, London; Cross Encounters at the Japan Creative Centre Singapore; a juried exhibition Spot Art at the Singapore ARTrium, and a curated exhibition called Interplay at Art Stage Singapore 2013.
Luke Heng (b.1987) graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts (Goldsmiths University of London), with a Bachelor of Arts (First Class Honors). A recipient of the LASALLE College of the Arts Scholarship in 2012, Luke has actively participated in group exhibitions in Asia. His most recent exhibitions include Art Stage Singapore 2013, SPOT ART 2013 at the MICA building, Asia Contemporary Art Show Hong Kong 2013, Affordable Art Fair 2012 in Singapore and The LASALLE Show 2012.
Filip Gudovic (b.1992) was born in Belgrade, Serbia. He attended Arhitektonska Tehnicka Skola (School of Architecture) in Belgrade, Serbia, and came to Singapore to study in LASALLE College of the Arts, for his Bachelor in Fine Arts 2009-2012, and Master in Fine Arts 2013-2014, on scholarship awards. Gudovic has actively exhibited his ideas throughout his study years here in Singapore and abroad. He held a solo exhibition Shifting Between Surfaces at TriSpace. ICAs Singapore in 2013. His works has been exhibited at Art Stage Singapore 2014; BELEF 13, Summer Festival Art Exhibition, Belgrade, Serbia; Hong Kong Contemporary Art Fair 2013, Hong Kong; Drawing Out. RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, and Annual Painting Exhibition, Academy of Fine Arts Vladivostok, Russia.
Jointly organised by the Hong Kong Museum of Art and the Ju Ming Museum, Ju Ming – Sculpting the Living World is the first large-scale solo exhibition of world-acclaimed Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming in Hong Kong. A versatile sculptor, Ju Ming has worked with diverse materials from bronze to wood and ceramics to steel. This exhibition will showcase more than 120 sculptures made in a range of materials from The Living World series, from as early as 30 years ago when the series was first incepted.
Portraying people from various age groups and all walks of life, alternatively at work and at play, the Living World Series encapsulates the rich diversity of humanity. Collectively, the reveal the artist’s observations on everyday life. Perhaps the most endearing aspect of Ju’s work is its openness to interpretation – as long as one is an inhabitant of the modern world, one is entitles to posit any sort of personal take on the artwork…
Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
iPRECIATION is proud to announce that Lee Wen’s Ping Pong Go-Round will be exhibited at Art Basel Hong Kong 2014’s ‘Encounter’, a curated sector featuring 17 large scale, ambitious installation works.
As a sport, ping pong is said to be almost equal for the women’s game as compared to that of the man’s. A game commonly played in China and Singapore, ping pong requires a minimum of two players, constituting a form of dialogue between the players on opposite sides as the ball bounces back and forth.
In this work, the structure and rules of ping pong are reinvented in the context of contemporary possibilities as the artist seeks alternative models of interaction. By reinventing the shape of a traditional ping pong table to that not unlike a conference table with no borders on its left and right, Lee Wen offers a different perception of its limitations and opens multiple possibilities for broader dialogue. As opposed to traditional, rectangular-shaped ping pong tables, Ping Pong Go-Round is at once a multi-player game and a dialogue between numerous people, regardless of gender and age around a donut-shaped table.
First enacted in April 1998 Melbourne Australia, during an International event “Construction in Process VI – The Bridge”, Lee Wen’s new take on ping pong has since gained attention from international media. Moreover, as Ping Pong Go-Round continues to be featured in exhibitions around the world, the work has invited and encouraged dialogue and challenge through sport and games.
Ping-Pong Go Round has also been presented in:
1. “Lee Wen: Lucid Dreams In The Reverie Of The Real” , Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, 20 April – 10 June 2012
2. 7th Kuala Lumpur Triennial BARRICADE, PUBLIKA, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 16 February – 02 March 2013
2. “The Realm in the Mirror, the Vision out of Image”, Suzhou Jinji Lake Art Museum, Suzhou, China, 9 May 2013 – 18 August 2013
3. “Concept Context Contestation: Art and the collective in Southeast Asia”, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Bangkok, Thailand, 13 December 2013 – 2 March 2014
Venue: Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC), 1 Expo Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
Lee Wen is a contemporary Singapore artist who is well-known for his work inperformance art. His performances are deeply engaged in the social and political complexities of the region. This is exemplified in perhaps his most famous series, “Journey of a Yellow Man”, in which he painted his body with yellow paint, a symbolic reference to his ethnic identity.
In May, iPRECIATION is presenting a solo exhibition of Lee Wen’s works at Art Basel Hong Kong 2014. This exhibition will feature some of Lee Wen’s most important works, including selected photographs from his ’Journey of a Yellow Man series, ‘Splash!’, ‘Strange Fruit’, acrylic on canvas body prints from ‘Anthropometry Revision’, as well as recent works including selected drawings and ’Yellow on Yellow: Dreamboat’, which is especially made for this exhibition. Most of the photographs have been reprinted as museum-quality, fine art prints for this exhibition.
Lee Wen’s ’Ping Pong Go-Round’, a donut-shaped ping pong table, will be exhibited at Encounters, which is a curated sector featuring 17 ambitious, large-scale installation works.
Lee Wen (b. 1957) is a Singaporean multidisciplinary artist working on social identity themes. After leaving a banking career to enroll at LASALLE College of the Arts, Lee graduated with a Masters of Fine Art in 2006. Lee Wen is a member of The Artists Village and the Black Market performance collective. He was co-organizer of Future of Imagination, an international performance art event in 2003, and also initiated R.I.T.E.S.-Rooted in the Ephemeral Speak, a platform to develop and promote performance art, discourse, and discussion in Singapore in 2009. He has held numerous solo exhibitions and participated in various international group shows, biennales and festival. He was the recipient of Singapore’s Cultural Medallion in 2005. Lee Wen has exhibited widely, with his most recent solo exhibition “The Breath of a Blade” at the Jendela Visual Arts Space Esplanade, Singapore in 2013 as well as “Lee Wen: Lucid Dreams in the Reverie of the Real” by the Singapore Art Museum in 2012
Venue: iPRECIATION (誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road HPL House #01-01 Singapore 249724 Tel 65 6339 0678
Lee Wen is a contemporary Singapore artist who is well-known for his work in performance art. His performances are deeply engaged in the social and political complexities of the region. This is exemplified in perhaps his most famous series, “Journey of a Yellow Man”, in which he painted his body with yellow paint, a symbolic reference to his ethnic identity.
iPRECIATION is presenting a preview of Lee Wen’s solo exhibition at Art Basel Hong Kong 2014 (May 15 – 18). The preview will be held in Singapore, at iPRECIATION. Selected photographs from his performances will be showcased, including ‘Splash!’, ‘Dreamboat’, ‘Journey of a Yellow Man No.2’, ‘Journey of a Yellow Man No.11’ and ‘Strange Fruit’. Acrylic on canvas body prints from Lee Wen’s ‘Anthropometry Revision’ series as well as selected drawings will also be at the preview.
Installation works which will be exhibited include ‘Art vs Art’ and ‘Ping Pong Go-Round’. The latter, which consists of a donut shaped ping pong table, will only be exhibited at Art Basel Hong Kong 2014 in the ‘Encounters’ section.
The artist will be present on 29th March, from 5 – 6pm to give a talk. This talk will focus on Lee Wen as an image maker, discussing both self portraiture and image making. Admission is free.
Lee Wen (b. 1957) is a Singaporean multidisciplinary artist working on social identity themes. After leaving a banking career to enroll at LASALLE College of the Arts, Lee graduated with a Masters of Fine Art in 2006. Lee Wen is a member of The Artists Village and the Black Market performance collective. He was co-organizer of Future of Imagination, an international performance art event in 2003, and also initiated R.I.T.E.S.-Rooted in the Ephemeral Speak, a platform to develop and promote performance art, discourse, and discussion in Singapore in 2009. He has held numerous solo exhibitions and participated in various international group shows, biennales and festival. He was the recipient of Singapore’s Cultural Medallion in 2005. Lee Wen has exhibited widely, with his most recent solo exhibition “The Breath of a Blade” at the Jendela Visual Arts Space Esplanade, Singapore in 2013 as well as “Lee Wen: Lucid Dreams in the Reverie of the Real” by the Singapore Art Museum in 2012
The Waterfront, 222, 12th Avenue New York 10001, USA
In Search for the Finest Chinese Art- Join us at New York this March where iPRECIATION will be embarking on an inaugural appearance at the Bridge Art Fair, to be held at ‘The Tunnel’. We will be marking this debut with a showcase by five notable mainland and overseas Chinese artists.
Expressing their unique visions via highly inimitable pieces, Nobel Laureate Gao Xingjian, multi-award winning sculptors Ju Ming and Cheung Yee will have their foremost artworks on display. iPRECIATION will also be exhibiting highly contemporary pieces by Zhang Jian-Jun and Ye Jian Qing. The former was commissioned to create a sculpture at the Golden Globe Awards Party in 2007, having received previous paramount exposure through exhibitions worldwide. The latter, Ye Jian Qing, is a rare talent in today’s fast- paced and extensive Contemporary art scene. A scholar artist and a PhD holder, Ye creates artworks that draw viewership through unorthodox strokes that chart the fragile relationship between painting and photography, his oil pieces fusing two delicate themes with passion and efficacy.
We hope you will be able to join us in New York this spring. For further information regarding artworks or details of the art fair, please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
COEX Exhibiton and Convention Center 135-731 Coex, Samseong 1-Dong Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea
SINGAPORE – To be held in Seoul, Korea from 9 to 13 May 2007, the Korea International Art Fair (KIAF) is an art event that is not to be missed, attributed to KIAF’s positive reputation in the Asian art scene. For the first time since its inception, iPRECIATION will be exhibiting a selection of spectacular art works by 10 of the gallery’s renowned artists. This includes prominent names such as Nobel Laureate Gao Xingjian, famous Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming, and the pioneer in the Hong Kong contemporary art movement Cheung Yee. iPRECIATION will also be exhibiting art works by Hung Liu, Zhang Jian-Jun, Ye Jian Qing, Budi Ubrux, Tse Yim On, and Riki Antoni.
Moreover, art aficionados can look forward to a new series of works, created especially for the art fair, geared with an array of arresting themes that will capture the artist’s astounding developments, and further highlight upon their inimitable techniques.
Artists:
Ju Ming (1938, Taiwan)
Zhang Jian-Jun (1955, China)
Gao Xingjian (1940, France)
Cheung Yee (1936, Hong Kong)
Ye Jian Qing (1972, China)
Tse Yim On (1974, Hong Kong)
Hung Liu (1948, China)
Budi Ubrux (1968, Indonesia)
Riki Antoni (1977, Indonesia)
For further information or artwork enquiry
please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
No. 3, Song Lian Road Sinyi District Taipei City (former Taipei World Trade Center II)
iPRECIATION is pleased to announce our participation in the 2007 edition of Art Taipei, which will be held in May. We will be representing artists Cheung Yee, Wang Weixin, Zhang Jian-Jun, Ye Jian Qing, Hung Liu, Tse Yim On, Budi Ubrux and Riki Antoni, all of whom will be preparing new masterpieces for this grand occasion.
Artists:
Cheung Yee (1936, Hong Kong)
Wang Weixin (1938, China)
Zhang Jian-Jun (1955, China)
Ye Jian Qing (1972, China)
Hung Liu (1948, China)
Tse Yim On (1974, Hong Kong)
Budi Ubrux (1968, Indonesia)
Riki Antoni (1977, Indonesia)
For further information or artwork enquiry
please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
National Agricultural Exhibition Center (NAEC) 16 East Ring North Rd. Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
Singapore – September 2007 is an event-packed month for iPRECIATION!
Following the Irene Chou solo exhibition at The Rotunda in Hong Kong, we will be showcasing our feature works at Art Beijing 2007, the country’s foremost exposition for modern and contemporary Chinese art. Art Beijing gains exclusivity through its stringent selection procedures, where only 100 galleries, out of a staggering 200 plus applicants, are given concession to participate in the show.
Executive Director of Art Beijing, Dong Mengyang, highlighted in an interview with CRIENGLISH.com, that 40% of total participants will consist of Chinese galleries, whereas Western and Asian galleries will account for the bulk, each region with a 30% hold. iPRECIATION’s success for securing a spot at the exposition, that is limited to only 30 galleries from across Asia, excluding China, is evident of the gallery’s rising status.
There will be a showcase of the finest selection of works from our panel of distinctive artists, including Ye Jian Qing, Nobel Laureate Gao Xing Jian, as well as master sculptors Ju Ming & Cheung Yee. The fair will be held at the National Agricultural Exhibition Center.
We hope you will be able to join us in Beijing from 19 to 23 September 2007, to view the most exquisite art works by our prominent artists.
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
iPRECIATION will be participating in CIGE 2005 at the China World Trade Center, Beijing, this coming May, and it gives us great pleasure to invite you to join us at our booth (No. 62). Notable works by Ju Ming, featuring the artist’s renowned Taichi Series, and Cheung Yee’s Cast Paper on Wood will be showcased, as their creations make an inaugural feature at this major art exposition in China
Exhibition period: 21st February – 08th March 2014
Venue: iPRECIATION (誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road HPL House #01-01 Singapore 249724 Tel 65 6339 0678
Boo Sze Yang: The Father is an exhibitionthat contributes to the recent opening of political and cultural public discourse on Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s former Prime Minister, and what he means to Singaporeans and the country’s history. The Father provides multiple readings into the legacy of Lee, and explores anxieties stemming from how Singapore can continue to prosper without this iconic figure that has shaped this country since its independence. Boo offers his own readings into these issues with critical depth derived from his own personal admiration for this political leader. More importantly, the power of Lee’s image as an icon is excavated by the artist from his memories and other sources such as the media. The cult of personality that mindlessly glorifies a leader is not what Boo is searching for. Instead, it is an open, critical and intellectual discussion on Lee, and the future vision and direction of Singapore that defines the purpose of this exhibition.
The Father comprises of portrait paintings of Lee by Boo that captures this major figure who has eschewed the cult of personality resulting in the underrepresentation of his image as an icon. This exhibition interrogates and opens up and questions stable readings of Lee as the “Father of Singapore”.
Boo Sze Yang (b.1965) graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1991. He completed his Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Art at the University of Reading, UK in 1995 and received his Master in Arts Degree from Chelsea College of Art & Design, the University of the Arts London in 2005. Boo has held 13 solo exhibitions, including Boo Sze Yang: AIR at Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei, Taiwan (2012), and has also exhibited in various international group exhibitions such as The Realm in the Mirror, the Vision Out of Image, an Exhibition of Singapore Contemporary Art, Suzhou Jinji Lake Art Museum, Suzhou, China (2013). He is a recipient for the Asian Artist Fellowship Award 2010/2011 sponsored by Freeman Foundation for residency at the Vermont Studio Center in USA. Boo’s works are collected by organizations in Singapore and Beijing.
Venue: iPRECIATION (誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road HPL House #01-01 Singapore 249724 Tel 65 6339 0678
iPRECIATION is celebrating its 15th birthday in 2014. To kick off the celebration, the gallery will present the latest paintings of Singapore artists from 10th Jan to 24th Jan to give visitors a sneak preview of the gallery’s exciting anniversary programmes. Featured artists include Boo Sze Yang, Lee Wen, Michael Lee, Milenko Prvacki, Tang Da Wu and Tay Bak Chiang. This exhibition will also be part of “Art in Motion” organized by AGAS from 14th to 19th Jan.
iPRECIATION is proud to present Michael Lee and Chua Chye Teck’s latest works at Art Stage Platforms. Michael Lee’s Skeletal Retreat No. 2, which is a part of his ongoing Skeletal Retreat installation series, will be on display for the first time. A selection of 20 images from Chua Chye Teck’s latest series of ongoing photography works will also be exhibited at Art Stage Singapore Platforms 2014. Exhibition period: 15th – 19th Jan 2014 Venue: 10 Bayfront Ave, Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre (Halls D, E & F), Singapore 018956 For more information.
please read the press release for our 15th year anniversary programmes.
Venue: 10 Bayfront Ave Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre (Halls D, E & F) Singapore 018956
iPRECIATION is proud to present Milenko Prvacki’s most recent works at Art Stage Singapore 2014. The series “Unsent Letters” was created during his recent residency in Santa Monica. Major acrylic on canvas paintings created in his Singapore studio will also be on display.
Milenko’s latest monograph, “After Memory: The Art of Milenko Prvacki”, essay by Charles Merewether, will also be launched at Art Stage Singapore 2014.
The date and time of both launches are as below:
15th Jan: 5 – 6pm 18th Jan: 2 – 4pm
The author and the artist will be present at both monograph launches. The monograph will be available for sale from 16th Jan onwards at iPRECIATION.
Chen Sai Hua Kuan was born in Singapore in 1976, he graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts in 1997 and obtained a Master in Fine Arts from the Slade School of Fine Art, University College London in 2007. His practice is uniquely open. Garbage, silverware, industrial materials, anything can inspire him and becomes his material. With no limitation and boundary, Sai Hua Kuan’s installation, video, performances, photographs, and objects combine visual simplicity and playfulness. However, his executions are often laborious, technical, mechanical, and life-threatening. Through his works, viewers are inspired by the sense of inventiveness, precision, freedom, and ingenuousness.
He has exhibited extensively on international platforms such as ‘Singapore Biennale’ (2013 Singapore), ‘EV+A’ (2010, Ireland), ‘Moscow International Biennale for Yong Art’ (2010, Russia), ‘14th Media Art Beinnale WRO’ (2011, Poland) and more.
In March 2015, Sai’s latest work titled ‘Ling Ting 2’ was commissioned and debut on the Grand Palais steps, on the occasion of the Art Paris Art Fair in Paris. He is currently taking part in an artist residency at the prestigious Künstlerhaus Bethanien in Berlin, Germany.
Education
2007 | Master in Fine Arts, Slade School of Fine Arts, University College London, UK
1997 | Diploma in Fine Arts, Lasalle-SIA College of The Arts, Singapore
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2014 | Space Drawing, OSAGE Gallery, Hong Kong
2012 | Everything That Has a Point Makes A Circle, Yavuz Fine Art, Singapore
2009 | Drawing between Nothing, The Slade School of Fine Art, London, UK
Gao Xingjian: After the Flood with an essay by Jason C. Kuo
Publisher: iPRECIATION
Language: English / Chinese
ISBN: 978-9810772949
Gao Xingjian is one of the greatest interdisciplinary artists of our time. As a writer, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2000; as a playwright, he piloted the new Chinese avant-garde theatre in the early ‘80s; and as a painter, his monochromatic ink paintings have been exhibitied worldwide including a retrospective at Papes d’Avignon.
Since 2006 Gao has produced three experimental films that continue to extend the boundries of his creative imagination. This book is the first photographic publication that brings together his paintings and elements of his second film, After the Flood.
Gao Xingjian: Aesthetics and Creation Gao Xingjian (Author), Mabel Lee (Translator)
Publisher: Cambria Press (November 28, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN: 978-1604978360
Gao Xingjian: Painter of the Soul Daniel Bergez (Author)
Publisher: Asia Ink (November 11, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN: 978-0953783977
Gao Xingjian : Peintre de l’âme Daniel Bergez (Author)
Publisher : Seuil (10 October, 2013)
Language : French
ISBN: 978-2021059984
Beauty (textbook) Part of Darwin College Lectures
Lauren Arrington, Zoe Leinhardt, Philip Dawid (Editors)
Published: Cambridge University Press (July 2013)
Language: English
ISBN: 978-1107693432
Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973, Malaysia/Singapore) graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore in 1995 and studied at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China, in 1997. He was awarded the First Prize in the Chinese Painting category in the 19th and 22nd United Overseas Bank Painting of the Year Competitions (2000 and 2003 respectively). In 2002 he received the Young Artist Award from the National Arts Council of Singapore.
Tay has always been inspired by nature. To him, nature is perfection, balance and harmony. He also believes his work should bear the imprint of his environment and reflect the spirit of contemporary times, even if it is rooted in Chinese ink painting. Hence, he often interprets new nature themes familiar in Southeast Asia, such as heliconias, banana and palm trees, stones and lotus ponds.
Earlier in his practice, he experimented with deconstructing and reconfiguring nature motifs. More recently, he has attempted to move away from representational forms, abandoning motifs that may bear his feelings and points of view. He interprets lotus flowers as minimalist forms; stalks as thick, unembellished strokes; and stones as aloof, silent silhouettes, creating vistas that invite viewers to imagine and discover nature for themselves, just as nature intends for us to do.
In his recent works, he continues to push the boundaries and contemporize the genre of Chinese painting through the use of acrylic and pigments on canvas. It encapsulates the artist’s enquiry into classical Chinese ink art, introducing new perspectives in the portrayal of nature in order to evoke a sense of poetry and inner emotions. For the Stone Series, Tay states “I was first inspired on a walk in the Bukit Timah nature reserve some years ago. I chanced upon some rustic, unrefined granite rocks that stood with an imposing, dignified spirit amid the greenery. I thought they were like hermits, reclusive from the material world. They seemed to emit a cool quietness, an air of indifference”. Similarly, for his guqin series, though Tay does not play the 7-stringed instrument, he appreciates the traditional Chinese instrument, guqin as an iconic symbol of Chinese high culture and one of the most expressive forms that capture the essence of Chinese music.
Michael Lee is an artist, curator and publisher based in Berlin and Singapore. He researches urban memory and fiction, especially the contexts and implications of loss. He transforms his observations into objects, diagrams, situations, curations or texts. He has staged solo exhibitions at Künstlerhaus Bethanien (Berlin), Hanart TZ Gallery (Hong Kong), Baba House (Singapore) and Alliance Francaise de Singapour (Singapore). His group exhibition participations include The 3rd Kuandu Biennale 2012, The 2nd Asia Triennial Manchester 2011, The 3rd Singapore Biennale 2011, The 8th Shanghai Biennale 2010, The 4th & 3rd Guangzhou Triennial 2011 & 2008, The 2005 World Exposition (Singapore Pavilion) and International Film & Video Association Film Award & Festival 1997 (co-winner, Experimental category). His curatorial projects include Between, Beside, Beyond: Daniel Libeskind’s Reflections and Key Works 1989-2014 (Singapore Art Museum, 2007), and his editorial projects include the series Corridors: Notes on the Contemporary (published by Studio Bibliothèque with various others, 2013-); Who Cares: 16 Essays on Curating in Asia (co-edited with Alvaro Rodriguez Fominaya, published by Para/Site Art Space, Hong Kong, 2010), and Preoccupations: Things Artists Do Anyway (co-edited with Cornelia Erdmann, published by laiyan projects and Studio Bibliothèque, Hong Kong, 2008). His accolades include the APBF Signature Art Prize 2011 (People’s Choice Award), conferred by the Singapore Art Museum, and the Young Artist Award (Visual Arts) 2005, conferred by the National Arts Council, Singapore. He received his Master and Bachelor of Communication Studies from Nanyang Technological University in 2001 and 1997 respectively.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2018| “Installation in Progress”, Curve @ Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
2018 | “Creatif Compleks”, Vitrine, Centre for Contemporary Arts Singapore, Singapore
2014| “Machine For (Living) Dying In”, Yavuz Fine Art, Singapore 2014| Moving Forest – Artist in Residency Project, Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Singapore
2013| “Michael Lee: Some Detours”, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Germany
2012| “M-trospective: Michael Lee’s First Decade 2001-2011”, Studio Bibliothèque, Singapore
2012 | “Revision Exercise 002”, Art Stage Singapore, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2011| “Michael Lee”, Chan Hampe Galleries booth, Art Stage Singapore, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
2010| “Lost City and Other Stories”, Hanart Square and Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong
2008| “A Psychotaxonomy of Home”, Baba House, Singapore
2004| “When a Body Meets a Building”, Alliance Francaise de Singapour, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
2019-2020| “Suddenly Becoming Visible”, National Gallery Singapore, Singapore
2019| “ONLY CONNECT: Osaka”, Creative Center Osaka, Osaka, Japan
2019 | “Bridges of Time”: i Light 2019 Bicentennial Edition, Cavenagh Bridge, Singapore
2011| APBF Signature Art Prize (People’s Choice Award), Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
2005| Young Artist Award (Visual Arts), National Arts Council, Singapore
1997| 1st Prize (Experimental), United Film & Video Association Student Film & Video Competition, PHL, USA (co-awarded with William Phuan & Tan Chee Tat)
1996| Distinction, United Television Outstanding Video, Singapore (co-awarded with Chong Siew Hong)
1995| 3rd Prize, All-School Students’ Video Competition, NTU, Singapore
1988| 1st Prize, Chinese Calligraphy Competition, Gan Eng Seng School, Singapore
Selected Public Collections
Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
National Gallery Singapore
National University of Singapore Museum
Singapore Art Museum
For the full list of exhibitions, awards and and public collections, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Born in 1957, Lee Wen was a Singaporean multidisciplinary artist working on social identity themes. After leaving a banking career to enroll at LASALLE College of the Arts, Lee graduated with a Masters of Fine Art in 2006. Best known for his Yellow Man series of work, Lee was one of the pioneers of Performance Art in Singapore.
