Slideshow

As Clouds 《如雲》- Ink Paintings by Irene Chou

As Clouds 《如雲》 – Ink Paintings of Irene Chou

 

As-Clouds-Irene-Chou-E-CatalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: Sep 4, 2021 (Strictly By Invitation Only, Sign Up Below)

Exhibition Opens to Public: Sep 6 – Sep 25, 2021

(Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)

iPreciation is delighted to present works of the late Hong Kong pioneer New Ink master Irene Chou (b. 1924, Shanghai, China – d. 2011) dated between 1994 to 2007. A leading figure of Hong Kong’s New Ink Painting Movement (between the 1960s and 1980s), Irene Chou was a prolific artist who has dedicated her life to narrate her universe and documented a lifetime of her musings and struggles with her art.

Born in Shanghai in 1924, Chou had a wide exposure to new ideas and beliefs during her childhood days. Under the influence of a calligrapher mother and editor father (who was also an amateur photographer and music lover), Chou grew up with a basic foundation in Chinese ink. Having received a westernised secondary school education, she was first formally introduced to western painting. As her intellectual parents have hoped, Chou excelled in her studies and got into the medical school of the prestigious St. John University in Shanghai. However, the lionhearted switched from medicine to major in economics and minor in sociology after two years in the course.

Chou graduated in 1946 and became a journalist for Peace Daily Shanghai, where she met her husband, Evan Yang (renowned Hong Kong director who was also known as Yi Wen). Due to the turbulences in post-war China, the couple left Shanghai in 1949, briefly staying in Taiwan, then settling down in Hong Kong in the same year where Yang became an editor of Hong Kong Times and Chou became a freelance writer.

Hong Kong marked the start of Chou’s spectacular artistic career. As fate would have it, she went fortune-telling with a few acquaintances one day and was told that she had an artist’s destiny. Later, while driving, her acquaintance casually remarked that she had a pair of artistic hands and should give drawing a try. With the help of a friend, she was introduced to and came under the tutelage of Lingnan Style artist Chao Shao-an (b. 1905 – d. 1998) in 1954. Under the guidance of Chao and being a diligent learner, Chou picked up the techniques quickly and conscientiously imitate (linmo) works of her mentor as well as Song and Yuan dynasty masters. In fact, at one point in time, she was so skilled that even Chao once mistook her piece as his own. As Chou found herself increasingly drawn to the tranquillity of painting, she was increasingly drawn to religion and philosophy, subjects which she saw a resemblance with art.

As such, Chou embarked on a self-discovery journey. As she accompanied her husband (who became a film director by then) to work, she often had her husband drop her off in the middle of nowhere in the outskirts of Hong Kong. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the deserted suburbs first went from an intimidating space to an environment Chou grew very comfortable with. With the lush landscapes, trees then became a major motif in Chou’s works, slowly evolving to become the buttress of her ink styles and have never departed from her oeuvre. Unknowingly, Chou gradually set herself free, moving away from the structured Lingnan style. 

The 1960s saw Chou mature in style, shifting from traditional Chinese ink painting to contemporary creations. In 1966, Chou came under the tutelage of Lui Shou-Kwan (b. 1919 – d. 1975). A major figure in Chou’s artistic life, his ground-breaking theories of New Ink Painting inspired her to explore more expressive ink styles. At the encouragement of Lui, Chou delved deeper into the natural world and self-expression. Seeing the beauty of rustling leaves, flowing streams, swaying grass and more, she sought to weave these elements into her work into work. While Chou was experimenting with different mediums including oil, acrylic and watercolour, she eventually returned to ink, bringing with her a modern twist that gear towards abstraction and surrealism. 

In 1968, Chou joined Lui’s initiative and formed In Tao (Yuan Dao) Art Association together with Wucius Wong and Tan Zhicheng. In the same year, Chou held her first-ever solo which had a sold-out success. She later participated in the 1969 Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition in London. Chou quickly emerged as one of the most innovative painters in Hong Kong’s art scene. 

Chou started off at great heights in the 1970s; she was part of the pivotal force to drive Hong Kong’s New Ink Movement, a founding member of Hong Kong’s leading art group, One Art Group and has certainly developed a style of her own. At this time, Chou began studying drum-shaped stone inscriptions and lines began to take centre stage in her oeuvre. These lines, bearing a resemblance to twigs and branches, are the most reduced form of her feelings and emotions, as well as a verbatim of life. At this stage, Chou’s hallmark spheres entered her space and later became a notable visual symbol of her inner mind.

However, the death of her beloved mentor, Lui Shou-Kwan in 1975, followed by that of her husband’s in 1978 was a huge blow to Chou. The darkest period of Chou’s life arrived. Swamped with grief, she channelled her overwhelming emotions into her works and later developed one of her most known ‘piled ink’ technique. As such, paintings after the mid-1970s were dominated by sorrow and anguish. She termed these paintings layered with slabs of black ink as ‘dark paintings’ where darkness became her loudest silent cry and bleak lines traced her anxiety and agony. However, along the same timeline, Chou also established a contrasting technique she termed ‘impact’. It was characterised by broad sweeps of black ink, yet with a significant amount of blank spaces to diffuse a bit of light-heartedness. The juxtaposition of two opposing emotions outlined this interchangeable shift of emotions in one’s course of life. It is precisely this close bond between Chou works and her emotions share that make works of this period especially powerful. They are a reminder that art heals and the significance of an artist’s life journey in their process of creation.

It was not until the 1980s that Chou slowly moved on from the passing of her mentor and husband, so do her dark paintings. Her ‘impact’ technique evolved into ‘impact structure strokes’. Derived from the ‘splashed ink’ technique of Chinese ink, combined with Zen and philosophical theories, her new iconic technique led to a wholly different style – one that is characterised by bold, dynamic strokes of ink splashed onto the wet xuan paper and exudes a heightened sense of vigour. As her children have migrated abroad, she was living alone and hence turned her house into a studio, where she threw herself entirely into painting, indulging in a realm free of complex relations and ongoing affairs. Breaking away from the melancholy of the 1970s, colours returned to her works.

 After a stroke in 1991, Chou was moved to Brisbane, Australia. Chou began to regain some movement in 1993, but the atrophy of her cerebellum worsened with time. Despite being unable to move freely and facing difficulties with daily tasks, she created a series of large-scale works, some of which were permanently collected in public spaces in Malaysia, Singapore and Brisbane. Her 1990s works were otherworldly; the galaxies she created exclude a mystical charm beyond self-realisation. Imbued in them were multitudes of transcendental narratives waiting to be discovered. In 2007, she continued to paint smaller works due to space constraints during her stay in a nursing home. Chou aged with grace and passed away in 2011.

Chou’s works are collected widely by important private collectors, reputable public and private institutions, including the British Museum, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Museum of Art, University Museum and Art Gallery of The University of Hong Kong (formerly known as Fung Ping Shan Museum), National Art Gallery (Manila), National Museum of History (Taipei), Queensland Art Gallery and Melbourne Raya Gallery (Australia).

References

BUTCHER, Lorena Sun, “I am My Art; My Paintings are Me”: An Exploration of the Relationship Between the Art and Life of Irene Chou”, Ph.D dissertation, Griffith University, 2013.

BUTCHER, Lorena Sun, CHENG, Grace, YEUNG, Kowk Fan, Margaret, CHAN, Kwan Lap, LEE, Chun Yi, eds. The Universe is My Heart, My Heart is The Universe: The Art of Irene Chou. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Arts Centre, 2003.

Chinese Painting by Irene Chou. Hong Kong: Fung Ping Shan Museum, The University of Hong Kong, 1986.

Life is a many Splendoured thing — Irene Chou. Brisbane: Sacred Heart Centre, 2007.

MAUDSLEY, Catherine, ed. Collectors’ Choice: The Cosmic Vision of Zhou Luyun. Hong Kong: Casey Company Limited, 1995.

Paintings of Irene Chou Exhibition Catalogue. Hong Kong: Hanart TZ Gallery,  1989.

PANG, Yeewan Tina, ed. Universe of the Mind: Zhou Luyun (Irene Chou) a retrospective exhibition. Hong Kong: University Museum and Art Gallery – The University of Hong Kong,   2006.

PUN, Alicia and LU, Rose. The Biography of Irene Zhou Lu Yun. Brisbane: Bridge U & Co. Pty. Ltd, 2001.

The Universe is My Mind – Irene Chou. Hong Kong: Hanart TZ Gallery, 2000.

WONG, Joyce Heiting. A World Within: The Art and Inspiration of Irene Chou. Hong Kong: Asia Society Hong Kong Center, 2019.

Solitude 《幽居》- A Solo Exhibition by Gao Xingjian

Solitude 《幽居》- A Solo Exhibition by Gao Xingjian

Solitude – A Solo Exhibition by Gao XingjianDownload

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: Jun 26, 2021 (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: Jun 28 – Jul 17, 2021

(Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)

Internationally acclaimed Chinese-French artist Gao Xingjian (b. 1940) is a novelist, playwright, poet, theatre and film director, painter and philosopher. He was born in Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, China in 1940 and moved to Paris in 1988. In 2000, he won the Nobel Prize for Literature. With his rich experience, he skillfully blends thousands of years of Chinese and Asian wisdom with European classics. iPreciation is honoured to present Solitude 《幽居》 — A Solo Exhibition by Gao Xingjian, which showcases 21 important and monumental works by Gao between 1991 – 2012.

His novels have been translated into forty languages and are widely distributed globally. More than 120 productions of his plays have been performed in Europe, Asia, North America, South America and Australia. More than 100 painting exhibitions were held in art museums, art centres and galleries throughout Europe, Asia and the United States, of which ninety were his solo exhibitions, and more than 50 art catalogues of his paintings and photographs have been published. In the last ten years, he has produced three poetic films that integrate poetry, painting, drama, dance and music, turning film into a comprehensive art form.

Touted as ‘the modern Renaissance man’ by the 2008 Milan Arts Festival, Gao did not employ the western medium despite his training in oil painting. Gao chooses to paint solely with ink – a medium said to be close to the heart and imbued with the spirit of the painter. Despite his departure from the western medium since the 1970s, traces of oil painting still linger in his works. He often attributes his layering of several different inks to his early practice in oil.

Interestingly, while rice paper is conventionally paired with ink, Gao predominately paints ink on large canvases, as the dramatic size of these canvases offers more volume and depth. The presence of large empty spaces gives rise to a spiritual quality that is hard to miss. With just a white paper or canvas and ink of different intensities, he brilliantly introduces a spectrum of light, shade and shadow. These three elements bring forth an amorphous realm, known as the “inner vision”, that stands at the crossroads of figurative and abstraction, not bounded by the passage of time.

