3rd France + Singapore New Generation Artists 2011, an annual visual art competition and exhibition organised by Alliance Française de Singapour that was held at the SOCIETE GENERALE Private Banking Gallery at 1 Sarkies Road, saw a fresh face of 10 finalists making waves into the art scene. The finalists exhibition of the 3rd France + Singapore New Generation Artists 2011 fed our eyes and our brains.

The competition saw a healthy mix of new and young, versus the mature and experienced artists. And a contrast of traditional paintings, prints and sculptures competes with new medium of installations and digital video artworks. Winner of the FSNGA2011 group show will have a solo exhibition in Alliance Française de Singapour in 2012.

So who won?

3rd France + Singapore New Generation Artists 2011

2011 Winner Ms Isabelle Desjeux

No scientists were harmed in the making of this art work, assures a poster in the art work, which looked like those you see at a science fair. Winner Ms Isabelle Desjeux was a scientist who became an artist. She used what were discarded from real failed science experiments and text from real rejection letters from science journals. How amusing! Ahh …, I am now inspired to do something with the printouts of my computer programs which never worked.

Guest of honour, Mr Olivier CARON, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France, described winner Ms Isabelle Desjeux’s works as a reminder that as human beings we must fail in order to succeed.

“Isabelle is able to find and to portray the beauty – and humour – that lie in failures :
_ I would like to imagine that all of us, human beings, are the outcome of a failure : a few million years ago, an unfortunate monkey fell to the ground and failed to climb back up on his tree. He had to learn quickly how to walk on his back legs in order to escape from the sarcastic remarks of his fellow monkeys. ” by Mr Olivier CARON, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France

3rd France + Singapore New Generation Artists 2011 Honorary Mention Lydia Wong

2011 Honorary Mention Ms Lydia Wong

Ponder over the slogan-like text. With the images, they are social commentaries. Honorary Mention Ms Lydia Wong subtly included Asian auspicious symbols without causing her art works to look tacky. How clever!

“Lydia, a statement on one of your paintings exhibited here, “Risk is a luxury”, makes me think that if risk is a luxury, it is a necessary luxury. You, artists, must take risks to create. ” by Mr Olivier CARON, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France

3rd France + Singapore New Generation Artists 2011, by finalist Chen Kerui Kray

Trophies with non-lean figures? No, no, these were not the prizes for the finalists.
Installation by Chen Kerui Kray

3rd France + Singapore New Generation Artists 2011, by finalist Kelton Ching

Whether you see this as passionate or provocative, you would look again.
Sculpture by Kelton Ching

3rd France + Singapore New Generation Artists 2011

Tablet computers?
Digital art by Ruyi Wong

Finalist exhibition of the 3rd France + Singapore New Generation Artists 2011

You have to examine her teeth.
Artworks by Wahleane Lin

We look forward to Isabelle Desjeux’s a solo exhibition in Alliance Française de Singapour in 2012.

When: Until Sat 1 Oct 2011

Where: Societe Generale Private Banking Gallery, Level 2, Alliance Francaise de Singapour, 1 Sarkies Road

View our album.

Co-written and Artitute photographs by Suzzana Chew.

The quotes were from Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France Mr Olivier CARON’s speeches of the 3rd France + Singapore New Generation Artists 2011. You might want to read his full speech.