Lee Wen relied on the strategic deployment of visual, kinesthetic symbols and signs in his works. Through various constructed personas, his works allowed visitors an insight into his roles as an artist. Lee had explored different strategies of time-based and performance art since 1989. Lee’s work had been strongly motivated by social investigations as well as inner psychological directions using art to interrogate stereotypical perceptions of culture and society.
Lee Wen’s essays, texts and investigations were an important reference, not only for Singaporean and Asian artists, but also for Performance art scholars and researchers worldwide.
Beyond his performance art, Lee was a multidisciplinary artist. To him, all his works irregardless of medium is about conveying a message to the audience by means of composing a picture, image or scene. Faced with the obstacle of battling with Parkinson’s disease, the artist’s body movements were increasingly limited, thus large paintings and drawings had become a feat to him. The gestures of marking and drawing lines across the blank spaces, the very act of painting and drawing was akin to a performance in itself. Despite these challenges, his two-dimensional works convey an overwhelming sense of optimism and perseverance.
Lee Wen was a contributing member in The Artists Village of Singapore and had been participating in Black Market international performance collective. Lee was also co-organiser of R.I.T.E.S. – Rooted in the Ephemeral Speak (2009), a platform to support and develop performance art practices, discourse, infrastructure and audiences in Singapore. In 2003, Lee spearheaded the Future of Imagination international performance art event, seeing the value of having an annual gathering of international artists in Singapore, to share a continuing interest in the cultural constructs of identity.
In 2005, Lee Wen was awarded the Cultural Medallion for his contributions to the development of Contemporary Art in Singapore and he also won the Joseph Balestier Award for the Freedom of Art in 2016. Lee Wen passed away in 2019.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2015 | Lee Wen: Songs Unsung, iPreciation, Singapore
2014 | Lee Wen: Solo Exhibition, Art Basel Hong Kong
2013 | The Breath of a Blade, Jendela Visual Arts Space Esplanade, Singapore
2012 | Lee Wen: Lucid Dreams in the Reverie of the Real, Singapore Art Museum
Selected Group Exhibitions
2015 | The Cultural Medallion and Visual Arts 1979 – 2015, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
2015 | 5th Asian Art Biennial, National Museum of Fine Arts, Taiwan
2015 | START Art Fair, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
2015 | The Roving Eye, ARTER Foundation, Istanbul, Turkey
2015 | Prudential Singapore Eye, Art Science Museum, Singapore
Selected Public Collections
Singapore Art Museum
Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan
Queensland Art Museum, Brisbane, Australia
For the full list of exhibitions and public collections, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Born in 1961, Oohira Hiroshi completed a Design course from the University of Osaka in 1984. A well known graphic designer who has received many prizes in Japan and abroad, Oohira is currently a Professor at the Art University in Osaka. He took up the practice of wood carving ten years ago and has been holding yearly exhibitions in Osaka and Tokyo since 2000. As Oohira is not a full time artist, he creates only ten artworks a year; his delicate sculptures are all created from cypress wood, earthly creatures that act as parody to human life and its quest for knowledge.
Awards
1996 Jury’s Special Award, Opel Design Contest
Second Award, Asahi Advertising Award
1997 Excellence Award, Mainichi Advertisement Design Competition
Accepted for International Biennial of the Poster in Mexico, Mexico, International Poster Triennial in Toyama, 2003 & 2009, Japan, Trnava Poster Triennial, Slovakia, Lahti Poster Biennial, Finland and more.
Samsul Arifin (b. 1979) born in Malang, Indonesia, he established himself as a multi-talented artist. In 2001, he won both Indonesian Art Institute awards for the Best Watercolour Painting and Best Sketching Work. The artist is often employs, with astute awareness, artistic signifiers in various combinations to construct meanings in his creations. In his series of Barbie Dolls paintings, he has invested much deep thought to effectively manipulate object, colour, space and composition in his works, in criticizing the penetration of imported cultures.
Riki Antoni was born in Yogyakarta in 1977, as an artist he employs massive, animalistic characters as a central theme in his artworks, these quirky protagonists swathed in a palette of vibrant colours, to establish a paradoxical stance on the country’s political and social climate.
Obtaining inspiration from the realm of the phantasmal, Riki has infused this mystifying theme with his fascination for the proverbial, enabling the artist to create wild new-fangled characters that ironically, possess an inherent shade of humanity that is aptly reflective of the nuances of urbanised, ‘civilised’ behaviour.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
The Wonderful Tales of Riki Antoni, 2006, iPreciation, Singapore
Born in Palembang, South Sumatra in 1972, Edo Pop or Eduard was educated in SMSR Palembang (1989 – 1993) and later on at the Indonesia Institute of Art Yogyakarta (1995 – 2000). He has been involved with various artists’ organisations in Palembang and Yogyakarta since 1990, including the Sanggar Bidar Sriwjaya which he co-founded in 1998, and Rumah Seni Muara, Yogyakarta which he co-founded in 2003. Edo has had solo exhibitions in Copenhagen, Denmark, Yogyakarta and Surabaya, Indonesia. He has also participated in group exhibitions in USA, Canada and Singapore over the last twenty years.
Education
2000 | Educated at Indonesia Institute of Art Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
1993 | Educated at from SMSR Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2011 | Menjadi/ isness, Galeri Nasional Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
2007 | Senjakala Eros, Art Forum, Singapore
2005 | Membuat Rumah Baru, Emmitan Cotemporary Art Gallery, Surabaya, Indonesia
2002 | Tulang Punggung,Purna Budaya, 2002, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2000 | Re-Kreasi, 2000, Museum Benteng Vredeburg, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
1996 | Impressions in Denmark, Indri Moeberghus, Copenhagen, Denmark
Selected Group Exhibitions
2012 | Anniversary Expressions, Philo Art Space 7th Anniversary, Jakarta, Indonesia
2012 | Homo Ludens #3, Emmitan Cotemporary Art Gallery, Surabaya, Indonesia
2012 | Sillahturrahmi, Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2012 | Tanah Air Pusaka, Kelompok Greget’ 95, Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2012 | KembarMayang, Museum H. Widayat Magelang, Mungkid, Indonesia
2011 | Pasar Kincrung, Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2011 | Membuatnya Abadi, Galeri Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia
2011 | Indonesia Art Award (IAA), Galeri Nasional Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
2010 | Inventory, pesantren Kaliopak LESBUMI, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2010 | Drawing, Galeri Nasional Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
2009 | Ketik Reg Manjoer, Kelompok Greget’ 95, Sangkring art Space, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2009 | Im Rainbow, Esa Sampoerna Art House, Surabaya, Indonesia
2009 | Re-Konstruksi Zaman ke Emasan, 2009, Gedung Taman Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2009 | Manifesto, Galeri Nasional Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
2005 | My Favourite Painting & Sculptures, Art Forum, Singapore
2005 | Indonesian Contemporary, iPreciation Gallery, Singapore
Awards
2003 | Nominasi Philip Morris Indonesia Art Awards 2003, Indonesia
2002 | 10 Karya Tebaik Indo Food Art Award 1, di gedung Museum Nasional Jakarta, Indonesia
2001 | Nominasi Philip Morris Indonesia Art Awards 2001, Indonesia
1998 | Karya Seni Lukis terbaik, Diesnatalis XI ISI Yogyakarta, Indonesia
1996 | Karya Cat air Terbaik Seni Murni FSR ISI Yogyakarta, Indonesia
For full list of exhibitions and awards, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Alfi Jumaldi was born 1972 in Lintau, West Sumatra, Indonesia. After studying at the Indonesian Institute of Arts in Yogyakarta in 1999, he co-founded and became a member of Jendela Art Group, a prominent contemporary artist collective. Most of the members were experiencing the early phase of their careers, creating work which surprised art audiences in Indonesia as the subject matter were far removed from socio-political themes and realistic painting. Instead, the Jendala Art Group showed inclination for extreme naïvism in the form of meaningless ‘doodles’ or formalism – that was also extreme – by drawing exclusively on minimal visual elements of line, color and texture. In 2010, he co-founded the Artists Collective, Office: For Contemporary Art International in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He lives and works in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Alfi Jumaldi was nominated for the 10th Indonesian Art Awards (2003, Finalist) and the 5th Indonesian Art Awards, The Best Painting Awards, Indonesian Insitute of Art (ISI), Yogyakarta, Indonesia (1998, Finalist). He currently lives and works in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.
Education
1999 | Graduated from FSR Institut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta, Indonesia
1993 | Graduated from SMSR Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2016 | Jumaldi Alfi, Sanata Dharma University Gallery, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
Rosanna Li is a leading ceramic artist from Hong Kong, and retired Assistant Professor at the School of Design of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Born in Hong Kong, Rosanna first studied Ceramics at the Hong Kong Polytechnic, and pursued tertiary education at University of Liverpool. Her works have been exhibited extensively in Asia, Australia, Canada, the U.S.A and Europe. Rosanna’s works are collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Shiwan Ceramic Museum in Guangdong, and many more museum and institutions in Asia. Rosanna has garnered numerous awards, including the Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Art Award (Ceramics) in 1985, the Artist of the Year Award (Sculpture), the Silver Award in Ceramics of the Guangdong Museum of Art in 2000; and in 2005, she was awarded the Secretary for Home Affairs Commendation Medal, for her contributions to the promotion of the arts and culture in Hong Kong.
Earthy and comical, Rosanna’s plump, amiable, figures are versatile caricatures, portraying the various, vibrant facets of Hong Kong popular culture. The Mahjong figures are caught in earnest play, looking mirthful and at ease, while her yoga sculptures are seated in repose, emitting through their robust, ample frames, a contemplative aura that speaks of the artist’s wit and craftsmanship, relayed through her chubby, amiable creations.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2018 | Love Books, Love Puffs, Love Mobiles, Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong
2017 | Toast to Go – Rosanna Li Ceramics Solo Exhibition, Giant Year Gallery, Hong Kong
2014 | Soulmate – a Solo Exhibition of Rosanna Li, YY9 Gallery, Hong Kong
2013 | Coffee or Tea? Ceramic Works by Rosanna Li Wei-Han, iPreciation, Singapore
2009 | Yuanyang Qishui – Han’s Café, Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong
2006 | Men, I wish I knew How to Quit You!, Grotto Fine Art, Hong Kong
2002 | Easy Easy, Rotunda, Exchange Square, Central Hong Kong
2000 | Terraces Topography: Yu Lan Festival, Para/Site , Hong Kong
1999 | The Unbearable Loneliness of Being, Pottery Workshop, Hong Kong
1997 | Hong Kong Artists Series: Li Wei Han – Muddle Muddles, Hong Kong Museum of Art
Awards
2020 | Artist of the Year Award (Visual Arts) at the 14th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards
2005 | Secretary for Home Affairs Commendation Medal Awards
2000 | Artist of the Year Award (Sculpture)
2000 | Silver Award in Ceramics of the Guangdong Museum of Art
1985 | Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Art Award (Ceramics)
Lui Chun Kwong was born in Guangdong, China in 1956, settling in Hong Kong since 1962. He studied at the Department of Fine Arts of the National Taiwan Normal University in 1980 and returned to Hong Kong after graduation. He obtained a Master of Arts degree from the Goldsmiths’ College of the University of London in 1994.
Lui founded the Hong Kong Modern Art Society of Watercolour with his fellow artists in 1988, and chaired the Society for the first three years. He also served as Chairman of the Hong Kong Visual Art Society from 1988 to 2002. Lui joined the Department of Fine Arts of the Chinese University of Hong Kong from1985 to 2010, teaching studio courses on Western media. He also supervised M.F.A. Students.
Lui Chun Kwong established his Yiliu Painting Factory in 2001 and jointly held its first open studio event with his students in Oct, which became a prelude to the Fotanian Open Studios series.
Artist Statement My work is neither a conceptual exploration nor emotional expressions. For me, both are only fragments of creativity. In a certain respect, my work is dealing with standing, drinking, walking and ploughing. It merely a basic attitude or behaviour.
Standing: awareness of position; from things I see, ideas could be formed. Drinking: awareness of materials; by media I use, sensibilities could be motivated. Walking: awareness of direction; through circumstances, I follow, problems could be overcome. Ploughing: unconsciousness of space; no up and down, no left and right, no low and high, it is but a working practice! Standing like a stork, drinking like a cat, walking like a camel, ploughing like a cow, these postures are what I am very much interested in. They have repeated over and over again but the result is no different. Standing on a point, drinking from a square, walking along a line, ploughing in a field; Standing from a point, leading to a square, approaching along a line, forming a field. My work is something like these.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
Lui Chun Kwong Recent Works, 2015, Aike-Dellarco, Shanghai, China
Piao Piao Ran – Recent Works by Lui Chun Kwong, 2012, Osage Gallery, Hong Kong
Lui Chun Kwong: I Am Not Myself, 2004, Yiliu Painting Factory, Fotan, Hong Kong
Lui Chun Kwong Yi Liu Shan Shui, 2001, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong
Flea Market: An Exhibition of Paintings and Crafts by Lui Chun Kwong, 2000, Para/Site Art Space, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Artists Series: Lui Chun Kwong, 1998, Arts Centre, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong
Selected Group Exhibitions
The is the way of living: Lui Chun Kwong + Chen Shun-chu, 2014, a.m.space, Hong Kong
Painting On and On 5. Taciturn, 2014, Painting On and On and HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity, Hong Kong
OPEN “Flags” 15. International Exhibition of Sculptures and Installations, 2012, Venice Lido, San Servolo Island, Italy
Yu Di: Lui Chun Kwong & Lee Kit, 2012, Aike-Dellarco, Shanghai, China
Hong Kong Eye, 2012, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK
Lui Chun Kwong: You Are Here, I am Not., 2010, Osage Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
Legacy and Creations: Ink Art vs Ink Art, 2010, Shanghai Art Museum, China
Beyond the Image: Liang Quan, Lui Chun Kwong, Yan Shanchun, 2009, Osage Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
Encounter: Dublin, Lisbon, Hong Kong & Seoul, 2009, The Korea Foundation Cultural Center, Korea
New Ink Art, 2008, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Unpcak, 2008, Nanshan Museum, China Academy of Art, China
Reversing Horizons, 2007, MoCA Shanghai, China
Selected Public Collections
National Museum of History, Taiwan
Department of Fine Arts, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan
Hong Kong Museum of Art
Hong KongHeritage Museum
Hong Kong Arts Centre
The Art Gallery, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
Au Ka Wai obtained his Bachelor & Master of Fines Arts degrees, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Chelsea College of Art & Design, London, in 1996 and 2000 respectively. In 1995, when Au was still pursuing studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, he held his inaugural solo exhibition at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, and was invited to organize another solo show the next year. Right upon graduation, his works were featured at the Hong Kong Museum of Art three times in 2 consecutive years. Au received the Fine Arts Award at the Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial in 1996, and he also won the Vermont Studio Center Freeman Fellowship, USA in 2002.
In the process of creating artworks, some could regard materials as a ‘tool’, used solely as a means of achieving an outcome; paying due attention to idea and form as opposed to material. Au, however, with a more avant-garde perspective, envisages the role of arts through the delicate use of materials; as he endeavours to explore the possibilities of ‘material’, to transcend his views of aesthetics.Through paper, Au stretches and expands the physicality of paper by tearing and thinning it into delicate sheathes, and lays them layer upon layer to illustrate the softness of the material- to allow the material to be viewed through another perspective, besides its usual form of manifestation.
For instance, by tearing paper into irregular shapes, and layering them into different tiers, Au not only stretches the potential of the Chinese paper, but illustrates interactivity between the visual image and spatial sculpture. Layer upon layer, line after line, Au creates a three-dimensional plane which is formed through undulating lines. Playing with the ‘softness’ and ‘hardness’ of the material, Au manipulates the papers through liberal movements, creating a structure that appears solid, or thick.
To Au Ka Wai, art need not be a means of conveying an idea or vision, one could also create art based on one’s abilities to explore the possibilities of material. The artist may express oneself through painting and sculpting, with the intention of freeing the hidden potential of material; embracing the limitless opportunities that allows the artist to manipulate and showcase its qualities. The repeated use of a single element reveals the artist’s attentiveness and absorption for his works, while unfold in the compressed space is the traces of a repetitive creation process, all done by a pair of bare yet artistic hands. In Au’s works, images of the Hong Kong local streets are made visible pieces by pieces, as a record of his ordinary days in town.
Education
2000 | Masters in Fine Arts, Chelsea College of Art & Design, London, UK
1996 | Bachelors in Fine Arts, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Selected Solo Exhibitions
1996 | Yathabhutadarsana, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Exhibition Gallery, Hong Kong
1995 | Exhibition by Au Ka Wai, Sir Run Run Shaw Hall, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1995 | Art Exhibition by Au Ka Wai, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Exhibition Gallery, Hong Kong
A prominent Ceramic artist from Hong Kong, Annie Wan obtained her Bachelor & Master of Fine Arts degrees, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1996 and 1999 respectively. She has showcased her works in numerous museums and festivals since 1991, including the Hong Kong Arts Centre, the International Ceramics Festival in Tokoname, Japan, the Hong Kong Cultural Festival in Japan, and the Museum of International Ceramic Art in Denmark. Annie’s works are collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Guldagergaard Museum of International Ceramic Art in Denmark, the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Japan and the Philippe Charriol Foundation. Over the years, she has also garnered numerous awards, such as award winner at the Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition in 2003, and Winner (Sculpture category) at the Philippe Charriol Foundation Art Competition in 1999.
Inspired and moulded to imitate ordinary objects, Annie’s works are personable, nostalgic reflections; materialised at times, through unglazed porcelain or stoneware clay, to become surreal depictions of the original. Taking abstract forms, with slightly perturbing effect, Annie’s creations aptly detail the tricky, delicate confluence of longing and rediscovery.
Education
1999 | Master of Fine Arts, Chinese University of Hong Kong
1996 | Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts, Chinese University of Hong Kong
1991 | Higher Certificate in Studio Ceramics, Hong Kong Polytechnics
1982 | Diploma in Design, Hong Kong Polytechnics
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2017 | “Zan Baak Fo”, Cheung Hing Grocery Store & Former site of Giant Year Gallery, Hong Kong
2013 | Zan Baak Fo, Cheung Hing Grocery Store & Former site of Giant Year Gallery, Hong Kong
2013 | Text · Book, 1a Space, Hong Kong
2008 | Looking for Poetry in Wanchai, Stage One Art Space, Hong Kong
2005 | Moulding World – A Summer in Denmark, the Habitus, Hong Kong
2001 | Rediscovery, First Institute of Art and Design Gallery, Hong Kong
1999 | Longing and Rediscovery, the MFA thesis exhibition, Hui Gallery, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
1998 | Ceramic Works by Wan Lai Kuen, Fringe Festival ‘98, Hong Kong
1997 | Paintings by Annie Wan, Fringe Festival ‘97, Hong Kong
Selected Group Exhibitions
2018 | Warum Kunst?, Museum Ulm & Kunsthalle Weishaupt, Germany
2018 | PRESENCE: A Window into Chinese Contemporary Art, St George;s Hall, Liverpool, United Kingdom
2018 | The 3rd Guangdong Contemporary Ceramic Art Exhibition, Ucity Art Museum of GAFA, Guangzhou, China
2018 | Hanzi Exhibition, Qube, PMQ, Hong Kong
2017 | What’s in Store?, Salford Museum and Art Gallery, United Kingdom
2016 | The Eight Climate (What Does Art Do?), 11th edition of Gwangju Biennale, South Korea
2015 | Contemporary Asian Ceramics Exchange Exhibition, Museum of China Academy of Art, China
2014 | Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Kochi, India
2014 | Asia Triennial Manchester 2014, Manchester, UK
Awards
2016 | Presented and granted by Hong Kong Development Council to participate in the 11th Gwangju Biennale, South Korea
2011 |Granted Guest Artist, Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan
2003 | Award Winner, Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition 2003, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
2002 | Awarded Artist, Artists in Neighbourhood Scheme II, Hong Kong Art Promotion Office, Hong Kong
1999 | Winner-sculpture, Philippe Charriol Foundation Art Competition, Hong Kong
1991 | Chosen artist, International Workshop of Ceramic Art in Tokoname, Japan
Selected Public Collections
Guldageraard, Museum of International Ceramic Art, Denmark
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park, Japan
Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong
Philippe Charriol Foundation, Singapore
For the full list of exhibitions, awards and public collections, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Kheng-li Wee works in photography but was trained as a painter with a degree in Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania and Master of Fine Art from San Francisco Art Institute, California. Fascinated by memory and dwelling as manifested in architecture and urban spaces, Wee navigates through ancient, narrow, old streets and neighborhoods. By using photography as a process of seeing and recording, Wee seeks to pose philosophical and existential questions regarding the possibilities of seeing beyond the limits of concept and language. His work allows the viewer to glance into the intimate stories and traces of nuances in everyday situations. Wee’s latest works are the LED light-box series which aims to capture the urban neighborhood of Yanaka in Tokyo, Japan. His other two LED light-box series encompass urban neighborhoods of Laweyan in Solo, Indonesia, and Cheung Chau in Hong Kong, S.A.R. Wee taught visual arts at Tunghai University in Taichung, Taiwan.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2012 | In The Valley Is Silence, Littleton and Hennessy Asian Art, New York, USA
2010 | In The Valley Is Silence (Selected Images), San Francisco Art Institute, USA
2009 | Studies Of Daydreams, San Francisco Art Institute, USA
2008 | Chinatown Square, San Francisco Art Institute, USA
2006 | Istanbul, Art Forum Gallery, Singapore
2005 | On The Silk Road, Art Forum Gallery, Singapore
2004 | Zen City, Art Forum Gallery, Singapore
2002 | Views Of A City, Art Forum Gallery / MICA Atrium, Singapore
1992 | Graduate Solo Exhibition, Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, USA
Selected Group Exhibitions
2015 | NOW, iPreciation, Singapore
2015 | Portable Art Week, iPreciation, Singapore
2010 | Vernissage: MFA Graduate Exhibition, Fort Mason, San Francisco, USA
2010 | (Extra) Ordinary World, Swell Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute, USA
2009 | Cont.MFA, Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute, USA
2008 | The Varied Life Of People Of The Asian City, Fujifilm Square, Tokyo, Japan
2006 | Every Sandplay, Club Family, Tokyo, Japan
2004 | Popular Pleasures Through Photography, The Substation, Singapore
2002 | The Month Of Photography, MICA Atrium, Singapore
2001 | New Messenger, Gallery, Evason Hotel, Singapore
2000 | ICP Graduate Exhibition, Chelsea Fine Arts Building, New York, USA
This latest addition to Singapore’s public art is made possible by the Ho Bee Group.
These elegant bronze monuments-12 Gentlemen from Ju Ming’s Living World Series are standing tall as the permanent feature at the Metropolis on North Buona Vista Drive.