Wearing his heart on his sleeve, it is no surprise that Gao does not paint a fixed light source in his paintings – Forms appear to glow within the darkness, while darkness emanates from the brightness. This departure from the conventional methods of painting can be seen as a visual illustration of the stream of consciousness – the blurry nature of the human mind as our thoughts surface and then quickly fading into the yonder; the flashes of life moments when we close our eyes to the reality; simply our mental state at that one particular moment which could not be narrated with words. Essentially, “painting starts where language fails,” while we may all be looking at the same piece of work, what is comprehensible is largely solitary and personal. The intimate experience of gazing at his inner vision is essentially a glimpse into our own inner vision. In the words of the artist, “The image is in you and you are in the painting.”

Apart from being a Nobel Prize winner, he has been awarded the Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters (1992), Premio Letterario Feronia, Rome, Italy (2000), Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (2002), The American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate Award (2002), Lions Award, New York Public Library, USA (2006), La Milanesiana Award, Italy (2008), Gold Award from the European Merit Foundation, Luxembourg (2010), The gold medal of the French Renaissance (2012), and the Premio Roma, Italy (2018); He was also awarded honorary doctorates by the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the University of Marseilles-Aix in France, the Free University of Brussels in Belgium, Taiwan University, the Central University of Taiwan, Sun Yat-sen University and the National Taiwan Normal University. The Gao Xingjian Research Space was set up by the library of the University of Marseilles-Aix in France in 2018, and in 2021, the library of National Taiwan Normal University also set up the Gao Xingjian Center.

His paintings are also in the collections of important private collectors and renowned museums. In 2003, the City of Marseille, France hosted “Year of Gao Xingjian” (L’Année de Gao Xingjian), a major event where his paintings, his play “August Snow” and other artistic creations were showcased. He was also commissioned to film Silhouette/Shadow which was completed in 2006. Hong Kong later held the “Gao Xingjian Arts Festival” in 2008 to celebrate the spectacular achievements of this multi-disciplinary artist. In 2015, the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium and the Museum of Ixelles held a double exhibition for Gao. The Museum of Ixelles held a major retrospective of his paintings, while the Royal Museums designated an exhibition room for six of his monumental paintings, which they have permanently collected. Gao is the only living international artist to have been given such an opportunity. His works could also be found in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Musée Guimet, Paris; Singapore Art Museum (SAM); Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA) and The Hong Kong University Museum and Art Gallery (UMAG).

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The Art of Cheung Yee 《張義的藝術》

The Art of Cheung Yee E-catalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: May 8, 2021 (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: May 10 – Jun 5, 2021

(Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)

iPRECIATION pays tribute to Cheung Yee (b. 1936 – d. 2019), a master of our time through an exhibition titled The Art of Cheung Yee. The exhibition features captivating artworks produced between 1964 and 2008, showcasing Cheung’s multifaceted and distinctive styles. Touted as a trailblazer in Hong Kong’s contemporary art scene, the pioneer contemporary master is a familiar name to art scholars in the region and collectors globally. Best known for his monumental wood, metal relief and monumental General Series of crab-like sculptures, Cheung experimented with a variety of mediums throughout his career and has made fame for himself since the late 1950s.

Born in 1936 in Guangzhou, China, Cheung moved to and grew up in Hong Kong where his family was involved in the porcelain business, piquing his interest in handicrafts since young. He attended Tak Ming Middle School in Hong Kong where he studied traditional ink painting under renowned painter, Ding Yanyong 丁衍庸 (b. 1902 – d. 1978). Between 1954 and 1958, Cheung studied at Taiwan Normal University, majoring in traditional ink painting and seal carving. Though very skilled in gongbi and flower-and-bird paintings, studying rubbings of oracle bone writings for seal carving sparked his interest in tortoise shells, which was later a significant subject in his repository. He was intrigued with the tangible aspect of engraving presented, thereby started carving and sculpting.

Cheung returned to Hong Kong upon graduation in 1958, where he began to make waves in the art arena. Tapping on his fascination with ancient subjects and study of the biological nature world, Cheung created numerous wood and metal reliefs and sculptures that remind one of oracles or totems, and contain imageries that resemble snakes, worms, birds and the female body. By the mid-1960s, tortoise shells have taken the centre stage of his creation, where he applies ancient oracle bones and I-Ching with unique modernistic techniques and original visuals.

In the 1970s, he turned towards stone carving and created cast paper, a unique art form he called his own. Drawing inspiration from woodblock printing, instead of having a single mould, Cheung created moulds comprising of characters, pictograms, tortoise shells and symbols of the female genitalia. Being able to toy with the various combinations, Cheung’s cast paper reliefs are interestingly structured yet bursting with possibilities, which allows him to create his unique works, leaving viewers with ample imagination. In the 1980s, Cheung’s famous crab-like bronze sculptures, the General series became a hallmark of his artistic career, two of which are permanently installed in Hong Kong Kowloon Park and outside Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Between 1963 and 2003, Cheung was commissioned to create monumental public works for numerous institutions, including Hong Kong Hilton (1963), Philippine Bank of Commerce (Manila, 1969), Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp. (Hong Kong, 1972), Hayashida Hotel, Kagoshima (Japan, 1973), Sheraton-Molokai Hotel (Hawaii, 1977), Gloucester Tower, Landmark (Hong Kong, 1979), where the artwork later moved to Citylink (Singapore, 1999), Lucky Stores Inc., Phoenix, Arizona (U.S.A., 1980), East Asia Bank (Hong Kong, 1983), Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, (Hong Kong, 1989), and Taipei 101 (Taiwan, 2003).

Highly recognised for his ground-breaking original creations, he was conferred The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Member class (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1979 at the age of 43, joining one of the rare few in Hong Kong’s cultural industry to receive this honour.

Apart from being an artist, Cheung co-founded the Circle Art Group and was a member of the Society of Modern Literature and Fine Arts. He was also the chairman of the Hong Kong Sculptors’ Association, advisor to the Hong Kong Museum of Art as well as a professor of Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong for 15 years where he taught and inspired many Hong Kong contemporary artists to date. Cheung later became the only Hong Kong artist to have been invited to hold three solo exhibitions in the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Upon retirement in 1998, Cheung moved to California where he continued to work on cast paper and wood sculptures. Between 2004 and 2007, Cheung created a series of wood sculptures and masterful cast paper works. Among them, 041208 Poem (2004, Cast Paper), 50803 Heart Moving (2005, Cast Paper), Fortune series (Cast Paper), Magic Square (2007, Wood Relief) and Twins (2007, Wood Sculpture) attest to his superb skills in not just cast paper but also in Chinese scripts and wood carving.

On Dec 4, 2019, Cheung Yee passed away in California, leaving a legacy behind that continues to inspire young artists and sculptors. His works are in the collection of many international public and private collections, including Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, National Museum of History (Taiwan), Museum of Modern Art (Mexico) and Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (England, UK).

 

Where the Sun Sets 《夕陽醉了》- A Solo Exhibition by Koo Mei

 

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Where the Sun Sets 《夕陽醉了》- A Solo Exhibition by Koo Mei

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: Apr 3, 2021 (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: Apr 5 – Apr 24, 2021

(Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)

Former starlet and songbird of Hong Kong cinema in the 1950s, Koo Mei’s ink paintings are implicit and exquisite as her vocals and acting. Affectionately known as “the Little Lark”, the on-screen sweetheart stepped away from the limelight in the 1970s and has since soared to greater heights as a prominent ink artist. Where the Sun Sets 夕陽醉了 – A Solo Exhibition by Koo Mei brings together treasured works from 1976 – 2018 which are close to her heart, including a rare ink painting by Zao Wou Ki (in exchange for her work in 1993). It celebrates Koo’s dedication to capturing the otherworldly charm of nature with ink and water.

Born in Guangzhou in 1929 and grown up in Hong Kong, Koo was under the tutelage of several renowned 20th-century ink masters: First, Chao Shao-an in 1963 in Hong Kong; Hu Nien-Tsu and Au Ho-Nien when she was residing in Taiwan in 1969; and later Hong Kong New Ink Movement pioneer Lui Shou-Kwan in 1974. Since the 1970s, Koo’s works hail from the abstract, dynamic and fluid nature of clouds and mists, images she yearned for and frequently dreamt about. Determine not to be bounded by the rigid structures dominating Hong Kong’s landscape; she turned for the picturesque villages, panoramic imageries of mountains, valleys, streams and vast open spaces. Hence, many of her paintings stemmed from her fond childhood memories and playful imaginations of a quaint, mystic realm.

In 1977, she won the prestige Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Arts Award, and the winning painting was subsequently collected by the Hong Kong Art Museum. Her early works received high praises from Asia’s most respected 20th-century masters, Chang Dai-Chien and Zao Wou Ki. 1984 marked a new beginning of her artistic journey when she moved from Hong Kong to Canada, where she resides today. The changes of four seasons and majestic natural wonders in Canada became a major catalyst towards her expansive, ethereal landscapes and misty clouds. Today, at the age of 92, Koo’s works are powerfully evocative, imbued with a sense of tranquillity and wisdom that age over the passage of time.

With works spanning four decades of the artist’s career, the exhibition is set to shed light on Koo’s distinct aesthetic, her mastery in bold, lyrical brushstrokes and her exclusive imaginary world of landscapes. Today, Koo Mei’s works are in the collection of numerous respected private collectors, along with major corporations, museums, galleries and institutions, including Hong Kong Museum of Art, State University of Utah, the Canadian Consulate General, Bank of America, Bank of Australia, Citibank, Hutchison and Shaw Brothers (Hong Kong) Private Limited.

 

Beyond Ink – Suzhou 《楮墨之外——在蘇州》- A Solo Exhibition by Zhuang Shengtao

Beyond-Ink-Suzhou-E-CatalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: Mar 6, 2021  (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: Mar 8 – Mar 27, 2021

(Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)

iPreciation is delighted to present a solo exhibition by Singapore pioneer contemporary ink artist, Zhuang Shengtao (b. 1944), titled Beyond Ink – Suzhou. This exhibition showcases a series of works by Zhuang between 2006 – 2015. Residing and surrounding himself in the historical ambience of Suzhou since 1997, Zhuang is progressively liberal in his swings and sways. His audacious, uninhibited brushstrokes, as well as unconventional composition, push the boundaries of daxieyi (freehand brushwork) further to one that transcends distinguishable forms and echo influences of both the East and the West.

Zhuang lives increasingly as a literati artist after settling in Suzhou, the result of many years of honing his skilful technique and his sojourns seeking fresh ideas. In an environment he saw as more conducive for his art practice, he was inspired by the colours and light in nature which became the key to create strong visual effects with ink. The bold strokes in his large wild cursive script calligraphy soon transform into abstract and organic compositions in his ink paintings, the contrast of each of them stark against one another with varying opacities. Every lyrical and zestful brushstroke of his ink paintings in Beyond Ink – Suzhou is evident of his strong foundation in calligraphy, crooning the rhythm of classical Chinese poetry and creativity in blending the essence of a traditional medium with new visual aesthetics.

