#Singapore art

[southrobin]

Unfortunately I can't make it to the end of the year anime event in Singapore. Dm if you need an art booth. 🙏

Hope I get other chances to booth again 😭

[breaking-noose]

Abdul Abdullah- Good company shortens the journey (2024), oil on linen

[ai-dadaism]

[tanshiqing]

Week 5: Artistic Traditions & Lineages

I discovered that paintings serve as a visual insight into Singapore’s history, and all artists follow a style from a renowned artist as reference, making no art original.

While going through the Singapore Graphic Archives website, the image above caught my attention. As a designer, I like how the use of Adobe Illustrator and Indesign help to create the medium of this poster, which is commercial art. This form of medium is used by Camera Club of the Philippines.

In this poster, repetition, rhythm, and positive-negative space is used to create the Bonsai trees with bombs. Produced in the early 2000s, the creator’s intent is to convey the protest against the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. This advertisement helps to spread awareness of the war, especially if the war is happening in their home country. I appreciate GraphicTaskForce’s efforts in promoting public awareness to garner public support and boost morale.

If I had more time, one thing I would do differently is research further for sources with ample information of its content. This can make my writing more valid with supported evidence of the history. Moreover, I would want to write more about the colour in this poster. For example, the use of 2 colours make the overall visual modern and minimalistic.

In my opinion, knowing artistic traditions helps to create new ideas. Having the knowledge of Singapore’s history serves as an inspiration for the concept of future projects.

(240 words)

Notable references:

Collections”, National Gallery Singapore, 2023, 

https://collections.nationalgallery.sg/#/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2023.

Collections”, Roots, 2023,

https://www.roots.gov.sg/Collection-Landing. Accessed 12 Nov. 2023.

[fleshpng]

"no comment"

[theaskew]

Ruben Pang (Singaporean b. 1990), Wounded Healer, 2023. Oil, alkyd, dammar varnish on aluminum composite panel 75 x 60 cm.

[maxipad33]

“They’re still calling you Daniel. Thank you, Daniel.”

[colgatesandwich]

Week 4 + 5 Field Trip + Analyse Artistic Traditions and Lineages

Posed as a critical painting in Singapore’s art history, National Language Class was produced in 1959 when Singapore gained self-governance from the British. 

The artwork falls under the social realism Nanyang style, a realist-style of painting that comments on industrial revolution and urbanization and also a movement reflecting doubts and idealised vision regarding Singapore’s cultural identity, a stark contrast to the deafening developments in the nation then. Ever since then, the painting has been displayed in countless exhibitions and inspired stage performances by local theatre company, spell#7. 

One defining characteristic of this piece that caught my eye is the presence of unity composition wise and the way the students sat around the circular table which is reminiscent of tables found in old coffee shops, symbolising equality and the unification of their interest in learning the national language. However, unity for national progress was regarded as a blasphemy then as it would destroy divisions of race, class and gender due to subsequent racial conflicts that arose between the nation and the Federation of Malaysia. 

Lim's woodcuts capture Singapore's evolving cultural landscape post-independence. In this piece, he documents the vanishing cultural practice of opium abuse, prevalent among the impoverished as a means of fatigue relief and escape from harsh realities. Despite opium being addictive, costly, and illegal, many still supported their habit and turned to crime. Personally, I feel a profound sense of dread and empathy for the depicted subject. The frown mirrors a man resigned to a day-to-day existence, eliciting a feeling of helplessness and sorrow for his plight out of me.

Word count: 262 

References:

Hafiz, Syed Muhammad, and Kathy Rowland. “Siapa Nama Kamu? – Questions to Answer a Friend.” ArtsEquator, ArtsEquator, 21 Oct. 2021, artsequator.com/siapa-nama-kamu/.

“National Language Class.” Spell#7performance, spell#7performance, www.spell7performance.org/nationallanguageclass. Accessed 20 Sept. 2023.

says:, Holland Village Voice, et al. “Interpreting National Language Class.” S/Pores Journal, s/pores journal, 19 Dec. 2021, s-pores.com/2007/04/national-language-class/.

“UNODC - Bulletin on Narcotics - 1958 Issue 4 - 002.” United Nations: Office on Drugs and Crime, United Nation, www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/bulletin/bulletin_1958-01-01_4_page003.html. Accessed 20 Sept. 2023.

[aiainight]

threadless | etsy

[disasteraleks]

Guess whos back

[keepingitneutral]

"Brutalist Plants"

Reinforced hillside, Aogashima, Tokyo, Japan. Photo © Yasushi Okano,

Bucharest, Romania. Photo © Bogdan Anghel,

Casa Alférez, Cañada De Alferes, Mexico. Architect Ludwig Godefroy. Photo © Rory Gardiner,

Monumento a Azeredo Perdigão by Pedro Cabrita Reis,

Casa de Vidro, São Paulo, Brazil. Architect Lina Bo Bardi. Photo © Celeste Asfour,

Artwork and photo by Karsten Födinger in La Vallée, Basse-Normandie, France,

Jurong Bird Park, Jurong, Singapore. Architect John Yealland and J. Toovey. Photo © James Wong

Courtesy: Olivia Broome (Hoxton Mini Press)

[verstalbon]

singapore 24 max you are so special to me

[haley-design]

Did everyone see George after Singapore?? Those eyes?? Hello Mr. Fallen Angel?? I am a sucker for a man who looks like he hasn't slept in weeks and has raggedly red eyes I just had to paint him (sorry for the heat exhaustion George but this was a blessing a true blessing)

[ai-dadaism]

[etherea1ity]

Fort canning tree tunnel, Singapore ( via )

[corpsentry]

pick your battles