This survey of works from the Singapore Art Museum Tyler Collection and STPI pays tribute to the artistic developments and innovations resulting from collaborations between artists and printers/papermakers, giving the audience a unique opportunity to engage with editioned prints, paper pulp works, artists’ books and object-based prints by significant artists of our time.

Kenneth E. Tyler propelled collaborative printmaking to new heights in 1960s America by building upon the working process between artists and printers. He offered new ways to approach the print medium by expanding traditional methods with the use of innovative materials and processes in his workshops, Gemini G.E.L in Los Angeles, California, and Tyler Graphics Ltd. in Mount Kisco, New York. These collaborations have since revolutionised print- and papermaking and remains at the core of STPI.

One stand-out work is Robert Rauschenberg’s Booster (1967) created during his experimentation with print which stemmed from the emergence of the Pop Art movement in the 1960s and his natural curiosity to work with different materials and techniques. Booster is significant as it challenged the conventional notion of size for a print. Rauschenberg wanted to make a large print but the press Ken Tyler had in his workshop in Los Angeles at the time was only 52 inches long: Booster is 72 inches. So they came up with an idea to do it in two sections. The top part of the image was drawn on one stone and the bottom on another stone. During the printing cycle they ran the top half through the press first, and then they took the other stone and placed it on the press and then ran the paper from the backside through the press. This created quite a stir, because up to that moment nothing larger than that had been made in hand lithography.

Robert Rauschenberg

Booster 1967

Colour lithograph screenprint

TP-5 (ed of 38)

72 x 35.5 in

Another artistic first is Claes Oldenburg’s Profile Airflow (1969), one of the first sculptural prints made in collaboration with Ken Tyler’s Gemini workshop. Oldenburg chose the sleek, recognisable image of Chrysler Corporation’s Chrysler Airflow automobile as representative of a commodity of our materialistic culture.

Claes Oldenburg

Profile Airflow (1969)

Cast polyurethane relief over two-colour lithograph in aluminium frame

AP-4

33.5 x 65.5 x 4 in

A darkly beautiful work is Tabaimo’s Wallpaper 06 (2009). During her residency at STPI, Tabaimo created a series of complex images involving fusing individual printed layers into pulp paper first and then peeling them out to reveal the different printed layers beneath. The resulting gash and ragged flap of paper that hangs off the work resembles a skin laceration. This is the influence of the severe dermatitis that Tabaimo suffered from, a sensation she describes as insects crawling under her skin. One can only imagine the intense itch that would cause a person to literally tear one’s skin off. The viewer is repelled by the sensation the work conjures up and yet riveted by the intricate patterns, shadows and burn marks.

Tabaimo

Wallpaper 06 (2009)

Mixed Media

Unique

33 x 52 x 9 in

Heman Chong’s complex and dynamic silkscreen prints inspired by film noir titles challenged the STPI team with their technical, geometric shapes that required a high degree of skilful precision to execute. Each print bears the title and director of the film; utilising that knowledge and through each print’s visual language, the viewer is invited to connect them to a memorable scene from the film.

Heman Chong

L: Funny Games (2006)

Silkscreen on Fabriano 100% cotton paper

STPI Imp (ed of 15)

100 x 70 cm

R: Alien (2006)

Silkscreen on Fabriano 100% cotton paper

STPI Imp (ed of 15)

100 x 70 cm

STPI was established in 2002 under the guidance of Master Printer Kenneth E. Tyler and continues to thrive with artistic dialogues between the artists and STPI’s workshop team in new exciting developments such as three-dimensional paper casts and integrating digital components to produce mechanised prints. STPI continues to be an instrumental regional platform and collaborates with visionary and historically significant artists, to create groundbreaking works and new visual vocabulary.

STPI 10 Years: Celebrating the Art of Collaboration runs till 30 June 2012.

Venue: Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI)
41 Robertson Quay Singapore 238238

Contact: (+65)63363663

Tuesday to Saturday: 10am – 6pm. Monday by appointment only. Closed Sundays and Public Holidays
www.stpi.com.sg

The group show celebrates all the different art forms showcasing their artworks of film, sculpture, painting and photography in Swire Properties’ 20,000sq ft Artistree. Beijing based Australian artist Jayne Dyer puts together a neon installation piece “too young to love” from the lyrics and beat of James Lavelle’s pink remix track.

