Private Preview:
Saturday, 14 June 2025, 2 – 5pm (By Invitation Only)
Kindly RSVP by calling +65 6339 0678 or email enquiry@ipreciation.com
Exhibition Opens to Public:
16 June 2025 – 27 June 2025
9am – 6pm (Mon – Fri)
11am – 6pm (Sat)
Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays
Venue:
50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724
Tel: + 65 6339 0678 Fax: + 65 6438 2080
iPRECIATION is delighted to present Epiphany一念回首, a solo exhibition featuring Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960), commemorating a decade of Oh’s artistic exploration spanning from 2016 to 2024. From meditative black-and-white ink paintings to torn canvases, collages, and evocations of the oriental literati spirit, his practice has unravelled into myriad paths. Yet beyond form, his works are vessels of quiet philosophy, infused with his beliefs in Zen Buddhism and understanding of the Book of Change, offering contemplations on the flux of life. As a curious individual, he has also turned to ceramic sculpting and ceramic seal carving, imbuing his tactile works with a pensive quietude. Deeply influenced by the natural world that surrounds him, his contemplations of mountainous forms and the natural formations of rocks, and the local landscape are a central part of the subjects he deals with within his paintings, ceramic sculptures, and ceramic seals. His works are a testament to his belief that identity should be a central element of one’s practice; that art should be grounded in the rhythms and textures of his heritage.
About the Exhibition:
The title Epiphany一念回首 signals a journey of quiet revelation, where enlightenment emerges not in grand gestures, but in the slow, persistent evolution of thought and form. Likewise, Oh’s work is a transcendental journey through the slow, transformative forces of nature, capturing the seismic shifts of tectonic plates in the textured markings of his ink paintings and the cracked, undulating surfaces of his ceramic sculptures and seals. His creative process reveals the silent transformation of rocks, suspending their gradual, seismic movements in the lasting imprints of ink and clay.
His early works from 2016 to 2020 are deeply inspired by the organic forms of nature. Oh’s weathered rocks with undulating surfaces symbolize the ancient belief that beauty resides in imperfection and impermanence. This idea permeates his sculptures and paintings, as the very forms themselves reflect the continuous passage of time and the inevitable transformations of nature. Through these works, Oh invites an exploration of time itself, offering viewers a space to contemplate the subtle, yet powerful, evolution of nature.
Yet, Oh’s work extends beyond nature, embodying the ongoing evolution of his creative thought. Between 2017 and 2021, Oh’s exhibitions saw elements of Buddhist philosophy intertwine with the visuals of his ink paintings, where he inscribed calligraphy with phrases drawn from Buddhist teachings. This fusion of visual and literary elements allows his works to transcend mere physical imagery, revealing the deeper philosophical narratives concerned with the transient nature of existence. In the act of tearing and collaging, Oh’s 2022 and 2023 exhibitions unveiled a reinvention of his ink paintings, reconstructing new ways of seeing through the lens of fragmentation and assemblage. The resulting empty spaces, frayed edges, and uneven textures invites viewers to complete the work through their dialogue with the artwork, prompting a continual process of introspection. Finally, through the medium of clay in multiple exhibitions spanning 2016 to 2024, he moulds clay into forms that reminiscence natural tectonic landscapes, transforms sculpture into an organic medium and reimagines the Chinese seal as representations of his memories, artistic practice, and perspectives. Each piece in this exhibition unfolds like a chapter of a story, revealing how his representations of nature are continually transformed, renewed and reinterpreted. His works act as manifestations of his artistic thought, tracing the outline of his creative evolution as it gives rise to new perspectives of the natural world.
About the Artist:
Oh Chai Hoo is a Singaporean artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans a range of mediums including painting, sculpture, and ceramics. Since graduating from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in 1982, he has been an active and respected presence in the local arts scene, contributing to its growth through his involvement in artist collectives such as the Singapore Sculpture Society and Nanyang Clay Group. Over the years, his works have been exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions across Singapore, Malaysia, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Finland, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. Renowned for his distinctive artistic vision and mastery of material, Oh has received numerous accolades. These include the Siew-Tao Best Artwork Award (2013), the Siew-Tao Achievement Award (2009), the Highly Commendable Award for Abstract Medium at the 18th UOB Painting Competition (1999), and the Distinction in Visual Art Creation from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (1992). His continued exploration of form, texture, and philosophy positions him as a significant figure in the development of contemporary Asian art in Singapore.