Zhuang’s vivacious, introspective brushstrokes capture a fresh interpretation and visuals of contemporary ink. His works are being permanently collected by National Gallery Singapore, as well as privately.

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Born in Chao’an, Guangdong, China in 1944, Zhuang Shengtao moved to Singapore at the age of 11 with his family. He enrolled in foundation classes at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1964 where he studied calligraphy and painting under the tutelage of the renowned calligrapher, See Hiang To. He later obtained a Bachelor’s degree (First Class Honours) in 1972 and a Master’s degree in 1977 from Nanyang University, both in Chinese Literature. Deeply rooted in Chinese culture, Zhuang is especially fascinated with Chinese philosophy and he pledges fidelity to Chinese ink till today.

In 1981, Zhuang travelled to France in search of a creative breakthrough. Subsequently, he toured Europe and the United States. Exposure to Western contemporary art, notably the drip paintings of abstract expressionist, Jackson Pollock, led to a major turning point in his artistic pursuit. Zhuang moved away from the formalistic calligraphic styles and experimented with abstract forms and vigorous brushwork in writing large wild cursive script calligraphy. Soon, he set himself on a path to embrace old traditions while developing new ink expressions.

In the 1990s, the absence of a thriving art scene in Singapore and the lack of suitable tools for his larger new works offered little avenue for Zhuang to continue his explorations. He travelled to Hangzhou in 1996 to seek new inspirations and materials. A year later, he resides in Suzhou, the quaint ancient historic city until the present. 

誰先覺將舉辦新加坡當代水墨先鋒莊聲濤（b. 1944）個展「楮墨之外——在蘇州」。取題「楮墨之外」意即莊一系列水墨創作所流露出的情感與哲學早以超出紙墨之外，溢於楮墨之表。他畫風愈發縱逸灑脫，酷愛大寫意，構圖不循常規，大肆揮毫，一氣呵成的的恣意與意趣每每讓他陶醉不已，豪邁的揮筆使其創作自成一家。他每一筆抒情和粗狂的筆觸都顯示出他深厚的書法基礎，吟着中國古典詩歌的節奏，融合了中國傳統墨筆和當代視覺美學。

自1997年以來，莊旅居蘇州，經過蘇州悠長古韻的陶養，他更像是現代文人雅士了。在他認爲更利於自己藝術實踐的環境中，從自然的色彩和光線中得到靈感，成爲了用水墨創造強烈視覺效果的關鍵。他的水墨畫中帶有書法的筆觸，抽象構圖和筆觸之間的對比既鮮明也渾濁多變。一點一刷皆抒情達意，筆力渾厚蒼勁，無不散發古典詩意與韻律。

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莊聲濤於1944年生於中國廣東潮安，11歲隨家人移居新加坡。1964年考入南洋美術學院基礎班，師從著名書法家施香沱學習書畫，有著深厚的書法和水墨畫基礎。1972年，他獲得南洋大學，文學系中國文學學士學位(一等榮譽)，1977年獲得南洋大學中國文學碩士學位。莊深深植根於中國文化，對中國哲學有著非一般的理解與情結。

1981年莊曾遠赴法國一年尋找創作上的突破。隨後，更到歐美等地遊學與考察，深受歐美當代藝術——尤其是抽象表現主義大師傑克遜·波洛克的滴色畫的影響。他試著從形式主義的書法風格中走出來，嘗試用抽象的形式和遒勁的筆觸書寫大字。他開始將意象抽象化，筆意雄健，揮毫潑墨不拘泥於小節，搭配寬大的紙張，氣韻豐盈，耐人尋味。由此，擁抱舊傳統、發展新表述，逐漸成爲莊聲濤藝術追求的核心。

90年代改變筆觸後的莊在新加坡經常買不到合適的作畫工具，四季常青的景緻對他而言又有些枯燥乏味。在1996年他前往杭州，希冀江南水鄉有助激出靈感的火花。隔年，他便留住蘇州至今。

Flower, Not 《花非花》 – A Group Exhibition at iPreciation

 

Flower-Not-E-CatalogueDownload

A Group Exhibition by Oh Chai Hoo 胡財和 (b. 1960), Song Ling 宋陵 (b. 1961), Hua Jun 花俊 (b. 1970), Wang Shaoqiang 王紹強 (b. 1970),  Jiang Heng 江衡 (b. 1972), Tan Seow Wei 陳曉薇 (b. 1979) and Chui Pui Chee 徐沛之 (b. 1980)

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724 

Private Preview: Feb 4, 2021  (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: Feb 5 – Feb 27, 2021

(Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)

花非花，霧非霧，

夜半來，天明去。

來如春夢幾多時？

去似朝雲無覓處。

A flower it seems, perhaps not. Was it the mist? I do not know.

She comes at night and leaves at cockcrow.

Much like a dream that could not stay.

Or maybe the clouds, fading away.

– Bai Juyi, Tang Dynasty

Our love affair with the bloom and wither dates back centuries. It continues to manifest in the present time, but there is more than meets the eye. Borrowing a line from Bai Juyi’s poem, and much like Magritte’s La Trahison des images, Flower, Not is a study on the relationship between meaning and representation. Seeking new visual figures of speech, seven artists – Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960), Song Ling (b. 1961), Hua Jun (b. 1970), Wang Shaoqiang (b. 1970), Jiang Heng (b. 1972), Tan Seow Wei (b. 1979) and Chui Pui-Chee (b. 1980), drew on their cultural heritages, socio-political backgrounds and generational influences to imbue fresh connotations to the age-old imagery.

The lionhearted Song Ling presents his rebellious take on the ironic phenomenon of alienation and isolation in an increasingly connected world. Maintaining an unwavering stance to celebrate imperfections, Oh Chai Hoo is back to question an impetuous world that downplays the beauty of flaws. Just as Wang Shaoqiang continues to sail through contemporary Chinese ink with his landscape imageries that interweave latter-day influences and ancient origins, the ancient Heart Sutra finds its perpetual modern relevance through the quirky lens of Hua Jun. Jiang Heng remains committed to confronting the pervasive nature of materialism and the struggle to uphold established moral ideals. In such times of uncertainty, Tan Seow Wei has constructed a quaint, whimsical place for retreat and to embrace oneself. Chui Pui-chee too finds solace in a realm that is long gone yet vividly present within his retrained brushstrokes.

Together, their works form a critical subtext of modernity.

Spring Rhapsody 《春之曲》

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Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724 

Private Preview: Jan 14, 2021  (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: Jan 15 – Jan 30, 2021 (In Conjunction with Singapore Art Week 2021)

(Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)

Spring Rhapsody is a celebration of new beginnings. Bringing together 25 works by five Chinese artists — Zhang Jian-Jun, Lui Chun Kwong, Huang Yuanqing, Xue Song and Jin Jie, the show offers a unique take on the endless possibilities of mediums and concepts. 

Widely regarded as a trailblazer in Chinese abstract art, Zhang Jian-Jun’s (b. 1955) bold experiments span across paintings, installations, sculptures and mixed media works. Drawing on Daoist and Zen philosophies, his metaphysical sculpture showcased in this exhibition is a reflection of the passage of time and presence.  

Lui Chun Kwong (b. 1956), a pioneer of Hong Kong abstract art and torchbearer of the city’s arts scene, continues to light the path with his audacious interpretations of traditional Chinese landscape, shan shui (mountain and water). The robust lines present in his works thrum the vigour of nature in its most rustic and primitive form. 

A representative of Chinese calligraphic abstraction, Huang Yuanqing (b. 1963) extracts visual elements of calligraphy into his lyrical paintings. As he sets the lines and stokes free, they transfigure into animated beats bursting with energy and spontaneity. Painting in a multitude of colours, his oeuvre is expressively free-spirited.

Hailed as a leading Contemporary Chinese Pop Art figure, ‘fire’, ‘ash’ and ‘fragments’ are just some keywords closely tied to Xue Song (b. 1965). Known for burning printed materials and later piecing the remnants to form collages, the artist cleverly examines the past through his ingenious way of appropriation. 

Jin Jie’s (b. 1965) poetic oil paintings are a much-needed relief from the weighty societal issues that have been plaguing our minds these days. His semi-abstract works capture the zest of his historic hometown, Jiangsu, reduced to the most authentic way as his mind sees it, elegant and refined.

In conjunction with Singapore Art Week 2021, Spring Rhapsody invites viewers to contemplate on the diversity of ideas and creativity.

Living in Still – A Group Exhibition

Living in Still – E-CatalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: Dec 10, 2020  (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: Dec 11, 2020 – Jan 2, 2021 (Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)

iPreciation is proud to present Living in Still, featuring the latest works by four young Singapore artists Yang Zhongda (b. 1988), Yeo Tze Yang (b. 1994), Casey Tan (b. 1994), and Lim Jia Qi (b. 1997).

As 2020 approaches to an end, as surreal as it might be seen, never did we expect a curatorial we discussed and planned one and a half years ago has coincidentally realised into “the” exhibition which reflects the current situation of a world being caught almost to a standstill. While life might struggle to survive in quietness, many have taken the opportunity to reflect and begin looking inwards. Through introspection, we find the strength to envision a new future and evolve, paving the road to a beautiful life.

The title, Living in Still is inspired by renowned surrealist artist Salvador Dali’s painting, Living Still Life (French: Nature Morte Vivante) which explored the relationships between quantum physics and the conscious mind. The Spanish artist wanted to illustrate through his painting that although an object seems to be in stillness, it is always charged with millions of atoms that are constantly in lively motion.

A curated body of 25 latest artworks encompasses two and three-dimensional mediums, with Yang Zhongda using pastel on pastel board, Yeo Tze Yang painting on canvas with oil, Casey Tan painting with acrylic on canvas, and Lim Jia Qi incorporating woodblock carving with painting techniques. The choice of medium exhibits the personal experiences and expressions of these artists while reflecting on their developments in professional art-making.

This exhibition addresses neglectable objects and the urban environment in quiet stillness yet vividly exists in making up the artists’ creative narratives. Some of the works were created during the Singapore Circuit Breaker lockdown, capturing familiar local landscapes frozen in time. On one’s close observation, the seemingly uncomfortable emptiness and surrealness of the atmosphere are found to be continually flowing and pulsating with life.

We thank you and hope to have your continuous support of our homegrown artists. We wish you and your loved ones a joyful Christmas and a fresh new 2021.

For enquiries, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com.

Afar 《自己的遠方》 – A Solo Exhibition by Oh Chai Hoo

Oh Chai Hoo Afar – E-CatalogueDownload

Afar 《自己的遠方》 – A Solo Exhibition by Oh Chai Hoo

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: 15 Oct 2020  (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: 16 Oct – 31 Oct 2020 (Due to social distancing, prior viewing arrangement is recommended. Please call  6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com)

iPreciation is delighted to present the third solo exhibition titled Afar by Singapore Contemporary Ink artist Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960).  