Local talent Wing Shya who spend over ten years working with Wong Kar Wai on photography and graphic design collaborated with Simon Birch to produce a short video featuring Hong Kong heartthrob Daniel Wu and Jennifer Tse.

Beijing based Chinese artist Huang Rui’s drum set piece brings with it subtle political and cultural notes, and most recently exhibited at The Opposite House. While Li Wei’s inverted statues covered with mosaic mirror chips tower over the entrance. The performance artist best known for his gravity defying portraits.

Doug Foster showcases “The Heretics” with music by James Lavelle. The stunning project took him a few weeks working with ink in a tank in his own house and digitally creating a symmetrical image. Apart from visual and audio sensory artworks to thrill the senses, award-winning perfume designer Azzi Glasser was commissioned to create a scent. “Rain on earth” captures the earthy smells of the soil, grass and the heady monsoon mix of humidity, heat and gravel with soundtrack by James Lavelle to enhance the multi sensory experience.

Other international artists feature in the group show over a broad range of mediums. So, be sure to catch it from 5 May – 7 June, 2012 @ The Artistree Hong Kong.

Good question. Well, the arts is inextricably linked to culture and without it, we would have forgotten our cultural heritage; we would not know who we are or where we are. And neither would we know our purpose in life.

To ensure Singapore does not lose its cultural heritage, the National Arts Council (NAC) introduced the “I Never Imagined” campaign in 2011 to heighten public awareness about the value and importance of the arts.

The public awareness campaign is back this year.

The second phase of the campaign is entitled “ArtsForLife”. NAC hopes to instil greater public awareness about the importance of the arts in everyday life. It order to reach out to as many people as possible, it was launched on popular social media site Facebook. “ArtsForLife” focuses on how the arts has transformed the lives of ordinary Singaporeans in more ways than one.

One of the many Arts For Life campaign banners you can see around Singapore

The campaign also seeks to reinforce the message that the arts is “life-giving”; it permeates all aspects of our lives, and can be enjoyed at any stage of our lives. This is a considerable step compared to a decade ago when little is known about Singapore’s arts and culture scene, or what its role in Singapore society is.

This in turn encourages the many committed arts groups and artists to continually contribute to the enhancement of Singapore’s arts and culture scene, as well as the tightening of social bonds. A supportive and sustainable environment is crucial for the arts in Singapore to continue to thrive. While the government has increased its funding for the arts, it is finite and will never be able to address all the financial and operational needs of the artists and arts groups. A diverse arts scene needs diverse sources of support and the role of government should increasingly be more of an enabler than funder. Support from the private sector and the community is necessary for the arts ecosystem to grow and be self-sustainable.

This effectively brings to point the notion of philanthropy. Since monetary support is crucial for the survival of the arts, the give2Arts.sg portal was created with philanthropy in mind. The portal is designed to encourage Singaporeans to come forward and make a donation to help preserve the arts.

Giving to the Arts – How to Donate:

To make a donation, simply log on to www.give2arts.sg and click on the‘Donate Now’ tab. This should direct you to the mentioned page.

Once you are on the ‘Donate Now’ page, you can choose to either make a donation to the General Arts and Development Fund, or a preferred beneficiary. Click on the ‘Proceed’ button to fill in the e-donation form.

Learn more on the value and importance of the arts in your daily life at www.facebook.com/ArtsForLife

Chinese. Malay. Indian. “Others”. These cultures were in an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, A Doll’s House. Thankfully, they were not treated into a touristy postcard.

As we the audience were entering the theatre, a doll-like girl was having a happy meal on stage. With playful music in the background, she seemed to be teasing us to guess whether the show had already started. She came forward into the spotlight, somehow transformed into a lady and Act 1 started.

The set included a TV room with a chandelier on the side and a lift, as we imagined with the few boards, hand-drawn symbols, lights and little sound effects. I initially thought the accents were confused. Later, I detected that the lady spoke to her Westerner husband with a Western accent and to others, with a Singaporean Chinese accent. Save for a few props and references to Chinese New Year, I did not realise this was set in a Chinese household. I guess this was as Chinese as Singaporean Chinese is. Interestingly, this came across without using any Singlish. Even the illegal money lender’s threats in the “lift” were in Chinese, not “O$P$” (“owe money, pay money”) in Singlish.

