A CUBE IS A CUBE IS A CUBE
Grace Tan
FOST Gallery, Singapore
Exhibition Essay
Michelle Ho
The first time I worked with Grace Tan was in 2008 when we presented her work Specimens at 8QRate: School, the inaugural exhibition of the now-defunct SAM at 8Q. Specimens (Fig. 1) was a series of pieces made from silk, cotton and paper, created through increments of folding and pleating that accentuated the sculptural potential of the materials. Beyond their aesthetic qualities, the works were grounded in Tan’s precise calculations of their fold and stitch points that resulted in a body of works formed in continuity from each other, and documented in her meticulous notes of their numerical sequence.1 In the catalogue essay, I had described Tan’s motivations partially alongside “the pursuit of an invisible unity, akin to the underlying macrocosmic principles of Platonic Forms.”2 This idea may serve as a pivotal point as we delve into a deeper inquiry behind Tan’s present works.
A decade later, we would work together again at the Shapes in Symmetry exhibition at the NTU ADM Gallery, where her geometric compositions in steel, glass and pigment were explorations of construction methods with symmetrical balance as a core principle. During this period, her interest in examining Platonic solids would gain momentum, as seen in the work Pentahedron (Prism and Pyramid) (Fig. 2), which explored the properties of five-faced structures in expanded dimensions. She was also studying the angle of repose in building theory—a concept pertaining to the formation of a slope between 0 – 90 degrees that can hold without collapsing, and her other works in the exhibition were intentionally assembled without adhesives or supporting reinforcement.3
1 Michelle Ho, 8QRate: School, exhibition catalogue, (Singapore: Singapore Art Museum, 2008), 67.
2 Ibid
3 Michelle Ho, Shapes in Symmetry, exhibition brochure, (Singapore: NTU ADM Gallery, 2018).
1 Detail of Specimens silk, Dimensions Variable.
Fig.
Specimens, 2008, paper, cotton, Variable.
Fig. 2 Studies for Pentahedron (Prism and Pyramid), 2018.
We begin to see how this focus on calculation and measurement, which underpins the creation of her artworks has continued to shape her practice in various ways, positioning it at the intersection of art and geometry. Both disciplines share the same precepts, such as the consideration of line, pattern, scale, and symmetry, as well as their influence on spatial relationships and the transition from the two-dimensional to the three-dimensional. The geometric principles of shape and their potential to evolve into a progression of unexpected forms continue to inform her practice today. Tan has also expanded her oeuvre by looking into how the properties of materials spur her fascination for reimagining forms derived from a shape’s fundamental characteristics. In the exhibition, A CUBE IS A CUBE IS A CUBE, she engages with materials such as metal, marble and light, harnessing their intrinsic qualities to construct new forms.
Taking the cube as her focal subject, she challenges conventional notions of its immutability, probing new possibilities for how it can be reimagined and perceived. The 12 works presented chart her experimentation with the cube through a series of creative gestures: splitting it diagonally to recompose its parts, exploring the interplay between two- and threedimensional perspectives of the cube to suggest a fourth dimension, and using repetition to generate shapes that, while appearing distinct, remain rooted in the cube’s essence. In some pieces, the tessellated cube components create illusory effects, altering perceptions of the cube itself. Other works highlight the act of viewing, showing how spatial context can transform visual perception.
To understand how the works in this exhibition evolve from one another, we must first refer to the fundamentals of the cube. Known in mathematics as a polyhedron, the cube is also one of the five Platonic Solids, consisting of six square faces of equal dimensions. It features 12 edges and eight vertices, with three edges converging at each vertex. Simply put, a cube is characterised by equal faces, equal edges, and vertices that connect the same number of edges.4 Tan builds on these principles by starting with an approach that dissects the cube (Particulate 1–7 ), progressing to another form (META LATTICE CUBE ), and evolving into various permutations (RODS, PLATES, SOLIDS) (Figs. 3, 4). This exploration eventually leads into solid structures, exemplified by 5 Tetrahedrons Make a Cube. For Tan, these works emerged when she began studying cubes
4 Georg Glaeser, Geometry and its Applications in Arts, Nature and Technology, (New York: Springer Wien: 2012), 104.
Fig. 3 Studies for Particulate
Fig. 4 Studies of
Particulate series that evolve into META LATTICE CUBE series.
CUBE series development.
META LATTICE
and discovered that by connecting their corners and segmenting them, she could generate new shapes derived from the cube’s underlying framework.
