Went to the Art Science Museum for the Dali exhibition with my mom. Awed by Dali's genius :DD
Showing posts with label exhibitions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exhibitions. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Singapore Art Biennale 2011
DON'T WORRY
Before I even enter the room, an omnious yellow glow could be seen radiating from the door. The bright, neon-like yellow that usually signals danger and instills fear. I grew rather tensed as I neared it, yet at the same time excited with curiosity about what is in the room.
Upon entry, I was greeted by the huge lighted words, 'Don't Worry' sprawled across the wall. The talkative group of twenty or so died down almost immediately, creating a loud deafening silence. Everything else about the room presents every possible reason for the need to worry: the exposed wires, the still stuffy air, the ominous glow in the room, the tightly shut doors as if trapping one within and the eerie silence that fills the room when one steps in. The blinding yellow glow seemed to reduce the space in the room, while the empty walls threatened to enclose us within. This, together with the twenty people crowded in the room, sets a claustrophobic environment, which causes fear and worry in anyone who steps in. Yet the big, neon-yellow words of 'Don't Worry' screams out at you, as if demanding that you feel otherwise.
The irony of this contemporary piece amuses me. Indeed, words themselves mean nothing. It is the environment and setting in which it was said or displayed that determines the meaning that words convey to others. In this case, 'Don't Worry' only served to instill more fear within the viewers rather than to calm them down, which was its literal meaning. It seemed like a big mockery of the viewer's fear of the almost empty room.
When I stepped out of the room, I was partially wet with perspiration. Taking in the fresh cool air outside, I was overcome with relief. This contemporary piece was one of the works that left a deep impression in my mind.
Before I even enter the room, an omnious yellow glow could be seen radiating from the door. The bright, neon-like yellow that usually signals danger and instills fear. I grew rather tensed as I neared it, yet at the same time excited with curiosity about what is in the room.
Upon entry, I was greeted by the huge lighted words, 'Don't Worry' sprawled across the wall. The talkative group of twenty or so died down almost immediately, creating a loud deafening silence. Everything else about the room presents every possible reason for the need to worry: the exposed wires, the still stuffy air, the ominous glow in the room, the tightly shut doors as if trapping one within and the eerie silence that fills the room when one steps in. The blinding yellow glow seemed to reduce the space in the room, while the empty walls threatened to enclose us within. This, together with the twenty people crowded in the room, sets a claustrophobic environment, which causes fear and worry in anyone who steps in. Yet the big, neon-yellow words of 'Don't Worry' screams out at you, as if demanding that you feel otherwise.
The irony of this contemporary piece amuses me. Indeed, words themselves mean nothing. It is the environment and setting in which it was said or displayed that determines the meaning that words convey to others. In this case, 'Don't Worry' only served to instill more fear within the viewers rather than to calm them down, which was its literal meaning. It seemed like a big mockery of the viewer's fear of the almost empty room.
When I stepped out of the room, I was partially wet with perspiration. Taking in the fresh cool air outside, I was overcome with relief. This contemporary piece was one of the works that left a deep impression in my mind.
(btw, I kind of forgot the actual name of this work as well as the artist. so if you know, do comment. thanks)
Monday, January 31, 2011
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
Same median, different feel
The Singapore Art Biennale, a once in two years event, is the largest contemporary art biennale in Singapore. In conjunction with the theme ‘wonder’, this exhibition holds over a hundred artworks, from both local and foreign artists. Yet I was most drawn to a specific artwork, ‘I Wonder Why?’
A room filled with sculptures of children’s tricycles, urns, a bed and other everyday objects, layered with a coat of charcoal. A video of a large fire is shown on the walls, as if the room is engulfed in flames, licking every corner of the room. This is Prasad Srinivasa’s artwork, I Wonder Why?
With the ‘fire’ as the only light source, the room is set in darkness, the charcoal-coated sculptures as shadows of the already burnt objects. Indeed, the artist has set an atmosphere where viewers seemed to be a witness or even a victim to the merciless fire. Both sight and sound contributes to the atmosphere and aids in delivering the message the artist intended.
When I first entered the room, I was overwhelmed by the sound of the fire, and the conversation with my friends, which I was so engrossed in, stopped abruptly. I stared in awe as my eyes adjusted to the sharp contrast of the brightness from the flickers of the flames in the video and the darkness of the room. Some of the objects were laid on the floor; others were kept suspended in the air by some wires. The charcoal-coated objects were sewn everywhere, and I had to pick my way across the room in order to avoid touching the objects, and damaging them.
Why did Prasad Srinivasa create this artwork? What contributed to this idea? What is the message he wanted to send across to the viewers? These are some of the questions I pondered over as I entered the room.
After much thought, I figured that ‘I Wonder Why?’ brings to mind a burning society and a burning family; one of passion and tragedy. As fire spreads across vast areas in seconds, it is hard to control and foretell the outcome after the fire. Therefore, it is feared. Similarly, in this modern and fast changing world, it is difficult to predict the rise and fall, tragedy and happiness.
While fire is a powerful expression that stirs our emotions, it also relates to creation, spirituality and the origins of the world. While fire kills and destroys, plants and nature still thrive on the ashes and remains of the fire.
One other similar artwork that uses charcoal as one of its medians is ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye 好久不见’ by local artists, Tang Ling Nah and Willie Koh.
This artwork features three interconnected rooms and a corridor, covered with charcoal drawings of different parts of the rooms, like pipes, windows and doors. A video of similar photo shots is shown in the third room. As charcoal is used, the rooms are generally dark and are pictured in black and white in the video and drawings. The drawings are also given much shading, giving it a 3-D look and a life-like appearance.
