Passing - Vincent Leow

This exhibition was from 11th January to 26th January 2019 over at Ipreciation at HPL house.

The show included works from as early as 2007 and all the way to 2018.

He was once the enfant terrible of the Singapore art scene doing garish and upsetting works in the early days when things were more conservative and during a time when there weren't many artists around. Think there was also a Singapore flag piece which is a big no-no. And as recent as last year got into the headlines when his work had to be removed from the Esplanade because it had hints of bestiality. So he has definitely earned his place in the annals of Singapore art history.

In this show, he showed a variety of works, paintings, word works, prints and sculptures. He is trained first as a sculptor, and thus his painterly and drawing skill loses out. He was in the Middle East for a while and during that time the works were dealing with issues there, which is not really relatable to us. And now that the shock factor thing is gone, he must really try hard with his works to impress buyers and deal with more relevant issues in a sophisticated way. So no more 'OMG' works but rather 'Wow' works to bring him up a notch.

Points for collectors: Vincent Leow neutral rating for the works. Buy because of his position in art history. As said by someone, if one is collecting Singapore Art, you can't leave certain artists out. Given his age and qualifications his price is expectedly high and you can't fault him for it. But does the secondary market support it? Dunno... cause it's been a while, there was an auction piece in 2007 and it was his sculpture of Andy (his usual recurring dog with human face) . And two other paintings in 2007 and 1999. Think there was also an attempt or actual private sale by a collector I think Bedmar through the help of the Art Apart Lady a few years back (art world not transparent, unlike housing price in Singapore where you can check the URA website to kaypoh how much your neighbour bought or sold their place for)

Of Bonding And Breaking - Kiwha Lee Blocman & Chloe Po

This exhibition is held from 11th January 2019 to 8th March 2019 over at NPE gallery in the middle of nowhere, just joking, it's in the industrial area of Kallang. Meaning parking's easy after 5pm.

This show featured Chloe Po and Kiwha Lee Blocman who were offered residency at the place and a show there too.

Kiwha showed her works with her signature shapes. She used them to good effect and uses them to express herself, the world situation and things/feeling of the things around her. She painted layers in some pieces. Some pieces she used paint transfer. And she also showed an Ipad-created digital works with her shapes. The works are more complex now and visually more enticing and mature. She will be heading off to New York to do an MFA at one of the famous NY art schools. Hope it really helps her, in the way Alvin Ong's latest works at Yavuz (will write about it soon) which are post MFA at the Royal College of Art London, have really improved leaps and bounds. Anyway tons of museums there to inspire her too.

Chloe Po showed glue works and paintings. She's doing her MFA now at LaSalle/Goldsmith's. Her glue works are interesting but she hasn't reached a satisfactory skill level for that medium. A curator would say that the works are unpolished or unfinished and if wasn't a residency show, I don't think they are ready yet. Her abstract paintings were ok.

Chloe Po

Chloe Po

Chloe Po

Kiwha

Kiwha

Chloe Po

Chloe Po

Kiwha

Chloe Po

Chloe Po

Chloe Po

Kiwha

Kiwha

Point for collectors: Kiwha - Strong Buy rating. She is committed to her practice and has shown the committment by uprooting and going for her MFA. And with global exposure, her works will get better. But it will take a lot of skill, perservance, luck and the opportune moment to make it big in the saturated NY art scene. As for Chloe Po, hold rating. But as with all young artists, we are rooting for them and always watching out. 

FrictionaL - Ben Loong and Zulkifli Lee

This exhibition is held from 2nd December 2018 to 27th January 2019 over at Pearl Lam Galleries at Gillman Barracks.

It features the works of Ben Loong and Zulkifli Lee who had been paired together in an earlier group show by Josef Ng and now were given a chance to do a duo show.

We shall mainly talk about Ben Loong's works.

In two short words, 'Very Good'.

He has really improved. His works in this show are more geometrical. Lots of blocks and squares. Some works about paving and some works with his textures and gold. Still plaster and resin works which is his signature. From the April show, Lingering Manifestations, we thought he would move to more figurative works where he starts to master the control of the plaster, just like the moon, tree line and rivers in the April works.

Anyway, still like what he did. Nice and pretty works. No strong statement he's making, but doesn't always have to say something.

Points for collectors: Strong Buy rating. But the prices at this show were sky high. But he did sell some works; most likely at a discount (usual gallery practice). 

VADA Untapped 2018

This was held from 24 Nov to 21 Nov 2018 at Chan+Hori, by the Visual Arts Development Association (VADA).

Photos here don't do justice to seeing the works in person. The works covered a super wide range of media, from conventional video, digital prints and oil on canvas, to ash, components from musical instruments and broken glass.

I thought the centrepiece was Transition, a fully functioning guzheng made from scratch by artist Kester Wong. There was also an installation of blinds set to move in a synchronised manner by a rotating motor, which was controlled by a motherboard. This was by Huijun Lu, who also did two other motor-plus-motherboard installations, including a really nice one called Cling, where a motorised guitar string very gently hit a cymbal, producing a sound that you wouldn't normally associate with the cymbal.

Joanne Pang, winner of UOB Painting of the Year Award 2018 showed good pieces. Zestro Leow also created really nice ceramics with automative paint. Daniel Chong's pieces were a bit remote for me, but his broken glass works were interesting. Fajrina Razak and Joel Seow showed pieces that evoked sadness in me, while Desiree Tham's video installation Resonance of Control had some humour and was quite intriguing. She did a performance piece where rocks and other 'unimportant' objects played important roles in her performance.

Points for collectors: So much potential, this group! Keep a close watch particularly on Joanne Pang, Zestro Leow, Huijun Lu, Desiree Tham.

Sound & Vision - Zul Mahmod, Ng Joon Kiat, Ian Woo and Wyn-Lyn Tan

This exhibition was held from 10th November 2018 to 30th December 2018 at Fost Gallery at Gillman Barracks.

Ian Woo showed his abstract works. The abstract works have progressed over the years, and become more complex. You really have to sit and stare to really enjoy it. Not something that would wow the public at art fairs. In these works there are more colours, layers and use of geometric shapes. The works are all varied and not similar unlike the shows with Tomio Koyama where the works shown are in sync.

Ng Joon Kiat showed layers of paint. Not his best work but at least a departure from his older geographical / typographical works.

Zul Mahmod showed 3 works of his usual sound installations. But these where picture frame size and collectible. Interesting but not sure how this electrical / motherboard controlled things last in our climate. I know in dry countries like America the original Amiga and Apple II computers are still working. And Pizza Queen has a problem with the use of cable ties to secure certain parts of the work. And I think he can work on the tonal quality of his works too.

Tan Wyn-Lyn showed paintings and painted plastic. The plastic works we're not impressed. But we like the painted wood works which she did last year. Her paintings have improved alot. More complex, the layers , the strokes and composition are much better. Takes too long to explain but read Rudolf Arnheim's book to understand what we are talking about. Or just keep looking at art to understand what we are talking about.

Points for collectors: Ian Woo always a buy rating but sadly his secondary market prices aren't good. We really like his works. Zul Mahmod interesting works. Can be a buy rating but just not sure of the conservability of the works. Ng Joon Kiat's works can miss. But the current show at NTU ADM the works there are really nice. Will write about it later. Tan Wyn-Lyn strong buy rating. Think she sold quite a few works during this show.