In Particulate 1-7, we see only four vertices of a cube. Made of layered aluminium angle bars which have been bolted, it is formed by four diagonal lines connected at right angles, appearing more like a trapezium than a cube. When viewed from a particular twodimensional view, a perfect square can be seen, even though this does not appear when viewing the work in person. It also suggests the impression of a square frame twisted at a skewed angle, a transformation further explored in META LOOP CUBE. This piece deconstructs elements of the former, reconnecting each end in opposing directions to create a continuous loop (Fig. 5). The cube is now distorted, yet it retains its square profile if one were to consider its elevation view from the front and the back. In the exhibition, Tan presents another iteration of her bolted aluminium angle bar works in Particulate 1-5A, which takes the form of a three-dimensional cross to convey the internal symmetry of a cube, despite the absence of vertices.
In the META LATTICE CUBE series, she introduces tessellation into
Fig. 5 Studies for META LOOP CUBE evolving from META LATTICE CUBE series.
the works to produce new dimensions of the cube in three ways. META LATTICE CUBE - RODS has a honeycomb effect, produced by joining rods at the angle first explored in Particulate 1-7 META LATTICE CUBE - PLATES builds upon the former, filling facets of its surface to present another possible dimension of the initial cube. As a further extension, META LATTICE CUBE - SOLIDS I and III explore the transformation of negative spaces from previous iterations into solid forms. These works present configurations made from derivative shapes within the cube, reinterpreted in the form of a skewed cuboid. In SOLIDS I, four skewed cuboids are combined to form a chevron-like structure with 18 vertices. At this stage, the original conception of the cube as defined by six faces and eight vertices has been blurred. Tan’s deconstruction of the cube nonetheless follows its inherent logic. META LATTICE CUBESOLIDS III is a variant of the former which splits the negative space unit into half to be rearranged into a cuboid. Combining four units of this, they return to a traditional cube of the standard eight vertices. The work 5 Tetrahedrons Make a Cube is another example of this gesture. Made of marble and travertine, it takes the outlines of the work Particulate 1-7 and partitions it into five parts to form pyramids. The work comprises five pyramids, or tetrahedrons which likewise, can be reconfigured into a cube.
The works Geometries in Nature I and V feature a different effect of tessellation from that seen in her META LATTICE works. It takes a plane with four edges, folding each side in opposing directions to create a three-dimensional structure which is then repeated to form a cascading sculpture of amber shades. For Tan, the work was inspired by the principles of crystalline structures occurring in nature and rock formations that generates symmetrical patterns. Prism Objects – 4 Square Rods reflects another aspect of Tan’s interest in nature, inspired by her research into natural mineral pigments used in traditional paintings before the adoption of synthetic mass-produced paints. The work consists of four towers of stacked paper squares coated in Han Purple, an engineered pigment dating back to China’s Warring States period (479–221 BC). This piece marks an early exploration of cuboid forms, demonstrating Tan’s fascination with their dimensions. By stacking 256 paper squares to a height of 158 mm, she transforms them into four sculptural blocks. When placed equidistant from one another, these blocks collectively form the outline of a larger cube, reinterpreting the cube through an additive, layered process.
In developing the works for this exhibition, Tan can attest to how they adhere to the structural framework of a cube. Yet, some appear to possess a quality of illusion, defying conventional expectations of the cube. Factors such as visual distortion or the parallax error of viewing can destabilise the perception of the immutability of fundamental forms. As she says, “There’s a certain complexity to it that is more than just about the cube’s physical appearance—something that brings the works to life. This instability, especially in the transition from two to three dimensions, makes depth a dynamic element, open to interpretation. It’s intriguing because you can perceive it, yet it remains variable and abstract. The works evolved from focusing on structural complexity to embracing this intangible, everchanging aspect, which I found rather profound.”5
5 Interview with Grace Tan on 03 Jan 2025.
Fig. 6 Development of Projected Tesseract Resembling a Cube (Pale Gold and Copper).
The work Projected Tesseract Resembling a Cube (Pale Gold and Copper) can be seen as Tan’s attempt at unpacking the complexities of dimensionality. Known as a four-dimensional cube which theoretically exists but cannot be seen or experienced by the human eye, Tan takes the tesseract’s properties—16 vertices, 32 edges, 24 squares and 8 cubes—and collapses its four dimensions into two, creating the illusion of a cube on the wall (Fig. 6). The work features two painted parallelograms accompanied by the projection of two square lights programmed to cast six colours (Figs. 7, 8). Using RGBW light sources, these colours transition into a spectrum of 12 distinct hues when projected onto a wall painted with pale gold and copper pigments of a pearlescent sheen. Together, the interaction of these elements conjures an illusion of a tesseract’s 24 squares—an inherently four-dimensional object traditionally considered impossible to experience visually. This interplay of paint and light provides viewers a fleeting glimpse into the elusive fourth dimension, offering a heightened sense of phenomena within the work.
