The Flower

The Flower 76172, 2007, Copper wire, 172x172cm

A copper wire frame shaped like a flower, with a complex system of thin, metallic wires, forming what seemed like the map of the many vein structures that can be seen on the flower petals. This is Cheong Kwang Ho’s artwork The Flower and it is hung on one of the walls in the Singapore Art Museum, leaving for various interpretations from the viewers.

When I first saw this artwork, I remember asking myself, “What is this?” for it seemed like an artwork that is neither a sculpture nor a drawing, but something in between. After much thought, I realized that it could be seen in both ways, depending on the observer’s point of view.

Cheong Kwang Ho has adopted a unique way of creating his art piece; he ‘drew’ inside the space using wires. When viewed as a drawing, the thin wires represent pencil lines, blending into the air. It hangs in mid-air, giving it a rather mysterious feeling to the whole piece. This also makes it more unique and different from the other paintings on canvas. When viewed as a sculpture, The Flower is a see-through 3-dmentional piece, which is quite empty and is filled with much space. It has no body, thus, giving it a light and buoyant sensation to the artwork.

The use of thin copper wires as the main structure of the art piece makes it look delicate, fragile and almost evanescent, but at the same time, sophisticated and of much importance. In my opinion, this probably suggests that nature, as represented by the flower, can be easily destroyed by us, with the swipe of an axe. Yet nature is in fact important and deserves our utmost respect. Through his artwork, Cheong Kwang Ho conveyed such a familiar message, but not in a monotonous fashion. A picture indeed speaks a thousand words.

I liked this piece because it stood out from the rest of the artworks, which were mostly paintings on canvas. I also enjoyed the quietness and the tranquility of the piece in contrast with other pieces which are rather intricate and elaborate. I admired this piece for even though it is simplistic, it holds an important message for the viewers, and the message is conveyed rather effectively.

Unpretentious, yet sophisticated, The Flower is indeed one of a kind.

Here're his other works:

The Pot 51191, 2005, Copper wire, 91x91x91cm

The Leaf 81170, 2008, Copper wire, 170x165cm