Act 2 had the same charismatic baddie, same “baldy” friend, same husband, “same” wife but in an Indian household. The cast interacted seamlessly with the fast-talking heads and legs on the video screen behind. The side screens flashed the surtitles to what was said in Tamil. It was fascinating how a simple piece of red cloth with 2 knots could convey different cultures, just by how the characters tied or draped it around themselves. The wisecracks made us think if we had any prejudice against the disabled, without spoiling the effect of the burlesque-like video. And as you would see in many Indian movies, there was a well choreographed lovey-dovey dance. It closed with a projection on the floor of evenly spaced vertical bars.

A few levels of floor boards cleverly demarcated the different rooms in the household for Act 3. A mist swirled, matching the white, natural and transparent colour scheme. The dialogues in Malay were almost sung. With a twirl, the Malay wife changed the style of her head scarf and her character. She “changed” out of her clothes to an identical set of clothes. Amidst the tensions, the maid scrubbed the floor in a measured rhythm. I must have heard the door slam.

Interpreting from this LaSalle production in March and its program sheet, I gather the play is classic because of the timeless question of (gender) roles and perhaps, (misguided) emotional ties. I shall let you find out the story line which has been translated into and interpreted in many languages.

Veteran Singapore directors Vadi PVSS (“Mumbai la” TV commercial), Noor Effendy Ibrahim (Substation) and Li Xie brought in their cultural experiences to good effect. They did not have to use Singlish at all to give the production a Singapore flavour. I should get round to watching Singapore Tamil theatre and Singapore Malay theatre!

LaSalle College of the Arts (LaSalle) proved that good arts experiences need not come at high priced tickets. There is really no need to resort to unnecessary crude actions or words to “reach out” to the audience. I commend the supporting actors for playing their roles consistently. With the strong acting, good comic timing and versatility of some cast members, and the cohesive crew, Singapore theatre can only get richer, even though we sadly just lost Emma Yong. I look forward to future productions within and beyond LaSalle.

The next LaSalle performing arts show:

What: Industry Showcase

When: 8pm Thu 10 May 12

Where: Level 3 Acting and Musical Theatre, LaSalle

Photo used with permission.

Grabbing your attention in the centre of the gallery, sits Astari’s witty work, Home Bag which lampoons society’s craving for luxury goods. In her sculpture, her representation of the iconic Hermès Kelly bag takes the form of a cage in which she sets the 1930s cartoon character Betty Boop dressed in a Chinese qipao. Once a glamorous, self-assured symbol of the goggle box, the look of trepidation on her face suggests uncertainty at the situation she now finds herself in: trapped in her gilded cage. Astari has produced a literal representation of the trappings of luxury consumerism.

This work and other specially commissioned pieces for the exhibition have imbued the new Vue Privée gallery with the look and feel of a high-end boutique. In particular, Han Yajuan and Justin Lee’s silk scarves are wearable art and not only comment on the theme of luxury consumerism but are in turn, ironically transformed into luxury designer products themselves. Han’s Bling Bling (based on Bling Bling, oil on canvas) features coquettish pixie girls, piling on diamond studded accessories in their walk-in closet. Their vacuous, heavily made up faces completely oblivious to the world around them. These limited edition scarves (edition of 80 each) are part of Vue Privée’s “Art is a Lifestyle Programme”.

And after making your purchases, why don’t you tote your precious stash home in Astari’s limited edition Bye Buy Bag? These copper shopping bags (edition of 12) were also specially created for this exhibition. I found this a tongue-in-cheek poke at people who carry around the paper bags of luxury designer houses

We then come across Aíman who uses toys as the main protagonists in his realistic paintings. The Maneki Neko, or Fortune Cat and its moving arm, is a common Japanese good luck ornament. In More Maneki Neko, More! Aíman has appropriated another iconic Japanese feline image, Hello Kitty, as a Maneki Neko for the luxury consumer set. This rich cat is wearing a Gucci collar and a Louis Vuitton bib. She is sitting on a pile of gold Lego bricks that seem to form a throne and waving an additional gold arm in an exaggerated plea for more.