Gao Xingjian is a novelist, playwright, painter, photographer as well as film and theatre director; sustaining a successful career both in academic and artistic disciplines. Born in Jiangxi province, Gao studied French at the Beijing Foreign Studies University and was the first Chinese individual to receive a Nobel Prize in Literature in 2000.
Gao’s paintings are works of art that bear an original and unique artistic vision that is equal to his outstanding literary oeuvre. “Painting begins where language fails” is one of Gao’s famous quotes which succinctly characterizes his art and his philosophy in life. Gao’s creation of space and depth are not direct observations but spatial dimensions felt by his inner self. His proficiency in using Chinese brushstrokes and applying ink to create works on paper and canvas has created and inspired new directions in Chinese ink painting. He often portrays his inner mindscape, leading the audience to a world invisible to the human eye. A silhouette is often portrayed to mirror an onlooker who seeks deeper meaning in life. Even though Gao has lived in France for thirty years, much of his philosophy still strongly relates to his Chinese aesthetics and Buddhism; his works reflect this unique identity. Gao has held more than thirty exhibitions around the world. In 2015, a retrospective exhibition was held at the Musee D’Ixelles, Brussels and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts Brussels acquired a work for their permanent collection. Gao currently lives and works in France.
Equipped with a sharp eye for detail, Tomita Natsumi, a young, gifted artist from Japan, was born in Tokyo in 1986. She enrolled in an oil painting course at Tama Art University, which is located in her hometown. Since 2007, she has held several solo exhibitions participated in Asian art fairs and had her works under the collection of renowned Japanese art institutions such as the Hamada Children’s Museum of Art. On par with her witty, atypical perspectives, she uses a variety of quirky, unlikely mediums – materials that are elementary to everyday life, and are no doubt far less employed in the artistic realm.
Tomita’s approach is youthful and rebellious as she unconventionally employs the bare essentials to convey her impressions of the world. She strives to reassess one’s role within the natural environment, specifically the lack of affinity between urbanity and nature. A potpourri of animals, vibrant and flamboyant, is paradoxically emulated using odd scraps of material, the constituents each acquiring a creative improbability, Given Tomita’s decidedly innovative streak, it is in her artistic nature to appealing simulations. Endearing, highly intuitive, and extremely imaginative, Tomita evokes a sentiment of child-like enthusiasm amongst viewers, whilst furthering a creative expansion amongst a younger audience.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2018, Takashimaya Shinjuku Art Gallery
Solo Exhibition, 2016 Kanagawa Prefectural Hall Gallery, Kanagawa / Shinjuku Kashiwajima 10F Art Gallery / Machida Tokyu Twins
Solo Exhibition, 2015, Shinjuku Residents Gallery, Tokyo / Korea Art Fair KIAF (Galley Tokyo Humanite)
Bunkamura Box Gallery, 2014, Wall Gallery, Tokyo
The Small Forest, 2013, Galerie 412, Japan
All my Newborns, 2012, iPreciation, Hong Kong
Solo Exhibition, 2009, iPreciation, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
“Sogno · Dreams – Sculptor Eiji Nitahara and the Artists Carrying the Next Generation”, 2012, Sato Art Museum, Tokyo
“Female times Female artists now and now”, 2012, Bunkamura Box Gallery, Tokyo
Echigo-Tsumari Triennale “The Friends of the Kiroro Forest” Echigo Matsunoyama “The School of the Forest”, 2012, Kiroro, Niigata
“Sakana Exhibition”, 2013, Hamada World Children’s Museum, Shimane
“The animals in the picture, Collection Exhibition 047”, 2014, Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo
Born in 1974, Hong Kong, Tse Yim On 謝炎安 grew up in the Generation X era and was heavily influenced by the rise of titillating, pseudo-violent cartoons, especially the heavily caricatured style of Japanese anime. His art is satirical and wildly fantastic, using a highly coloured lens filled with cartoon visuals and pop culture aesthetics.
What is most notable is Tse’s striking insight overlaid by a keen and witty sense of humour, almost parallel to Warhol’s Pop Art. Unlike other conceptual or popular culture artists, his artistic techniques remain assured and meticulously detailed. However, Tse’s real strength lies in his undeniable relevance even in today’s fast-changing world and his individualistic contributions to the face of contemporary culture. His paintings are vibrant and command attention. Once drawn to his paintings, it is hard not to be complicit in deciphering the messages behind his works, bringing into hearts and minds of its viewers its captivating elements.
Tse Yim On acquired his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Fine Arts from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. In 1998, he was awarded the “Hong Kong Urban Council Fine art Award”. He has participated extensively in various art exhibitions, especially those staged to illustrate existing social issues. Tse has been an advisor to the Hong Kong Arts Development Council since 2002. His work has been increasingly sought after and collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art and private collectors.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2018 | Wonderful World of Color by Tse Yim On, Gallery by the Harbour, Harbour City, Hong Kong
2013 | Flaneur, iPreciation, Singapore
2012 | Mongkok Library, iPreciation, Hong Kong
2010 | Great Righteousness Resolving Confusion, iPreciation Hong Kong
2003 | I have a Beautiful World Because I Love You, Para/site, Hong Kong
1998 | Perusing Culture, Para/site, Hong Kong
Selected Group Exhibitions
2019 | Together We March Forward: New Asia 70th Anniversary Art Exhibition, Hart Hall, H Queen’s, Hong Kong
2019 | Under the Bridge Art Project: Once Upon a Lychee, Mei Foo Bus Terminus, Hong Kong
2018 | Art New York 2018, Pier 94, New York, USA
2017 | Evolving Images: Modern Hong Kong Printmaking, 17, Sun Museum, Hong Kong SAR, China
2016 | From Longing to Belonging, CMC Gallery, Hong Kong SAR, China
2016 | Portable Art Week 2016, iPreciation, Singapore
2015 | Art Paris, Grand Palais, Avenue Winston Churchill, Paris
2014 | From Longing to Belonging, Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art, Poland
2012 | Painting On and On, Southsite, Hong Kong
2012 | Four Symbols – Eight Faces, iPreciation, Hong Kong
2011 | Octopus – Nine Contemporary Artists from Hong Kong, Hanina Contemporary Art, Tel Aviv, Israel
2010 | You are Here, I am Not, Osage Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
2009 | Blindness & Insight, The Rotunda Exchange Square, Hong Kong
2008 | CHiE!, Osage Kwun Tong, Hong Kong
2005 | Excursion to the readings, Para/site, Hong Kong
Born in Hong Kong in 1981, Wong Wai Yin is a young visual artist who experiments with a variety of media. Ranging from painting, sculpture, collage, installations and photography, Wong’s works have won acclaim for her unique, conceptual approach. Possessing an expansive way of thinking beyond traditional studio practices, the artist frequently investigates the nature of what is real or fake, what constitutes art, and what doesn’t. Creating emulators, Wong proceeds to juxtapose these ‘raw’ pieces alongside the original articles, dispelling the notion of an ideal framework, and persuading viewers to question the nature of authenticity; challenging preconceptions whilst blurring boundaries. Wong graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2004, and a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Leeds, the United Kingdom in 2005. She was also the Founder of the Observation Society in Guangzhou. Wong has exhibited her works extensively in Hong Kong, as well as showcases in Japan, U.S.A, Singapore and Guangzhou. Wong’s works were also featured at the Hong Kong Museum of Art in 2009, as part of the ‘Louis Vuitton: A Passion for Creation’ exhibition. Wong’s artworks, including the exclusive ‘Hong Kong Artist Museum’ paintings, and her Museum Poster Series of works, are available for sale.
Education
2005 | MA in Fine Art, University of Leeds, UK
2004 | Bachelor of Arts, Fine Art Department, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
One of the most progressive and radical new artists to emerge from Indonesia, Budi Ubrux is less a visionary than an acerbic social reactionary. Prior to winning the Philip Morris Indonesian Art Award in 2000, Budi Ubrux was a billboard artist and painter based in Switzerland.
His paintings are powerful satirical observations on social degeneration through the alarmingly haunting aesthetic of faceless figures mummified in newsprint. Inspired by the Indonesian government’s transitional period from the “Orde Baru” (New Order) to the “Orde Reformasi” (Reformation Order) in 1999 and its resulting impact on society, his works struggle with the themes of political oppression, the ironic role of the media, and above all, a strong sense of disappointment in prevalent ideologies, and disenfranchisement of the individual.
Attempting to locate “the ulcer of corruption” – as quoted from the artist himself – in the heavily politicized agenda of contemporary society, Budi explores the concept of a mediated reality through the role of newspapers. Historically, media was supposed to be the “eyes and ears of the people”, with ethical reporting integrity. In his paintings, the vicious irony of an overwhelming and subversive media culture reveals its reductionist effect on subscribers. The newsprint wraps itself around human life, effacing, suffocating and blinding the figures within. Its substance literally carries the weight of our ulcerating social fabric with its content of screaming headlines and tawdry iconism; its transient consumerist philosophy has been forced on to our persons.
The entity of the medium has also been refuted, its magnifying and distorting lens turned inwardly upon itself. The newsprint moves from unimpeachable medium to the object of scrutiny for its role as a dehumanizing and oppressive force – an uncanny parallel to the central theme of how humanity has become the unwilling construct of its own perceptual tools. Many viewers have initially confused the intricate detail and texture of Budi’s paintwork for mixed media.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2017 | INDONESIA, National Gallery of Indonesia, Indonesia
2012 | Nggiring sapi neng PWI, Gedung PWI, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2008 | Togetherness, Parco Sculpture Park, Delchianti, Italy
2008 | Beyond the Headlines, iPreciation, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
2018 | Jogja Contemporary Artist, Art:1, Jakarta, Indonesia
2017 | Indonesian Artists: Works in the Gallery, iPreciation Gallery, Singapore, Singapore
2016 | Art: 1 Selected Contemporary Art, Art:1, Jakarta, Indonesia
2015 | Land Before Our Time: A Vernacular in Southeast Asian Art Making, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
2014 | Membaca Pager Piring: Mengenang Romo Mangun, Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2014 | ARTJOG|14 – Legacies of Power, Taman Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2013 | ARTJOG|13 – Maritime Culture, Taman Budaya, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
2013 | Batang Community Group Exhibition, Batang, Central Java, Indonesia
2012 | Art Stage Singapore, Singapore
2011 | Closing the Gap, MIFA Melbourne, Australia
2011 | Maximum City, Jakarta Biennale, Jakarta, Indonesia
Born in 1951 in the former Yugoslavia, Milenko graduated with a Master’s degree in Fine Arts (Painting) from the Institutul de Arte Plastice “Nicolae Grigorescu”. From 1994, Milenko was the Dean at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Singapore’s LASALLE College of the Arts. He currently holds the post of Senior Fellow at the institution. He also founded Tropical Lab, an intensive and highly engaging art camp for graduate students from various art colleges and institutions worldwide.
Milenko has exhibited extensively in Europe since 1971 and in Asia since 1993. He has been invited to hold solo exhibitions within Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney and Jakarta and most notably the Biennale of Sydney in 2006.
Apart from his numerous artistic ventures, Milenko contributed largely to art education through the participation in symposiums and art workshops worldwide. In addition, he acted as visiting professor at Musashino Art University in Tokyo, Japan and Sabanci University in Istanbul, Turkey.
Milenko was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 2011, and Singapore’s Cultural Medallion for Visual Arts in 2012 by the National Arts Council for his contributions in enriching Singapore’s visual art scene. He also received, in early 2012, the Silver Medallion for Knights in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Embassy. In 2020 Milenko received 22nd Sava Šumanović Fine Art Award, Serbian national art award for Visual Arts.
His work is in various private and public collections, such as the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia; Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade, Serbia; Singapore Art Museum, National Gallery Singapore and Museum of Contemporary Drawing, Nurnberg, Germany, among others.
He became a Singapore citizen in 2002.
Milenko’s paintings are informed by his personal experiences, and nonetheless engage with issues pertinent in society; in doing so, his works convey a distinct visual language. His paintings further question the representative nature of painting by examining the relationship between abstraction and figuration. The figurative elements employed in his paintings are, at the same time, amorphous and highly ambiguous, thereby defying identification and categorization. In recent years between 2009 and 2012, Milenko’s work has developed a new phase with dialogue between abstractions. The artist offers options to both viewing and reading his work through the use of titles; such titles often are written into a work on canvas, more so than simply suggesting a subject, they offer critical cognition on the images formation process, setting a direction that suggests his artwork needs to be viewed as a site for close examination.
Education
1975 | Master of Fine Arts (Painting), Institute of Fine Arts, Bucharest, Romania
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2019 | Abstraction for Beginners, HAOS Gallery, Belgrade, Serbia
2015 | Milenko Prvacki: E La Nave Va (and the ship sails on), iPreciation, Singapore
2014 | Johor Strait, Bergamont Station Art Centre, Santa Monica, California, USA
2012 | Milenko Prvacki: A Survey 1979 – 2012 (curated by Charles Merewether), Institute of Contemporary Art, Singapore
2012 | Remembrance of Things Past, iPreciation, Hong Kong
2007 | Recollection, Taksu Gallery, Singapore
2006 | Construction Site, Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney, Australia
NUS Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore
And many other private and public collections throughout Southeast Asia and Europe. For full list of exhibitions and collections, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Ye Jian Qing 葉劍青 is an example of an artist who has redefined what it means to make contemporary art; retaining the aesthetic and philosophical heritage of Chinese cultural influences while displaying an individualistic creative identity. Born in Zhejiang Province, China, Ye is a well established artist, having won acclaim from critics and collectors alike. After getting his Master’s Degree and PhD from the Beijing Central Academy of Art (CAFA), he now teaches at the Fresco Department in CAFA.
In a bold and valuable return to subtle yet intellectually stimulating works, Ye draws on the refined approach of traditional Chinese painting and fuses it with modern sensibilities. His oil on canvas depictions of land and cityscapes are unique in both concept and perspective, expressed in an almost dream-like manner to trigger emotional and philosophical responses amongst his viewers. Ye’s work is fluid and moving; relying on dusky hues and diaphanous textures to evoke a sense of deep poeticism and yearning for a past which is rapidly fading. The emotive quality of his work turns the muted canvas into a metaphor for cultural and artistic reflection.
A recognizable theme of Ye’s works is the image of Hutongs, the traditional winding alleyways of China which connect the courtyards of ancient houses. Hutongs are deeply ingrained into the psyche of city inhabitants, being the backdrop of daily life, historical and social change. However they are gradually being eroded by encroaching urbanization and Ye’s softly blurred images are permeated by a sense of pursuing vanishing moments.
Ye’s paintings capture present-day China in a way which is rarely seen, as a product of its rich cultural and historical past ceding to a bustling metropolis, an anomaly which will soon vanish and leave its traces only on the canvas of progressive visionaries like himself.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
Rain Rhythms, New Works by Ye Jianqing, 2012, iPreciation, Singapore
Ye Jianqing – Reflections of the Mind, 2010, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
Hutong Memory: A Solo Exhibition, 2009, iPreciation, Hong Kong
Ye Jianqing, 2007, The Rotunda, Exchange Square Central, Hong Kong
Born in Guangzhou, China in 1949, Szeto Lap took up residence in Hong Kong at the age of 23, a prelude to a move to France three years later in 1975. A young, budding Chinese artist in Europe, Szeto won recognition by staging his first solo exhibition at the Galerie l’Oeil Sévigné in Paris. He has since embarked on various educational projects, acting as Guest Professor to renowned art institutions in China, and was also Lecturer of the PhD programme at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou in 2001.
Szeto Lap is an artist who revels in simplicity, providing a sense of calm and introspection through his oil paintings, conferring sensibility to a society that is warped by a multitude of complexities. Never ceasing in his pursuit and perusal of beauty, he charts details meticulously. The objects in his paintings espouse a mysterious quality and are thought-provoking owing to the premeditated play of shadows. Szeto’s philosophical approach to life attests to the quietude and composure in his paintings, advocating the precepts of truth and knowledge, with elements metamorphosed as filters of light in his creations.
Forsaking the common desire to climb the social ladder, the artist, relishing this nonconformist adoption, has gained rare insights to the callous materialistic attributes plaguing city life, deviating entirely from such heady, disillusioned affairs, thus achieving artistic enlightenment through his paintings with a psychological eminence that induces admiration.
Selected Exhibitions
1979 – 2003, Exhibitions at Galerie l’Oeil Sévigné (Paris, France), Galeria Claude Bernard (Paris, France), Galerie Jacques Elbaz (Paris, France), Barentin Museum (Taipei, Taiwan), Galerie Elegance (Taipei, Taiwan), 亚洲艺术中心 (Taipei, Taiwan), Marlborough Fine Art Gallery (London, UK), Kwai Fung Hin Art Gallery (Hong Kong, China), Galerie Sepia (Paris, France), etc.
1980, Grand Palais Water Color Exhibition (Paris, France)
1981, Lubiam Prize (Lubiam, Italy)
1982, “IN SITU” exhibition, National Museum of Modern Art, Georges Pompidou Centre (Paris, France)
1983, “Drawings of Figurative Expressionists” Exhibition, National Museum of Modern Art, Georges Pompidou Centre (Paris, France)
1986, Individual Exhibition at the Hong Kong Institute of Promotion of Chinese Culture (Hong Kong)
1987, Group Exhibition, Cultural Centre, Boulogne (France)
1988, Individual Exhibition, Barentin Museum (Barentin, France)
1989, “Sur le Vif” group exhibition, Beaucaire Museum (Beaucaire, France)
1992, Seminar of “Drawings of Figurative Expressionists” at China Academy of Art (Hangzhou, China)
1993, First Proposal on the Basic Theory of the “Drawings of Figurative Expressionists” in China
Participate at the amendment of the course of study on the Faculty of Oil Paintings of China Academy of Art (Hangzhou, China)
1996, Editorial Executive Member of the “Twenty-First Century” Bimonthly Magazine of the Institute of Chinese Studies, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
2000, Workshop on the “Research of Szeto Lap’s Oil Paintings” at Xian Academy of Fine Arts (Xian, China)
“Breeze of Stillness” for the “Le French May”, joint co-organized with the Consulate General of French, was held in the University Museum and Art Gallery, Hong Kong University (Hong Kong, China)
2003 – 2004 , Touring Exhibitions were held in 5 National Museums in China, including the National Art Museum of China, Shanghai Art Museum, the China Academy of Art Museum, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangdong, and the University Museum and Art Gallery, the University of Hong Kong.
2012, Expressionist Paintings, Shanghai Art Museum, China
Awards
1981, Prix Lubiam, Italy
1982, Feneon Prize, Paris Academy, France
2000, Grand Prize on Painting, Academy of Fine Arts, Institute of France, France
2002, Cooperate with Xu Jing & other professors on the “Method of Teaching on the Basic of Drawings of Figurative Expressionists”
Educational Achievement Prize, China Academy of Art (Hangzhou, China)
Educational Achievement Prize, Hangzhou, China
2004, Awarded the Chevalier de L’Ordres des Art et Lettres
Hailing from Shanghai, China, Zhang Jian-Jun (b.1955) is one of the most disciplined and gifted contemporary Asian artists of our time. Zhang graduated from Shanghai Drama Institute’s Fine Arts Department in 1978 and is today an Adjunct Professor at the Fine Arts Department of New York University.
Zhang’s art perforates the surface of East-West fusion and the idea of time, expressing his strikingly unique and profoundly perceptive musings. Exploring the essence of these topics, his art may not be instantaneously interpretable by many; however, this is also the very quality that elevates the intellectual element of his works, inviting viewer participation. Zhang demonstrates his gift in the artistic manipulation of time by re-creating the ancient scholar rock with modern materials such as silicone rubber. These ornate rocks, called Taihu Rocks, originated from Suzhou and are traditionally appreciated and prized by Chinese Literati. They are also symbolic of traditional Chinese culture and focus on the changes in aesthetics, culture and social patterns across time. Creatively, he has resurrected a fragment of history and propelled episodic moments from that distant time to this present age. These consequential works are evidently contemporary and undoubtedly unique.
Zhang has held more than 15 solo exhibitions and over 100 group exhibitions in China, the United States and other parts of Asia and Europe. His works are collected permanently in the K11 Art Foundation (Hong Kong), M+ Museum (Hong Kong), Power Station of Art (Shanghai), Brooklyn Museum (New York), Yuz Museum (Shanghai), San Francisco Asian Art Museum (California), Shanghai Art Museum, Jerry Yang Collection (California), Uli Sigg Collection, JP Morgan (Hong Kong), Guangdong Museum of Art (Guangzhou), Frederick R. Weisman Foundation of Art (California),
He was also involved in the Golden Globe Awards Party 2007 where he was commissioned to install his scholar rock sculpture, Mirage Garden #5.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2021 | Residency Programme co-presented by Royal Academy and K11 Art Foundation, presented at chiK11 art museum Shanghai, chiK11 art space Shenyang and K11 HACC Hong Kong.
2017 | Between Then and Now, OCAT Xi’An, China
2016 | Water • Quintessence, Pearl Lam Gallery, Shanghai, China
2015 | China Chapter, Galerie Albrecht, Berlin, Germany
2015 | Jade Mountain & Ink River, Christian Duvernois Gallery, New York, New York, USA
2015 | 1980s: Zhang Jian-Jun’s Early Artwork (1978-1988), Yuz Museum, Shanghai, China
2015 | Nature and Beyond,” Leo Gallery, Art Basel Hong Kong
2015 | Water • Ink • China, Pace Prints, New York, New York, USA
2014 | Nature, Art Projects International, New York, New York, USA
2012 | Forms • Water • Vestiges, Pavilion of Repose Garden, Kunshan, China
2011 | Water, 99 Art Center at M50, Shanghai, China
Tang Da Wu 唐大霧 was born in 1943 in Singapore, the eldest of four sons in the family. He received a BA in sculpture from the School of Fine Art, Birmingham Polytechnic (now Birmingham Institute of Art and Design) in 1974 and pursued advanced studies in sculpture at Saint Martins School of Art (now Central Saint Martins) from 1974–75. In 1985, he received an MFA from Goldsmith’s College, University of London. After returning to Singapore in 1979, Tang began to work in performance art, and in 1988, cofounded the Artists Village, a collective committed to promoting experimental art through the provision of studio and exhibition space. Working through a de facto ban on performance that began in 1994 as a response to artist Josef Ng trimming his pubic hair at a public festival, the organization supports community interaction through social relevance and the hosting of public site-specific interventions. Through performance, installation, painting, and drawing, Tang explores social and environmental themes including deforestation, animal endangerment, and urban transformation.
Tang was the founder of Singapore’s seminal The Artists Village and is a prominent Southeast Asian performance artist; he is amongst the most distinguished figures of contemporary art in Singapore. Contemplating his own identity as a Chinese Singaporean, Tang uses a broad array of media with local references and iconography to engage in his performance art. Tang’s works have been performed and shown in countries such as England, Japan, Germany, Australia, Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, making him acknowledged as the most representative contemporary artist in Southeast Asia today.
Tang is recognised for his works in sculpture, installation and performance art, his paintings narrate countenances with a spatial sense of ambiguity; demonstrating that Chinese ink painting is more than an archaic medium confined to still-life and landscape. Present in Tang’s ink paintings is a persistent exploration of motion and energy, poignantly and dynamically achieved through transcendence with the mediums of ink, water and paper. The ink in his works bleeds into one another, their varying hues forming intense monochromatic silhouettes that depict a partial and allusive picture of a feeling that the viewer is invited to respond with.
Tang was the recipient of the Visual Arts Award from the Arts Council of Great Britain in 1978, as well as the Artist Award from the Greater London Arts Council in 1983. In 1999, he was awarded the 10th Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize in Arts and Culture.
He has had solo exhibitions at ACME Gallery, London (1978), National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore (1980), Your Mother Gallery, Singapore (2005), Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur (2006), and Goodman Arts Centre, Singapore (2011). Important performances include Five Days at NAFA and Five Days in Museum, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and National Museum, Singapore (1982), They Poach the Rhino, Chop Off His Horn and Make This Drink, National Museum Art Gallery, National University of Singapore, and Singapore Zoo (1989), and Don’t Give Money to the Arts, Singapore Art exhibition and fair (1995). He was a leading organizer of and participant in the Artists Village’s Dancing by the Ponds and Sunrise at the Vegetable Farm, The Time Show—24 Hours Continuous Performance (1989–90). The group and its activities were celebrated in the retrospective The Artists Village: 20 Years On at the Singapore Art Museum (2008).
