There is something quietly relatable about Through Reverie: Love and Memory, the current duo-solo exhibition by Clasutta and C.K. Koh at Whitestone Gallery Singapore.
Although both artists present vastly different visual styles and narratives through their respective solo exhibitions, Roommates? and Folded Glimpses, they are connected by themes that feel deeply human. Love, memory, longing, companionship and the quiet emotions we carry with us through different stages of life.
I had the chance to meet both artists during the opening reception on 9 May, and hearing them speak about their works added another layer of depth and intimacy to the exhibition experience.
Roommates? by Clasutta
Young Indonesian artist Clasutta, also known as Sutta, is one of the newer emerging names to watch from Jakarta’s contemporary art scene. Originally trained in architecture before transitioning into painting full-time, her practice often explores human behaviour through quirky anthropomorphic animal characters.
At first glance, her paintings immediately draw viewers in with their bright palettes, whimsical characters and playful compositions. Spread across more than 60 artworks, Roommates? feels cheerful, vibrant and almost deceptively light-hearted.
But beneath the candy-coloured surfaces lies a surprisingly relatable and observant commentary on love, relationships and human behaviour.
Through our conversation, Clasutta shared that many of the quirky animal characters and their interactions are inspired by the rituals of courtship and relationships. Using animals as metaphors for human emotions and behaviour, her works cleverly mirror the many stages couples go through, from the excitement and passion of attraction to the routines, negotiations and emotional complexities that emerge over time.
Whether it is longing, misunderstandings, affection, insecurity or companionship, the narratives in her paintings strike a familiar chord. There is humour in them, but also honesty.
One of the most engaging aspects of the exhibition is how approachable the works feel. Viewers may initially smile at the amusing expressions and quirky characters, only to later realise how accurately these scenes reflect real relationships and everyday emotional dynamics.
The press release describes the exhibition as unfolding “the idea of love without clear structure”, where attraction, effort and expectations slowly begin to take shape over time. What starts off feeling effortless gradually becomes something maintained through repetition, routines and emotional negotiation. Love, in this exhibition, is portrayed not as something fixed, but as something that drifts, changes and quietly lingers even in absence.
Much like her paintings, Clasutta herself radiates a lively and quirky energy. Dressed in bright colours with an effortlessly playful sense of style, the young artist carried the same spirited charm found within her works.
Folded Glimpses by C.K. Koh
I first encountered C.K. Koh’s works during his earlier solo exhibition at Art Porters Gallery, where I was introduced to his iconic recurring character, Box Boy.
Unfortunately, that exhibition took place during the height of the COVID-19 period, so I did not have the opportunity to meet the artist in person then. Hence, I was delighted to finally meet Koh at Whitestone Gallery and hear the stories behind Box Boy and his latest body of works firsthand.
Ever since, Box Boy has remained a memorable figure, simple yet emotionally evocative.
Curious about the origins of Box Boy, I asked Koh if the character represented himself. His answer was Box Boy is not just him, but also his son, and in many ways, everyone.
The character was conceptualised during a period when Koh was living overseas, away from home. Like many Singaporeans living abroad, he spoke about the anticipation of receiving boxes from family members filled with comfort food, familiar products and small reminders of home. Those care packages became emotional anchors, symbols of warmth, memory and belonging.
At the same time, the box itself became a powerful metaphor. An open box can contain anything: memories, emotions, experiences, identity and even longing.
Koh also shared about his love for travelling, especially to Japan, which has greatly influenced the dreamy visual atmosphere found throughout Folded Glimpses. Many of the scenes within his paintings reminisce moments and places encountered during his travels, from quiet streets and fleeting landscapes to intimate family moments observed in passing.
Travelling frequently with his family, the works also quietly document the growth of his son over the years. Through Box Boy, these memories become universal yet deeply personal at the same time.
In Folded Glimpses, Koh expands on these ideas through paintings inspired by his travels and personal photographic archives. Rather than documenting places literally, the works function more like fragments of memory, fleeting impressions of landscapes, streets, encounters and moments quietly collected over time.
The exhibition’s press release beautifully describes these works as “moments drawn from his personal photographic archive” that are shaped not by documentary realism, but by memory, atmosphere and emotion. Through the recurring presence of Box Boy, Koh traces continuity between who we were, what we remember and what we continue to carry with us over time.
Where Love, Memories and Everyday Moments Intersect
There is a quiet tenderness in Koh’s paintings. Unlike Clasutta’s loud bursts of colour and quirky observations on relationships, Koh’s works invite viewers into slower moments of reflection. Together, they create an interesting contrast within the exhibition, one vibrant and socially observant, the other contemplative and deeply personal.
Although Roommates? and Folded Glimpses are presented as separate solo exhibitions, they complement one another naturally under the umbrella of Through Reverie: Love and Memory.
Clasutta’s works examine the emotional theatre of relationships through quirky animal metaphors, while Koh’s paintings quietly archive memories, travels and personal journeys through the symbolic presence of Box Boy.
Together, the exhibition becomes less about grand narratives and more about small moments, the feelings, memories and emotional traces that linger long after an experience has passed.
Through Reverie: Love and Memory | A Duo-solo Exhibition by Clasutta and C.K. Koh runs from 9 May to 28 June 2026 at Whitestone Gallery Singapore. The gallery is closed every Monday and Public Holiday.
For more information, visit Whitestone Gallery Singapore.
