Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960) is a Singaporean artist who works extensively with various mediums. He started his artistic creations at the age of 14 and a year later, the budding talent held his first group exhibition with respected pioneer artists like Chen Wen Hsi and others. Over the decades, Oh’s mastery of the brush is as admired as his fearless experimentation with the medium. Nonetheless, despite all the ventures, he never strays far from ink.
Deeply intrigued by the work of nature, Oh Chai Hoo is particularly fascinated by the formation of sedimentary rock structures. Within the weathered surfaces, down the jagged rims, between the notches and cracks, therein lies the beauty of imperfections. In his words, “my rocks speak for themselves” (我的石頭會說話). Indeed, his works tell compelling stories of magnificent mountainous, cliff-like forms that have stood the test of time.
Oh Chai Hoo believes in honesty and truthfulness in the creation of art. Unlike other types of medium, Chinese ink is especially demanding. It requires one to be attentive, confident and sincere, for every brushstroke is irreversible and every brush touch allows no room for correction. This medium hence captures everything about the artist – his state of mind, personality and style.
Oh’s paintings are a stunning play on tonality. His extraordinary command in the concentration and saturation of pigments captures the glorious movements of water and wind. While his black and white paintings invoke a sense of timelessness with their almost-realistic appearance, Oh’s coloured paintings lean towards the mystical spectrum and are imbued with imaginative expressions. His enigmatic works are a reflection of both the physical and the spiritual.
Oh Chai Hoo graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore in 1982 and is a full-time artist who is actively involved in the local arts scene. He is also a member of various art groups including the Singapore Sculpture Society and Nanyang Clay Group and has had various solo and group exhibitions in Singapore, Taiwan, China, U.K., Korea and Japan.
Education
- 1982 | Graduated from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Selected Solo Exhibitions
- 2021 | Marks on Earth – An Exhibition of Ceramic Seals by Oh Chai Hoo, iPreciation, Singapore
2020 | Afar, iPreciation, Singapore - 2019 | Gentle Breeze, Moving Heart, iPreciaton, Singapore
- 2016 | Lifetime of Change, iPreciation, Singapore
- 2014 | Tropical Zen Garden, Esplanade, Singapore
- 2013 | Silent Conversation, Utterly Art, Singapore
- 2006 | Xin Deng – Light of the heart, Art Folio, Singapore
- 2004 | Xin Ji – Impressions From the Heart, Artfolio, Singapore
- 2003 | Mu – Wood, Galleri Stockard, Finland
- 2001 | Ru Shi – As it is…, Artfolio SPACE, Singapore
- 2000 | Eastern Grandeur, American Club, Singapore
- 1998 | Yi Qi Yi Hui – Solo Reiterate, Artfolio SPACE, Singapore
- 1999 | Nonentity existence, Artfolio Gallery, Singapore
Selected Group Exhibitions
- 2021 | Flower, Not, iPreciation, Singapore
- 2020 | Siaw-Tao’s 50th Anniversary Exhibition, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Singapore
- 2019 | iPreciation 20th Anniversary: Reverie Collection – 25 Years of Art Collecting Journey, iPreciation, Singapore / Siaw-Tao’s 49th Anniversary Exhibition, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, Singapore
- 2017 | Virtuoso In Ink, Art Agenda S.E.A, Chan + Hori Contemporary, Singapore
- 2017 | When Space Dissolves Into Luminosity; Where Flowers Bloom Amidst Rocks, iPreciation Gallery, Singapore
- 2017 | Art New York Art Fair 2017, New York, USA
- 2017 | Impressions – Seal Carving Exhibition by Siaw-Tao, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- 2016 | Portable Art Week, iPreciation Gallery, Singapore
- 2016 | A Thousand Cups & Maybe More, The Art Space, Singapore
- 2015 | These Sacred Things, (Visual Art Space), Esplanade, Singapore
- 2014 | We do! We do art!, One East Artspace, Singapore
- 2014 | Nothing in Common, Utterly Art, Singapore
- 2014 | Inkpression, Hakaren Art Gallery, Singapore
- 2014 | Ceramic group show, Scent of time, Singapore
- 2013 | Season’s Interpretation – 2-men show, One East Asia, Singapore
- 2012 | Ink (mo), Esplanade, Singapore
- 2011 | Modern Creative Calligraphy Exhibition, Singapore
- 2011 | Singapore Sculpture Society 10th Anniversary Exhibition, Singapore
- 2009 | Jia – Home, Artfolio Singapore
- 2010 | Siaw-Tao 40th Anniversary Art Exhibition, Singapore
- 2003 | Modern Calligraphy Exhibition (Travelling Exhibition), China
- 2003 | GAM Art Exhibition (Ceramic), Toyota City Art Museum, Japan
- 2002 | Seal Carving Exhibition, Singapore
- 2002 | Tao Ren Wu Yu – Clay Speaks, 1st Asian Ceramic Exhibition, Nanyang Clay Group, Singapore
- 1996 | Siaw-Tao Art Exhibition, Shantou, China
- 1993 | Siaw-Tao Art Exhibition, Shanghai, Hangzhou
- 1991 | The Grand Discovery Art Exhibition, Singapore
- 1991 | International Watercolour Exhibition, Korea and Taiwan
- 1989 | Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Lecturer Art Exhibition, Singapore
- 1987 | IBM Art Award Exhibition, Singapore
- 1987 | National Museum Centenary Art Exhibition, Singapore
- 1987 | Tan Tze Chor Award Exhibition, Singapore
- 1986 | Not The Singapore River Art Exhibition, Port of Singapore Authority, Artist Encouragement Scheme, Arbor Fine Art, Singapore
- 1981 | Two-Man Show, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Awards
- 2013 | Siaw-Tao Best Artwork Award
- 2010 | Siaw-Tao Achievement Award
- 1999 | Highly Commendable Award, Abstract Medium 18th UOB Painting Competition, Singapore
- 1992 | Distinction in Visual Art Creation, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Alumni Association, Singapore
Permanent Collections
- Istana Art Collection
- National Museum of Singapore
For full list of exhibitions and awards, please contact the gallery at enquiry@ipreciation.com
Artwork Images