Next up we have Justin Lee, one of Singapore’s best-known contemporary artists with his works displayed at the Singapore Art Museum and the Asian Civilisations Museum. His style is a unique blend of eastern and western elements. Here, Lee revisits his Happy Meal Series updating it with a luxury twist. Happy Meal Series – Paris sees Lee’s cherubic Chinese children contemplating a trip to Paris where they can consume not only culture at the French capital’s famous museums but also food at Fauchon, a reknowned fine grocery store, and luxury brands. All these are sandwiched into a huge hamburger signifying that the Chinese are now consuming luxuries as everyday items.

Along with Aíman and Justin Lee, the third local artist in this exhibition, Tr853-1 (TraseOne) presents his take on consumerism by looking at how children can be caught up in a consumerism trap from an early age and how parents have been the knowing or unknowing influences as children are easily susceptible to the ideas of adults. Kids These days shows how the traditional A for Apple, B is for Ball, C is for Car has been replaced by the names of luxury marques.

Buy Bye is curated by art and luxury lifestyle freelance journalist Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop and runs from now till 20 May 2012. Catch these artworks before they all get…snapped up!

Buy Bye
Vue Privée
63 Spottiswoode Park
Singapore 088651
Monday to Friday by appointment only
Saturday to Sunday 12pm to 6pm
Gallery: +65 6226 2508
Office: +65 6338 7821

Do not underestimate the artworks just because they are little totes or pre-teens. Take some time and look closely at each of the works. You will be amazed by the techniques and skills of every work. Chinese Ink Painting and Dotting technique? By a 3 year old? I was taken aback by the skills of the following young artists. Combined with innocent imaginations, the artworks created are fresh, joyful and unique.

An attempt at Chinese Ink Painting (中国水墨画) by Edward Kwan who is just 4 years old!

An attempt at Dotting technique by Ayan Priyadarshi who is just 11 years old!

Have you seen a charcoal drawing by a 7 year old? By Alan Chi.

Have a look at their masterpieces and be blown away. Better yet, check out the exhibition yourself at The Arts House. And remember to stop and look closely at each of the work. Well done little artists from Art Zone.

The Arts House, Print Gallery, Level 1.
Opening hours
:
10am – 10pm
Starting Date: 06 Apr 2012
End Date: 07 May 2012
Admission is free.

More photos at our Flickr album.

Mathias Heng shares with us his “Journeys” via photographic images he captured.

Presenting aspects of life that few are privileged to witness, were taken from 1992 to 2012 from various part of the world – Australia, Bangladesh, Burma, East Timor, Iraq, India, Japan, Mozambique, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Pakistan and South Africa.

Mathias focuses and connects with his subjects. Documenting their moments of joy, their hours of despair, their celebration of hope and their struggles for peace & justice. Indeed, working with people through the camera is Mathias’ personal philosophy of photography.

I asked Mathias “Do you have to do a lot of planning, especially logistic, for your travels?”
He replied “Yes, but being flexible is more important than any planning. The purpose of these travels was to tell the story of these people, while being sent there by my client(s).”

As a Photography hobbyist myself, I asked “Film or Digital?”
Mathias replied “I use both, but I do have an inclination toward film.”

Mathias ventures into strife-ridden countries and sensitively touches grief-stricken lives in order to give us a glimpse of what is really happening. With a deft click, he captures a scene of his encounters with other people other unnoticed by the human eye.

“Journeys” is a testament of his passion, his skill and his mission. Showing he truly holds his camera closes to his heart.

Location: Leica Store at Raffles Hotel Arcade #01-18, 328 North Bridge Road

Duration: 20 April to 31 May 2012

Website: http://www.leica-store.sg/journeys/

texts and photos by Weiteck.

Editor’s Note: When not roaming around to capture the even-changing cityscape with his camera. Weiteck would be hiding in a dark corner, plotting his world-domination.