This body of works consists of 23 latest ink paintings that resonate with Oh’s reflections on the meaning and hopefulness in life.  Intrigued by the textured and uneven surface of rocks, the latest paintings demonstrate his mastery in capturing majestic mountain-scape through the use of various medium and his unique painting technique, fusing verses by Cang Yang Jia Cuo, the six Dala Lama. Unlike his previous black and white ink paintings, these soft earthy tones works were inspired by the stones and gurgling water found in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve nearby his home, the signs of times and traces of the past and the imperfection. Oh Chai Hoo hopes to lead viewers to his modest and genuine oasis and to join the dialogue through his paintings.

This short video introduces the veteran artist’s journey and self-discovery to and through the ink, water and paper from the late 70s to the present.

For enquiries, please contact us at (65) 63390678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com.

誰先覺將為新加坡當代水墨藝術家胡財和（1960年生）舉辦第三次名為《自己的遠方》的個展。

此展將展出23幅水墨與丙烯結合第六世達賴喇嘛——倉央嘉措充滿啓示詩句的新創作。一貫強調地域性創意的胡財和以他獨特和高超的手法將這片熱帶雨林中的泥沙岩石與潺潺流水變成了雄偉壯觀的山水畫作。

有別於早期的黑白水墨作品，這系列以柔和的大地色調爲主。創作靈感來自於在胡財和家附近的武吉知馬自然保護區。他鍾情於石頭的粗細紋理、溫冷質地與凹凸不平的歲月痕跡，認爲這是內斂的美也是歷史的見證。他希望通過作品能夠帶領觀者領略他那最樸實和真誠的淨土並與他的畫作進行思想上的交流。

這段視頻介紹了胡財和從70年代後期至今的水墨探索過程。

欲想了解更多信息，請通過電話和電郵與我們聯系。電話: (65) 6339 0678﹔电子郵件: enquiry@ipreciation.com。

THE WAY 《悟道》 – A Solo Exhibition by Wang Dongling

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THE WAY 《悟道》 – A Solo Exhibition by Wang Dongling

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Exhibition Opens to Public: 24 Sep – 10 Oct 2020

iPreciation is proud to present a solo exhibition titled The Way, by world-renowned contemporary artist Wang Dongling.

Featuring 14 latest works, this exhibition showcases major Chaos Script (亂書) and abstract ink paintings by Wang.

Born in Jiangsu, China in 1945, Wang is one of China’s most celebrated contemporary artist. The current professor of China Academy of Fine Arts and Doctoral Supervisor has been making waves in the art world and established himself as a contemporary artist with his ground-breaking Chaos Script.

This short video introduces him to inherit the essence of traditional calligraphy and transform the extensive and profound art form into a unique representative of contemporary art, thus transcending cultural barriers and emerging into a cross-boundary visual language.

著名當代抽象水墨藝術家王冬齡，以開創性的「亂書」立足國際藝壇。此短片介紹了他在繼承傳統書法精髓之上，以創新的思維把博大精深的傳統書法蛻變成爲獨具當代藝術代表性的「亂書」，把中國傳統書法由此超越文化隔閡，昇華為一種跨界的視覺語言，走入當代藝術的範疇之中。

欲想了解更多信息，請通過電話和電郵與我們聯系。電話: (65) 6339 0678﹔电子郵件: enquiry@ipreciation.com。

Poetry of Colours 《濃墨重彩》 – A Solo Exhibition by Zhuang Shengtao (Exclusively Online)

Poetry of Colours – E-CatalogueDownload

Poetry of Colours 《濃墨重彩》 – A Solo Exhibition by Zhuang Shengtao

Online Exhibition Dates: 17 Jul to 8 Aug 2020

Featuring 30 paintings by Zhuang Shengtao, this online exhibition titled Poetry of Colours showcases the latest ink and pigment on watercolour paper series created in 2019. Departing from his bold and dark ink on rice paper works, Zhuang hopes to explore the exciting synergies between rich pigments and bold brush strokes. The end result is a spectacular visual effect that highlights Zhuang’s artistic versatility.

A modern-day literati artist, Zhuang enjoys reading poetry and literature and often draws inspiration from nature, with the autumn season featured as a recurring theme in his works. He once mentioned, the mellowing atmosphere and rich sombre textures of autumn landscapes are especially stimulating as they offer a wide range of possibilities. This is also evident in his latest series, where the artist found himself once again captivated by the change of seasons and the beauty of the lush vivid red and orange hues of the autumn foliage.

For more enquiries, please contact us at (65) 63390678 or at enquiry@ipreciation.com.

以「濃墨重彩」為題, 誰先覺為新加坡當代水墨先鋒莊聲濤舉辦首次線上個展, 共展出三十張最新的小型創作。展期從2020.07.17至2020.08.08。歡迎大家上網參觀。

與一貫黑白水墨創作不同，此些新作運用了豐富的色彩和粗獷的筆觸。喜愛閱讀詩歌和文學，莊從大自然中悠游而獲取靈感。被秋天色彩和景色而感觸，激起他創作的衝動。

欲了解更多信息，請通過電話和電郵與我們聯系。電話: (65) 6339 0678﹔电子郵件: enquiry@ipreciation.com。

Delia Celina/ functional – Wearable Art by Delia Prvacki

Delia Celina / functional – E-CatalogueDownload

iPreciation is delighted to introduce Delia Celina/ functional, a series of wearable art created by renowned Singapore ceramic artist Delia Prvacki. 

Delia Celina/ functional showcases a myriad of ceramic necklaces with alluring delicate petal-like and vibrant gleaming beads gracefully reflecting nature and life – universal and timeless themes which have been driving Delia’s artistry spanning fifty years.

Beyond her nature-themed collection, Delia has recently conceived a new series of necklaces: “Painting on My Chest”. Gently resting against the wearer’s chest, these necklaces each hangs a ceramic pendant hand-painted delicately by the artist. They resemble miniature landscapes, still life paintings or abstract compositions, capturing a moment of curiosity, contemplation or even provocation from the viewer.

Delia’s beads and pendants are distinct to each necklace; The uniqueness of each charm is created through a meticulous process of hand moulding, precise colouring and high firing till it achieves the desired rich texture. She approaches every element as a miniature artwork, stringing them together deftly by hand. Her one of a kind statement pieces can be worn in two ways (necklaces are reversible).

Delia marries art with fashion to create wearable ceramic art necklaces expressing each wearer’s unique personality. Alongside her ceramic sculptures and murals, Delia’s intricate and beautiful wearable ceramic art pieces are also a testament to her artistic mastery and they capture her wish to make art accessible to all.

Delia Celina/ functional is available for view online, and actual pieces may be viewed by appointment at iPreciation. For other information on Delia Celina/ functional and Delia’s artworks, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com.

Delia Prvacki (b. 1950, Baia Mare, Romania) graduated from the Bucharest Institute of Fine Arts in 1975 with a Master in Applied Arts. Subsequently, she moved to former Yugoslavia with her husband, colleague and artist Milenko Prvacki, where she began her full-time career as an artist. While living and working in there, she received numerous awards including the Special Award and Critic’s Award (1981) at the Yugoslav Triennial of Ceramics, and the Annual Art Award (1982) by the Serbian Association of Applied Artists.

In 1992, Delia relocated to Singapore with Milenko and their daughter Ana. Finding inspiration in the new environment, she deeply immersed herself in a novel creative pursuit and became widely recognised for her ceramic artworks including murals and sculptures. Delia’s major public projects have also been a focal point in many urban areas and institutions such as Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore Power Building, NUS (Alice Lee Plaza) and Marina South Pier MRT Station.

Delia’s works are in the permanent collections of Museum of Modern Art, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Museum of Ceramics, Porvoo-Borgaa, Finland, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, NUS Museum and Singapore, and in numerous private collections worldwide. 

Topography of Hybrid Imagery – A Duo Exhibition by Delia and Milenko Prvacki

 

Topography of Hybrid Imagery – E-CatalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: 8 Jan 2020, Wed, 6 – 8 pm (By Invitation Only, Artists Present) *Please note that the date has been changed from 9 Jan to 8 Jan 2020*

Exhibition Opens to Public: 9 Jan – 1 Feb 2020

iPreciation is proud to present new works by Delia and Milenko Prvacki in a duo exhibition titled – Topography of Hybrid Imagery.

Delia draws parallels between the interbreeding nature of the word “hybridity” with the sense of assemblage in her practice. Her latest ceramic sculptures emanate the alluring charm of futurism and its applications. Milenko focuses on the dynamic interactions of social and cultural fragments, bringing forth a whimsical space, though flattened in the collision and synthesis of different forces.

While Delia works with ceramics and Milenko works with painting, this exhibition brings together their latest works in an analytical method, emphasizing their basic materiality structure and application of their unique visual vocabulary.

 

Delia Prvacki (b. 1950, Baia Mare, Romania) graduated from the Bucharest Institute of Fine Arts in 1975 with a Master’s Degree in Applied Arts. Subsequently, she moved to former Yugoslavia to practice art, where she was awarded the Special Award and the Critic’s Award at the Yugoslav Triennial of Ceramics 1981, and the Annual Art Award from the Serbian Association of Applied Artists in 1982.

In 1991, Delia relocated to Singapore with Milenko Prvacki and her family. She has received numerous commissions for public projects, which have been a focal point in many urban areas and institutions such as Shangri La Hotel, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore Power Building, NUS (Alice Lee Plaza), Marina South Pier MRT Station.

Delia’s works are in the permanent collection of Museum of Modern Art, Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Museum of Ceramics, Porvoo-Borgaa, Finland, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, NUS Museum, Singapore, among others.

Milenko Prvacki (b. 1951, Vojvodina, Former Yugoslavia) graduated with a Masters in Fine Arts (Painting) from the Institute of Fine Arts in Bucharest, Romania. Before moving to Singapore in 1991, he had exhibited extensively throughout Europe and won many awards, including the Special Jury Award, Academie Internationale De Lutece in 1986 and the 2nd International Drawing Triennial, Museum of Contemporary Drawing Award and Faber Castel Award Nurnberg, Germany in 1982. From 1994 to 2010, Milenko was Dean at the Faculty of Fine Arts in Singapore’s LASALLE College of the Arts. He is currently serving as Senior Fellow in the Office of the President at Lasalle. Milenko was awarded the Cultural Medallion of 2012 by the National Arts Council for his contributions in enriching Singapore’s visual art scene.

Milenko’s works are in the permanent collection of the Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Australia, Museum of Contemporary Art, Belgrade, Serbia, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore and Museum of Contemporary Drawing, Nurnberg, Germany, among others.