Tang has participated in group exhibitions including the Asian Art Show, Fukuoka Art Museum, Japan (1989), Art in Asia: Traditions/Tensions, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth (1998), Fukuoka Asian Art Triennial (1999), and Singapore Biennial (2006). He was featured in the Singapore Pavilion at the 52nd edition of the Venice Biennale in 2007. More recently in 2014, Tang’s sculpture was presented at the Guggenheim UBS Map Global Art Initiative, curated by Singaporean curator June Yap and exhibited at NTU Centre for Contemporary Arts in Gillman Barracks, Singapore. The work “Our Children, 2012” was acquired by the Guggenheim Museum, New York. Tang currently lives and works between Singapore and London.
Selected Exhibitions and Performances
1970 : Drawings and Paintings, Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Singapore
1972 : Touch Space, Midland Art 72, Dudley Museum, England
1978 : Marks – Black Powder Falling Through Muslin, ACME Gallery, England
1980 : Earthworks, National Museum Art Gallery and Sin Chew Jit Poh Exhibition Centre, Singapore
1982 : Five Days at NAFA; Five Days in Museum, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and National Museum, Singapore
1983 : Flying Marks, ALTERNATIVA III Festival of Performance, Portugal
1983 : In Between; Change, 4th Performance Platform, England
1984 : The 1984 Show, Brixton Art Gallery, England
1984 : Every Other Move, Oporto, Portugal
1985 : The Support, Woodland Gallery, England
1985 : Steaming Laundry, Brixton Art Gallery, England
1986 : No Fancy Brushes; New Life, Royal Festival Hall, England
1986 : In The End, My Mother Decided to Eat Dogfood and Catfood, Orchard Road Weekend Art Fair, Singapore
1987 : Four Days at the National Museum Art Gallery, National Museum, Singapore
1988 : In Case of Howard Lui; Incident in a City, Singapore Festival of the Arts Fringe, Singapore
1989 : The Artists Village Show Home Documentation, Art Base Gallery, Singapore
1989 : Gooseman; Open the Gate; Dancing UV; Selling Handicaps; In the End, My Mother Decided to Eat Dogfood and Catfood, The Artists’ Village 2nd Open Studio Show, Singapore
1989 : They Poach the Rhino, Chop Off His Horn and Make this Drink, National Museum Art Gallery, National University of Singapore, Singapore Zoo, Singapore
1989 : The Third Asian Art Show, Fukuoka Art Museum, Japan
1989 – 1990 : Dancing by the Ponds;Sunrise at the Vegetable Farm; The Time Show – 24 Hours Continuous Performance Show, The Artists’ Village, Singapore
1990 : The Death of the Philipino Maid, Stop That Tank One Year Anniversary of June 4th,Noah’s Ark for Plants, Serious Conversations, Festival of the Arts Fringe, Singapore
1990 : T or P? That is the Question, Empress Place Museum, Singapore
1990 – 1999 : North-East Monsoon – A Water Game, Singapore and Others
1991 : Tiger’s Whip, National Museum and Chinatown, Singapore; and Fukuoka Art Museum, Japan
1991 : Four Persons in One Suit, in the Streets of Singapore, A Sculpture Seminar, National Museum, Singapore
1991 : The Ark for Plants, The Substation, Singapore
1991 : Chinese Restaurant II; World’s Number One Pet Shop; Just in Case, National Sculpture Exhibition, National Museum, Singapore
1991 : Switch Off the Lights, Please, The Substation, Singapore
1991 : They Poach the Rhino, Chop Off His Horn and Make This Drink; In the End, My Mother Decided to Eat Dogfood and Catfood; and Tigers Whip, Asian Artist Today – Fukuoka Annual V: Tang Da Wu Exhibition, Fukuoka Art Museum, Japan
1992 : Under The Table All Going One Direction, New Art From Southeast Asia 1992, Tokyo Metropolitan Artspace / Fukuoka Art Museum/ Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art/ Kirin Plaza Osaka, Japan
1993 : And He Returns Home When You Least Expected, 2nd ASEAN Workshop, Exhibition and Symposium on Aesthetics, Philippines
1994 : Sorry Whale I Didn’t Know That You Were In My Camera, Creativity in Asian Art Now, Part 3 Asian Installation Work, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Japan
1994 : Contemporary Shopping, Faret Tachikawa, Japan
1994 – 1995 : Tapioca Friendship Project, Osaka International Peace Centre, Japan and Singapore
1994 : Colours Don’t Help, Artists Against AIDS, Singapore
1995 : Meeting with the Real Chiang Maian, 3rd Chiang Mai Social Installation, Thailand
1995 : I was Born Japanese, Mokosongo, Indonesia
1995 : Don’t Buy Present for Your Mother on Mother’s Day, The Substation, Singapore
1995 : Don’t Give Money To The Arts, Asian International Art Exhibition, National Museum Art Gallery and Singapore Art ’95, Suntec City, Singapore
1996 : One Hand Prayer Project, Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art, Japan
1996 : Life in a Tin; Rubber Road No U-Turn, Malaysia, Singapore and others
1998 : Contemporary Art in Asia: Traditions/Tensions, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Australia
1999 : Don’t Worry Ancestors, Singapore
1999 : Life in a Tin, The First Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Japan
2000 : Tapioca Friendship, Kwanju Biennale, Korea
2004 : Satsuma Brilliance, Kirishima Open Air Museum, Japan
2004 : Interakcje, Trybunalski, Poland
2005 : Art Brickfest, Wheelock Place, Singapore
2005 : Situation: Collaborations, collectives and artist networks from Sydney, Singapore and Berlin, Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney, New South Wales
2006 : Tang Da Wu – Heroes, Islanders, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Singapore
2006 : Indonesian International Performance Art Event, Galeri Nasional Indonesia, Jakarta
2006 : Jantung Pisang – Heart of a Tree, Heart of a People, Jendela Visual Arts Space at The Esplanade, Singapore
2007 : Untitled, Singapore Pavilion at the 52nd Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition, Italy
Jin Jie 金捷 was born in 1965 in Jiangsu province, China, he graduated from Oil painting studies in Nanjing University of Arts in 1991, and went on to achieve an M.A. in Western Arts and Lecture in 1997. In 2008, he obtained a Ph.D in Fine Art from his alma mater Nanjing University of Arts in Jiangsu province.
The lyrical nature of Jin Jie’s semi-abstract works is a testament of his mastery of western traditional of oil painting techniques. With over two decades of exploration and development within one of the most competitive art institutions in China, Jin Jie employs inviting colours, notably various shades of grey, black and white, with occasional strokes of colours, to portray the rural landscape of his beloved homeland.
Jin Jie feels a strong affinity to his homeland, a personal and familiar place deeply rooted where his spirit lifts when he encounters her beautiful landscape and scenery. This is evident in his work where we observe generous layers of oil streaked across the canvas, in quick and vigorous strokes, capturing not the minute details but the essence of the place, of the atmospheric qualities of the Jiangsu landscape and also the essence of the artist’s state of mind and his response to the place.
As such, Jin Jie instinctively captures the spirit of Jiangnan style – where the works are poetic rather than political in today’s contemporary art scene. Despite the weighty societal changes occurring in China, the artist has allowed viewers to adopt a unique perspective of his hometown, casting aside the stuffy, industrialized atmosphere that precedes economic development, and drawing attention to the presence of a poetic, tireless cultural code that binds a country with its people.
Jin Jie has exhibited extensively within Jiangsu province and is a member of the prestigious China Artists Association amongst many other notable appointments in China. He continues to live and work in Nanjing.
Education
2008 | Ph.D in Fine Art, Nanjing University of the Arts, Jiangsu, China
1997 | M.A. in Western Arts and Lecture, Nanjing University of the Arts, Jiangsu, China
1991 | B.A. in Oil Painting, Nanjing University of the Arts, Jiangsu, China
Irene Chou’s theories of New Ink Painting inspired her to move away from conventional Chinese styles and experiment with different media and techniques, so as to find her own personal expression.
Born in Shanghai in 1924, Irene Chou received a modern education from St. John’s University in 1945. Leaving Shanghai to settle in Hong Kong in 1949, she began to study Chinese painting under Chao Shao’ang (b. 1905 – d. 1998), an artist of the Lingnan School. Chou later studied under the tutelage of Lui Shou-Kwan (b. 1919 – d. 1975), whose theories of New Ink Painting inspired her to move away from conventional Chinese styles towards abstract forms. She explored, through her paintings, the inner workings of the mind and its relationship to the mysteries of the universe. Her abstract paintings from the 1980s onwards exploded with a stunning energy; these powerful works have rendered her as one of the most innovative artists of the New Ink Painting movement in Hong Kong. After a stroke in 1991, Irene relocated to Brisbane, Australia, where she continued to paint more determinedly than ever. Today, her works are collected by the British Museum, the Chinese University Museum, the Fung Ping Shan Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Arts, the University of Hong Kong, the City Gallery in Manila, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the National Arts Centre, the National Museum of History in Taipei, and the Queensland Art Gallery.
Irene Chou passed away in 2011. She is survived by 3 children, four grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Education
1945 | BA in Economics at St. John’s University, Shanghai
2019-2020 | Irene Chou Rediscovered: Paintings from the M. K. Lau Collection, Duddell’s, Hong Kong
2019 | A World Within – The Art and Inspiration of Irene Chou, 20th Century Chinese Female Artist Series, Asia Society Hong Kong Centre, Hong Kong / The Pulse of Ink, iPreciation, Singapore
2013 | Hong Kong Masters, Rossi & Rossi Ltd, London
2012 | A tribute to Hong Kong Masters, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong
2010 | De la Chine, entre Tradition et Modernite, Galerie F. Hesler, Luxembourg
2018 | HOPE A charity exhibition celebrating the works of outstanding contemporary Chinese women artists
2015 | A Legacy of Ink: Lui Shou-kwan 40 Years On, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong
2013| Hong Kong Masters, Rossi & Rossi Ltd, London, U.K
2012| A tribute to Hong Kong Masters, Hanart TZ Gallery, Hong Kong 2010| De la Chine, entre Tradition et Modernite, Galerie F. Helser, Luxembourg
2008 | Hong Kong Art: Open Dialogue Exhibition Series II – New Ink Art: Innovation and Beyond, curated by Alice King, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
2007| The Norman W. M Ko Collection of Hong Kong Art, 2007, University Museum and Art Gallery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2007| The New Face of Ink Painting: Modern Ink Painting Group Exhibition, Central Plaza, Hong Kong
2006 | Contemporary Hong Kong Ink Painting Exhibition, Hong Kong Central Library, Hong Kong
2004 | Reconciliation Art Works, Multicultural Community Centre, Brisbane, Australia
2002 | Chinese Paintings from the Khoan and Michael Sullivan Collection, Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
2002 | Artists in the Neighbourhood Scheme II Launching Exhibition, Hong Kong Central Library, Hong Kong
2002 | Hong Kong Cityscapes – Ink Painting in Transition, Hong Kong Festival, London, United Kingdom
1988 | Hong Kong Artists’ Guild Painter of the Year Award
1983| Urban Council Fine Arts Award for Painting (Chinese Media)
1972 | Pacificulture Asia Museum Fine Art Award
Permanent Collections
Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, UK
Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA
British Museum, London, UK
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
City Gallery, Manila, Philippines
Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
Hong Kong Land, Hong Kong
Khoan and Michael Sullivan Collection
M. K. Lau Collection, Hong Kong
M+, Hong Kong
National Art Gallery, Manila, Philippines
National Museum of History, Taipei, Taiwan
National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, Taiwan
Norman W. M. Ko Collection, Hong Kong
Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane, Australia
Raya Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
University Museum and Art Gallery of The University of Hong Kong (Formerly known as Fung Ping Shan Museum)
And many other private and public collections throughout Asia and internationally. For full list of exhibitions and public collections, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com
Born in Changchun, China and later becoming an American citizen, Hung Liu held a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Art Education from the Beijing Teacher’s College, a Graduate Degree in Mural Painting from the Central Academy of Fine Art, Beijing, and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Visual Arts from the University of California San Diego. She was a Professor of Arts at MillsCollege in Oakland.
Over the years, Liu had staged more than 50 solo exhibitions and over 100 group exhibitions in the U.S, China and numerous other parts of Asia and Europe. She had also been the recipient of several prestigious awards like the Society for the Encouragement of Contemporary Art (SECA) Award, and the San Francisco Women’s Center Humanities Award, to name a few. Her artworks were on permanent display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Whitney Museum of American Art, and various corporate institutions in the U.S.
Hung Liu’s art conveyed her intimate interpretations of various cultural and societal issues, drawing inspiration from turn-of-the-century photographs which she collected from China. These rare and unique remnants of an episodic time and the stories encased within them are artistically projected into meaningful oil and canvas paintings, thus encapsulating Liu’s personal impressions and reflections.
Liu’s protagonists usually centred around nameless female figures, individuals who were sold off into prostitution; with lotuses symbolising offerings surrounding their lithe, porcelain bodies. Through her paintings, she desired to bestow them ‘new lives’, being a believer in the notion that art needs ‘soul’ and ‘meaning’ to acquire timelessness. These paintings by Liu were analogous to shrines that have been dedicated to these lost women. Liu passed away in 2021.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2015 | Summoning Ghosts: The Art of Hung Liu Retrospective, Palm Springs Art Museum, CA, USA
2015 | Summoning Ghosts: The Art of Hung Liu Retrospective, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas, MO, USA
2014 | Hung Liu: Prints and Tapestries, La Salle University Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA, USA
2014 | The Rat Years, 2Huntington Museum of Art, Huntington, WV, USA
2013 | Questions from the Sky: New Work from Hung Liu, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA, USA
2013 | Summoning Ghosts: The Art of Hung Liu Retrospective, Oakland Museum of California, Oakland, CA, USA
2013 | Hung Liu: Offerings, Mills College Art Museum, Oakland, CA, USA
2014 | I’ll Show you Mine: Contemporary Artists Explore Family Portraits, Palo Alto, CA, USA
2014 | Beautiful Disintegrating Obstinate Horror Drawing and Other Recent Acquisitions and Selections from the Museums’ Permanent Collection, UNM Art Museum’s Jonson Gallery, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
2014 | The Intuitionists, The Drawing Center, NY, USA
2014 | Radical Repetition: Albers to Warhol, from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his Family Foundation, Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA, USA
2014 | The Female Gaze: Selfhood and Community from the Linda Lee Alter Collection of Art by Women, Victoria H. Myhren Gallery, University of Denver School of Art and Art History, CO, USA
2014 | The Other Side: Chinese and Mexican Immigration to America, USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena, CA, USA
Selected Public Collections
2016 | Highland Hospital, Oakland, CA, USA
2008 | San Francisco International Airport, CA, USA
2006 | Oakland International Airport Terminal 2, CA, USA
2004 | Asian Art Museum Civic Centre, San Francisco, CA, USA
2002 | Cerritos Library, CA, USA
1995 | Embarcadero Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
1995 | San Jose Museum of Art and the City of San Jose Collection, CA, USA
1992 | Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
1986 | Media Center and Communications Building, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
1981 | Central Academy of Fine Art, Beijing, China
For full list of exhibitions and public collections, please contact the gallery atenquiry@ipreciation.com
Born in Guangzhou, China, Cheung Yee graduated from the Fine Art Department of Taiwan Normal University in 1958, and five years later he formed the Circle Group with other local artists in Taiwan. In 1965, Cheung received a grant to travel the USA and Europe, exploring the discovering Western artists and their key influences and practices.
Most renowned for his cast paper murals developed in the 1970s, Cheung Yee is widely regarded as the pioneer of the contemporary art movement in Hong Kong. His artistic innovation and contributions had also won him The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Member class (MBE) in 1979 conferred by the Queen of England. With over a hundred exhibitions organised worldwide since he started his career, Cheung holds the record as the only living artist in the history of Hong Kong to have been specially invited to exhibit three solo-exhibitions at the prestigious Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Cheung was a professor of Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong until 1998, the chairman of the Hong Kong Sculptors’ Association, as well as advisor to the Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Possessing a rare perception in art, his works reflect elements from a myriad of subjects including early American art, Egyptian art, ancient Chinese philosophy, geomancy, among various others; all of which are uniquely interpreted to result in works that are evidently distinct. Archaic touches from the East, like a profound Chinese poem from the distant past or cryptic primitive symbols from a forgotten time, are delicately blended into his cast paper works. Cheung Yee passed away in 2019.
Four Spirits & the Sanfuhuangtu
An interesting theme that Cheung’s art projects is the Sanfuhuangtu 《三辅黄图》 (Annotations on the Rule of the Yellow Emperor). This ancient literary text is propelled to life by his individualistic bronze sculptural works which express the xuanwu 玄武, represented by the combined form of the tortoise and the snake. Consequently, a keen observer may notice that a number of his sculptures such as the Magic Nine and Four Spirits show spatial openings, symbolic of the tortoise shell, and worm-like figures, representative of the snake.
Education
1958 | Graduated from the Fine Art Dept. of Taiwan Normal University
Ju Ming 朱銘(b. 1938, Taiwan) was born Ju Chuan-Tai to a poor rural family in Miaoli County, Taiwan. After completing his primary school education, he began working at the young age of fifteen. Encouraged by his father, Ju undertook his apprenticeship with famous local craftsman, Lee Chinchuan, and acquired himself the mastery of wood-carving when he was barely twenty. 1968 marked a turning point in Ju Ming’s life as an artist when he became an apprentice of Yuyu Yang, a significant sculptor and pioneer of the modern art movement in Taiwan.
Yang broadened Ju Ming’s artistic vision by giving him opportunities to display his talent, as well as providing guidance. He also taught the artist to express himself freely by imparting to him the philosophy of free expression of forms and feelings, and inculcated him with the aesthetic values of simplicity and embracing environmentalism.
Ju’s first solo exhibition, arranged by Yang in 1976, raised public attention for his Nativist Series and also paved way for the following Taichi Series. The Taichi Series is an important milestone signifying the maturity of the artist’s sculptural language and aesthetic style, where he found himself being able to wield his exquisite craftsmanship with complete ease and freedom, reaching the stage of forgetting self in the process. In 2002, Ju Ming ceased creating his Taichi Series.
Prior to his first visit to New York in the early 1980s, Ju Ming started creating wooden sculptures for the Living World Series. He brought some wooden sculptures with him to New York and created more work during his stay in America. These works were subsequently exhibited in a New York art gallery and received an overwhelming success. Since then, Ju’s artistic development on the Living World Series has undergone various stages of development and it has become his central theme of artistic creation alongside his famed Taichi Series; depicting social phenomena with his own language, a way of reconciling the traditional woodcarver’s technique with modern abstraction. Portraying various age groups and walks of life both at work and at play, the Living World Series encapsulates the rich diversity of humanity. While the first Living World Series employed wood figures to depict the nonchalant and mundane lives of trapped individuals in society, the second series is a myriad of anonymous faceless figures with an added touch of humour, made from bronze and foam rubber moulds.
Born in 1953, Ah Leon is one of Taiwan’s most renowned ceramic artists. He graduated from the National Taiwan Academy of Arts in 1976, and from 1978 to 1982, sought the apprenticeship of famous ceramic artists throughout Taiwan In 1982, he participated in a artist-in-residency at the State of University of New York, USA. Ah Leon has exhibited extensively in Asia, Europe and America since 1985, including the National Palace Museum in Taipei, the National Ceramics Museum in Denmark, the Phoenix Art Museum in Arizona, and the American Museum of Ceramic Art in Los Angeles. Ah Leon’s works are collected by renowned Museums including the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York, the Taiwan Museum of Art in Taichung the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Ah Leon’s works have been described as a trompe l’oeil, or a deception of the eyes; as he indulges in the manipulation of clay to mimic the silken, softness of bean curd, or the sturdiness of wood. Viewers are engaged in a rare, sensory experience, as the delicate touch of the ceramic, lies contradictory to the visual enticement of the impersonating ‘wood’ or ‘tofu’, eliciting humorous responses, as one vacillates between realism and fabrication.
Education
1978 – 1982 | Apprenticed with Master Potters, Taiwan
1976 | Graduated from Taiwan National Academy of Arts, Taiwan
Venue: iPRECIATION (誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road HPL House #01-01 Singapore 249724 Tel 65 6339 0678
Hong Kong ceramist, Rosanna Li, is known for her robust clay figurines. Her figures tend to be plump in contrast to today’s ideal slim physiques. Despite that, each figure embodies poise of grace and playfulness. These figurines are, in essence, Li’s commentaries on social issues, and keen observations of the mundane. Very often, her characters would unwittingly elicit knowing nods and smiles from her viewers.
In Coffee or Tea exhibition, her inspirations are drawn from the peculiar characteristics of Hong Kong’s indigenous café culture. These cafés are known as ‘Cha chaan teng’, meaning Tea Restaurant in Cantonese. Her figurines don gestures, body language and facial expressions of patrons while enact various scenarios commonly seen in the ‘Cha chaan teng’. The titles of the works further interpret her characters. For instance, “The Progressive Couple” is a pair of figurines sitting side by side and playing with handheld gaming devices. The interaction or lack of, subtly addresses a phenomenon that seems to have embedded in our urban lifestyles; whether or not we are conscious of it. Coffee of Tea? presented by iPRECIATION, acts as a mirror image of our everyday life.
Rosanna Li Wei-Han –is a ceramicist and design educator in Hong Kong. She studied ceramics and art education in Hong Kong and England. Her works have been exhibited in Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Mongolia, Australia, Canada, USA, France, and UK. Some works are collections of the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Guangdong Museum of Art, Shiwan Ceramic Museum, and Zhejiang Museum of Art. She is the winner of 1985 Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Art Award in Ceramics, 1999 Hong Kong Sculptor of the Year Award, 2000 Silver Award in Ceramics of the Guangdong Museum of Art. In 2005, she was conferred the Secretary for Home Affairs Commendation Medal for her Achievements in the Promotion of Arts and Culture. She is a Museum Expert Advisor of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, and a founding member and former chairperson of the Contemporary Ceramics Society (HK).
Venue: iPRECIATION (誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road HPL House #01-01 Singapore 249724 Tel 65 6339 0678
Ipreciation Singapore is pleased to present Flâneur, a solo exhibition of acrylic paintings by Hong Kong contemporary artist, Tse Yim On. This exhibition will mark the debut of his works in Singapore.
34 paintings from his series, Insane Fairy Tale and Mongkok Library, will be on display. Tse is often known for his painterly collages of imageries that reflect cultural and social issues in post-colonial Hong Kong. He is inspired by current affairs and popular cultures that had gradually shaped the Hong Kong identity. Take for instance the painting, Wonderful Wizard of Oz, from the Insane Fairy Tales series. The appropriation of iconic figures such as Queen Elizabeth II, Deng Xiao Peng, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping, suggests the lineage of political reigns in Hong Kong history, and at the same time, attempts to bring forth the collective memories of those days.
In Mongkok Library series, Tse took on a slightly varied approach. Synonymous to the title, the works portray various characters reading at a public library in Mongkok, Hong Kong. Yet, the relationship between the characters and the selected book titles subtly expresses his original intent. In Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, Tse depicted the characters as representatives of China reading a book on The Sinking of Japan to reflect the Chinese’s apathetic attitude toward the tragedy of Tohoku earthquake in Japan.
While Tse’s paintings may be in the context of Hong Kong, they could still be relevant in Singapore. After all, both cities are descendants of post-colonialism.
Tse Yim On –Tse Yim On was born in 1974 in Hong Kong. He obtained his Degree of Bachelor and Masters of Fine Art from the Department of Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1998 and 2001 respectively. Tse has been well-regarded among the contemporary art arena in Hong Kong for his distinctive contribution over the last decade. In 1998, he received the Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Art Award and was appointed as the Art Adviser to the Hong Kong Art Development Council from 2002 to 2008. His artworks are widely collected by museums as well as private collectors and have been exhibited internationally in many solo and group exhibitions including countries such as China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, United Kingdom and Israel.