A middle-aged woman with a knife in hand is not a glamorous sight to behold. Especially when the stance is imprinted in black and white it evokes trepidation, leaving behind an indelible impression in people’s mind…

Perhaps that is what photographer Sean Lee aims to achieve when he asked his mother to pose for his camera with a knife in hand. Coined ‘Sergeant Slaughter’, the photograph speaks volumes; it reveals Madam Lee’s favourite pastime and her fervour for cooking in a tragically humorous manner.

Surprisingly, the photograph garnered laughter from the public during the opening ceremony of Lee’s solo exhibition at Chan Hampe gallery on 3 April, 2012. So did the rest of Lee’s photographs. Entitled ‘Homework – Beyond the Laughter’, the exhibition showcases Lee’s latest series of photographs which employs the use of everyday objects such as the kitchen knife, fish, chicken and vegetables to induce humour. Not forgetting the participation of Lee’s family. What we liked most about Lee’s series of photographs is the way they are conceptualised, which adds a touch of livery to the pictures taken.

But that’s not all: Homework provide an intimate glimpse into Lee’s artistic ability. At the same time, bring his family closer to each other. Isn’t that exemplary of an award winning photographer ability to create open-ended narratives?

An exhibition review at Yavuz Fine Art, Singapore, 2^nd December 2011 to 22^nd January 2012.

108 small scale and 12 large scale fibreglass sculptures modelled in likeness of Thai artist activist Vasan Sitthiket in the nude, holding up picket signs while sporting full erections line the floor at Yavuz Fine Art amid a backdrop of bold new artworks putting the city-state’s authorities’ tolerance to the test.

Curator Iola Lenzi and the artist decided upon an exhibition where history and communication would be central themes. According to Lenzi, the inundation of trivial information via social media has essentially drowned out critical voices, in particularly Southeast Asia where democracy is still in its infancy.

Well known as a socio-political provocateur who campaigns against the negative effects of urbanization and global politics, Vasan recalls the recent history of Southeast Asia through his new paintings. Nine black canvases sketched over with chalk and acrylic depict historic moments of uprising retold under an eclipsed sun- the 1998 riots of Indonesia, the non-violent anti-government protests led by Buddhist monks in Burma (2007), the 1964 and 1969 race riots of Malaysia, the 2010 farmer protest for agrarian reform in the Philippines and even the Occupy Wall Street Movement. Drawn in strong swift lines capturing the spirit of those chaotic and unstable moments, these canvases demonstrate the power of free speech, the right to protest and the sort of democratic change capable of bringing autocratic regimes to their knees.

However, among this regional chaos and fluxus lies a calm red herring. Vasan portrays a naked man reading the national paper of Singapore, the Straits Times, upside down. Two headlines read “Lee Love You” referencing the young nation’s proud patriarch Lee Kuan Yew beside “Temasek Fall: Loose 100 Billions, 2000 Committed Suicide Yesterday”, refering Temasek Holdings, a sovereign wealth fund, run by the Prime Minister’s wife, while the last page boasts of the new Marina Bay Sands casino; which the government ensured was continued to be built through the unfolding global financial crisis. Hinting at the anomally that Singapore might be amidst its ASEAN and even global neighbours, Vasan presents two focal points, one where the masses rally for change and another where critical judjement has clearly been abandoned or muzzled under the weight of mind-numbing rationale and conformity.

This History Series echoes the futurist style of drawing, capturing the momentum of the body while elucidating the feel of a blackboard in an old fashioned classroom. Further enabling disenchanted voices to be heard are the 108 strong army of Vasan dolls mentioned earlier. Audiences at the opening night were invited to make their own mini-picket signs and insert them into the outstretched arms of the sculptures, which is where the subtly interactive exhibition got interesting. Given an opportunity to publicly declare some issue of consequence, most audience members chose to write something non-sensical or redundant which takes us to Vasan’s next set of paintings illustrating the vacuity or passivity of many a citizen when it comes to taking a stake in society, while reminding audiences that a citizen’s right to partake in open public discourse is still highly problematic in most of these countries.

Two large oil canvases “Where Are You From? (Male)” and “Where Are You From? (Female)” present foreign workers- labourers and domestic workers from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Burma, Brunei, India, Bangladesh, Lao, Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines coming together to build Singapore but go about “unseen”. This disenfranchized minority, painted with empty speech bubbles face the audience in uncomfortable silence save for one women, possibly a sex worker who says “Cammi Tse says she is still a virgin”. The power of free speech is now offset by the vacuity of celebrity culture and the white noice of twitter, facebook and other popular modes of digital expresion.