The Pulse of Ink 《墨脈》 – Ink Paintings of Irene Chou

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Exhibition Opens to Public: 14 Nov – 31 Dec 2019

iPreciation is delighted to showcase the ink paintings of Irene Chou, a key figure in the New Ink Painting Movement in the 1960s-1980s. Her works integrate the art and philosophy of the East and the West, and that of the past and the present, transcending through space and time. She explored, through her ink and colour paintings, the inner workings of the mind and its relationship with the mysteries of the universe.

This exhibition features Chou’s paintings after her stroke in 1991 and works before her passing in 2011. During this period, confined and isolated in her physical body, her mind ironically became freer. Free to perceive beyond bounded rationalities, free to conceive different artistic expressions, free to pour out what is within her heart. Her art took a more introspective turn to the metaphysical contemplations of life and the universe – the art of her inner world. Also, during this period, many of her major works were being collected and displayed for example, at ADC Building (Brisbane), Menara Standard Chartered (Kuala Lumpur), Biopolis (Jurong Town Corporation, Singapore) and Keppel Bay Tower (Keppel Land, Singapore).

 

Irene Chou 周綠雲 (b. 1924-2011) was born in Shanghai in 1924. Chou received a modern education from St. John’s University in 1945. Leaving Shanghai to settle in Hong Kong in 1949, she began to study Chinese painting under Zhao Shao’ang (1905-1998), an artist of the Lingnan School, during the 1950s. In the 1960s, Chou studied under the tutelage of Lu Shou-Kun (1919-1975), whose theories of New Ink Painting inspired her to move away from conventional Chinese styles towards abstract forms. She explored, through her paintings, the inner workings of the mind and its relationship to the mysteries of the universe. Chou often used the quote “The Universe is my mind; my mind is the Universe”, taken from the writings of Chinese philosopher Lu Jiuyan (1139-1192) of the Southern Song dynasty. These words serve as an important source of inspiration for her. Her abstract paintings from the 1980s onwards exploded with stunning energies seen in both her dense, textural strokes and her broad, slab-like strokes of ink and colour. These powerful works have rendered her as one of the most innovative artists of the New Ink Painting movement in Hong Kong.

 At the age of 67 in 1991, Chou suffered a bad stroke and moved to Brisbane to recover. As she slowly and painfully rebuilt her physical body, she rebuilt herself and her art in the process. She was persistent, creating paintings with great difficulties on the floor on her hands and knees. Through this, Chou was reborn as a stronger and more focused artist. The strong drive and perseverance to move forward and not look back moved Chou to perfect her techniques, propelling her works to new heights. She would adopt the drip and splash method to create a sense of movement and rhythm in her paintings. At times, she would use the sweep of broad brushstrokes liken a huge ‘gulf’ to create further impact. 

 Her works are collected in private collections and many prestigious international institutions and cooperations including; the British Museum, the Chinese University Museum, the Fung Ping Shan Museum and the Hong Kong Museum of Arts, the University of Hong Kong, the City Gallery in Manila, the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, the National Arts Centre, the National Museum of History in Taipei, the Queensland Art Gallery, the Melbourne Raya Gallery in Australia, GIC Singapore, Jurong Town Corporation, Harbour View, Keppel Land and the Museum of Brisbane. 

For more information on The Pulse of Ink and Chou’s works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.

*Web banner artwork is a partial image of Irene Chou’s My First Australian Landscape,1995,152x101cm,Ink and Colour on Paper Mounted on Canvas

Bloom – A Duo Exhibition by Ashley Yeo and Jodi Tan

 

Bloom – E-CatalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: 17 Oct 2019, Thurs, 6 – 8 pm (By Invitation Only, Artists Present)

Exhibition Opens to Public: 18 Oct – 2 Nov 2019

iPreciation is proud to present a duo exhibition titled Bloom, featuring new works by two young Singaporean female artists, Ashley Yeo and Jodi Tan.

When one mentions the word “bloom”, flowers are the first thing that comes to minds. Flowers have always been known for their natural charms. The floral subject was widely embraced in art of different eras and has evolved in its embodiment in artworks over time. In contemporary art today, the trend of floral being used as an attractive feature or accent has not been seen dwindling. It continues to be used by artists as a source of inspiration, and a concept to work with to create artworks. Apart from being a charmer, or decorative in appearance, how else can we view a flower?

Bloom is an exhibition that hopes to present alternative perceptions and interpretations of floral in a more poetical light through the works of both Ashley and Jodi. The artworks will highlight the borrowing a flower’s presence to explore and present a new perspective on how or what a floral can be in contemporary art by having a simpler and genuine interest in florals.

Ashley takes references from botanical symmetry to create delicate paper cut structures. The lightness and fragility of these works can be related to a flower’s true fragility and impermanence. At the same time, a flower’s natural perseverance and vigour to multiply and survive can be seen within her paper cut art, where floral patterns flow seamlessly from edge to edge. It is in the accumulation of detail in her artworks, where the viewer can see strength and an underlying intensity of a message being silently conveyed.

Jodi questions the significance of a subject matter and one’s perception of it. To her, paintings of flowers have been typecast as decorative or dated, and various symbolisms have been embodied by the use of florals in both classical and ornamental paintings. Her paintings continue to blur the line between figurative and abstraction by disassociation from, or reduction of, the known symbolisms and associated meanings to florals in art. This allows viewers of her art to question – or choose – their interpretation of her floral still life paintings.

 

Ashley Yeo (b. 1990, Singapore) has graduated with a Master’s Degree in Fine Art from the University of Arts London, Chelsea College of the Art & Design, United Kingdom in 2012. She was the first Singaporean artist to be shortlisted for the LOEWE Craft Prize, London, United Kingdom (2018). Ashley had founded her practice through drawing and has developed her practice of creating artworks of exceptionally light, delicate crafts with meticulous details. Ashley is often inspired by nature, and by taking in the nature of a plant such as flowers; the impermanence, frailty, and delicateness. In her latest practice of papercut art, she demonstrates a slow and light construction that attempts to present an elegant and emotional resonance through the use of the material and repeated patterns. The repetition in her creative process reflects and meditates on the contemporary society of the world that has contributed to an array of anxieties and emptiness. Ashley is interested in presenting new objects in silence that attempts to articulate equanimity, generating a discourse of the obfuscation of things and the epidemics of visual culture.

Jodi Tan (b. 1990, Singapore) has graduated with a B.A. (Honours) in Fine Arts from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore in 2011. She was also awarded the Winston Oh Travel Award, Singapore, in the same year. Jodi’s core interest lies in image-making and image reading. As she continues her ongoing series of “Still Life”, her works are often created with found images, which she would derive particular colours or textures that spoke to her, then reconstructs the image in ambiguity, blurring the line between figuration and abstraction. In her works, Jodi explores the creation of an image where interference from symbolisms and associated meanings are reduced, or even becomes irrelevant. With a hint of familiarity, the artworks are presented to its viewer with a doubt or a choice; what does one choose to see, and how does one read the image?

For more information on Bloom and the artists’ works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.

iPreciation at Ink Asia 2019 Hong Kong (Booth J3)

 

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Irene Chou, Koo Mei, Ju Ming, Gao Xingjian, Wang Dongling, Chen Xinmao, Jin Jie, Cai Heng, Chu Chu – A group exhibition of ink paintings, contemporary calligraphy and sculptures, presented at Ink Asia 2019.

Venue:

Booth J3, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hall 3

Fair Dates and Opening Hours:

3 Oct 2019, Thu

3pm – 9pm                               Private Preview (By Invitation Only)

6pm – 9pm                               Vernissage (By Invitation Only)

4 – 6 Oct 2019, Fri – Sun

11am – 7:30pm                        Open to Public

7 Oct 2019, Mon

11am – 6pm                             Open to Public

 

iPRECIATION is delighted to announce our participation in Ink Asia 2019, presenting a selection of finest contemporary calligraphy, ink paintings, oil paintings and sculptures by nine prominent Asian artists, namely Irene Chou, Koo Mei, Ju Ming, Gao Xingjian, Wang Dongling, Chen Xinmao, Jin Jie, Cai Heng, and Chu Chu.

For Visitor and VIP Passes to Ink Asia 2019, or for more information on the art fair, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email Brian at brian.foong@ipreciation.com

A Lack of Significance 《不重要的重要》- A Solo Exhibition by Yeo Tze Yang

 

A-Lack-of-Significance-不重要的重要-E-CatalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺), 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: 8 Aug 2019, Thurs, 6 – 8 pm (By Invitation Only, Artist Present)

Exhibition Opens to Public: 10 Aug – 24 Aug 2019

Artist Dialogue with Zulfadhli Hilmi: 17 Aug 2019, Sat, 2pm

iPRECIATION is delighted to present a solo exhibition by emerging young Singaporean artist Yeo Tze Yang 楊子揚, titled A Lack of Significance《不重要的重要》. An exceptionally talented painter, Yeo was awarded the Silver prize for the UOB Painting of the Year established category in 2016. His figurative, still-life and landscape artwork often encapsulates the everyday life in Singapore and its surrounding region. Recognising the sentimental value within the forgotten and neglected persons, objects and places of his immediate surroundings, Yeo finds it worthwhile to paint their stories. He believes in the unity of life and art, and envisions his works to speak for themselves to viewers of any background. He hopes that his artworks would inspire viewers to re-discover and appreciate everyday life in Singapore. Since young, art has always been Yeo’s favourite subject in school. However, it was only when he was in National Junior College, studying art history and under the influence of his art teacher, Lee Pheng Guan, that he began to start painting and developing his artistic practice. By the end of his Junior College years, he began to participate in exhibitions. Other than his teacher, Yeo’s father, Yeo Hong Peng, a commercial illustrator and Elaine Navas, a Filipino painter based in Singapore, also play a huge role in influencing his artistic practice. For Yeo, his father inspires him to paint figurative while he considers Navas as a close friend whom he has learnt a lot from. Yeo relates strongly to Navas’s artistic approach because he finds that both of them share a similar artistic philosophy and they would constantly be found engaging in deep discussions about life and art.

This exhibition will showcase 25 oil paintings which Yeo has laboriously worked on since early 2017. From an old man sitting in what seems like the middle of nowhere to a discarded lottery ticket, Yeo continues to memorialise the lives of ordinary people, paying particular focus on the neglected in our daily lives. The “Fruits and Vegetables Shop,”  a major work spanning across six panels, is an impressive 180 by 466 centimeters painting which portrays Yeo’s re-imagination of a wet market in Singapore. The painting is detailed, containing a variety of fruits and vegetables, stacks of all kinds of boxes, a Singapore flag and the names of goods and prices scrawled on Styrofoam boards. Yeo’s portrayal of the local iconographies and the atmosphere of the wet market proposes an alternative to local identity based on Yeo’s retrospection of Singapore and its surrounding region. As Yeo said, these paintings “unveil and challenge ideas on localness that coincide with narratives of nationhood”.