Venue: iPRECIATION(誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road HPL House #01-01 Singapore 249724 Tel 65 6339 0678
Striving to stay optimistic with reality, Zhang Jian tries to search beauty from mundane life. Born in 1968, Zhang is one of the third generation contemporary Chinese artists who have experienced the Tiananmen incident during their college years. However, he is separated from the protagonist of cynical realism, one of the major movements of 1990s in contemporary Chinese art, in terms of his aesthetic propensity which focuses more on personal subject than on grandeur social ideology.
Graduated from the fresco department of Beijing Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in 1993, Zhang’s artworks have expressed fresh visual images and individuality. Zhang’s pictorial treatment to the figures and landscapes shows a sublimation visual expression of beauty and time. Primarily interested in the balance between fleeting moments and eternality, a sense of obscurity and tranquility has been created out of the clever choice of colors, contrast and soft glow in Zhang’s paintings.
Two Boys series depict toddlers playing with water splashing from the tap at the corridor and evoke a sense of comfort and nostalgia to the viewers. The artist has used quick brushstrokes of white and blue to create puddle of water in foreground. Reflection of light on that run through from the background to the foreground has created depth to his canvas. The broad use of grey in the Two Boys series makes this series unique and different from his other paintings. The innocence and pleasures from the children bring attentions to the viewers of the happiness that exits in urban lives. In his widely celebrated paintings, the artist captures a subtle cheerfulness and invites viewers to enter a light-hearted, contemporary realist world.
Zhang’s works constantly challenge the eyes, encouraging his viewers to look intently at his exquisitely rendered images. Depicting the same scene from various angles and perspectives, Zhang has capture the moment of time in his works. In the Shadow series, Zhang has depicted an unknown female figure standing with her head turning back looking at the reflection of her body. This subject demonstrates the concept of narcissism in art. Experimenting with abstraction and figuration, the artist has rendered the interior of the room with scratchy handling of loose wide brushstrokes and pastel tone of pink, orange, and yellow, adding a subtle sense of vibration to the viewers’ eyes.
The compositions of Café 1, 2 & 4 are meant to give a sense of incompletion as they are images of ordinary lives cropped out like snapshots. Focusing on the poise of the lady who is relaxing one hand on her forehead and holding onto a mirror on the other hand, Zhang has employed visual abstraction to create cinematic effects to his paintings. The interplay of light and reflection from the mirror hand-held by the female subject has result in an optical dynamism married with the natural scenes constituting an essential part of the artist’s oeuvre.
In the painting titled High Noon, Zhang has depicted a reclining nude overlooking the window, atypical subject in many western old masters’ canon. The texture of fabrics, materials and skin has brought out the sensuality of the subjectivity of this painting.
Zhang’s works have been exhibited at museums in Asia, Europe and America and also have been auctioned at Sotheby’s and Christie’s.
Venue: iPRECIATION (誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road HPL House #01-01 Singapore 249724 Tel 65 6339 0678
‘Cascadence’:
Noun – the New Jersey-based rock band.
Adjective – a rush of harmonic chords. Hybrid of ‘cascade’ and ‘cadence’; used in Indie-culture speak to allude appreciatively to musical value. Not found in mainstream lexicons.
It started as a playful pun to allude to the gallery’s move to Cuscaden Road; it proceeded to prove the choice fortuitously apt as the exhibition’s theme began to take shape. Cascadence: SG Redux is iPreciation’s first show at the new gallery premises after being in Fullerton Hotel for 10 years. Featuring 7 Singapore artists whose collective practices span 5 decades of art of Singapore, Cascadence is curated to present disparate and diverging ‘chords’, each representing individualistically distinctive formal and conceptual expression honed by practice and performance, each staking its own claim in art historical and discursive location that mark their unique presence and contribution to Singapore art. Thus orchestrated as a composition, the exhibition of 7 artistic voices is a sum of seemingly discordant parts that makes a chorus, one that speaks of the intentions of the hosting gallery.
—
The new iPreciation Gallery at 50 Cuscaden Road is a generous 5300 square feet with space for exhibitions and talks by artists and the art community. In staging an exclusively Singapore artists exhibition as its inaugural show, iPreciation signals the gallery’s plans to make Singapore art one of its key foci and to promote the cause of Singapore artistic community in the local and international art scene as Singapore shapes itself as a regional arts hub.
Quek Wee Chew(b. 1934, Singapore)
A temple caretaker, Quek Wee Chew’s serene still-life compositions seem frozen in time and yet timeless, maintaining their own integrity and fidelity to the spirituality of art and art making.
Goh Beng Kwan(b. 1937, Indonesia)
A Second Generation artist, Goh Beng Kwan’s defining contribution to Singapore art is his distinctive approach to abstraction and collage.
Lee Wen(b. 1957, Singapore)
Lee Wen is a leading performance artist, creating in 1990 the Yellow Man that has become as much his artistic and performative persona as it is an allegory for social reflection and critique.
Tay Bak Chiang(b. 1973, Singapore)
A contemporary ink painter, Tay Bak Chiang navigates the tradition with aplomb and zesty humour that one might be advised to expect the unexpected.
Milenko Pravcki (b. 1951, Yugoslavia)
A Senior Fellow at LaSalle College of the Arts, Pravcki has been an influential art educator and stands as one of the most exciting, consistent and productive painters in the Singapore art scene.
Michael Lee(b. 1972, Singapore)
Lee is a multi-disciplinary artist whose practice centres on urban memory and fiction, particularly in the contexts of loss and the implications thereof.
Suzann Victor (b. 1959, Singapore)
Sydney-based Victor continues to leave vivid impressions on Singapore art. An artist who plunges the depths of gender identity and subjection, Victor’s installations often posses a terrible beauty that shudders the senses with the quiet violence the works imply.
Exhibition Period: 22nd Nov – 15th Dec 2012
Venue: iPRECIATION at Jardine House, Central, Hong Kong
iPRECIATION Hong Kong has presented the recent works of emerging Japanese artist Tomita Natsumi, in an inaugural solo exhibition at the Hong Kong gallery. Born in Tokyo in 1986, Tomita graduated from Tama Art University with a degree in oil painting in 2009. Since 2007, she has exhibited widely in Japan and several Asian art fairs. Tomita has also embarked on special art projects for the Pediatrics departments at the Machida Municipal Hospital in Tokyo, and the Mitsukoshi Department Store in Nihombashi, her artworks are also collected by the Hamada Children’s Museum of Art.
In 2009, iPRECIATION Singapore held an inaugural solo exhibition of her sculptures in the city; her exhibition was a great success and 90% of the exhibits were sold out during the first week. Themed as ‘Artistic Conservation’, Tomita’s sculptures are created utilising recyclable materials; asserting both her eco-conservation ideals and creativity. Appearing to know no creative boundaries, the artist has the facility to assemble constituents of random, leftover objects into beautiful, amusing creatures- ranging from flamingos, parrots, turtles and even sets of miniature human figures, depicted at work or play. Humorous and eccentric, Tomita creates to promote environmental awareness, exposing young and old to the fun and beauty that derives from recycling. The Hong Kong exhibition will feature a new set of quirky sculptures, ranging from mid-sized human figures (approximately 30 – 40 cm in height), to monkeys, birds, and a variety of other animals.
Featuring the latest paintings, sculptures, paper works and digital media works from the four Hong Kong local artists
iPreciation Hong Kong is proud to present a group exhibition of four Hong Kong local artists- Tse Yim On, Hung Keung, Ho Yuen Leungand Au Ka Wai, featuring their latest creations done between 2011 to 2012. Graduated from the Fine Arts Department of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, the arts education in college years were an enlightening experience to all four of them. Each individual later developed artworks that penetrate a variety of issues and themes. This time four of them join hands once again for the current exhibition, engage in four distinct media in conveying their yearning for the good old days before radical changes took place in their hometown.
TSE Yim On’s representation of the city’s public housing reflects his expression of hope and love; as those of the post-70s generation portray their collective memories with overflowing sensitivity. TSE borrows iconographies familiar in the post-70s, such as popular culture’s Animation, Comics and Games (ACG), the old Cantonese film ‘Buddha’s Palm’, ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ and ‘The Little Red Riding Hood’; coupling these household names and influential political figures as his subject matter. TSE’s mischievous collage of imageries, the peaceful and humble housing estates relay an immensely complex political situation; as the tension and violence gradually emerges from the surreal landscapes he created. The artist observes at a distance, hiding the lively public housing culture beneath his vibrant hi-colour façade. By juxtaposing the public housing estates with a bygone era, TSE’s works crystallize the ups and downs of a city into fond memories.
HUNG Keung’s video works often take place on main roads, however, this time he adopts a contrasting approach and bases the featured work on his experience of wandering the communities of Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok (The Yau Tsim Mong District). Almost schizoid in nature, the protagonist in the video embodies two identities: She wears six different outfits that represent twelve unique characters, and leads us through the streets in these districts. The screen is divided into sections- top, bottom, left and right, acting as four coordinates to the story’s main structure, and as metaphor to the lateral movements on the streets, and the vertical landscape viewed from within the buildings. The fragmented imageries move and stop, at times a mixture of the two, ushering the audience to follow closely the footsteps of HUNG Keung; as we appreciate the mingling of old and new in each district, and witness the vicissitudes of the community.
As global warming becomes a serious issue today, HO Yuen Leungcreates a pristine world, in the midst of a deteriorating living environment in Hong Kong. He collects scraps from nature, and looks for trunks of wood people have long forgotten, and brings them back to life through his works. HO’s works embody a strong will, and they manifest the power of nature, amidst the concrete ‘forest’ we reside in. Hoping to resist our ‘daily order’ with the natural order, HO’s sculptures also convey a humanistic concern and optimism towards the material world.
With a religious-like dedication, AU Ka Wai tore up layer after layer of papers, and represents on a two-dimensional surface, the crushed and compressed networks of bustling Nathan Road and Gloucester Road; the piling up of sheathes of paper suggesting to viewers an expansive space contained within these networks. Paradoxically, AU utilizes the simplest material of soft paper, via this repetitive mode of creation, to visualize trails of harsh asphalt pavements. This method challenges the physicality and conventional usage of the material, and reminds us how the notion of ‘soft power’ can shape a city, or even a country. We see a sense of calm entwined with passion through AU’s distinct visual system; especially in his work ‘”卍” which touches on the theme of religious practice, it brings to our senses an awe-inspiring balance between vigor and gentleness.
Exhibition Period: 21th March – 7th April 2012
Venue: iPRECIATION at Jardine House, Central, Hong Kong
iPRECIATION Hong Kong is delighted to present the inaugural solo exhibition of renowned Singapore Artist Milenko Prvacki. Born in 1951 in Yugoslavia, Milenko graduated with a Master of Fine Arts (Painting) from the Institute of Fine Arts in Bucharest, Romania. He is one of the city’s foremost Art educators, having commenced teaching at Lasalle Colleage of the Arts Since 1994. He was Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts for 17 years, and currently holds the position of Senior Fellow. Milenko has exhibited extensively in Europe since 1971, with numerous showcases in public spaces and galleries in Singapore since 1993. With recent solo shows held in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Sydney and Jakarta, Milenko also participated in recent group shows held at the Museum of Modern Art in Antwerp, Belgium, the Torrance Art Museum in Los Angeles, the NUS (National University of Singapore) Museum, and the Biennale of Sydney. The artist has also participated in numerous symposiums and art workshops worldwide, including a panel discussion on Southeast Asian art held at the Singapore Art Museum in 2011, an artist talk at the Istanbul Biennale in 2007, a discussion on Southeast Asian art in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 2001, and acted as visiting professor at Musashino Art University in Tokyo, and Sabanchi University in Istanbul.
Curriculum Vitae
Born in 1951, Ferdin, Vojvodina, Yugoslavia
Master of Fine Arts (Painting),
Institute of Fine Arts, Bucharest, Romania.
1994 – present
Dean, Faculty of Fine Arts,
LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore
Permanent Collections
National Museum, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Museum of Modern Art, Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Museum of Contemporary Drawing, Nurnberg, Germany
Museum of World Portrait’s, Tuzla, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Ecka Symposium Gallery, Zrenjanin, Yugoslavia
Gallery of Contemporary Art, Pancevo, Yugoslavia
Museum of Contemporary Art, Novi Sad, Yugoslavia
Deliblatski Pesak Collection, Pancevo, Yugoslavia
National Museum, Pancevo, Yugoslavia
Obalne Gallery Collection, Piran, Slovenia
Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
UOB Bank, Singapore
National Library, Singapore
ICI, Singapore
SMU, Singapore
Collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia
GALLERY 61, Novi Sad, Serbia
NUS Museum, Singapore
National Library, Singapore
Exhibition period: March 2012
Venue: iPRECIATION at The Fullerton Hotel
iPRECIATION Singapore will feature new works by Beijing artist Ye Jian Qing in March 2012. A deviation from the colourful cityscape paintings, the new paintings are a development from Ye’s earlier black and white paintings. The artworks were created while he was in Singapore as resident artist in August 2011. Selected artworks are available for preview, for further information please contact +65 6339 0678.
Curriculum Vitae
1972 Born in Ninghai, Zhejiang Province, China
Education
1994-1998 Undergraduate study at Mural Painting Department, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
1999-2001 Postgraduate study at Mural Painting Department, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
2004-2007 PhD in advanced canvas research at China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
Awards
1996 “Untitled” awarded Second prize at the annual exhibition, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
1997 “Travel” awarded Second prize at the annual exhibition, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
1998 “Immigration” awarded First prize at the graduation project, China Central Academy of Fine Arts Beijing (Awarded by the Gang-song Family Arts Fund, The Okamatsu Scholarship)
Solo Exhibitions
1999 “Ye Jian Qing Works”, China Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
2004 “Scenic Poetry”, iPRECIATION, Singapore
2005 “Ye Jian Qing–Exhibition of Recent Oil Paintings”, iPRECIATION, Singapore
2007 “The Art of Ye Jian Qing”, iPRECIATION, The Rotunda, Exchange Square, Hong Kong
2009 Solo exhibition of Recent Works, iPRECIATION, Singapore
2009 “Hutong Memory” A solo exhibition of Ye Jian Qing, iPRECIATION, Hong Kong
2010 “Reflections of the Mind”, Exhibition of Recent Oil Paintings, National Art Museum of China, Beijing
2012 “Rain Rhythms”,A solo exhibition of Ye Jian Qing,iPRECIATION, Singapore
Exhibition Period: 23th February – 10th March 2012
Venue: iPRECIATION, Jardine House, Central Hong Kong
Born in Jiangxi Province, eastern China in 1940, Gao Xingjian is one of the world’s most respected multidisciplinary artists. An acclaimed novelist, painter, playwright, poet and filmmaker, Gao’s creations have been showcased worldwide, notably in cities including Vienna, New York, London, Stockholm, Malmo, Poznan, Luxembourg, Brussels, Hong Kong, Madrid, Barcelona, Mons, Berlin, Aachen, Baden-Baden, Taipei and Singapore. Gao was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2000 for his prodigious novel ‘Soul Mountain’, the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government in 1992, and the Lions Award by the New York Public Library in 2006.
Between 2008 and 2010, a majority of Gao Xingjian’s ink paintings were executed on canvas instead of rice paper, invoking a unique textural element to his work. The play with light and the coagulation of different hues of black, grey ink, takes on a different dimension. While the colours do not synthesise as readily on a canvas base, what is intriguing is the essence of light: The contrast between light and dark is amplified as each brushstroke gains a renewed strength, providing a fresh intensity to his paintings.
The recent ink on canvas paintings present more defined brushstrokes and segregation of hues. These strokes are alike to demarcation lines- a variation of soft, hard lines that appear to confine or ascertain a voluntary separation from the world, such as ‘Le Tourbillon’, where a figure enclosed in a small sheath of light stands surrounded by a dark, odd circle. Situated in the indistinct world between the figurative and abstract, Gao’s paintings, whether created on paper or canvas, summon the ambiguity of forms that lead one to question, probe and approach an introspective vision.
Artworks are currently available for preview in iPreciation Hong Kong. Please contact +852 2537 8869 to arrange for a private viewing.
Exhibition Period: 24th November – 10th December 2011
Venue: iPRECIATION Jardine House, Central Hong Kong
Born in Hong Kong in 1981, Doris Wong is a young visual artist who experiments with a variety of media, ranging from painting, sculpture, collage, installations and photography, Doris’ works have won acclaim for her unique, conceptual approach. Possessing an expansive way of thinking beyond traditional studio practices, the artist frequently investigates the nature of what is real or fake, what constitutes art, and what doesn’t. Creating emulators, Doris proceeds to juxtapose these ‘raw’ pieces alongside the original articles, dispelling the notion of an ideal framework, and persuading viewers to question the nature of authenticity; challenging preconceptions whilst blurring boundaries. Doris graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts degree form the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2004, and a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom in 2005. She was also the Founder of the Observation Society in Guangzhou. Doris has exhibited her works extensively in Hong Kong, as well as showcases in Japan, U.S.A, Singapore and Guangzhou. Doris’ works were also featured at the Hong Kong Museum of Art in 2009, as part of the ‘Louis Vuitton: A Passion for Creation’ exhibition. Doris’ artworks, including the exclusive ‘Hong Kong Artist Museum’ paintings, and her Museum Poster Series of works, are available for sale. Please contact +852 25378869 or enquiry@ipreciation.comfor further information.
Curriculum Vitae
1981 Born in Hong Kong
2004 Bachelor of Arts, Fine Art Department, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2005 Masters in Fine Art, University of Leeds, UK
2009 Founder of Observation Society, Guangzhou
Curatorial Projects
2008 “Sun of Beach – Debut Show of Wong Wai Wheel Art Space”
Fotanian Open Studio, Hong Kong Participating Artists:
Luke Ching, Kwan Sheung Chi, Jaspar Lau, Lee Kit,
Leung Chi Wo, Zhu Kiki
Solo Exhibition
2009 “L’Ecume des choses – l’art de wong wai yn”, Observation Society, Guangzhou
Group Exhibitions
2009
“Louis Vuitton: A Passion for Creation” Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
“Muse”, Louis Vuitton Gallery, Hong Kong
“Art Walk”, Hong Kong
“Some Rooms”, Hong Kong
“Charming Experience”, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
“Reversed Reality”, Olympian City Gallery, Hong Kong
2008
“Wanakio 2008”, Okinawa, Janpan
“Reality Reversed”, Worksound Artspace, Portland, USA
“3rd Guangzhou Triennial”, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou
“Inside Looking Out”, Singapore
“Women’s Work”, Hong Kong
“Shek Kip Mei/ World: Public Housing 20/ 20”, MOST, Hong Kong
“Hong Kong Anarchitecture Bananas”, Artist Commune, Hong Kong
“Sick Leave”, C&G Artpartment, Hong Kong
“Chie!”, Hong Kong
“Fotanian 2008”, Fo Tan, Hong Kong
“Fair Enough”, Hong Kong
2007
“Art responds to the 14 Qks”, Para/Site Art Space, Hong Kong
“Copied right”, Para/Site Art Space, Hong Kong
“Time after Time”, Hollywood Center, Hong Kong
“97+10”, Videotage, MOMA, Shanghai
“Exhibition on – Fire!”, PS Central, Hong Kong
“Variances in Singular”, Too Art, Hong Kong Art Center, Hong Kong
“Fotanian – open studio day 2007”, Fotan, Hong Kong
2006
“Dream a little dream”, Para/Site Art Space, Hong Kong
“aWay” Group Exhibition of Contemporary Visual Artists, 1a space, Hong Kong
2005
“Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition 2005”, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong
“Art SuperMart Para/Site”, Para/Site Art Space, Hong Kong
“Studio Visit”, Bankley House Studios, Manchester, UK
“Meeting Point”, MA Fine Art Graduation Show, University of Leeds, UK
2004
“Build: HK Spirit Red White Blue”, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong
“CUHK Fine Art Graduation Show”, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
“Sculpture non Sculpture”, 1a space, Hong Kong
2003
“Fotanian”, Fo Tan, Hong Kong
“Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition 2003”, Hong Kong Museum of Art
“Just Do It”, Sharon Lam, Doris To and Wong Wai-yin Joint Exhibition, The Chinese University
of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
2002
“Cho Siu-yee and Wong Wai-yin Joint Exhibition”, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Exhibition Period: 18th November – 9th December 2011
Venue: iPRECIATION Singapore
Born in Jiangxi Province, eastern China in 1940, Gao Xingjian is one of the world’s most respected multidisciplinary artists. An acclaimed novelist, painter, playwright, poet and filmmaker, Gao’s creations have been showcased worldwide, notably in cities including Vienna, New York, London, Stockholm, Malmo, Poznan, Luxembourg, Brussels, Hong Kong, Madrid, Barcelona, Mons, Berlin, Aachen, Baden-Baden, Taipei and Singapore. Gao was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2000 for his prodigious novel ‘Soul Mountain’, the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government in 1992, and the Lions Award by the New York Public Library in 2006.
Between 2008 and 2010, a majority of Gao Xingjian’s ink paintings were executed on canvas instead of rice paper, invoking a unique textural element to his work. The play with light and the coagulation of different hues of black, grey ink, takes on a different dimension. While the colours do not synthesise as readily on a canvas base, what is intriguing is the essence of light: The contrast between light and dark is amplified as each brushstroke gains a renewed strength, providing a fresh intensity to his paintings.
The recent ink on canvas paintings present more defined brushstrokes and segregation of hues. These strokes are alike to demarcation lines- a variation of soft, hard lines that appear to confine or ascertain a voluntary separation from the world, such as ‘Le Tourbillon’, where a figure enclosed in a small sheath of light stands surrounded by a dark, odd circle; or ‘Au Fond du Monde’, where the distinctions between the rise of light above and gradual darkness below suggests an infinite depth, or the end of the world. Situated in the indistinct world between the figurative and abstract, Gao’s paintings, whether created on paper or canvas, summon the ambiguity of forms that lead one to question, probe and approach an introspective vision.
Among the exhibits are 5 exclusive monumental creations previously showcased at Casal Solleric in Spain, Palma’s foremost cultural centre. Artworks are available for preview.
Please contact +65 6339 0678 to arrange for a private viewing.
Exhibition Period: August 2011
Venue: iPRECIATION at Jardine House, Central, Hong Kong
Born in 1961, Oohira Hiroshi is a well known graphic designer who has received many prizes in Japan and abroad. He graduated with a degree in Design from the Osaka University of Arts in 1984, and is currently a Professor at the Art University in Osaka. He took up the practice of wood carving ten years ago and has been holding yearly exhibitions in Osaka and Tokyo since 2000. As Oohira is not a full time artist, he creates only 10 artworks a year; his delicate sculptures are all created from cypress wood, earthly creatures that act as parody to human life and its quest for knowledge.
iPRECIATION Hong Kong will be showcasing a rare selection of works by Oohira Hiroshi in August 2011. For artist information, please contact 852 2537 8869 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
Curriculum Vitae
Born in 1961
1984 Completed Design Course at Osaka University of Arts
Awards
1996
Jury’s Special Award, Opel Design Contest Second Award, Asahi Advertising Award
Accepted for International Biennial of the Poster in Mexico, Mexico, International Poster Triennial in Toyama, 2003 & 2009, Japan, Trnava Poster Triennial, Slovakia, Lahti Poster Biennial, Finland and more.
Public Collection
Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery
In support of the relief of disruption caused by the Japan earthquake and tsunami, iPreciation will donate 10% of proceeds from the sale of the artworks to the Central Community Chest of Japan at United Way Worldwide.
iPRECIATION is delighted to present a novel joint exhibition by 5 emerging Japanese artists whose works are child-like, yet thought-provoking. Artists include Shimizu Tomohiro, Makita Sohei, Tomita Natsumi, Takagi Makito and Yuasa Kanako.
