The sculpture, entitled “Genetic Plant”, is the work by award-winning Singaporean artist Ms Han Sai Por, was presented by the Singapore’s High Commissioner to Australia Burhan Gafoor to the Presiding Officers of the Australian Parliament, Senator the Hon Stephen Parry and the Hon Tony Smith on the 20th August 2015 in Canberra. (more…)
With the art events of the first half of 2015 over and the much anticipated national day parade and other events of SG50 behind us, we can turn our focus onto what’s on for the remaining months of 2015. Besides the opening of the National Gallery, the Singapore International Festival of Arts, Silver Arts, and Affordable Art Fair, what I was really looking forward to was the fifth edition of the Singapore Biennale which, if going by the fact that a biennale is an event that happens every two years, should have been on this year. However, until late last month nothing seemed to be visible at SAM, either in the museum building or on their website in the upcoming exhibition details section. A press release in late July finally announced that the next edition of the biennale would be held in 2016 from October 28 2016 to 26 February 2017.
Technically then, can we still call it a biennale? Since the last one was held from October 2013 to February 2014 doesn’t that make it a triennale now?
More importantly, what changes when a biennale becomes a triennale? Well to be honest, nothing much. It’s still a international or regional exhibition of contemporary art (depending on the focus of the exhibition- the Singapore Biennale has gone from an international to a Southeast Asian focus over its last four editions), it will still be organised around a theme and in all probability staged in more than one location around the island and it will still probably have associated outreach and community events. Like its predecessor, it will also be still organised by the Singapore Art Museum and commissioned by the National Art Council.
Interestingly, the third edition of the Singapore Biennale was also held after 3 years in 2011 and it seems like a pattern is emerging. With the first one in 2006 and subsequent ones in 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2016, it seems we have a triennale after every two biennales. So maybe we should call it a bi-triennale?
Happy Weekend!
Chinese ink painting privileges space like no other artistic tradition. White space is regarded as a void or nothingness, it is composed by the painter’s marks for the viewer’s meditative contemplation. In fact space in itself, the form of nothing, is considered the hallmark of aesthetic elevation. Space is the negative of gesture or human action; it is what has been left behind after the work of restless agitation. Cang and Pan’s contemporary interpretation of traditional painting translates this into the third dimension. Their work takes on the status of “space-nothing”, the negative form of their physical and gestural marks upon the world. While ink painting restricts the articulation of space on paper, the work of these two artists explores the meditative properties of space in the real world.
Exhibition runs: 15 Aug – 27 Sep
Associated Event: Cang Xin in Conversation with Asst Professor Yin Ker
15 August, 2.30pm*
In conjunction with the exhibition opening, Pearl Lam Galleries is organising ‘Cang Xin in conversation with Yin Ker’. The artist will discuss his practice, as well as his place in the international art scene. Themes of discussion will include shamanism, shunyata (void), experimental procedures, and internationalism.
* As seating is limited, please confirm your attendance by email or phone to [email protected] / +65 6570 2284
Pearl Lam Galleries Singapore
9 Lock Road #03-22
Gillman Barracks
Singapore 108937
T: (65) 6570 2284/F : (65) 6694 5967
W: www.pearllam.com
Gallery Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday 11am to 7pm
Sunday 12pm to 6pm
Closed on Mondays & Public Holidays