A Lack of Significance《不重要的重要》 oxymoronically will bring significance to the insignificant, not only offering viewers a refreshing take on the old tradition of figurative painting, but also charging the banal with socio-political, metaphorical, psychological and spiritual possibilities.

 

Yeo Tze Yang (b. 1994, Singapore) has been conferred the Silver Award of UOB Painting of the Year in 2016. His paintings often depict the unnoticed and bypassed places and objects of his immediate surroundings. Avoiding contemporary conceptual approaches to art, he instead reverts back to a more direct and emotive approach to painting. As a Southeast Asian major, Yeo is deeply interested in issues pertaining the region and the subject matter of his artworks are derived from across the region. The result of such a process is an accumulation of images, thoughts, emotions, stories and memories, that in turn become allegories of both the artist’s life and the stories that his audiences weave into his works. His works are collected in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States and in the UOB collection.

For more information on A Lack of Significance and Yeo Tze Yang’s works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.

Dance with the Wind 《隨風起舞》 – A Solo Exhibition by Han Sai Por

Dance-with-the-Wind-E-CatalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: 4 Jul 2019, Thursday, 6 – 8pm (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: 5 Jul – 20 Jul 2019

iPRECIATION is proud to present a solo exhibition by Han Sai Por 韩少芙, titled Dance With the Wind「隨風起舞」. Han is a prominent second-generation Singapore artist who has been recognised by the art industry as one of the leading modern sculptor driving the sculptural art scene to date.  She has been conferred countless awards from the Singapore Culural Medallion in 1995, the top praise winner of the 11th Triennale India in 2005 to the winner of “The Leonardo Award for Sculpture” Chianciano Art Biennale in Italy, 2015. Widely acknowledged locally and internationally, Han has been actively participating in many prestigious art exhibitions. A thematic concern, commonly found in her artworks, involve the desire to reflect the beauty and importance of nature in our society.

Inspired by the natural cycle of life, her artworks depict the elegant beauty of nature and embody the philosophical thought of how ‘nature works in mysterious ways’. All of her paintings predominantly consist of bold black and white strokes of acrylic paint, with a few works containing other colours like dark blue and red. Han’s decision to dominate most of her canvas paintings with a black and white colour scheme allows her to create a dynamic visual perception of nature in both its abstract and solid form. This classic colour palette, often associated with modernist and minimalist themes, further encapsulates Han’s aesthetical perception of nature as being elegant and mysterious. The thick brush strokes across her paintings show how nature interacts with the atmosphere and the spacial constraint surrounding it. These bold and energetic abstract paintings will inspire the viewer’s imagination as they get to visually experience the wind shifting at different angles, giving the illusion that these paintings are coming to life.   

The sculptures, meticulously carved out of Han white marble stone slabs （漢白玉）and stainless steel, are shaped according to the flora and fauna present in our everyday lives. Han felt that the reflective surface of the stainless steel in comparison with the opaqueness of the Han white marble juxtaposes nicely against one another. When Han first started the sculpturing process, she did it in China before bringing them back to Singapore for the final polishing. Every detail, from the smooth edges to the curves and lines present in each of her sculptures, reflects the sheer amount of time, labour and effort Han had invested in perfecting them. Han’s minimalistic approach in her artworks translates the profoundness behind her artistic thought when she was in the process of developing her paintings and sculptures. The gallery space, thus, becomes a temporal space for audiences to immerse, interact and appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of nature brought by Han Sai Por’s artworks.

 

Han Sai Por (b. 1943) is one of Asia’s leading modern sculptors and a recipient of Singapore’s Cultural Medallion award in 1995. Being educated in Fine Arts at Wolverhampton College of Art, United Kingdom (1983) as well as Landscape Architecture in Lincon University, New Zealand (2008), have established her knowledge in the understanding of nature and its environment, which in turn influenced her artistic work. Most of her organic works are inspired by the flora and fauna found in tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Her work comments on the changing landscape in the region and the deforestation that adversely impacts the environment and ecosystem. “The Black Forest” installation in 2011 is one such example as the series of works being exhibited contained strong social commentary on the bleak consequences of deforestation.

Han has participated in numerous international exhibitions around the world. Her works can be found in many private collections, international and local institutions, and public spaces including; National Museum of Singapore, Suzhou Centre in China, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore National Art Gallery, China National Museum in Beijing, Portland Sculpture Park in England and World United Nation, New York Singapore office building.

 

For more information on Dance with the Wind and Han Sai Por’s works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.

Peony Pavilion 《遊園驚夢》 – A Solo Exhibition by Chen Xinmao

Peony Pavilion – E-CatalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation, 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: 11 Apr 2019, Thursday, 6 – 8pm (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: 12 Apr – 27 Apr 2019

Artist Talk: 13 Apr 2019, Saturday, 2pm (Moderator: Ms Chow Yian Ping)

iPRECIATION is proud to present a solo exhibition by Chinese artist Chen Xinmao 陳心懋 (b. 1954), entitled Peony Pavilion「遊園驚夢」. Chen, currently a Professor at East China Normal University, College of the Arts in Shanghai, has exhibited widely across China and internationally. This exhibition marks the debut of Chen’s artworks in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Peony Pavilion「遊園驚夢」 by Chen Xinmao 陳心懋 is the first of iPRECIATION year 2019 series of ink exhibitions that highlights outstanding Chinese and Singapore artists and their contemporary encounters and reinterpretation of the long tradition of ink painting. iPRECIATION year 2019 series of ink exhibitions will also include exhibitions by Cai Guangbin, Jennifer Wen Ma, and Zhuang Shengtao.

This exhibition showcases Chen’s most recent works entitled “Peony Pavilion” inspired by China’s famous kunqu opera of the same name, written by the Ming dynasty playwright Tang Xianzu in 1598. The opera tells a fantastical love story of an official’s daughter Du Liniang and a young scholar Liu Mengmei. Transcending time and space, and life and death, Peony Pavilion has enchanted its audiences across the centuries.

Chen has seen the opera multiple times and was inspired to create artworks based on its story. In depicting the well-loved story, Chen aims to capture the essence of the “Chinese aesthetic”. Defining the “Chinese aesthetic” has been a key focus in Chen’s art over the years. As a part of the generation of Chinese artists who were born in the 1950s, Chen has experienced China’s tumultuous political and cultural changes, which culminated in the Cultural Revolution and the 1985 New Art Wave Movement.

With the influx of various artistic influences, methods, and ideologies, Chinese artists of the time explored various modes of individualistic expression. Chen’s diverse artistic influences come to the fore in the melange of text and imagery of mountains, rocks, landscapes and varied figures seen in his Peony Pavilion artworks. In Chen’s work, he has always made use of a diversity of subjects and media, yet he has always maintained his goal of capturing the traditional Chinese aesthetic in the contemporary era.

Chen believes that landscape painting continues to be representative of the Chinese aesthetic, particularly in the depiction of gardens and its related elements. Peony Pavilion and its garden setting, which the entire opera takes place in, realise Chen’s thoughts on how best to portray gardens in his paintings.

According to Chen, while the garden carries importance, the figures in the garden form the central focus of his paintings. Chen views the people in his depicted gardens as a symbol of humankind. Whether in the past or present, people have been demarcated by religion, ethnicity, laws and social customs, yet they share a universal search for freedom and equality.

The figures in Chen’s paintings provide depth and breadth in their encompassment of the relationships between humans and society. Chen’s works reflect the indispensable tradition of Chinese painting of cleansing our hearts and minds.

Chen Xinmao 陳心懋 (b. 1954, China) studied at the Art Department of Shanghai Theatre Academy for his bachelor’s degree and graduated in 1982. He later obtained his master’s degree from Nanjing University of the Arts in 1987. On top of practising his artistic career, Chen is presently a Professor at East China Normal University, College of the Arts.

For more information on Peony Pavilion and Chen’s works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.

iPreciation at Taipei Dangdai 2019

Taipei Dangdai 2019 E-catalogueDownload

Booth: C07

Taipei Dangdai 2019 –  Cheung Yee, Gao Xingjian, Irene Chou, Wang Dongling, Milenko Prvacki, Lim Soo Ngee, Oh Chai Hoo and Tay Bak Chiang

 

Fair Dates and Opening Hours

17 Jan 2019, Thursday

VIP Preview: 2pm-5pm

Vernissage: 5pm-9pm

18 Jan 2019, Friday

VIP Only Access: 11am-12pm

Public Access: 12pm-8pm

19 Jan 2019, Saturday

VIP Only Access: 11am-12pm

Public Access: 12pm-7pm

20 Jan 2019, Sunday

VIP Only Access: 11am-12pm

Public Access: 12pm-5pm

 

Location: Taipei Nangang Exhibition Centre

No. 1, Jingmao 2nd Road, Nangang District, Taipei City, Taiwan 115

 

iPreciation is proud to present a diverse range of works by eight renowned Asian artists at the inaugural Taipei Dangdai art fair.

Cheung Yee (b. 1936, Hong Kong/USA) is a pioneer sculptor in Hong Kong, fusing ancient Chinese culture from the I Ching (Book of Changes) with modern sculptural forms, evident in his unprecedented cast paper murals and sculptures. As a well-respected art educator, Cheung was a recipient of the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1979 and a professor of Fine Arts at the Chinese University of Hong Kong until 1998. He is the only living artist to be invited to show a solo exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of Art.

Gao Xingjian (b. 1940, China/France) is an important leading cultural figure, and he was the first Chinese to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2000. Different from writing, his luminous ink paintings is another creative channel through which he captures his inner mindscapes.

The late Irene Chou (1924-2011, Shanghai/Hong Kong/Australia) was one of Hong Kong’s pioneering artists behind the New Ink Painting movement during the 1960s-70s. After suffering from a stroke in 1991, she was determined to overcome her physical difficulties. The unbridled energy and emotion of her abstract paintings reflect her strong and unwavering spirit and her inner world.

Wang Dongling (b. 1945, China) is one of China’s most highly regarded calligrapher and ink artist. He is best known for his “Wild Cursive” calligraphic works, characterised by their erratic and dynamic strokes. His works are deeply rooted in the ancient philosophies of Buddhism and Taoism, as well as Chinese poetry. As an art educator, he is presently a professor of calligraphy at the calligraphy department of China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China.

Milenko Prvacki‘s (b. 1951, Yugoslavia/Singapore) abstract paintings reflect his memories with their distinctive motifs, symbols and shapes. His work exudes a personal narrative and distinctive visual language honed over forty years of practice. As an art educator for over twenty years in Singapore, Prvački has contributed significantly to the landscape as a formidable force of influence and mentorship to the younger generation of artists.

Lim Soo Ngee’s (b. 1962, Singapore) approach to sculpture is immensely intimate, musing over the different relationships between humanity, the environment and society. His works present themselves as whimsical narratives that offer a commentary on the human condition. Aside from practising art, Lim has been a full-time lecturer at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts since 1998, where Lim is presently a senior lecturer.