Shimizu Tomohiro
Born in Iwate, Japan in 1977, Shimizu only began reflecting upon an artistic career in his early twenties. Shimizu obtained a degree in science from Aoyama Gakuin University in 1999. However, after a few years working as an engineer in the Nippon Electric Company, he left his post and enrolled in the Oil Painting Course at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Shimizu’s inaugural solo exhibition “The World of Shimizu Tomohiro” was held in iPRECIATION Singapore this Year in April. In Shimizu’s oil paintings, the artist desires to explore the workings of his subconscious through his beloved protagonist, a pensive, sensuous little girl.
Makita Sohei
Born in Tochigi prefecture in 1980, Makita Soehi obtained both his bachelor and master degree at the National University of Fine Arts and Music in 2004 and 2006 respectively. Makita has exhibited widely in Tokyo, inclusive of a solo exhibition in Tokyo Live & Moris gallery. By creating the elusive boy sculpture using camphor wood, in a variety of odd sizes, Makita hopes to materialise his dreams, as he carves and analyses the surreal figure that darts about, musing as it finally takes form in the outer world of consciousness.
Tomita Natsumi
Born in Tokyo in 1986, Tomita Natsumi graduated from the famous Tama Art Univeristy in Tokyo. Tomita’s quirky sculptures, made utilising recyclables, denote life and human behaviour through her unique approach. Her works have been featured at galleries and museums throughout Japan, including The National Art Center in Tokyo and Hamada Children’s Museum of Art in Shimane. Making use of mixed media and newspaper, Natsumi’s miniature sculptures depicts people riding in a Hong Kong mass transit railway, as they purposefully head about to work or play. Although small, Natsumi has captured their expressions with a delicacy that is both endearing and startling.
Takagi Makito
Takagi Makito was born in Shizuoka in 1986 and graduated from Oil Painting Course at Tama Art University in Tokyo. Apart from exhibiting in art museums and galleries, Takagi’s works were also featured in venues such as Pediatrics of Hospital and Open Art Plaza in Japan. Takagi’s paintings feature snapshots of random figures, cartoon inspired creatures that parody human beings, and our imperfections. Denoted as ‘Snapshots’, Takagi’s figures attempt to strike stylish poses; however, regardless of how hard they try to look good in front of a camera, or in the presence of others, it does not go well… parodying the failure we experience, when we attempt to be somebody else, instead of joyfully embracing our own person.
Yuasa Kanako
Yuasa Kanako was born in Yokohama City of Japan. She studied oil painting at the Tokyo Zokei University and graduated in 2010. Yuasa has participated in a numbers of solo and group exhibitions throughout Japan, including three solos in Tokyo and Kanagawa. Yuasa’s works, though surreal, capture the essence of a lost childhood. Inspired by the ideal of a theme park, Yuasa’s pencil on paper works capture the desire and pleasure experienced by a child, on a fun day out. However, in these paintings, there is neither sound nor colour. What remains is the shape of objects – the soft outlines, and black, white shades analogous to the seeds of memory.
In support of the earthquake and tsunami relief in Japan, iPRECIATION will donate 10% of proceeds from the sale of exhibits to the Central Community Chest of Japan at United Way Worldwide.
Exhibition Period: April 2011
Venue: iPRECIATION Singapore
Born in Iwate, Japan in 1977, Shimizu developed a strong interest in art as a child. However, he only began reflecting upon an artistic career in his early twenties. Shimizu obtained a degree in science from Aoyama Gakuin University, and upon graduation in 1999, was employed by the Nippon Electric Company. However, a few years later, he left his post and enrolled in the Oil Painting Course at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Shimizu has participated in several solo and group exhibitions in Tokyo, including a special showcase of emerging Japanese artists held in New York. iPRECIATION Singapore showcased Shimizu’s works at a group exhibition of emerging Japanese artists in April 2010, and is delighted to present the artists new creations in an inaugural solo show in April 2011.
For artwork enquiries, please contact +65 6339 0678.
Exhibition Period: March 2011
Venue: iPRECIATION Singapore
iPRECIATION is proud to present the important collection of a Singapore Pioneer artist, in March 2011. A renowned Nanyang artist, Cheong Soo Pieng (b. 1917 to 1983) made significant contributions to the development of art education in Singapore. Born in China’s Fujian province, he studied at the Xiamen Academy of Fine Arts from 1933 to 1935, and continued his artistic training at the Xin Hua Art Academy in Shanghai. He moved to Singapore in 1946, and was invited by the principal of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Lim Hak Tai to teach at NAFA. By the time he settled in Singapore, Cheong was already a skilled artist, adept in his experimentation with the methods and materials of ink painting; He also inspired and guided many students, some of whom became established artists.
An important moment in Cheong’s artistic career, was his travels to Bali with three other artists, namely Chen Chong Swee, Chen Wen His and Liu Kang, in 1952. There they remained for 5 months, and the artist’s fascination with the exotic, charismatic island, deeply influence the way he, and the other artists portrayed Southeast Asia.
In 1959 and 1961, Cheong also travelled to Sarawak and Sabah respectively. In 1961, he embarked on a tour to Europe, to form acquaintance with the developing contemporary art movement. In Europe he spent 2 years, and within this time frame, held 2 successful exhibitions in London and Munich. In 1962, he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by the Singapore government.
This showcase is the first major gallery exhibition held, since the artist’s passing in 1983; and features a myriad of works created throughout his career. These works will be showcased to the public for the first time.
For further enquiries or to arrange for a private preview, please contact +65 6339 0678.
iPRECIATION Hong Kongis delighted to present a group Ceramics exhibition of seven renowned and emerging Asian artists from November 26 to December 11. An exclusive range of artworks will be featured, created by Taiwanese, Hong Kong and Japanese artists.
RENOWNED ARTISTS Ju Ming (b. 1938, Taiwan)
An acclaimed Taiwanese sculptor renowned for his Taichi series, Ju Ming also experimented with Ceramics through his Living World Series in the 1980s. Dating from 1982 to 1984, Ju’s delicate, unconventional creations share parallelism with the carefully constructed, abstract forms of his wood sculptures- eccentric emulations of the human frame; at once forlorn, expressive and highly inimitable.
Ah Leon
Born in 1953, Ah Leon is one of Taiwan’s most renowned Ceramic artists. He graduated from the National Taiwan Academy of Arts in 1976. From 1978 to 1982, he sought the apprenticeship of famous ceramic artists throughout Taiwan. Ah Leon has exhibited his works in galleries and museums worldwide, including the National Ceramics Museum in Denmark, the Phoenix Art Museum in Arizona, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the National Palace Museum in Taipei. One of Ah Leon’s most impressive artworks, ‘Bridge’, spanning 20 metres, was featured at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C, in 1997.
Hong Kong Ceramic artists Rosanna Li & Annie Wan
Rosanna Li is a leading Ceramic artist from Hong Kong, and Visiting Lecturer at the School of Design of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She first studied Ceramics at the Hong Kong Polytechnic, and pursued her education in England. Her works have been exhibited worldwide, including China, Macau, Taiwan, Mongolia, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, the U.S.A, France and the U.K. Rosanna’s works are collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the Shiwan Ceramic Museum in Guangdong, the Zhejiang Art Museum and the Guangdong Museum of Art in China, to name a few. Rosanna has garnered numerous awards over the years, including the Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Art Award (Ceramics) in 1985, the Artist of the Year Award (Sculpture), Hong Kong Artists’ Guild in 1999, and the Silver Award in Ceramics of the Guangdong Museum of Art in 2000; and in 2005, she was awarded the Secretary for Home Affairs Commendation Medal, for her contributions to the promotion of the arts and culture in Hong Kong.
A prominent Ceramic artist from Hong Kong, Annie Wan obtained her Bachelor & Master of Fine Arts degrees, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1996 and 1999 respectively. An award winner at the Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition in 2003, Annie also won a prize for her works at the Philippe Charriol Foundation Art Competition in 1999. Her works have been featured worldwide, at galleries and public exhibitions in Osaka, Tokyo, France, Denmark and Hong Kong. Annie’s works are collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Heritage Museum of Hong Kong, the Guldagergaard Museum of International Ceramic Art in Denmark, the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park in Japan and the Philippe Charriol Foundation.
EMERGING JAPANESE CERAMIC ARTISTS Shinya Tanoue
Born in Kyoto, Japan in 1976, Shinya Tanoue obtained a Bachelors degree in Theology in 1999, and pursued his Ceramics training at the Kyoto Saga University of Arts in 2003. He is currently a ceramics instructor at his alma mater. Shinya’s works were exhibited at the Museum of Kyoto, and the Hyogo Ceramic Art Museum, and the artist has garnered awards at the 19th Japan Ceramic Art Exhibition, and the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition in 2007.
Kouzo Takeuchi
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1977, Kouzo Takeuchi graduated from Osaka University of Arts in 2001, with a major in Ceramics. Thereafter, he obtained a degree from the Tajimi Municipal Ceramic Design institute, at Gifu Prefecture, in 2003. Kouzo has exhibited widely in Tokyo, inclusive of solo exhibitions in Boston, where he also led a Ceramics workshop at Harvard University. Kouzo’s works were also exhibited in Paris in 2009.
Tanaka Tomomi
Born in Hyogo Prefecture in 1983, Tanaka Tomomi graduated from Aichi University of Education in 2008. Her works have been featured at galleries and museums throughout Japan, including the National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo, the Tokoname Museum and the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum. Her works have garnered awards by the Kyoto City Museum in 2005, during a Group exhibition held by the Women’s Association of Ceramic Art, as well as the Asahi Ceramic Art Exhibition in Nagoya in 2006.
Exhibition Period: 19th November 2010 – 8th January 2011
Venue: iPRECIATION Singapore
iPRECIATION is delighted to present the debut of Master sculptor Ju Ming’s Living World Series–Swimming sculptures in Singapore. A selection of 19 sculptures from this series will be featured at the gallery at The Fullerton Hotel. The Swimming sculptures made its international debut at The Landmark, in Central, Hong Kong, from June 1 to 20, 2010. Ju Ming had previously explored the medium of stainless steel in his Taichi Series (namely the quintessential ‘Single Whip’ and ‘Preparation for Underarm Strike’ sculptures) as well as the Living World Series rolled sculptures, with their abstract, contortionist figures caught in a series of acrobatic poses. However, the refinement of the material is augmented through this recent addition to the Living World. The polished glimmer of the figures reflect beneath the light, as this unique utilisation of the medium attests not only to Ju’s experimentation of different materials, but his curiosity in exploring the tenacity and qualities of every medium; and how each material can be manipulated effectively, to suit his subject matter. Emulations of ladies at leisure, the sculptures do not convey the act of swimming, but instead, the gentle, relaxed, enticing mode of behaviour which entails prior to the act of swimming, or after. Once again materialising the different expressions and conduct deriving from a variety of scenarios, these Swimming sculptures are a heartfelt addition to the Living World Series, and a testament to Ju Ming’s lifelong curiosity with the human condition.
iPRECIATION will also be launching the new Ju Ming Living World Series monograph. For exhibition information, or artwork enquiry or to pre-order a monograph, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
Two Swimming sculptures are currently exhibited at Chatsworth Garden, England, as part of Sotheby’s ‘Beyond Limits’ selling exhibition of monumental sculpture. The exhibition was opened to the public on September 13, and runs until October 31, 2010.
Exhibition Period: August 2010
Venue: NAMOC (National Art Museum Of China) Beijing, China
iPRECIATION is delighted to announce an inaugural solo exhibition of Ye Jian Qing’s recent oil paintings, titled ‘Reflections of the Mind’ at the prestigious National Art Museum of China (NAMOC) in Beijing; featuring 34 exclusive pieces from the Exploring the Bodhisattva series, created between 2009 and 2010. This exhibition is proudly organised by the Mural Painting Department of the China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) and co-organised by iPRECIATION.
Born in Zhejiang Province, China in 1972, and currently residing in Beijing, Ye Jian Qing is a highly disciplined scholar artist who obtained his Master Degree and PhD from the prestigious China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing. Ye is currently teaching in the Fresco Department at CAFA. Inspired by the traditions and history of China’s past, and relaying it through his own unique vision, Ye has received accolades from collectors and critics alike, as his distinctive, nostalgic style draws light upon his vision and desire, for the advancement of Chinese contemporary art.
The Exploring the Bodhisattva series is evident of Ye’s artistic maturity, and his unyielding search to integrate an ancient cultural ethos, into the realm of Contemporary artistry. The ‘Reflections of the Mind’ exhibition echoes the artist’s concern towards the development of the Chinese aesthetic, as he seeks to open a unique, though ancient-inspired path to express the collective memory of the Chinese people; and convey their sentiment of history through the eternal figure of the Bodhisattva, materialised through Ye’s gifted technique.
Each painting fuses an artistic interpretation of real life with Ye’s visualisation of the spiritual world; as he searches for a personal sacred abode, fulfilled through his exploration of this spiritual icon, and her role in the historical, cultural and aesthetical context. This exhibition of the Exploring the Bodhisattva series is a significant milestone in Ye’s career, and an apt showcase to be featured at NAMOC, one of China’s most revered cultural institutions.
Exhibition Period: 18th July – 15th August 2010
Venue: National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), Beijing, China
Ju Ming’s Living World Series creations will be featured at a retrospective exhibition, at the National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), from July 18 to August 15.
An experiential endeavour, the Living World Series, was inaugurated in the 1980s, and further inspired by the artist’s residency in New York from 1980 to 1982. The culture shock ensued paved way for this endearing, albeit quirky series of artworks. Utilising wood to carve and materialise his impressions of human nature, the Living World Series is instrumental as a mode of communication for Ju, curing both language and cultural barriers; while for collectors, they remain heartfelt interpretations of human life, capturing the nuances that determine the bond and interaction amongst individuals.
The Living World Series creations, presented in a variety of mediums, ranging from wood, bronze and stainless steel, is evident of Ju’s familiarity with various mediums, and the exploratory richness of this series. Famous exhibits from the Ju Ming Museum’s collection will be featured, including the ‘Parachute’ artworks, ‘Lining Up’, and ‘The Gentlemen’ sculptures, amongst many other creations.
Exhibition Period: 3rd June – 20 June 2010
Venue: Jardine House, Central, Hong Kong
(Hong Kong, 3rd June 2010)-iPRECIATION successfully launched a major exhibition of world renowned sculptor Ju Ming, sponsored by Hongkong Land and Sotheby’s Hong Kong. At the opening of the exhibition, Mr. James Robinson, the Executive Director of Hongkong Land stated that the exhibition is a special occasion for Hongkong Land, ‘The last time we hosted a Ju Ming exhibition was in January 1986. Now, Hongkong Land is pleased to welcome back Ju Ming and his most recent creations, the “Swimming” works that are part of his Living World Series.’
Two different series of exhibits are featured: namely the monumental Taichi Series and the recent Living World Series. This extraordinary exhibition is opened for public viewing from now to 20th June 2010 in Central Hong Kong, at Exchange Square, The Landmark, and in iPRECIATION Hong Kong at Jardine House.
Born in 1938 in Miaoli County, Taiwan, Ju Ming is renowned for his arresting technique and astute familiarity with different materials. The Taichi Series, Ju’s most celebrated endeavor, materializes an ancient Chinese practice via abstract forms: as the hefty, bronze sculptures, fashioned in a medley of traditional poses, appear to test the boundaries of time and tradition.
The Living World Series was inaugurated in the 1980s, and partly inspired by Ju Ming’s residency in New York from 1980 to 1982. The Living World sculptures are unique in its ability to bridge communication and culture divisions, through Ju Ming’s heartfelt interpretation of human relationships. The current exhibition will display Ju’s recent painted wood and stone sculptures as well as the latest creations, the Living World Series-Swimming sculptures, casted in stainless steel. Supported by Hongkong Land and Sotheby’s Hong Kong, this exhibition will bring Ju Ming’s artistry to the forefront once more, as we celebrate over five decades of eminent sculpting, by one of Asia’s leading Modern sculptors.
About iPRECIATION
Established in Singapore in 1999, iPRECIATION is a fine art company that showcases the most exquisite contemporary Asian art that is visually stunning and distinctly unique. iPRECIATION Hong Kong was set up in June 2009, marking its incisive aesthetical presence in Asia’s foremost metropolis. Both Singapore and Hong Kong open countless avenues for artistic exposure, elucidation and education.
Our galleries are well-recognized platforms for promising artists, meticulously cultivating and introducing them and their works to the most discerning art enthusiasts. By mounting large-scale exhibitions and publishing outstanding art catalogues, iPRECIATION constantly propels the best of contemporary art to the forefront. As an ardent supporter of the arts, we have been a significant driving force in the development of the contemporary Asian art scene.
Having significant knowledge and experience in giving prominence to contemporary Chinese and South East Asian art, iPRECIATION is a provider of professional art consultancy services to both individual and corporate entities.
About Hongkong Land Hongkong Land is one of Asia’s leading property investment, management and development groups. Founded in Hong Kong in 1889, the Group has interests across the region. Hongkong Land’s business is built on partnership, integrity and excellence.
In Hong Kong, the Group owns and manages some five million sq. ft of prime commercial space that defines the heart of the Central Business District. In Singapore, it is helping to create the city-state’s new Central Business District with the expansion of its joint venture portfolio of new developments. Hongkong Land’s properties in these and other Asian centres are recognised as market leaders and house the world’s foremost financial, business and luxury retail names.
Hongkong Land also develops premium residential properties in a number of cities in the region, not least in Singapore where its 77%-owned listed affiliate, MCL Land, is a significant developer.
Hongkong Land Holdings Limited is incorporated in Bermuda. Its primary share listing is in London, with secondary listings in Bermuda and Singapore. The Group’s assets and investments are managed from Hong Kong by Hongkong Land Limited. Hongkong Land is a member of the Jardine Matheson Group.
About Sotheby’s Founded in 1744, Sotheby’s is the oldest and largest internationally recognized firm of fine art auctioneers in the world and is a global company that engages in art auctions, private sales and art-related financing activities.
Sotheby’s operates in 40 countries, including offices in emerging markets such as Beijing, Moscow and Doha. With principal salesrooms located in New York on York Avenue, London on New Bond Street, Paris in Saint Honoré and Hong Kong, the company also regularly conducts auctions in 6 other salesrooms around the world. Sotheby’s is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol BID.
Sotheby’s was the first auction house in Hong Kong, opening an office in 1973 and holding its first auction that same year. In 1994 and 2007, Sotheby’s opened representative offices in Shanghai and Beijing respectively.
Exhibition Period: 8th – 24th April 2010
Venue: iPRECIATION Jardine House, Central Hong Kong
A young artist in possession of witty, eccentric apparitions concerning his hometown, and its role in a more globalised framework, Tse Yim On’s paintings are akin to the visualised adaptation of the surrealistic, linguistic process of automatic writing; a system that bypasses the criterion of mental censorship, liberally enticing the mind to express with instantaneous verve, the unexpurgated viewpoints on a page, or in the context of visual artistry, on the base of a canvas. In his paintings, the artist’s cognisant and subconscious discernment of society is present, thus accomplishing a paradoxical approach to truth that is tainted vehemently with a subliminal spasm, conflating the volatile with the suggestive.
The artist endeavours to astonish and trigger unanticipated sentiments amongst his viewers, igniting a covert reaction that might otherwise be dormant. Deriving ceaseless amusement from mocking and caricaturising delicate topics, Tse aims to swathe a disparate light on repressed issues that plague his society, but issues that are omnipresent in this swiftly shrinking world.
Although the animated world (characterised by manga and video games) is a highlight of Tse’s artworks, the artist’s priorities do not solely lie with the questionable effects that this particular subculture has on Hong Kong society, but instead, expand to include a more generalised approach, namely popular culture as a whole. Through this universal medium, viewers are better able to identify the prevalent political issues beneath the comical veil, selectively choosing to scrutinise themes that possess greater pertinence to the concerns rife on their own terrain, regardless of race, culture or religion.
‘Great Righteousness Resolving Confusion’, a solo exhibition of Tse Yim On, will feature an exclusive selection of artworks dating from 2006 – 2010. The exhibition will also showcase Tse’s unique, award winning canvas books, dating from 1998. Viewers will be able to chart the artist’s developments at this inaugural showcase at iPRECIATION Hong Kong, from 8- 24 April 2010.
The exhibition will be curated by Ms Elizabeh Poon, a graduate from the University of Hong Kong, who obtained a Masters degree with a scope of study in contemporary Literature, critical theories, and postmodern culture and literature. A catalogue will be published. To pre-order a catalogue of Tse Yim On’s upcoming solo exhibition, or for artwork enquiry/ preview:
Please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or +852 2537 8869.
Exhibition Period: 18th March – 3rd April 2010
Venue: iPRECIATION, The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore
Artist, script-writer, filmmaker and novelist, Gao Xingjian is renowned for his prodigious novel ‘Soul Mountain’, which honoured Gao as the first author, to be awarded the Nobel Prize for a body of works written in the Chinese language. Gao was also honoured with the title of Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government in 1992, and the Lions Award by the New York Public Library in 2006. To date, Gao’s paintings have been exhibited worldwide, notably in cities including Vienna, New York, London, Stockholm, Malmo, Poznan, Luxembourg, Brussels, Hong Kong, Madrid, Barcelona, Mons, Berlin, Aachen, Baden-Baden, Taipei and Singapore. Gao’s exhibition in December 2009, held at the Berardo collection of the Sintra Museum of Modern Art, Lisbon, Portugal, featured Gao’s Ink paintings, with a special screening of his recent film, ‘After the Flood’.
iPRECIATION Singapore is delighted to present the inaugural launch of Gao’s new Ink on Canvas paintings, with the Asian Premier of his film ‘After the Flood’, at The Arts House. Gao Xingjian’s 14 exclusive paintings are executed in 2008 and 2009, and are implemented on canvas as opposed to rice paper. The canvas renders a different textural quality to Gao’s works; one that continues to augment Gao’s experiential gift with ink, whilst renewing perspectives of the artist’s individualistic, emotive codex. This special duo showcase will augment Gao Xingjian’s multidisciplinary gifts, as we gain insight from the themes that bind his works across genres.For further information or artwork enquiries, please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or +65 6339 0678.
Exhibition Period: 26th November – 11th December 2009
Venue: iPRECIATION Jardine House, Central Hong Kong
Forming an acquaintance with the Hutong’s past, can further amplify its importance in Modern-day Beijing, relaying the urge to preserve a structure that has gained hushed distinction as a cultural miracle, one that guides and defines the veins of a city; housing the hearts of Beijing’s oldest inhabitants, and the country’s intricate, and at times, tumultuous journey, taken thus far.
The history of the Hutong can be traced back to the Yuan Dynasty (China under the Mongol Empire, from 1271 – 1368), with origins in the City of Dadu, translated as ‘Great Capital’. During the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), the 3rd Ming Emperor, Zhu Di (1402 – 1424) renamed the city ‘Dadu’ to ‘Beijing’, an interesting notion, given that the title ‘Beijing’ was designated slightly more than a century after the ‘Hutong’ earned its name, thus viewing Old Beijing as a city fashioned and cultivated by the Hutong, as opposed to vice versa, as some might initially perceive…
By 1420, Beijing was fully reconstructed, and Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty made the city a capital, records show that there were 459 Hutongs present at this time. By the 1940s, the number of alleyways in Beijing amounted to over 3000, and with the development of urban constructions in the 1980s, the total area of the city had expanded 24 times more than old Beijing, increasing the number of passages to approximately 6000- among which an estimated 1300 were named Hutongs. Currently, only one-third of Hutongs in Beijing are well preserved, making the conservation of a cultural code, one that is symbolic of Old Beijing, more of a challenge than anticipated.
There is a labyrinthine charm embedded in these alleyways. Steeped in history, the naming of the Hutong reflects the social inclinations of its people. With the formation of a Hutong, residents will proceed to confer a title, and if accepted by the majority of tenants, as well as granted general consensus by the public, will thereafter become an essential indication for people’s engagements. Whilst some will have names reflecting its exact attributes, take ‘Xiao La Ba’ for instance, translated as ‘Little Brass Wind Instrument’, to describe a Hutong that is narrower at one end, and wider at the other, others are connected to the prevailing trades that previously occurred within the alleyway, or associated with food, temples and prominent individuals.