Fig. 7 Two painted parallelograms.
Fig. 8 Projection of two square lights.
The start of this essay ventured to consider Tan’s practice from a rigorous and technical exploration of the formulas and principles underlying the construction of objects. Through the process of reviewing the works in the exhibition, it becomes clearer that Tan’s inquiry extends into an investigation of both the visible and invisible dimensions of her subject matter. How else might we situate this inclination towards the unknown that can be gleaned from her work? Reflecting on this aspect of Tan’s practice, I am reminded of the landmark 2015 exhibition Proportio at the Palazzo Fortuny in Venice, presented by the Axel and May Vervoordt Foundation. Through archival illustrations, pre-modern artefacts and the works of a diverse range of modern and contemporary artists, the exhibition explored concepts of proportion— scale, structure, mathematics in nature, as well as harmony, balance and the infinite—proposing how these domains can contribute to the fundamental design of life itself. Axel Vervoordt described the curatorial rationale as such:
“It’s an investigation of how elements and patterns are connected and interconnected. It’s an investigation of how we, as humans perceive those patterns through our senses, as well as through our intuition. It is also an exploration of how universal proportions guide our understanding of creation and the dynamic dance between order and chaos.” 6
In this light, Vervoordt’s conception of proportions and their interrelated patterns that may connect to the hidden principles of existence offers us a deeper appreciation of Tan’s endeavour to articulate the unseen connections between things and the measurements that define them.
6 René de Bartiral, Tatsuro Miki, Axel Vervoordt, “Proportio: Harmonia Universalis: Past, Present and Future” in Proportio, exhibition catalogue, (eds) Luc Deryke, Axel Vervoordt, (Axel Vervoodt Foundation in association with MER. Paper Kunsthalle Ghent BE: Belgium, 2015), 107.
Michelle Ho is the director of the ADM Gallery at the NTU School of Art, Design and Media. With more than 15 years curatorial experience in Southeast Asian art, some of her exhibitions include An Ode to Absence: Works from Private Collections (2024), Vertical Submarine and the Amusement of Knowledge and Illusion (2022), Reformations: Painting in post 2000 Singapore Art (2019) and Exceptions of Rule: Counterpoints to Truth (2018). Formerly a curator at the Singapore Art Museum, she led the acquisition strategies of its contemporary art collection from 2013 to 2015, and co-curated exhibitions with museums like Queensland Art Gallery, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo and Kunsthaus Zurich. She was co-curator of the 2013 Singapore Biennale, and was appointed curator for the Singapore Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale in 2019.
Artist Profile
Grace Tan began her inter-disciplinary practice in 2003 under the kwodrent series to explore wearable fabric structures based on the study of rectangles and construction methods. Her interest in material and construction and their respective histories, led her wearable works to evolve into sculptural objects and large-scale, site-specific installations. Geometry is another key influence, and her works are distinguished by tactile nuances that accentuate matter and form.
In 2015, GROUND, her collaborative entry with FARM Architects, was selected for National Gallery Singapore’s art connector project in conjunction with Singapore’s 50th anniversary of its independence. Tan has since been awarded numerous public commissions in Singapore, notably: Woven Field (2015) at the Little India MRT station; SYMMETRY (2017) at DUO; PLANES and CURRENTS (2017) at Marine One office lobbies; n. 333 - State of Equilibrium (2018) at Raffles City; Interplay (2023) at 71 Robinson Road; Sea of Flags (2023) and The fruit of deceit (2024), Singapore Art Museum; Mater (2024), a commemorative sculpture at the Yale-NUS campus.
Tan has had an extensive history of solo exhibitions: A CUBE IS A CUBE IS A CUBE (2025) at FOST Gallery; Dimensions at Jendela Gallery, The Esplanade (2023); n. 355 – natural progression, commissioned by the Asian Civilisations Museum as a contemporary response to Raffles in Southeast Asia exhibition (2019); A Common Thread: Archiving a Practice at FOST Gallery (2018); Materials and Methods at POLA Museum Annex Tokyo (2018); the truth of matter at FOST Gallery (2015) and kwodrent: working process at FOST Gallery (2008).