Oh Chai Hoo (b. 1960, Singapore), an art prodigy, held his first exhibition at the tender age of fifteen in a National Day group exhibition at the Victoria Memorial Hall, alongside many distinctive artists including pioneer generation artists Chen Wen Hsi and Cheong Soo Pieng. Oh pushes the boundaries of ink painting, evident in his paintings of vast rock formations that exude enigmatic qualities and a stunning sense of depth and texture.

Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973, Malaysia/Singapore) comes from an artistic background based in traditional Chinese ink painting and philosophy. Tay broke away from this formalist approach and reinterprets Chinese art forms by depicting traditional subjects of rock forms and the guqin instrument using contemporary media of ink and pigment on canvas and paper.

For more information on the fair and the VIP pass, please contact us at 65 6339 0678 or enquiry@ipreciation.com. You may also visit https://taipeidangdai.com/.

 

Passing – A Solo Exhibition of Vincent Leow’s works

Passing A Solo Exhibition by Vincent Leow E-CatalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation (誰先覺) 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: 10 Jan 2019, Thursday, 6 – 8pm (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: 11 Jan – 26 Jan 2019

 

iPRECIATION is proud to present a solo exhibition by Singapore artist Vincent Leow, entitled Passing. This exhibition showcases twenty-five works by Leow from 2007 to 2018, featuring paintings, mixed media and a sculptural work. Leow considers the impermanence of life through the passage of time, and explores the sentiment of losing something or someone.

Leow’s works are informed by the cultural and social issues around him. From 2008 to 2013, Leow taught Painting at the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and his works created during this period of time reveal many influences from the region. His series of silhouette portraits allude to censorship in the UAE, while works featuring superimposed layers of animals and people speak of the political crises that have confronted the Arab world. Since Leow’s return to Singapore, his works look to historical issues closer to home, such as the “Merdeka” battle cry used in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia calling for freedom, anti-colonialism and independence in the 1950s. Yet, Leow continues to create works based on news of loss in the Arab region.

Vincent Leow (b. 1961, Singapore) has been teaching at the School of the Arts, Singapore since 2013. Leow received his Diploma in Fine Art, Sculpture from LASALLE, College of the Arts in 1987 and his Master of Fine Art from Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, USA in 1991. In 2005, Leow attained his Doctorate of Fine Art from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Australia. Leow has held numerous solo exhibitions since 1991, most recently For Those Who Have Been Killed at the Visual Arts Development Association, Singapore in 2015. For his contribution to the arts, Leow was also awarded the Culture Award by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Singapore in 2002. Leow’s works are also in the collections of National Gallery Singapore, NUS Museum – National University of Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, Deutsche Bank Singapore, National Arts Council, Singapore, National Institute of Education, Singapore, Fukuoka Art Museum and in other private collections.

 

For more information on Passing and Vincent Leow’s works, please contact us at (65) 6339 0678 or email us at enquiry@ipreciation.com.

Ritual · In Progress 《儀式 · 進行中》- A Solo Exhibition by Lim Soo Ngee

 

 

Ritual – A Solo Exhibition by Lim Soo Ngee – E-CatalogueDownload

Venue: iPreciation

50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: Thursday, November 15, 2018 (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: November 16 – December 1, 2018

 

iPreciation will be presenting a solo exhibition featuring artist Lim Soo Ngee (b. 1962, Singapore) which opens to public from November 16, 2018 until December 1, 2018. Ritual · In Progress 「儀式 · 進行中」will feature series of sculptural works as well as several prints. Lim’s inspiration largely stems from the natively sourced wooden carved statues of ancestors found in South East Asian aboriginal villages, which is used as a significant emblem of identity. The ancestor statues are treated with honour and respect as it represents a rich history of its forefathers and a narrative of their land.

In particular, a series of seven wood carvings titled We, The People (2018) shows Lim depicting a story of an ordinary person switching between seven different personalities facing various scenarios. The story manifests in a never-ending cycle, as the character changes faces transforming into different roles and people, day by day without fail. This consistent adaptation to life’s changing dynamism is Lim’s interpretation of the term “Rituals”. In this exhibition, he also fulfils his long-time dream of creating 100 pieces of figurines for a separate series. Ultimately, he hopes to present and express contemporary stories of life which is guided either consciously or unconsciously through rituals using his own traditional carving techniques.

Lim Soo Ngee (b. 1962, Singapore) is currently senior lecturer at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore. He earned a Diploma in Fine Art (Sculpture) from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1989 before continuing to pursue a Master of Fine Arts (Sculpture) from Edinburgh College of Art in 1997. Lim’s approach to sculpture is immensely intimate, musing over the different relationships between humanity, the environment and society. As such, his works usually present themselves as whimsical narratives that offer a commentary on the human condition.

Lim has represented Singapore in numerous exhibitions both locally and internationally, and is a regular contributor to many international sculpture symposiums, such as the inaugural International Woodcarving Symposium, Singapore in 2007,  Hong Kong International Sculpture Symposium 2009 as well as the  International Sculpture symposium of the 11th Asian Art Festival, where his work was featured and has now become the permanent collection of the Asian Sculpture Theme Park in Inner Mongolia, China. In 2016, Lim was selected to participate in the “ Singapore Biennale – An Atlas of Mirrors” as a commissioned artist. His works are also in the collection of the Singapore National Art Gallery, Esplanade Singapore, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Singapore, Ngee Ann Kongsi Singapore and other local and international private collections.

The Fisherman and the Woodcutter 《漁樵問答》- A Solo Exhibition by Tay Bak Chiang

Venue: iPreciation

50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House #01-01, Singapore 249724

Private Preview: Thursday, October 18, 2018 (By Invitation Only)

Exhibition Opens to Public: October 19, 2018 – November 3, 2018

iPreciation will be presenting a solo exhibition titled The Fisherman and the Woodcutter 「漁樵問答」featuring artist Tay Bak Chiang 鄭木彰. In this exhibition, Tay uses the guqin, also known as the seven-stringed Chinese zither, as an exploratory subject in his latest canvas paintings. Inspired by the classic guqin melody “Conversation Between a Fisherman and a Woodcutter” which serenades a carefree life amidst nature, Tay seeks comfort in the subtle and tranquil melodic tones. It echoes and serves as a metaphor that Tay yearns for as the way of life. Using elegant and minimalist contemporary aesthetics, Tay chooses to compose the interpretative layers he discovers in the subject matter of guqin through his own unique visual language. He presents intimate, unseen layers of meanings within the age-old oriental instrument in his paintings, which in fact mirrors his personal outlook on life.

Tay Bak Chiang (b. 1973, Malaysia/Singapore) graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore in 1995 and studied at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China. Tay has always been inspired by the qualities of nature. To him, nature is perfection, balance and harmony. In recent works, he experiments with deconstructing and reconfiguring subject matters that intrigues him such as the traditional oriental instrument of guqin, portraying them with an aesthetic quality of minimalistic simplicity. He believes that his work should reflect the spirit of contemporary times, hence continues to push the boundaries and contemporise the genre of Chinese ink painting using canvas, as he recognises the limitations of rice paper as a medium.

This will be Tay’s third solo exhibition with iPreciation following the success of “From a Distance” in Art Basel Hong Kong, 2016 and “Cleavages Fractures Folds” in 2014. It witnesses Tay’s departure from his rock series and marks his progressive attempts to introduce newer and fresher perspectives of the guqin into his creations. To arrange for a private viewing appointment or more information on Tay’s paintings, please contact us at enquiry@ipreciation.com or +65 6339 0678.

Wonderful World of Color by Tse Yim On《謝炎安的彩色美好世界》- A Solo Exhibition

 

Exhibition Opens to Public: 18 July 2018 – 5 August 2018, 11.00am – 10.00pm

 

 

iPRECIATION will hold a solo exhibition titled Wonderful World of Color by Tse Yim On《謝炎安的彩⾊美好世界》featuring around 15 works between 2011 – 2018 by Hong Kong contemporary artist Tse Yim On 謝炎安, on July 18 2018 to August 5 2018 at the Gallery by the Harbour, Harbour City, Hong Kong. Featured works include acrylic paintings on canvas from Tse’s Mongkok Library series, Hong Kong Seals Series in 2011, 2012 as well as latest paintings.

 

In late 2012, Tse gained significant recognition for his Mongkok Library series when it previewed in Hong Kong. Not only was his choice of colour combination refreshing to the local crowd, the familiar subject matters also spoke to them. Named after the “Mongkok” district in Hong Kong, known to be a melting pot for subcultures, the series of acrylic paintings models a library and invites the audience to discover the various subcultures in Hong Kong. Works such as Anita – 艷芳 (2011) and Ann – 愛芳 (2011) shows acclaimed Hong Kong media icon, Anita Mui and her sister Ann Mui as Japanese manga-like characters looking fixedly ahead at children’s classics. While the paintings seek to remember and commemorate the pair’s sisterly love, Tse’s multi-layered compositions often invite his audiences to interpret his works on many levels. His skillful proficiency in referencing popular culture references then synthesising them into colourful, quirky narratives of his own is a distinctive quality of the artist.

 

Tse’s colourful repertoire continues to evolve in this solo exhibition. A portion of Hong Kong Seals Series that will be exhibited reveals a specific and striking shade of red and blue that Tse has used. Particularly inspired by the 1970s era when Tse was born, he considers subject matters such as cultural figures, visual style during the time, landmarks like public housing, even imagined memories as a child, as foundation for his creation. Tse manipulates these images of collective memories and reassembles them to mimic a Seal Carving composition. This can be seen in works such as Wonderful World (1974)《美好世界》 (1974) (2016) and Wonderful World (1997)《美好世界》 (1997) (2016). In his own way, Tse uses his highly colored lens of cartoonic visuals and pop culture aesthetics to express a one-of-a-kind visual narrative in Hong Kong.

 

About Artist :

Born in Hong Kong, in 1974, Tse is a contemporary artist who is known for his bold and fanatically colored tongue-in-cheek works. Like the majority of Generation X in Hong Kong, Tse grew up in an environment culturally influenced by local and foreign popular culture, particularly Japanese animation, games and manga; apparent in the caricatured characters and bold text that appear in his paintings. Working primarily with acrylic on canvas, Tse’s vividly colored paintings depict familiar imagery derived from Hong Kong and speaks strongly of identity and culture from the perspective of a Hong Kong citizen through his uniquely quirky perspective.