Ye Jian Qing’s wistful depiction of the Hutong, relays the artist’s desire to secure the existence of an ancient architecture. The warped application of oils, akin to viewing a Hutong through an obscure pane pelted by rain or snow, is a purposeful deformation (but paradoxically beautiful), aimed at conveying the Hutong’s demise; the blurring of a structure akin to the ambiguity of the Hutong’s future, the images caught in a ‘photographic’ snap shot, catching an episodic (but questionable) moment, where a country, caught in the whirl of hasty industrialisation, threatens the very existence of its cultural code.
Hutong Memory’- A Solo Exhibition of Ye Jian Qing, will feature 10 exclusive black and white oil paintings from Ye’s earlier series, dated from 2004 to 2007: To be showcased at iPRECIATION Hong Kong, Jardine House, 1 Connaught Place, Central. For artwork enquiry, please call +852 2537 8869 or email enquiry@ipreciation.com
Venue: 1 Fullerton Square, #01-08 The Fullerton Hotel Time: Mon to Fri: 10.00am – 7.00pm, Sat: 11.00am – 3.00pm Sun & P.H- by appointment only
iPRECIATION is delighted to present resident Japanese Artist Tomita Natsumi, who will be creating new artworks for her upcoming, inaugural solo exhibition at iPRECIATION Singapore.
Born in 1986, Tomita has created a new resolution, aptly titled ‘It’s A Wonderful World’. Having grown up in the world’s foremost industrialised capital of Tokyo, the young artist has initiated a stunning rectification of recycled materials, assembling constituents of various objects into beautiful, amusing creatures that share eccentric semblances with their real-life counterparts.
Geared with a fresh outlook, Tomita’s creations are brilliant in its facility for utilizing art as a bridge to promote environmental awareness, relaying the infinite capacity of art to expose and educate.
We hope you will join us on this innovative artistic journey, as we seek amusement from Tomita’s reincarnated ‘Children of Art’, whilst doing our part to save Gaia.
iPRECIATION is pleased to announce a group exhibition of three young, Asian artists, this summer in Hong Kong. Ye Jian Qing (b. 1972), Budi Ubrux (b. 1968) and Tse Yim On (b. 1974), herald from three distinct Asian countries: Beijing, Indonesia and Hong Kong respectively. Geared with unprecedented foresight, coupled with a compelling take on various societal and political issues, their paintings are stark representations of a world caught in the throes of globalisation, each artist aptly conveying the recent, labyrinthine routes undertaken by their respective societies.
Ye Jian Qing’s latest series of paintings is a startling deviation from his previous, evocative depictions of the quintessential Chinese ‘Hutong’, as the injection of vibrant colours correlate dynamically with the pulsating cityscape; effectively charting the artist’s development and experimentation with different themes, to convey the inherent changes that lie beneath a façade of obscurity.
Budi Ubrux’s characteristically mummified protagonist, utilised as a mode of satire to portray the artist’s political and societal considerations, is further brought beneath the limelight of scrutiny, as his pieces continue to convey the dire, stifled stance of a nation, coping with neglect from a misinformed system that threatens to eliminate the ideals of sovereignty and individuality. The Indonesian artist’s caustic and highly insightful pieces will make its inaugural feature this summer in Hong Kong.
Tse Yim On, a young, eccentric artist with a singular perspective on the city’s subculture, is concerned with the developments of his homeland, and the consequences of globalisation on the highly influential and intricate city state. Political innuendoes are trapped beneath a myriad of vivacious colours, its staid existence moulded through the wild, morally ambiguous characters in his pieces; as the artist employs the knotty, obsessive gaming culture to convey his impressions on Hong Kong’s societal expansion.
200 Newton Road, Newton 200 Ground Floor, Singapore 307983 by appointment only
iPRECIATION is pleased to announce an exhibition preview of the celebrated Taichi Series by the Award winning artist JU MING (b. 1938).
The Taichi Series is the second series of works Ju Ming has created, in between his popular Nativist and the recent Living World Series. As his astounding sculptural technique demonstrates, the Taichi Series effectively explicates the contemplative flow of the self.
The Taichi Series is an important milestone signifying the maturity of Ju Ming’s sculptural language and aesthetic style, where he found himself being able to wield his exquisite craftsmanship with complete ease and freedom, reaching the stage of being unconscious of the ‘self’ in the process. These works are noteworthy as the sculpting process for such massive artworks requires considerable effort for his age, thus attesting to the rarity of this series, that will no doubt, be a heartfelt artistic indulgence for all sculptural art enthusiasts.
Ju Ming was born in 1938, in Taiwan. Before he became an established artist, he served his apprenticeship under sculptor Lee Chichuan (1953) and Yuyu Yang (1968). Ju Ming has exhibited extensively at major international galleries, museums and open spaces around the world; including Tokyo Central Art Museum (1976), Taipei Fine Arts Museum (1987), London’s South Bank Centre & Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Musee d’Art Contemporain a Dunkerque in Paris (1991), Buckinghamshire’s Milton Keynes Sculpture Park (1992), Place Vendome in Paris (1997), Brandenburger Tor in Berlin (2003), Singapore Art Museum (2004) and National Art Museum of China (2006).
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-08 Singapore 049178
After its first appearance in the early 1980s as a collection of inimitable wood sculptures, Ju Ming’s Living World Series has undergone various stages of development, and has climaxed to become a central theme that efficaciously depicts the artist’s creative dexterity. By reconciling two disparate ideas, namely the traditional woodcarver’s technique with a more modernised, abstract inclination, Ju Ming has impressed upon the art world his ideals regarding social phenomena.
Portraying various age groups and walks of life both at work and at play, the Living World Series encapsulates the rich diversities of humanity, at times satirising the nonchalant, mundane lives led by certain individuals trapped in a dubiously tainted society. Ju Ming has adapted comfortably to change, not only concerning new media but also in the varied ways he treats his subjects. He once commented in an interview, “I do not like to repeat what I did. I like variations and trying different things.” In 2007, he created his third Living World Series in white with a hint of black.
“From now on I will apply only white on my sculptures”, Ju Ming describes, ascertaining the belief that this new perspective is best able to capture his awareness of social values, and the nuances of urban life. Reaching the age of seventy, the artist progressed to a stage where he desires to abandon all colours, to pare down form and movement; his Living World protagonists share a bizarre connection with the rustic wood pieces, and black and white shades that forge their very existence. The coarse textures, rough inundations, and monochromatic colours emit an impression of simplicity, captured by the notion that a constituent of mother earth, being utilised to form an artwork, is in truth a newly created but nonetheless, ‘living’ object.
The process of tearing the wood apart, and hacking it with a chisel to amass a formation of such exceptionality is what Michael Sullivan describes as the heroic dialectic struggle between Ju Ming and the recalcitrant materials. This allows the audience to witness the artist’s feelings and life experiences. The integral aspect of the figures in the Living World Series represents Ju Ming’s vision of the human being locked in a struggle with self. The colour white does not bring an aura of stillness to the completed creation, but is used as a concentrative ploy to enhance the material’s natural texture and flavour. Its beautiful yet rigid angularity, imbued with a depth of pathos that enables the viewer to connect with the silent, trapped and untapped energy that lies within.
For more information or artwork-related enquiries please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel One Fullerton Square #01-08 Singapore 049178
As an arts educator and administrator, Wucius Wong (B. 1936) is among the first to bring Western Modernist theories and concepts to Hong Kong through his critical writings and organised events. He has helped develop and implement a comprehensive and systematic course of design which had nurtured a generation of outstanding designers.
The integration of design geometry and majestic landscape characterise the paintings of Wucius Wong. The principles of graphic design form the backbone of his composition. Mountainous masses heave to align themselves with mirroring planes and neatly folding lines; winding rivers turn course to defer to geometry. At the heart of Wucius Wong’s painting, there lies an artistic vision that governs the terrain and streams. His landscape is solitary and serene, and its vision aspires to the poetic and nostalgic, a quality similar to Wong’s literary style. The breath-taking monumentality of the Chinese landscape is reconstructed from its deconstructive phase. Fragmented rivers reunite but now in forms of cracked jades or intricate geometric shapes. Nature turns into a kaleidoscope of fragments, surreal and intricate, and is recreated within one’s mind. Having accomplished the ambitious combination of Western design concepts with classical Chinese ink painting, Wong attempted to carry the design geometry further into his calligraphic works. The principles of graphic design and the interplay between brushstrokes and negative space form the backbone of his calligraphy. Instead of solid black ink on white paper, works with characters of different tones against vigorously painted and geometrically designed background occupy the majority of his calligraphy, bringing this very traditional Chinese art form into a new ground.
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
Cheung Yee Solo Exhibition The Rotunda, Exchange Square, Central Hong Kong
One of the most respected names in modern Asian art, Hong Kong master sculptor Cheung Yee is renowned as a pioneer for the integration of Western sculptural forms with classical Chinese symbols and motifs. He’s the only artist in the history of Hong Kong who has been invited to conduct three solo exhibitions in the prestigious Hong Kong Museum of Art.
His renowned cast paper murals which will be showcase, were developed in the 70s and His renowned cast paper murals which will be showcased, were developed in the 70s and won him an MBE honour in 1979 in recognition of his contributions to the art of Hong Kong. These artworks comprises of derivation from ancient poems and writings, encasing a dichotomy of tradition and modernity. One example is “Ode to General Pei” where he uses four different scripts of famous Tang dynasty calligrapher, Yan Zhen-Qing in the artwork.
His bronze and wood sculptures originate from tortoise-shell motifs, which is prevalent in his works. His fascination with this form is based on the ancient Chinese tradition of telling fortunes using tortoise shells. Incense is burned onto the shell and the way it cracked supposedly answers questions about the future. Scholarly and philosophical, his elegant and textured works are imbued with a sense of poignant historicity and gravity despite their modernist aesthetic. Sculptures such as “Four Spirits” and “Spirit C & D” are particularly outstanding for their enigmatic nativistic designs, deliberately calibrated sculptural balance, and imposing structure, while subtly referencing Chinese mythology. “Magic Nine” presents a truncated column of bronze featuring an interesting wood grain texture, an abstract design of tortoise shell shaped- apertures, and sinuous serpentine swathes. Besides creating an intriguing visual impact, his art allows the viewer to explore and get a glimpse into aspects of ancient Chinese culture. The depth of his works will enthrall viewers, evoking contemplation.
Cheung Yee has been continuously challenging himself to new heights during the past 30 years. His art is original and has brought delight to art lovers around the world. It is a rare opportunity to experience Cheung Yee’s timeless sculptures and masterful exploration of the calligraphic form in a non-calligraphic medium.
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
3 – 9 August 2008
Cheung Yee Solo Exhibition The Rotunda, Exchange Square, Central Hong Kong
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-08 Singapore 049178
Reminiscent of Wassily Kandinsky’s paintings during De Blaue Reiter period, Irene Chou’s contemporary paintings were vibrantly filled with an array of fascinating reds, greens and yellows that contrast brilliantly against her powerful brushstrokes in black ink. These entrancing ink works are the artistic expressions of Chou’s inner mental landscape, tantamount to the portrayal of the artist’s creative “rebirth” following an incapacitating stroke in 1991. With more determination than ever, she continued to paint. If she was unable to move herself, she would move the large sheets of paper and her painting instruments. Irene continues to draw inspiration from the inner workings of the mind through meditation. Chou’s new ink works reflect her tenacious fight towards recovery and beautifully showcases her spirit and growth as an artist and individual.
A key figure in the New Ink Painting Movement, Chou represents the latest artistic trend to integrate the art ofChina and the West, and that of the past and the present, in order to forge the spirit of self-realization. Hailing from Shanghai and a current resident of Brisbane Australia, works by multi-award winner Chou are collected by prestigious museums including The Ashmolean Museum (Oxford, U.K.), Hong Kong Museum of Art and numerous others. Irene once commented that having lived so long, “one can’t avoid to experience the feelings of happiness, sadness, agony and ecstasy – after all, the only thing that touched me deeply, is my painting… I am most sincere towards my work – searching for my concept and my utopia and perfection.”
iPRECIATION cordially invites you to this exquisite solo-exhibition which presents the latest ink works of Irene Chou which are bound to evoke a spiritual resonance in you.
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-08 Singapore 049178
SINGAPORE- 11 – 24 April 2008 iPRECIATION presents the solo-exhibition of contemporary Indonesian artist Budi Ubrux, which has been a project in the making for 4 years. The artist was the winner of the Philip Morris Art Award in 2000 (Grand Prize) for his work Imagology.
Casting his keen perspective over a range of social issues besieging contemporary Indonesian society, Budi Ubrux’s paintings engage with the themes of social degeneration, political and economic reform, the ironic role of the media, and the disenfranchised role of the proletariat within their restructured urban culture.
The artist cleverly conveys such social-political awareness through his works, with human figures tightly swathed in layers of newsprint. He makes a statement about decaying journalistic integrity within a politicised media that increasingly propagates materialism, vanity and political strife. The media glorification of the elite continuously fuels the oppression of the working class, leaving them faceless and voiceless. Thus, with creative deliberation, Budi drives across this point by swathing the figures in his paintings with newspapers highlighting their oppression.
Occasionally straddling both the role of a detached witness and the heartfelt emotion of one who identifies with the proletariat, Budi depicts hints of warmth that may be found in the life of the working class, such as in Moment in Truth. The junk collector sitting atop a mountain of newspaper-wrapped bottles is portrayed with a touching humanism as he converses with a young boy. Despite their generation gap, their newspaper clothing implies that both are wrapped by the same fabric of society.
This exhibition will showcase a majority of Budi’s oil paintings created between 2004 – 2007, including The Neighbour’s Wall, The Actor’s Ballad and Relief Fund painted in reaction to the earthquake in 2006 that struck Jogjakarta, where he resides now. His paintings are a dichotomy in itself: depicting snippets of everyday socio-political issues yet emerging as a timeless piece; depicting a seemingly light-hearted take on issues yet not without dark humour; and depicting complications of words in a simple, sincere painting.
Join us for a compelling journey through the fascinating world of Budi Ubrux and be astounded by this insightful artist of our times.
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-08 Singapore 049178
SINGAPORE- Following his exhibitions at the Ludwig Museum, Koblenz Germany and The Snite Museum of Art, Notre Dame University, U.S.A. (11 September to 21 October), iPRECIATION will hold Nobel Laureate Gao Xingjian’s solo-exhibition in Singapore from 23 November to 1 December 2007! Featured in his exhibition at iPRECIATION are his recent philosophical ink on paper paintings (return exhibits from The Snite Museum of Art, Notre Dame University, U.S.A.) that display his remarkable artistic development of recent years. The multi award-winning art master will also make a journey to Singapore from Paris, where he resides, to grace the opening.
As Gao has stopped traveling between 2003 to later part of 2006 due to his health, this exhibition in Singapore will indeed be of great significance for 2 reasons. Firstly, it will mark Gao’s rare public appearance in Singapore since 1986. Secondly, this solo-exhibition will highlight the inaugural public display in Asia of some of his largest works which are extremely rare as the artist hardly creates ink paintings of such sizes.
Having captured the faithful interest of an elite group of art connoisseurs, Gao’s profound monochromatic works are elegantly appealing and interpretatively protean. They project an element of detachment and in their still presence, involuntary waves of awe engulf the viewer. Such is the silent power of Gao’s esoteric paintings. In true artistic sense, Gao’s works are unadulterated manifestations of the depths of his imaginative psyche, unfettered by stringent theories and unpolluted by “value judgments, be it social, political or ethical…” all of which he believes will spell the death of creativity (Gao, Return to Painting, p.14).
Visit this exclusive solo-exhibition at iPRECIATION to view works that mere words are insufficient to describe. View works that simply and purely epitomize ART. Words are not needed.
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
Come this September, from the 10th to the 17th, iPRECIATION will display about 50 exceptional ink paintings by multi-award winning artist Irene Chou (b. 1924) at The Rotunda, Exchange Square. ‘Life is a Many Splendoured Thing’ is the choice title of the series of recent ink works by Chou, one of the few female pioneers in the New Ink Painting Movement, created between 2006 and 2007. Filled with an array of fascinating reds, greens and yellows that contrast brilliantly against her powerful brushstrokes in black ink, these entrancing ink works are the artistic expressions of Chou’s exquisite, psychological landscape.
This series of works is a visual spectacle, its splendour enhanced by the artist’s motivations, as it is tantamount to the portrayal of the artist’s creative “rebirth”, following an incapacitating stroke in 1991. Influenced by “Jingjin”, which translates from Mandarin as the ‘Essence of Moving Forward’, Chou’s new ink works reflect her tenacious fight towards recovery and beautifully showcases her spirit and growth as an artist and individual. Hailing from Shanghai and a current resident of Brisbane, Australia, Irene Chou’s paintings are collected by prestigious museums including The Ashmolean Museum (Oxford, U.K.), Hong Kong Museum of Art and numerous others influential art institutions.
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
Snite Museum of Art, University of Notre Dame Indiana, U.S.A
Gao’s most prominent pieces will be exhibited at the Snite Museum, which will be accompanied by an insightful dialogue by the artist. To commemorate Gao’s all-embracing artistry, theatrical talents from the University will be staging a performance of one of the artist’s films.
For more information on the exhibits at the Snite Museum or the artist, please contactenquiry@ipreciation.com or +65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-08 Singapore 049178
Never missing a pace in the vibrant contemporary art arena, iPRECIATION will once again make a mark in the local art scene, with award winning Taiwanese photographer, Michael Chen (b. 1952). From 7 to 20 June, we will be showcasing Chen’s stirring black-and-white photographs of religious structures, captured during his far flung travels; including the Kalyan Mosque in Uzbekistan, Masjid-i Shah in Iran, Luxor Temple in Egypt and a handful of other spectacular, world renowned sites. Chen’s photographs effectively arrest the serenity and tranquillity embedded within these ancient domains of religious worship. The capacity to lock in the reverence and heavenly appeal of the surrounding atmosphere is evident of his gift for photography, coupled with a foresight for drawing attention and casting unique perspectives to specific motifs that would otherwise have evaded the eye of the viewer.
In 1974, Chen graduated with a B.A (Hons) in Arts from the Eastern Illinois University in U.S.A, and was later awarded a M.A. in Public Visual Communications (Photography) from the Southern Illinois University, U.S.A. in 1977. He is also the recipient of Purchase Prize (Illinois Arts Council) and various visiting grants to the UK and West Germany. His works are collected permanently at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, The Polaroid Corporation, Illinois Arts Council, as well as with various private collectors. Today, Chen is the director of Modern Art at Jeff Hsu’s Art, Taipei.
We hope to see you at the gallery for Chen’s debut exhibition in Southeast Asia, as the artist will be gracing the opening on 7 June, 6.30 pm.
Works are now available for preview at our gallery. For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
Opening Reception : 7 June 2007, 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Exhibition : 8 – 20 June 2007
Venue : iPRECIATION ( 誰先覺 ) @ The Fullerton Hotel
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-08 Singapore 049178
SINGAPORE – Having captivated Hollywood’s attention at the recent Golden Globe Awards Party in 2007 with his marvellous Mirage #5, Zhang Jian-Jun will once again delight viewers with an innovative spectacle, as iPRECIATION brings his scintillating creations to Singapore.
From 12 to 28 April 2007, Zhang will showcase a variety of oil, watercolour and photography art works for the first time at iPRECIATION gallery. Through his art, Zhang conveys his distinctly creative and profound interpretations of time and culture; a masterful prescience that has the dexterity to propel a viewer’s imagination onto fresh, innovative routes.
We hope you can join us, to partake in the appreciation of Zhang’s art works, and witness the same, ground-breaking techniques that captured Hollywood’s interest.
Opening Night: 12 April 2007, 6:30pm
Exhibition: 13 – 28 April 2007Venue : iPRECIATION ( 誰先覺 ) @ The Fullerton Hotel
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-08 Singapore 049178
SINGAPORE – Having staged numerous successful exhibitions in his home country of China, and in various parts of Europe, award-winning artist Wang Weixin, who coveted the first prize at the Washington Arts Festival in 1987, will be holding a rare solo exhibition in Singapore for the first time. Famed for being China’s leading watercolourist and copper-etching artist, Wang will also be gracing the opening of this exhibition, aptly titled ‘The Art of Wang Weixin’ on 22nd of March 2007 at iPRECIATION . Wang’s art is widely collected in several prestigious European and Asian museums including the Contemporary Museum of Arts in Laverune, France and the Wenzhou Museum in China.
Masterfully capturing the poignant notes of a capricious instant, coupled with a concise and worldly articulation of his innermost thoughts, Wang creates art that is both visually captivating, and famed for its philosophical depth. Wang’s extraordinary gift in “Freehand Sketching”, which exemplifies how touching moments can be recorded swiftly through meticulous observation, enables him to secure the most stirring scenarios in his art; with the supplement of colours, his watercolour paintings are vivid expressions of beautiful memories lost in the realm of time. In the artist’s own words:“Whenever I see scenes or objects that move me, I tend to be so moved that I’ll be at a loss. If I can quickly sketch the lines, I’ll feel consoled. Then I’ll apply some lively watercolours to give it more life…”[Abstract from RomanticSentiments, the Aesthetic Realm of Art: Theory of Wang Weixin’s Art]
His steadfast devotion to art, and his undeniable talent, isolates him from the rapid developments occurring in mainstream art, propelling Wang into a league of his own. “The Art of Wang Weixin” will showcase approximately 30 pieces of the artist’s most brilliant creations, dating back to the 1950s, till present day. Works are now available for preview at our gallery. For further information or artwork enquiry please contactenquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-08 Singapore 049178
A widely-acclaimed artist from Changchun, China, and now an American citizen, Hung Liu has held over 50 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 100 group exhibitions throughout the United States, Asia and Europe. Liu’s paintings and installations are on permanent display at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Whitney Museum of American Art, and numerous corporate institutions in the United States.
The complex history encompassing the livelihood of the Chinese diaspora, coupled with the artist’s personal experiences (having left home to pursue a career in America), is intricately captured in her paintings as they portray a story that reflects Hung Liu’s desire to retrace and recapture a bygone era. Through her artworks, Liu has reconstructed Chinese history, revealing an exclusive insight to protracted social issues that are as evident in our day as they were in an antecedent time.
We will be showcasing 16 of Liu’s artworks, created between 1990 and 2006. Taking time off from her busy schedule, the artist will also be gracing this event. The exhibition will be open to the public from 12 to 26 January 2007.
Works are now available for preview over at our gallery. To make an appointment, please contact us at 6339 0678 or email to enquiry@ipreciation.com .
Opening Night : 11 January 2007, 6:30pm
Exhibition : 12 – 26 January 2007
Venue : iPRECIATION ( 誰先覺 ) @ The Fullerton Hotel
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
iPRECIATION is delighted to introduce ‘The Wonderful Tales of Riki Antoni’, to be showcased at the gallery within The Fullerton Hotel, from 10 July 2006. A gifted Indonesian artist from Yogyakarta, Riki employs massive, animalistic characters as a central theme in his artworks, these quirky protagonists swathed in a palette of vibrant colours, to establish a paradoxical stance on the country’s political and social climate.
Obtaining inspiration from the realm of the phantasmal, Riki has infused this mystifying theme with his fascination for the proverbial, enabling the artist to create wild new-fangled characters that ironically, possess an inherent shade of humanity that is aptly reflective of the nuances of urbanised, ‘civilised’ behaviour.
The exhibition will be open till 14 July 2006. For further information or artwork enquiry please contactenquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 041978
Alfi Jumaldi will be holding his first solo exhibition in Singapore, at iPRECIATION, within the Fullerton Hotel, from 13 April 2006. This introductory showcase will feature over 20 paintings, created via a range of media inclusive of acrylic and charcoal.
Alfi Jumaldi Chaniago (shortened to Alfi) was born in 1975 in Lintau, West Sumatra. He pursued an art education in Yogyakarta, where he still lives and works. His upcoming solo exhibition in Singapore will be viewed as a significant milestone in his career.