She has been invited to present her works in group exhibitions, they include: Discrete Encoding and IN RANDOM ORDER at FOST Gallery (both in 2019); Shapes in Symmetry at Nanyang Technological University ADM Gallery (2018); The Measure of Your Dwelling: Singapore as Unhomed at ifa Gallery Berlin (2015); Erasure: From Conceptualism to Abstraction at Osage Gallery Hong Kong (2014). She has also presented her works at Inside Out Sydney (2017), Singapore Biennale (2013), Setouchi Triennale (2013), State of Design in Melbourne (2008 - 2010), Singapore Design Festival (2007), London Design Week (2006) and Aichi World Expo (2005).
In 2012, she was awarded the President’s Design Award for Building as a Body and in 2013, the prestigious Young Artist Award, Singapore’s highest award for young arts practitioners, aged 35 and below. Her works are in private and corporate collections, as well as institutions such as POLA Museum, Japan and the Singapore Art Museum.
5 Tetrahedrons Make A Cube 2024
Verde alpi marble, Carrara marble, Travertine
Edition 1 of 2 + 1 Artist’s Proof
H15 x W15 x D15 cm (each; consists of 3 parts)
META LATTICE CUBE-PLATES
2024
Stainless steel 316 (mirror-polished finish)
Edition 1 of 2 + 1 Artist’s Proof
H30 x W30 x D30 cm
META LATTICE CUBE-RODS
2024
Stainless steel 316 (mirror-polished finish)
Edition 1 of 2 + 1 Artist’s Proof
H66 x W66 x D66 cm
META LATTICE CUBE-SOLIDS I 2024
Aluminium (concrete effect finish)
Edition 1 of 2 + 1 Artist’s Proof
H22.5 x W22.5 x D45 cm
META LATTICE CUBE-SOLIDS III 2024
Verde alpi marble, Carrara marble
Edition 1 of 2 + 1 Artist’s Proof
H15 x W7.5 x D15 cm (each; consists of 4)
META LOOP CUBE
Weathering steel
Edition 1 of 2 + 1 Artist’s Proof
H22.5 x W22.5 x D45 cm
Particulate1-5A 2019
Aluminium angle bars with stainless steel fasteners
H30 x W30 x D30 cm
Particulate1-7 2019
Aluminium angle bars with stainless steel fasteners
H30 x W30 x D30 cm
Prism Objects - Four Square Rods
2021
Cotton pulp watercolour paper squares painted with “Han Purple” barium copper silicate suspended in aqueous acrylic binder and assembled with archival PVA adhesive
H15.8 x W5.2 x D5.2 cm (each; set of 4)
Geometries in Nature I
2022
Stainless steel 316 in hairline PVD finish and UV
printed acrylic, stainless steel bracket
H130 x W96 x D31 cm (artwork)
H10 x W70 x D20 cm (bracket)
Geometries in Nature V 2022
Stainless steel 316 in hairline PVD finish and UV printed acrylic, stainless steel bracket
H151 x W121 x D23 cm (artwork)
H10 x W65 x D29 cm (bracket)
Projected Tesseract Resembling a Cube (Pale Gold and 2025
Programmable RGBW (red, green, blue and white) LED projections and pearlescent pigments with aqueous acrylic Site specific; dimensions variable
As installed in the exhibition H213 x W213 cm; H213 x W78 cm (painting; each)
Copper)
light
acrylic binder
Grace Tan
A CUBE IS A CUBE IS A CUBE
11 January - 01 March 2025
FOST Gallery, Singapore
Essay
Michelle Ho
Exhibition Identity
H55 Studio
Lighting Consultant
Jack Lim Photographer
Lavender Chang
Telephone
Website
FOST Gallery 1 Lock Road #01-02, Gillman Barracks Singapore 108932 65 6694 3080 info@fostgallery.com www.fostgallery.com
© FOST Private Limited
© All images copyright Grace Tan
ISBN 978-981-18-0521-9
This catalogue is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.
Cover: A CUBE IS A CUBE IS A CUBE | Exhibition Identity
Left: META LATTICE CUBE-SOLIDS III (detail)
Inside Front Cover: META LATTICE CUBE-PLATES | 2024 | Stainless steel 316 (mirror-polished finish) | H30 x W30 x D30 cm
Inside Back Cover: META LOOP CUBE | 2024 | Weathering Steel | H22.5 x W22.5 x D45 cm
