top of page
Recent Exhibitions
"ORTHODOX : Contemporary Thoughts on Personal Faith and Tradition"
​
ORTHODOX is a visual art exhibition by a collective of 12 emerging artists held at two independent art spaces - Your MOTHER Gallery and Coda Culture, a part of Singapore Art Week 2019. The exhibition showcases contemporary thoughts on personal faith and tradition through different forms such as installation, live performance art, video art, sculptures, and paintings.
ORTHODOX is part of Singapore Art Week (19 – 27 January 2019). A joint initiative by the National Arts Council, the Singapore Tourism Board and the Singapore Economic Development Board, Singapore Art Week reinforces Singapore’s position as Asia’s leading arts destination. The nine-day celebration of the visual arts offers a myriad of quality art experiences, from art fairs, gallery openings, exhibitions, lifestyle events and public art walks, to enriching discussions on art and culture.
“The only Paradise is Paradise Lost"
"The only paradise is paradise lost." - Marcel Proust
Nostalgia - a conflux of sentiments ignited by significant memories in our lives and a desire of returning to it, has become a popular term within contemporary culture, seemingly intensified by the accelerated and extensive development of today's society.
​
We often turn to nostalgia as an imaginary decampment to counter the expeditious rhythms of the everyday life; to satisfy unfulfilled cultural and sentimental needs that the future can no longer furnish in a world brimming with urban sprawl and spatial fragmentation. The perpetual shifts in the city seem to have created a ceaselessly fading past as we dwell in a space disparate from our affective recollections. Nostalgia presents a social memory practice that is deeply rooted in the present globalizing world.
In Singapore's context, there has been an uprising trend of reminiscing and monumentalizing the past, even if the 'past' is not based on personal experiences. This is evident in community events that are often themed around nostalgia, with recurring motifs of kampong life and collective memories of olden Singapore, as well as recent cases of public dismay over the exhumation of Bukit Brown, removal of Sungei Road Market and redevelopment of old establishments such as Golden Mile Complex, with various campaigns and programmes brought about to defend and celebrate the so-called 'shared' memories of these places. Our nostalgic inclinations also led to the archival and memorialization of the forgone, immortalized by images and objects within museums, internet, television, and mural paintings. Such mediated memories have supplanted our lives memories as we fascinate over repositories of synthetic recollections that are designed for hasty collective consumption.
Is this intense nostalgic desire about romanticizing the past to deal with the arduous present? Has nostalgia evolved into an idealized fantasy that fuels our social memory practice? Drawing inspirations from personal experiences as well as the current nostalgic impulses of modernity, the exhibition explores and investigates the idea of nostalgia and the numerous issues it entails.
by Jaxton Xu
​
“Conversations on Lack & Excess"
As the title suggests, this exhibition adopts two words that seem to embody the polarity between Indonesia and Singapore art scene as its main discourse. Lack and Excess. To attribute the uniqueness of both art scenes as a mere reaction to extreme lack in an aspect (eg. Institutional support, Independent spaces) in one country and excess in the other one is a popular point of view to be taken when comparing the two art scenes. This duality was prominent and asserted enough -through writings, studies, exhibitions, market segregation- one could question both art scene’s ability to retain their distinct characters granted that the disparity, which was its alleged source, eventually balances out.
Through this exhibition, four pairs of young artists based in Singapore and Indonesia, curated by Liza Markus, are invited to inquire, observe, engage on visual conversations with each other, the audience, and other inhabitants of the local art ecosystem. From there to birth artworks capable of tracing and exposing the lack and excess in various aspects surrounding the scene and its effect, cruciality, and legitimacy. Or if the significance of said duality has turned into a myth perpetuated to provide excuses for laziness and unwillingness to face the discomfort of a change needed to solve problems and hindrances in both respective art scenes.
“The Dung Beetle Project Show"
The birth of The Dung Beetle Project was marked by a moment – the realization that the art-making process could be futile, and parallels the absurd labor of Sisyphus who infinitely pushes a boulder uphill to only watch it roll back down again.
In the belief that the meaninglessness of art constitutes their freedom, The Dung Beetle Project exhibition is comprised of dialogues on the worth of one’s free existence, in the same way as how one’s art-making poses questions against its own purpose and value.
While the artworks act as reflections of ‘micro phenomenon’ through the scope of the minute selves of these young artists, the project sets the scene in collective thought against the world’s seeming indifference to futility every day.
The Dung Beetle Project features 8 recent graduates of Diploma in Fine Arts (2017) programme at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. It is independently organized, managed and curated by the artists with the mentorship of Chan + Hori Contemporary.
“Affordable Art Fair - Young Talent Programme Autumn 2017"​
​
Following an intense competition, eight fantastic artists have been selected to show at this year's Young Talent Programme, in collaboration with ION Art. From thought-provoking sculpture to beautiful photography, the Young Talent Programme picks out the very freshest creative talent for you to see.
The Young Talent Programme is a launchpad for young artists from Southeast Asia. It is an opportunity to mix with the art-loving public, and to be spotted by galleries and art institutions hunting for new rising stars.
This year, our eight selected artists are:
Che Xinwei, Faris Nakamura, Jamela Law, Kylie Woon, Liza Markus, Ong Si Hui, Yom Bo Sung, Zulkhairi Zulkiflee
“Talking Textiles #2"
​
Moving forward from our past fabric-focused show in 2011, Talking Textiles #2 aims to redefine the perception of fabric, dispelling the general perception of it as mere craftwork. In revolving around and relating to the material, five graduates from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and LASALLE College of the Arts will present a selection of new works that portray their journey of experimentation and development, each told in their own unique visual language.
Aimed to achieve beyond what is commonly seen and done, Talking Textiles #2 explores the unlimited potential of textiles - beyond the expectations of a fabric's designated form and function.
One East Asia is also pleased to provide opportunities for the audience to engage deeper through artists’ discussions and interactive workshops held on both Saturdays 5th and 12th August respectively.
​
1/1
“Sculpture at NAFA”
A small and select showcase of recent work of both established and emerging NAFA alumni sculptors including Yeo Chee Kiong, Tay Swee Siong and Leroy Sofyan, this exhibition offers how the artists are active contributors to the sculpture landscape and the community in Singapore and abroad. Through their work and experimentations, they give shape to forms, reality and emotion that have fascinated artists through the centuries. Always standing out and thoughtful, their sometimes innovative and unusual forays demonstrate the potential of sculpture to educate and effect social change.
1/1
“For Now, It’s 23:60”
23:60 encompasses an ephemeral moment of change between Yesterday and Today. A group of young artists based in Singapore create artworks inspired by their recent exposure to Yogyakarta with a spontaneous manner within 24 hours.
In the belief of art as a reflection of experience, art- works in this exhibition are attempts of externalizing their recent experiences through a variety of styles, approaches, and backgrounds.
bottom of page