Alfi’s artworks are heartfelt, meditative endeavours, as he attempts to convey the conditions of mankind, thus achieving the conveyance of a rare quietude, amidst the struggles of daily life. What results is an interesting medley of themes, ranging from thought- provoking scribbles charting the evolution of the mind, to the employment of soothing colours and solid structures to symbolise the advent of optimism, peace, and aptitude for survival.
The three main series on display at this exhibition, namely ‘Meditation’, ‘Postcards from the Past’ and ‘Signs’, is evident of Alfi’s creative progression, a varying showcase depicting the artist’s healing, introspective journey thus far.
The exhibition will be open till 29 April 2006. For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), Singapore Art Museum (SAM), Ju Ming Museum (JM) and iPRECIATION will collaborate this April to co-organise Ju Ming’s most celebrated pieces at the world renowned National Art Museum of China.
Featuring over 60 sculptures, this showcase is the second largest display of the artist’s famed ‘Taichi’ series, marking the artist’s inaugural exhibition in the Mainland, and the first solo showcase by a Taiwanese artist at NAMOC.
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
To commemorate the artistic diversity of Nobel Laureate Gao Xingjian, iPRECIATION will be holding a special showcase. This solo exhibition is made possible by International Art Collectors, who will be lending their esteemed pieces to the gallery.
A series of 20 ink paintings will be displayed, and open for public viewing till 24 January. For further information, please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
Nobel Laureate Gao Xingjian will be exhibiting his paintings for the first time in Singapore, a showcase organised by the Singapore Art Museum and iPRECIATION. Celebrated for his award-winning novel ‘Soul Mountain’, Gao’s literary gift is further enhanced by his skills as a painter, attesting to his creatively diversified appeal. The large scale retrospective exhibition, featuring the artist’s finest ink paintings, will be held at the Singapore Art Museum.
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
iPRECIATION is proud to present works by the renowned Ju Ming, featuring a series of sculptures that closely resemble, almost paradoxically, modern society. The Living World Series embodies the artist’s esoteric perceptions of the world. The concept of a Living World was borne during Ju Ming’s residency in New York, in 1981. As the artist could not speak a word of English, his sculptures acted as his communicative tool, paying particular attention to the mannerisms and expressions of people to convey his thoughts on human nature.
We invite you to join us at the gallery, this October, to view Ju Ming’s sculptures. The exhibition will be open till the end of the month. For further information or artwork enquiry please contactenquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
In collaboration with Jeff Hsu’s Art Gallery Taipei, Taiwan
Popularly known as the pioneer of Modern Chinese Sculpture, Cheung Yee is a familiar name amongst art collectors. He is one of the most recognised and respected artists in his field and a veteran artist of over three decades, with over 100 exhibitions worldwide. In collaboration with Jeff Hsu’s Art Gallery, Taiwan, iPRECIATION will be embarking on a joint showcase of Cheung Yee’s rarest, most sought after sculptures, as well as his esteemed cast paper works.
“Three things strike me about his work. The first is a powerful sense of form that animates whatever he creates. The second is his restless energy, productiveness, willingness to experiment with media and materials. And third – and perhaps the most important – the power that his work, in spite of its modernity, derives from being so deeply rooted in Chinese tradition.” – Professor Michael Sullivan, Oxford University
For more information regarding Cheung Yee’s solo exhibition in Taipei or his artworks, please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or +65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
iPRECIATION is delighted to partner Art Sentral Asia to bring you works from the series Of Mirth & Misery by Filipino painter, Christian Tamondong. This will be Christian Tamondong’s first solo exhibition in Singapore and we are proud to be exhibiting his inaugural showcase.
In this series, the artist reminisces on a lost childhood, evoking an atmosphere comprising of nostalgic playgrounds, where curious, childlike perspectives concerning hurt, triumph and fairness are raised once more. Of Mirth and Misery presents the artist’s contemplations on the interdependency of happiness and sadness, illustrating the belief that one cannot achieve mirth or contentment without first tasting the bitter depth of sorrow.
For more information on this exhibition, please do not hesitate to contact us at +65 6339 0678, or via email to enquiry@ipreciation.com
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
Kheng-Li Wee. Born 1971 Singapore. He was a member of the pioneer year, Art Elective Programme, The Chinese High School, Singapore. Studied Asian Studies and Fine Art at Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, USA and photography at the highly selective Full-Time Programme at the International Center of Photography, New York, USA. He has held solo exhibitions in Singapore and has participated in group exhibitions in New York and Singapore. His works are in the collections of the International Center of Photography, New York, and the European House of Photography, Paris, as well as in numerous private collections in the USA and Singapore. He teaches photography at Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore and is currently a freelance fine art and documentary photographer based in Singapore.
ARTIST’S STATEMENT Landscape, Travel and the Sublime
Impressions which remain in my memory of the Silk Road:
the bitter cold of the Tian Shan mountains
once-great trading cities now in ruins
the yellow sand and black gravel dunes of the Taklamakan and Gobi deserts
remnants of great Buddhist cave temples
the echoes of a temple bell amidst the mist-shrouded limestone gorges of the Upper Yellow River
sharp contrasts between the deserts and the oases
the unchanging agrarian lives of many of the inhabitants
modern highways and railways joining drab industrial cities
the ubiquity of modern travel in the form of hotels and tourists
the richness and dynamism of the cultures which still flourish along this ancient route.
Most of all, the unique quality of the light along the Silk Road – sometimes sharp and clear, other times aglow with motes of dust, but always low angled, etching long shadows along the ground.
In approaching the wide expanses of the Silk Road photographically, it seemed particularly appropriate to employ the panoramic camera format, which captures a frame 1.5 times the width of a conventional 35mm camera frame. It was a particular challenge for me to adapt my “eye” to “seeing” in this way.
I chose to shoot only in black and white and to print all my images by hand as silver gelatin prints because I feel that there is a certain timeless quality and mystery about the landscapes and peoples along the Silk Road which could best be captured without the distraction of colour. Additionally, there is a textural quality and sense of depth possibly in a silver print which gives it a special beauty. I print all my own silver gelatin prints and take pride and joy in the handcrafting of a print in the wet darkroom, particularly in this increasingly digital age.
All the photographs in this exhibition were made on a Hasselblad Xpan camera, with a 45mm f4 lens, on Ilford FP4 film. I wish to thank Helen Lim and Shriro Singapore, for their support.
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
iPRECIATION is proud to present Hong Zhu An, who will be exhibiting a series of works of the beautiful and exotic Indonesian island of Bali. An artist who has effectively combined the amaranthine traditions of Chinese calligraphy and modern ink painting, the exhibition portrays Zhu An’s efficacy for instilling an innovative interpretation to age old customs.
His distinctive style of combining the art of calligraphy and the art of Chinese painting is hailed as a breakthrough in the history of Chinese painting. For this exhibition, Hong Zhu An brings out the various elements of nature that captivated him during his stay in Bali and portray them in his own artistic style on rice paper and canvas. This exhibition will be opened to the public from the 5 to 15 January 2005.
For more information, please contact: enquiry@ipreciation.com
Tel: (65) 6339 0678
Fax: (65) 6438 2080
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
Many tend to associate Ju Ming as a sculptor well renowned for his Taichi series. When Ju Ming started his Living World series of works, he explored the usage of other mediums such as oil paintings, collages and painted wood sculptures. This will be the first time that this series of unique works are shown in Singapore. These works were created between 1985 and 2002 and are considered to be significant works from Ju Ming’s Living World series. The Living World series is a drastic departure from the pared-down bareness of Ju Ming’s perennial Taichi series, where Ju Ming merges the beauty of sculpture with the essence of Taichi. The Living World series however, aims for just the opposite: an intricate and detailed study of individuals.
As Ju Ming aptly puts it “One of the reasons for going back to the Living World Series is that I always feel a certain burden that held me back from free expression when I was working on the Taichi theme. Somehow, I cannot seem to get away from the basic poses in Taiji boxing. Second, the Taichi theme is a rather solemn one that lacks the tenderness and sweetness found in life”
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore
Currently studying for his PhD at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, Ye Jian Qing is a young talent who shows surprising maturity as an artist. At the age of 31, he has earned international accolades through exhibitions in countries such as Spain and Australia. His landscape paintings embody old China, capturing his birthplace in a splitting moment as its olden charm lays victim to the speed and siege of urbanization.
His facility to employ the thin, carefully constructed lines essential in traditional, scholar ink paintings, a form exalted by the Chinese literati, and substitute the medium for oil instead, attests to the artist’s experiential gift; infusing time-honoured sentiments into western structures.
For more information or artwork enquiry, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
Ju Ming’s travelling exhibition will be making its international debut in Singapore, to showcase the artist’s latest series from his famous Taichi Sculptures. Known as ‘The Taichi Arch’, this series constitutes 20 abstract arches, to mark Ju Ming’s finale to his Taichi sculptures.
In conjunction with this colossal artistic showcase, iPRECIATION will be conducting a public dialogue by Asian Art Scholars, who will be conveying their academic impressions of Asian Art and Sculpture, titled ‘A Forum on Chinese Art and Aesthetics’.
For further information or artwork enquiry please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
Local artists, Ian Woo, Baet Yeok Kuan, and Chng Nai Wee, are featured in this group exhibition exploring abstract colours and lines, entitled “Pigments and Metaphors”. Despite the dissimilarities with regards to form and composition, their works are intimate and inimitable representations of the world.
Ian Woo’s work arouses thought-provoking pleasure. His use of soothing pastel colours is contrasted by floating subliminal text challenging us to reconsider his visual drama. A lecturer of Sculpture at Singapore’s National Academy of Fine Arts, Baet Yeok Kuan’s current work combines universal geometric shapes with more enigmatic, amorphic forms—wavering between a flat 2 dimensional plane and our world. By contrast, Chng Nai Wee, who is known for his whimsical bio-scientific installations, paints with music. His current acrylic collection resonate the essence of forests entangled in abstract colours; branches and leaves embodying a vibrant lyrical quality.
For further information or artwork enquiry
please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
Two vibrant young artists, Khiew Huey Chian & Saraswati Gramich, are featured in this joint exhibition themed “Pattern & Noise”. Khiew’s abstract works juxtapose human conditioning ‘Pattern’ against unexpected inspiration ‘Noise’. As Khiew puts it “noises make life interesting”. Known for her whimsical insect sculptures, Saraswati Gramich is fascinated with the concepts of instability and incompleteness of knowledge–unpredictability. Though her drawings embody forms or ‘patterns’, they are only a preliminary investigation into a realm of endless possibilities. Her ‘Noise’ comprises of the open-ended dialogues unravelling in her head, before an artwork materialises these ideas.
For further information or artwork enquiry
please contact enquiry@ipreciation.com or 65 6339 0678
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
Leading into the holiday season, iPRECIATION is proud to feature the vibrant works of an eclectic group of Contemporary Asian artists. Local Singaporean artist, Ian Woo shares his unique light-hearted style in ‘Samurai Movies’ (watercolour and gouache on paper), which is contrasted by the abstract landscapes (oil on canvas) of newcomer Jin Jie. Similarly, Shen Liang displays his command for subtlety and mood in his Opera Series (oil on canvas), while Earl Lu has a penchant for nudes reminiscent of the European masters in his nudes collections (ink and pigments on paper). Masters of the brush, Chua Ek Kay and Irene Chou showcase their abstract impressions of meditation and experience respectively (ink & colour on rice paper). Finally, Li Wei Han’s comic stoneware figures breathe life into familiar settings.
For more information on the exhibition, please contact iPRECIATION at Tel: 6339 0678 or email: enquiry@ipreciation.com
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
Distinctive in his choice of medium, Tien Gui employs crayons to create his colourful and whimsical world. His drawings are at once warm, enthralling and captivating. His first exhibition, held in Geneva, displayed a kaleidoscope of animal inspired creations. His second exhibition, held in Singapore, featured drawings focused on characters from the local ‘wayangs’ (Chinese opera). His third, also held in Singapore, was a continuation of his exploration of the local ‘wayang’ scene. Now, his fourth exhibition comes full circle by returning to his animal menagerie. With a style inspired by modern day artists including the late Nikki Saint Phalle and Mackenzie Thorpe, each piece is specially crafted to bellow out the wonderful essence of life.
For furhter information or artwork enquiry, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
Born in Shanghai in 1924, Chou received a modern education, graduating from St. John’s University in Shanghai in 1945. Leaving Shanghai to settle in Hong Kong in 1949, she embarked on a study of Chinese painting with Zhao Shaoang (1905-1998), an artist of the Lingnan School. Chou later studied under the tutelage of Lui Shou-Kwan (1919-1975), whose theories of New Ink Painting inspired her to move away from conventional Chinese styles, to experiment with different media and techniques, which led to a discovery of her own personal expression in the 1970s.
Using forceful lines derived from the stone-drum inscription of the Warring States period in China (403-221 BCE) coupled with her dense ink washes, she explored through her paintings the inner workings of the mind and its relationship to the mysteries of the universe. iPRECIATION is delighted to showcase a few of the artist’s most esoteric and highly sought after creations.
For furhter information or artwork enquiry, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
“The Art of Cheung Yee” – his second solo exhibition in Singapore in two years – will feature about 20 cast paper works produced by Cheung Yee over the last three years. Cheung Yee’s bronze sculptures from the 1990s will also be on display, to provide a more holistic view of his portfolio. The sculptures – all unique one-cast pieces – have been exhibited previously in the Hong Kong Museum of Art, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, and Taiwan Museum of Art, Tai Chung.
Cheung Yee’s distinctive style is inspired by ancient cultural elements of prehistoric China, using modern art forms to express his work in beautiful abstract forms and lines. Prevalent in his works is the use of the tortoise shell motif. This is based on the tradition in ancient China of telling fortunes using the tortoise shell. Incense burnt onto the shell and the way it cracked was believed to answer questions about the future. Thus, besides creating an intriguing visual impact, his art allows the viewer to gain a glimpse of the multifaceted aspects intrinsic of ancient Chinese culture. It is with great pride that iPRECIATION Fine Arts present some of his latest works at our new gallery at the Fullerton Hotel.
For furhter information or artwork enquiry, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
The Fullerton Hotel 1 Fullerton Square #01-10 Singapore 049178
To commemorate the opening of iPRECIATION at the prestigious Fullerton Hotel, we are proud to present an exquisite spectrum of sculptures and paintings by our renowned Asian artists. The showcase will include stunning creations from Ju Ming’s famous ‘Taichi Series’, Cheung Yee’s celebrated cast paper works, with selected pieces from the ‘Fortune’ series, Chua Ek Kay’s distinguished ink and colour paintings, as well as art works from one of the few female pioneers in the New Ink Painting Movement, Irene Chou.
For more information on the exhibition, please contact iPRECIATION at Tel: 6339 0678 or email: enquiry@ipreciation.com
Geoffrey Bawa embarked on rather unorthodox professional routes, having started his working life as a lawyer, and made a risky, but impressive career switch at age 32, to the architectural field. Envisioning a transformation of his abandoned rubber estate in Lunuganga, Ceylon, from a tropical wilderness to an Italian Garden propelled this sudden shift, and by the age of 38, he had found his own architectural characteristics, fusing primordial sentiments with modernity, and east with west. Remaining faithful to Sri Lankan building traditions whilst experimenting with more abstract forms paved a new school of thought in the architectural arena; Many of Asia’s most beautiful buildings derive inspiration from Bawa’s style, a nostalgic, antecedent quality though while archetypically Asian, transcends to convey the hasty developments of a modern era, a quality that is quintessentially Bawa.
We are delighted to announce that some of Bawa’s original drawings, including pictures of his most esteemed designs, are now on display at our gallery, at 59 – 61 Kim Yam Road. For furhter information or artwork enquiry, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
One Fullerton Waterfront Promenade Singapore 049178
Supported by the Public Sculptures Committee (PSC), under the purview of the Ministry of National Development, this monumental outdoor sculpture exhibition is currently held at the One Fullerton Waterfront Promenade, featuring artists Yuyu Yang (deceased), Cheung Yee, Sun Yu-li, Arthur Yang and Baet Yeok Kuan.
This event is held in conjunction with the launch of the Public Sculptures Master Plan, becoming the first major sculpture exhibition in 2002 organised by a private art gallery. The public is treated to some 15 exquisite contemporary sculptures by a few of Asia’s most renowned artists. The Guest of Honour is Minister for National Development, Mr. Mah Bow Tan.
For more information on the exhibition, please contact iPRECIATION at Tel: 6339 0678 or email: enquiry@ipreciation.com
iPRECIATION is delighted to present a series of exquisite ink and colour paintings by Hong Kong artist Leung Kui Ting.
In his early years, Leung experimented with abstract forms, utilizing strictly angular or curvilinear strokes, and employing these contemporary touches to test its effect on traditional Chinese ink painting models. Although this formed a basis for intriguing technique, it ceased to reconcile the artist’s struggle between Eastern and Western aesthetical values.
Up till the 1970s, Leung incorporated a multitude of vivid colours in his creations, and gradually these colours assisted in the artist’s resolve, as he forged a balance between the old and new, allowing his creations to transcend as they broke through a predominantly conventional façade, revived through the intensive integration of various shades.
By the early 1990s, Leung’s art had attained to a higher level, a progression sparked from his frequent visits to northwest China. Despite his contemporary embracement, the artist’s faithful allegiance to nature is archetypal of the traditional Chinese scholar painter, allowing an antecedent artistic proclivity to follow him through a fresh spectrum of creativity, a creativity that would in time, fuse with Leung’s modern views to create a work of art that bridges the delicate divide that holds two cultures apart, whilst being akin to a time capsule that materialises the synthesis of two disparate eras, providing a spatial quality formerly unacquainted with the mind’s eye.
For furhter information or artwork enquiry, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
Earl Lu, a 76 year old artist and a surgeon by profession, will have his recent brush paintings on display at iPRECIATION. Having trained under the distinguished brush painter Chen Wen Hsi in the early 1960s, Lu’s recent exhibits are a conclusion to four decades of fine artistry, accentuating the essence of this ethereal, orthodox combination of women and roses. Lu’s figures are testament to the quintessential female beauty, pale skin flushed with crimson on cheeks and lips. However, the informal curvilinear lines which bestow a voluptuous nude with a raw appeal that is sensuously loose, is teemed with a Western-inspired structure. The rough, fine strokes that cross strategically to give rise to ample forms, coupled with the subject matter of classic Asian beauties paired with roses, is a fusion to be admired and embraced.
For furhter information or artwork enquiry, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
iPRECIATION is proud to present art works by renowned artist Cheung Yee, held in high esteem for his contribution to the development of Contemporary art in Hong Kong. Together with Cheung Yee’s famous cast paper works, will be a myriad of art pieces from nine Hong Kong artists, including Tong King Sum, Chan Yuk Keung, Lui Chun Kwong and Fiona Wong. These artists share common artistic values, having been inspired by the works of Cheung Yee, or were students of the art master.
For furhter information or artwork enquiry, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
China- born Singaporean artist Sun Yu-Li was a former architect who has discovered a universal language through his art, experimenting creative space with geometry. Sun’s earlier pieces obtained inspiration from more rudiment forms, researching and playing with primitive codes. His most recent works, however, completely deviate from fundamental, philosophical thought structures, employing a strategic, analytical criss-cross of geometrical permutations, consisting dots, circles and lines, to relay a ‘universal language’, one that represents the world in abstract forms; intersecting and converging to create a new communicative code, and a break away from conventional aesthetical boundaries.
iPRECIATION is proud to present ‘My Universe, My Art’, with an eclectic showcase of the artist’s works, dating from 1987 to his most recent mathematically inclined endeavours.
For furhter information or artwork enquiry, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
iPRECIATION is proud to present ‘The Lark and Her Misty Cloud’, showcasing an exquisite, meditative range of artworks by the Hong Kong artist.
Hong Kong starlet Koo Mei was a 1950s songbird, well remembered for gaining status as the original singer of the theme song from the Chinese classic movie ‘Bu Liao Qing’ (Love Without End). However, the talented, introverted performing star confessed that the limelight of the performing arts was not a chosen pathway, but simply a route to make a living, when her family first moved to Hong Kong from Guangzhou. Now residing in Canada, Koo Mei’s nostalgic, dreamy landscapes are highly introspective, a reflective quality that stems from a long tradition of Chinese artists, deriving infinite inspiration and solace from China’s majestic mountain terrain and tranquil skies. Employing less traditional techniques, Koo’s magnificently loose but balanced cloud structures are created by employing a combination of traditional ink-brush technique, coupled with dabs of water sprayed from a bottle, to exude a quality of effortless, earthly union.
For furhter information or artwork enquiry, please contact +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
Valentine Willie Fine Art 17A, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru 59100 Kuala Lumpur
In collaboration with iPRECIATION, Valentine Willie Fine Art is delighted to present ‘Modern Classical’, a joint exhibition featuring two renowned Hong Kong based artists, Koo Mei and Cheung Yee. This inaugural joint exhibition in Kuala Lumpur presents a mix of classics and abstracts, as Singer of yesteryear Koo Mei mesmerises viewers with her tranquil landscapes, being featured alongside the pioneer of Modern Chinese art, and Koo Mei’s former art Professor, Cheung Yee. Koo Mei will be featuring 16 of her most stunning creations, all imbued with a nostalgia that aptly defines the artist’s longing for her homeland, a stark deviation from her adopted hometown of Vancouver. Cheung Yee’s works, intriguing and intimidating blocks of red, black, white and bronze, are beautiful abstract shapes depicting Chinese ideograms. Previously the Head of Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Cheung Yee is inspired by the mystical world of traditional myths and Chinese philosophy, an inspirational source alike to former student and talent Koo Mei.
‘Modern Classical’ will be showcased until 23 December. For further enquiries please contact 03-2284-2348.
Hong Kong- born Cheung Yee, a renowned sculptor and painter now residing in the U.S, is famous for being the first Chinese sculptor to create a modernised adaptation of ancient Chinese elements, inspired from western art forms, and presenting his intriguing, new-world take on Asian ancestral cultural codes to a Western audience.
Cheung Yee will be showcasing a new collection of 21 paper casts, including a range of smaller sculptures never viewed before by his Singapore audience. Cheung Yee’s quintessential tortoise motif is a primary form in his creations; however, in this exhibition one can discern that the structure of Chinese geomancy is also a strong feature in his artworks. Consistently obtaining ideas from ancient Chinese beliefs, the I-Ching for example, Cheung Yee never ceases to analyse the infinite, multifaceted characteristics contained within Chinese philosophy, gaining inspiration from the same source whilst conjuring novel interpretations and experimenting with different models for every new task embarked upon.
The Art of Cheung Yee can be viewed at DP Space, Marina Square till October 29. All the works are for sale. For further information please contact iPRECIATION at +65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com
Selegie Art Gallery, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Singapore 049178
In collaboration with iPRECIATION, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts is delighted to present the works of Cheung Yee, a veteran artist of more than thirty years, and renowned for being one of the foremost pioneers of the Modern Art Movement in Hong Kong. Cheung Yee has participated in over 100 exhibitions around the globe, with an international collectorship resulting from his innovative depictions of prehistoric China, breaking across cultural boundaries by employing Western art forms.
This showcase, both singular and evocative, is open Mondays to Fridays from 10.00am to 7.00pm at Selegie Exhibition Hall, situated in the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, located at 1A Short Street.
For further information, please contact the Academy at +65 6467 3687, or iPRECIATION at +65 6339 0678 orenquiry@ipreciation.com
Copyright iPRECIATION.COM 2025. All Rights Reserved
In Search of My Shangri-La 《我的桃花源》 – Recent Works of Wee Shoo Leong 黃樹良
Exhibition Opens to Public: 18 July 2018 – 5 August 2018, 11.00am – 10.00pm
his most famous series, “Journey of a Yellow Man”, in which he painted his body with yellow paint, a symbolic reference to his ethnic identity.
Preview: Thursday, 3rd October 2013, 6pm-8pm