Acting as antithesis to the digital are eight outdated TV box-sets of different sizes and make, clumsily stacked in the corner displaying Vasan simultaneously reciting the Constitutions of the ASEAN, while a ticker tape with the words run across the screen, out of sync with Vasan’s timing. From this simple act, the glaringly obvious gap between the highest proscribed law and its application or indeed supression in reality is pinpointed especially in the case of women’s rights in Vietnam or Land reform in Philippines. Illustrating a paradox in our social systems, it is amusing to see Vasan supress a fit of laughter as he reads the extract on Freedom of Speech and Assembly from the Constitution of the Republic of Singapore.

Vasan raises a number of afflictive questions for a global audience: With numerous digital outlets for our thoughts- what are we doing with our voice? Have we become apathetic towards civic concerns? Is freedom of speech a right or a responsibility?

Vasan, however, rounds up the exhibition with a fairly serene and optimistic mural. Necessary Needs and Nations (States’ Dreams) imagines the ASEAN countries as living breathing bodies in deep slumber sharing a dreamscape of common goals and aspirations, amid a backdrop of agrerian symbols perhaps suggesting we return to a simpler time of agricultural self sufficiency and establish stronger ties with each neighbouring nation.

by Bharti Lalwani.

Editor’s Note: Bharti Lalwani is an art consultant based in Singapore who writes for several publications across Se Asia, India and Australia. Her main research includes the phenomena of Private Museums and their impact across the region. She has a BA in Fine Art (Central Saint Martins, London) and an MA in Contemporary Art (Sotheby’s Institute, Singapore)

Through his translator, Ohmaki explained the concept behind his installation, the latest in a series started in 2002: Traditional houses in his hometown were being demolished and he felt he was losing his home, its culture. In response, he wanted to create a space that he could go home to.

Ohmaki’s work deals with a universal issue: The loss of traditions and culture. 80 patterns of flowers are utilised. Flower patterns are found in virtually every culture and Ohmaki has brought them together in this installation, as Singapore is a country he considers to be a confluence of East and West; a melting pot of multi-culturalism. His aim is to create a space where upon entering; the visitor is given an opportunity to think about where they come from.

The mesmerising composition consists of brilliant, coloured pigments applied directly to white felt, using a stencil technique. Visitors are invited to wander across the work: the significance being their involvement in the transformation of the work. This integral element of audience participation is intended to provoke the visitor into contemplating how their conscious decision to step on these felt tiles has changed the work: How their ‘footprint’ affects the environment, to acknowledge what they are doing at this moment in time and how what they do has repercussions. The metamorphosis of the work on the floor is juxtaposed by a fixed wall mural illustrating the chromatic flora pattern in its original state.

Standing in the midst of the work that covers all available floor and wall space, combined with the added effect of the reflection from the glass windows at night, one is transported into a colourful, hypnotic floral wonderland. Ohmaki wants us to contemplate being in the moment, with his repetitive circular motifs representing the eternal cycle of life. With Moment and Eternity Ohmaki offers us an evocative installation that is not only beautiful, but also profound.

Born in Japan in 1971, Shinji Ohmaki has an M.A and B.A in Sculpture from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Today, he works in situ, creating artworks connected to their environment – installations often based on the intervention of the public, who are invited to experience his creations in direct relation to their own movement through space.

Moment and Eternity is the tenth successive installation by Third Floor’s Programme Director Emi Eu who is also the Director of the Singapore Tyler Print Institute and runs from now till 3 June 2012.

Created in April 2008, the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès reflects Hermès’s determination to consolidate and extend its policy of committed philanthropic support. The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès encourages new talent and supports emerging forms of artistic expression. Reflecting the artistic roots of the house of Hermès, support for the production of new works of art is a central concern. True to the house’s culture of artisanship, the Foundation focuses on direct funding for creative artists, for the realisation of their works.

Moment and Eternity
Third Floor – Hermès
541 Orchard Road
Liat Towers

20 April to 3 June 2012
10:30 – 19:30 daily