DONNA ONG

DONNA ONG

“And We Were Like Those Who Dream”

opening: 14 March 2013

Primae Noctis Art Gallery via Canonica 7 6900 Lugano (CH) T. +41 91 922 20 03 F. +41 91 922 20 04 info@primaenoctis.com www.primaenoctis.com

DONNA ONG Donna Ong è un’artista che si occupa prevalentemente di installazioni. È conosciuta a livello internazionale per le sue opere che si dispiegano come delle narrazioni ambientali costruite attraverso l’assemblaggio di mobilio, oggetti ritrovati e vere e proprie opere d’arte.

Donna Ong è stata invitatata da importanti istituzioni internazionali per partecipare a manifestazioni quali: la Biennale di Jakarta (2009), la Biennale di Kwandu (2008), la Biennale d’Architettura di Venezia (2008), la 2a Biennale di Mosca (2007) e la Biennale di Singapore (2007).

A proposito delle installazioni di Donna Ong, la curatrice del Guggenheim June Yap afferma: “Ossessivo, dettagliato e meticoloso sono i primi aggettivi che mi vengono in mente quando penso al lavoro dell’artista (…) La sua pratica artistica sembra essere un complesso, rigoroso e dettagliato assemblaggio di elementi apparentemente dissimili. (…) I paesaggi immaginari di Donna Ong manifestano una curiosità persistente che dissolve l’intero per svelare il dettaglio.”

Tony Godfrey, critico e direttore del dipartimento Ricerche del Sotheby’s Insitute of Art, descrive il lavoro di Donna Ong come “(…) un modo analitico di fare installazioni che riguardano l’immaginario e che coinvolgono direttamente lo spettatore grazie all’osservazione degli oggetti e degli spazi comuni illustrati grazie ad una narrativa nuova costruita dall’artista.”

“I promised myself as a child, never to forget what it felt like to be a child - to dream and invest in the imaginary, the fantastic, the impossible. My work is about trying to keep that promise.”

Donna Ong

Primae Noctis Art Gallery, via Canonica 7, 6900 Lugano (CH) – T. +41 91 922 20 03 – F. +41 91 922 20 04 – info@primaenoctis.com

Donna Ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 1) 2012-2013 Paper cuts-out, wood, acrylic, LED lighboxes and furniture 40.6 x 58.3 x 29.1 cm + pedestal 40.6 x 29.1 x 92 cm

Donna ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 1) dettaglio degli interni

Donna Ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 2) 2012-2013 Paper cuts-out, wood, acrylic, LED lighboxes and furniture 50.2 x 69.2 x 57.4 cm + pedestal 53 x 37,5 x 78 cm

Donna ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 2) dettaglio degli interni

Donna Ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 3) 2012-2013 Paper cuts-out, wood, acrylic, LED lighboxes and furniture 44.8 x 62.1 x 38.5 cm + pedestal 44.8 x 38.5 x 72 cm

Donna ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 3) dettaglio degli interni

Donna Ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 4) 2012-2013 Paper cuts-out, wood, acrylic, LED lighboxes and furniture 51.5 x 65.1 x 33.2 cm + pedestal 51.5 x 33.2 x 92 cm

Donna ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 4) dettaglio degli interni

Donna Ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 5) 2012-2013 Paper cuts-out, wood, acrylic, LED lighboxes and furniture 48 x 63 x 38 cm+ pedestal 48 x 38 x 72 cm

Donna Ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 5) dettaglio degli interni

Donna Ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 6) 2012-2013 Paper cuts-out, wood, acrylic, LED lighboxes and furniture 48.3 x 64.4 x 43.4 cm + pedestal 48.3 x 43.4 x 72 cm

Donna Ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 6) dettaglio degli interni

Donna Ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 7) 2012-2013 Paper cuts-out, wood, acrylic, LED lighboxes and furniture 51.2 x 81.2 x 45.8 cm + pedestal 51.2 x 45.8 x 32 cm

Donna Ong And We Were Like Those Who Dream (Cocoon 7) dettaglio degli interni

Donna Ong The Promise (I) 2012-2013 Paper Cuts-out, 2 frames, 3 butterflies, wallpaper

Donna Ong The Promise (II) 2012-2013 Paper Cuts-out, 5 frames, 129 butterflies, wallpaper

Donna Ong The Promise (III) 2012-2013 Paper Cuts-out, frame,1 butterfly, wallpaper

Donna Ong The Promise (IV) 2012-2013 Paper Cuts-out, 4 frames, wallpaper, 9 butterflies

Donna Ong The Promise (V) 2012-2013 Paper Cuts-out, frame,1 butterfly, wallpaper

Donna Ong The Promise (VII) 2012-2013 Paper Cuts-out, 3 frames, wallpaper, 5 butterflies

Donna Ong The Promise (X) 2012-2013 Paper Cuts-out, 2 frame, wallpaper, 12 butterflies

Donna Ong The Promise (VIII) 2012-2013 Paper Cuts-out, 3 frames, wallpaper, 5 butterflies

Donna Ong The Promise (VI) 2012-2013 Paper Cuts-out, 2 frames, wallpaper, 3 butterflies

Donna Ong The Promise (IX) 2012-2013 Paper Cuts-out, 5 frames, wallpaper, 11 butterflies

BIOGRAPHY Education 2011-2012

Lasalle College of the Arts MA Fine Arts

1999-2003

Goldsmiths College, University of London BA (Hon) Fine Art

1996-1999

Bartlett School, University College London (UCL) B.Sc. Architecture

Selected Exhibitions/ Residencies 2013 And We Were Like Those Who Dream, Primae Noctis Art Gallery, Lugano, Switzerland 2012 Deep S.E.A., Contemporary Art from South East Asia, Primo Marella Gallery, Milano, Italy Come Away With Me, Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, Singapore Show: Future Proof, Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, The Singapore The Collectors Show: Chimera, Singapore Art Museum,Singapore 2011 Singapore’s Writers Festival, Singapore Art Museum , Singapore Fatto a Mano for the Future, Fendi Boutique at Takashimaya, Singapore Dust on the Mirror (SOLO), Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore , Singapore 2009 President‘s Young Talent Exhibition, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore Photographer Unknown, Monash University Museum of Art, Melbourne, Australia National Museum of Singapore, Night Festival 2009, Singapore AROUND Sound Art Festival, Tung O Beach, Lamma Island, Soundpocket , Hong Kong Fluid Zones, Jakarta Biennale , Jarkarta Indonesia BMW Young Artists, Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Singapore 2008 I have a Dream, 10 Solos by 10 Asian Artists, Taipei Taiwan 11. International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia Singapore Supergarden; An Ecosystem of Design Thoughts, Venice Italy Arts Initiative Tokyo Residency (March 1 - June 30), Tokyo Japan 8Q, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore Non|Sense SMU Arts Festival Always Here But Not Always Present: Art in a Senseless World 2007 2nd Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Footnotes on Geopolitics, Market and Amnesia, Moscow, Russia

2006 Singapore Biennale, Singapore 2005 City Link, Singapore Art Show, “Project : Waterfall”, Singapore

2004 Palace of Dreams (Solo Exhibition), The Arts House at the Old Parliament, Singapore Primae Noctis Art Gallery, via Canonica 7, 6900 Lugano (CH) – T. +41 91 922 20 03 – F. +41 91 922 20 04 – info@primaenoctis.com