Despite the two different medians used, charcoal drawing and video, both artists tackled the same ‘feel’ of the site, and worked on their artwork in similar ways. As this site used to be a housing area for soldiers in the army, it is very much rundown and has a sense of hardship and sorrow, which is similar to the ‘feel’ evoked by the artwork. Therefore, there is a link between the two medians and the site chosen.
I admired the great amount of detail and effort Tang Ling Nah put in the large charcoal drawings. Willie Koh’s video, also shown in black and white, captured the architecture elements in the different rooms.
Why did they create this artwork? Why does the artwork have such a unique title?
In my opinion, the general ‘feel’ of the artwork is of sorrow. With reference to the title of the artwork, ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye好久不见’ I figured that the artists probably wanted to portray the longing and depression when one’s loved ones die or leave us for a long period of time; the longing and depression of separation.
The artists of the two artworks used similar medians yet the message they convey are different. This is probably due to the different ways the artists used the medians.
Both artworks, ‘I Wonder Why?’ and ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye好久不见’, used charcoal as one of their medians to convey the message the artists were trying to put across. It turned out that both artworks evoked a similar yet unique ‘feel’ of darkness and sadness even though charcoal was used differently in the artworks, one as coatings for sculptures and another as drawings.
Both artworks also showed a video. The video of the fire gives the artwork its meaning and without it, the artwork will be incomplete and incomprehensible. Whereas, the video used in ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye好久不见’ adds to the sad atmosphere and enhances the sorrow evoked from the artwork. Video is used in both artworks, yet the purpose they serve differs from one another.
Indeed, ‘I Wonder Why?’ and ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye好久不见’ are both unique in their own ways, even though the medians used are similar.
A room filled with sculptures of children’s tricycles, urns, a bed and other everyday objects, layered with a coat of charcoal. A video of a large fire is shown on the walls, as if the room is engulfed in flames, licking every corner of the room. This is Prasad Srinivasa’s artwork, I Wonder Why?
With the ‘fire’ as the only light source, the room is set in darkness, the charcoal-coated sculptures as shadows of the already burnt objects. Indeed, the artist has set an atmosphere where viewers seemed to be a witness or even a victim to the merciless fire. Both sight and sound contributes to the atmosphere and aids in delivering the message the artist intended.
When I first entered the room, I was overwhelmed by the sound of the fire, and the conversation with my friends, which I was so engrossed in, stopped abruptly. I stared in awe as my eyes adjusted to the sharp contrast of the brightness from the flickers of the flames in the video and the darkness of the room. Some of the objects were laid on the floor; others were kept suspended in the air by some wires. The charcoal-coated objects were sewn everywhere, and I had to pick my way across the room in order to avoid touching the objects, and damaging them.
Why did Prasad Srinivasa create this artwork? What contributed to this idea? What is the message he wanted to send across to the viewers? These are some of the questions I pondered over as I entered the room.
After much thought, I figured that ‘I Wonder Why?’ brings to mind a burning society and a burning family; one of passion and tragedy. As fire spreads across vast areas in seconds, it is hard to control and foretell the outcome after the fire. Therefore, it is feared. Similarly, in this modern and fast changing world, it is difficult to predict the rise and fall, tragedy and happiness.
While fire is a powerful expression that stirs our emotions, it also relates to creation, spirituality and the origins of the world. While fire kills and destroys, plants and nature still thrive on the ashes and remains of the fire.
One other similar artwork that uses charcoal as one of its medians is ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye 好久不见’ by local artists, Tang Ling Nah and Willie Koh.
This artwork features three interconnected rooms and a corridor, covered with charcoal drawings of different parts of the rooms, like pipes, windows and doors. A video of similar photo shots is shown in the third room. As charcoal is used, the rooms are generally dark and are pictured in black and white in the video and drawings. The drawings are also given much shading, giving it a 3-D look and a life-like appearance.
Despite the two different medians used, charcoal drawing and video, both artists tackled the same ‘feel’ of the site, and worked on their artwork in similar ways. As this site used to be a housing area for soldiers in the army, it is very much rundown and has a sense of hardship and sorrow, which is similar to the ‘feel’ evoked by the artwork. Therefore, there is a link between the two medians and the site chosen.
I admired the great amount of detail and effort Tang Ling Nah put in the large charcoal drawings. Willie Koh’s video, also shown in black and white, captured the architecture elements in the different rooms.
Why did they create this artwork? Why does the artwork have such a unique title?
In my opinion, the general ‘feel’ of the artwork is of sorrow. With reference to the title of the artwork, ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye好久不见’ I figured that the artists probably wanted to portray the longing and depression when one’s loved ones die or leave us for a long period of time; the longing and depression of separation.
The artists of the two artworks used similar medians yet the message they convey are different. This is probably due to the different ways the artists used the medians.
Both artworks, ‘I Wonder Why?’ and ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye好久不见’, used charcoal as one of their medians to convey the message the artists were trying to put across. It turned out that both artworks evoked a similar yet unique ‘feel’ of darkness and sadness even though charcoal was used differently in the artworks, one as coatings for sculptures and another as drawings.
Both artworks also showed a video. The video of the fire gives the artwork its meaning and without it, the artwork will be incomplete and incomprehensible. Whereas, the video used in ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye好久不见’ adds to the sad atmosphere and enhances the sorrow evoked from the artwork. Video is used in both artworks, yet the purpose they serve differs from one another.
Indeed, ‘I Wonder Why?’ and ‘Everytime We Say Goodbye好久不见’ are both unique in their own ways, even though the medians used are similar.
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