 

Tse studied at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts in 1998 and a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts in 2001. Besides his practice in art, he also serves as an educator and advisor in various institutions, including the Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. In 1998, Tse received the Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Arts Award and was given the opportunity to showcase his works in the Contemporary Hong Kong Art Biennial Exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Tse has participated in many group exhibitions worldwide including “ARTscope Hong Kong 2000”  (Spica Museum, Aoyama, Tokyo, Japan, 2000), “Mapping Asia — The 18th Asia International Art Exhibition (AIAE)”  (Hong Kong Heritage Museum, 2004), “Asia Art Archive New Open Exhibition”  (Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong, 2007), “Art Taipei 2”  (Taipei Show (former Taipei World Trade Center II), Taiwan, 2007), “CHiE! – Culture sieges Politics”  (Osage Kwun Tong Gallery, Hong Kong, 2008), “Painting On and On – The Repository of Coherent Babbles”  (Southsite, Hong Kong, 2012), “From longing to belonging”  (Laznia Centre for Contemporary Art, Poland, 2014), “Art Paris”  (Grand Palais, Avenue Winston Churchill, Paris, 2015) and “Evolving Images: Modern Hong Kong Printmaking”  (Sun Museum, Hong Kong, 2017). His works have been collected by the Hong Kong Museum of Art and are also in several private collections.

Calligraphy · Universe《書·萬物》- A Solo Exhibition of Chu Chu’s Works

Preview: Thursday, 26 April 2018, 6.30pm – 8.30pm

Exhibition Opens to Public: 27 April 2018 – 19 May 2018

 

 

During April through May, iPreciation will present Calligraphy · Universe《書·萬物》, the first solo exhibition in Singapore by the renowned Chinese female artist Chu Chu 儲楚. In this exhibition, Chu Chu seeks to explore calligraphy through the origins of the manifestations of Chinese characters, the evolution of which is generally described by the six-fold classification system like pictograms and ideograms, etc., which are closely connected with natural elements in our universe, her choice of subject matter in many of her works. Chu Chu seeks to incorporate the art of Chinese calligraphy into her photographic works which are uniquely printed on xuan paper. She is also deeply influenced by philosophies and classical texts. In both of her series titled Whisper of Trees and Magnolia Flower, she extracts certain portions from Chinese poems and texts that describe the relationships between human and nature, subtly incorporating them into the background of her ethereal photographs of tree branches and flowers, evoking a sense of quietude and transience. This juxtaposition of images constructed instantly from a camera, together with the carefully and slowly constructed calligraphic characters presents interesting layers of meaning, as they successfully combine two very different visual languages – contemporary photography and traditional calligraphy.

Chu Chu is a multidisciplinary artist who is accomplished in ink painting, calligraphy, photography and oil painting. She majored in oil painting at the China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in 2000. Subsequently, she attained a Master’s Degree in New Media at the academy in 2007 and a Ph.D. in calligraphy, under the tutelage of acclaimed calligraphic master, Wang Dongling, in 2015.

Departure 3 – A Group Exhibition

Departure 3

A Group Exhibition by Milenko Prvacki and Singaporean artists Faris Nakamura, Jodi Tan, Leow Wei Li , Tan Wee Lit, and ZERO (Zul Othman)

Preview: 22 March 2018, 6.30 pm – 8 pm

Exhibition opens to public: 23 March – 7 April 2018  

 

 

iPreciation is proud to present Departure 3, the third edition of a biennial showcase featuring the latest pieces of Milenko Prvacki, while capturing a selection of works by the following artists who graduated from Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore: Tan Wee Lit, Leow Wei Li, Jodi Tan, Faris Nakamura, and ZERO (Zul Othman).

Departure 3 is curated by Milenko Prvacki, one of Singapore’s foremost contemporary artists, art educator, and Cultural Medallion recipient. Prvacki has been a mentor to and influence on many generations of young artists at Lasalle College of the Arts throughout various stages of their artistic careers. This exhibition affirms Prvacki’s visionary impact on Singapore’s Art Scene, as he extends beyond academia and art practice to nurture young contemporary artists.

The exhibition explores the personal experiences and expressions of these artists, while reflecting on their developments in professional art making, as they draw references from various sources of inspiration, such as space, sound, and urban life. Encompassing a diverse range of two and three-dimensional mediums, this year’s lineup would include paintings, assemblages, and mixed media installations, presenting a comprehensive and eclectic mix of artworks that were specially produced for Departure 3. 

 

Artist Biographies:

Milenko Prvački (b. 1951, Yugoslavia / Singapore) is one of Singapore’s foremost abstract painters. Born in Yugoslavia, Prvački moved to Singapore in 1991. He started his career as an art practitioner and art educator in Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore, in 1994. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts (Painting) from the Institute of Fine Arts in Bucharest, Romania, in 1998. Subsequently, he was appointed the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at the institution until the year 2010, after which he assumed the post of Senior Fellow in 2011. In 2012, he was conferred the prestigious Cultural Medallion for Visual Arts by the National Arts Council, Singapore and the Silver Medallion for Knights in the Order of Arts and Letters by the French Embassy. Formally trained in Eastern European painting, Prvacki was enthralled by Chinese ink painting (水墨, shui mo) when he first moved to Singapore. His oil and acrylic paintings display visible Chinese ink influences, evident in the light washes and layers of colours and brush strokes together with the distinctive method of featuring various narratives around the canvas as opposed to the idea of a singular focal narrative in Western art. While his paintings are informed by personal experiences, they also engage with issues pertinent in society. Prvacki further questions the representative nature of painting by examining the relationship between abstraction and figuration. The figurative elements employed in his paintings are, at the same time, amorphous and highly ambiguous, thereby defying identification and categorization. Prvacki has held solo exhibitions within Singapore, Sydney, Jakarta, Yugoslavia and has also participated in several group exhibitions in the USA, Hong Kong, U.K, Belgium, Korea and many other countries. His works are in several public and permanent collections including that of the Gallery of New South Wales (Australia), Singapore Art Museum (Singapore), National Art Gallery (Singapore), NUS Museum (Singapore), Museum of Contemporary Drawing (Nurnberg, Germany), National Museum of Belgrade (Yugoslavia) and the Museum of Contemporary Art (Belgrade, Yugoslavia).

Tan Wee Lit  (b. 1978, Singapore) graduated with an MFA in Sculpture and has exhibited extensively locally and internationally as a practicing artist. He is a recipient of numerous study awards and scholarships from the National Arts Council Singapore and the Media Authority Singapore for his undergraduate and graduate studies. Tan has also worked on multiple commissions for private collections and public art works at Raffles Place (2013), Haw Par Villa (2012), the Jubilee Walk (2015) and the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam (2017). He had his first solo exhibition for “12×12 New Artists/ New Work” at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago and was also awarded the Graduate Fellowship upon graduation. He won the Grand Prize for the 3rd Singapore Sculpture Award in 2007 and has had exhibitions in Europe, the United States and Asia- amongst them “Identities vs Globalisation” (Berlin), “The Same Rain, The Same Wind” (Chiangmai National University), “We Who Saw Signs” (ICA Singapore), “Fifth Outdoor Sculpture Biennial” (Baltimore). He has taught at Singapore Management University, Lasalle College of the Arts, Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore University of Social Sciences and School of the Arts Singapore. Wee Lit was conferred the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council in 2012.

Leow Wei Li (b. 1994, Singapore) graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts with Bachelor of Fine Arts (First Class Honours). She works with paint and collect noises. Her paintings are observations of sounds and architecture where she seeks to examine the shapes, colours and textures of ordinary everyday experiences and nuisances. Wei Li is part of an artist duo, Sobandwine, where she does mural paintings and works with various other mediums such as graphic design, sound and videos. Wei Li is a recipient of Young Talent Programme Winners’ Solo Exhibition 2016/17 and has recently exhibited her works at ION Art Gallery, the Affordable Art Fair Singapore and was also one of VADA’s Untapped Discovery artists in 2017. She is also a recipient of TCC-LaSalle Artist-Curator Alumni Award and the Samsung Future Masters 1st runner-up Award in 2016. She has also been awarded the LASALLE College of the Arts and Ngee Ann Kongsi Scholarships during her study. Wei Li has recently participated in Namwon Sound Artists Residency Programme 2017 and will be one of the upcoming resident artists for Seoul Art Space Geumcheon in 2018.

Jodi Tan (b.1990, Singapore) is a Singapore-based artist. Her core interest lies in image-making and image-reading.  Tan graduated with a BA (Honours) in Fine Arts in 2011, from LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. She was awarded The Winston Oh Travel Research Award in the same year and has also participated in several exhibitions locally, including the inaugural UNTAPPED EMERGING (2016) organised by Visual Arts Development Association Singapore. Tan is a founding member of The Collective, a group of individuals that have gathered to execute artist-initiated projects.

Faris Nakamura (b. 1988, Singapore) graduated with a Bachelor in Fine Arts (First Class Honours) from LASALLE College of the Arts in partnership with Goldsmiths, College of London. His works reflect his interest in architecture and nature, while at the same time, deal with conceptual questions of space and the relationship people have with space. Through sculptures, installations and site-specific works, he investigates and explores the different ways people navigate and orientate themselves upon encountering a space or place. Additionally, he desires to study and understand the attachment and/or detachment they have towards certain spaces or places, how it develops, and the impact it has on them. Faris was most recently awarded the Young Talent Programme 2017/18 Winners’ Solo Exhibition. In 2015, he won the Kobe Biennale Grand Prize in the Shitsurai International Art Competition held by Kobe Biennale and in 2013, he was the recipient of the Winston Oh Travel Award. Faris has exhibited both locally and internationally. He has showcased at venues such as The Substation (Singapore), National Library (Singapore), Scotts Square (Singapore), Praxis Space (Singapore), Kobe Biennale, Meriken Park (Japan), Georgetown Festival (Penang, Malaysia) FASS Art Gallery (Turkey), Palazzo Ca’ Zanardi, (Venice).

Zul Othman (b.1979, Singapore), commonly known by his artist moniker Zero has been a practising artist since late 2003. His is an unconventional practice, opting to delve into the subculture norms of street art and graffiti. His notions of a street artist being a pseudo documentarist of contemporary urban life is reflected in his growth as an artist throughout the years. His artistic research and works revolve around contemporary issues on urban social life and space, current affairs and adverse effects of pop culture. A reactionary artist, ZERO’s body of works attempts to negotiate the oddity of street and graffiti art in a regulated space while creating social commentaries on the notion of society and space. His exploits with his defunct collective ARTVTS, has been acknowledged as influencers of the street art scene in South East Asia. He has since founded the RSCLS collective and is still currently active in archiving and documenting urban art practices in South East Asia. His critical approach into understanding and researching urban art practices is apparent in his contemporary practice as an artist. From 2008 till 2010, ZERO was an associate artist with The Substation. In 2013, he was awarded the Young Artists Award by the National Arts Council and also the National Arts Council Seed Grant Award with RSCLS. His works have been acquired by the Singapore Arts Museum in 2010 as part of their permanent collection and he has participated in, organised and curated multiple exhibitions and events both in Singapore and internationally over the course of his artistic practice. He holds a Master of Arts (Fine Arts) Degree from LASALLE College of the Arts/ Goldsmiths UK.