27723300-CONFABULATION-March-2010

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Organised by:

6 Handy Road #02-01 The Luxe Singapore 229234 T: +65-6338 2234 Email: info@thelam.sg Tue to Sun - 11am to 7pm / Mon & Public Holidays - Close 2 // CONFABULATION

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+ CONTENTS

anthony

palo

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“I’m Watching Tv. Robot, Mr.Potato, Baby alien, and my pet i forgot his name” 48 x 60 inches, Oil on canvas (2008).

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abrigo buen

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COMING UP

Golden Tiger New Year Art Exhibition Treasury of the World: Jewelled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals Folkish - Native South Indian Life in Art Mummy, Is My Drawing Nice?

Mosaic Music Festival

FEATURES

Collecting Sculptures and Their Maintenance Han Sai Por: An Interview What Makes P. Gnana?

David Gerstein in Singapore Marc Quinn: A Profile

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SITE SPECIFIC

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REVIEWS

Andrée Weschler

Fast Forward to a different moment in time with 2 promising Philippine Artists Anthony Palo & Buen Abrigo whose works are distinctly whimsical and futuristic, but no less introspective.

“The New Messiah” 36 x 36 inches, Oil on canvas.

A Review on《K 变形记》 Cheo Chai-Hiang’s “Banyak Orang Bergelang Tanggan”

forward fast 12–26 March 2010 S

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The Regent Singapore, 1 Cuscaden Road Ground Floor Unit 3, Singapore 249715 Tel.: +(65) 6725 3113 · Email: contact@galeriejoaquin.com.sg www.galeriejoaquin.com.sg MARCH 2010 // 11

CONTENT

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55 DIRECTORY Singapore Malaysia

64 CREATIVE

RESOURCES

66 POSTSCRIPT LOVE / Robert Indiana

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Issue #4 (March 2010) ISSN 1793-9739 / MICA (P) 183/02/2010 www.confabmag.com

Editor-in-chief // Sabrina Sit / s@confabmag.com Art Director // Amalina MN / a@confabmag.com Photography Director // Michael Tan (Ambious Studio) Account Executive // Kayla Hoo / k@confabmag.com Contributors // Dr. Robert B. Faltermeier / Yow Siew Kah / Vidhya Gnana Gouresan / Elisabeth Chairil / Richard Chua / Amanda Lai

Site Specific artist // Andree Weschler General enquiries and feedback // _@confabmag.com Advertising // ad@confabmag.com Press Releases // pressreleases@confabmag.com Cover Parallel Play by P. Gnana

Copyright of all editorial content in Singapore and abroad is held by the publishers, CONFABULATION PRIVATE LIMITED. Reproduction in whole or part is forbidden save with the written permission of the publishers.

CONFABULATION cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage to unsolicited material. CONFABULATION, ISSN 1793-9739, is published 12 times a year by CONFABULATION PRIVATE LIMITED. Every effort has been made to contact the copyrights holder. If we have been unsuccessful in some instances, please contact us and we will credit accordingly.

Even greater effort has been taken to ensure that all information provided in CONFABULATION is correct.

However, we strongly advise to confirm or verify information with the relevant galleries/venues.

The views expressed in CONFABULATION are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Printed in Singapore.

CONFABULATION PRIVATE LIMITED (200906126N) 14 Robinson Road, #13-00, Singapore 048545 Subscription price is SGD98 within Singapore and USD98 internationally. For subscriptions, renewals and address changes, please email subscribe@confabmag.com.

All editorial, design requests, advertising bookings and materials for April issue of CONFABULATION should be received by 18 March.

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COMING UP

COMING UP

Exhibition: Folkish - Native South Indian

Life in Art Date: 05.03.10 – 16.03.10 Venue: The Gallery of Gnani Arts

1 Cuscaden Road

#01-05 The Regent

Singapore 249715 www.gnaniarts.com

^ Exhibition: Golden Tiger New Year Art Exhibition Date: 22.02.10 – 21.03.10 Venue: Dynasties Antique & Art Gallery

10 Boon Lay Way

#01-136 TradeHub 21

Singapore 609966

www.9911art.com

Over 30 pieces of works in oils, watercolor and Chinese ink have been specially selected and brought together in this exhibition; showcasing the vigor and vitality of the Tiger.

Exhibition: Treasury of the World: Jewelled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals Date: Till 27.06.10 Venue: Asian Civilisations Museum

1 Empress Place

Singapore 179555 www.acm.org.sg This blockbuster, world-renowned exhibition of jewelled art from the Mughal Empire of India (1526 – 1858) has been shown in prestigious museums around the world including the Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It makes its Asian debut here in Singapore. A whole slew of exciting public programmes like the family-friendly Mighty Mughals Weekend Festival is lined up for the month of March. Contact ACM for details.

Image: Asian Civilisations Museum

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Via a fresh showcase of elucidating art by three carefully-selected emerging artists, Folkish promises to bring you on an experiential visual excursion to classic rural life that still evident in South India, particularly Tamil Nadu. The collection flaunts paintings by S. Elayaraja, S. Kumar and S. Sivabalan, who have created an effective combination of brilliant technique, down-to-earth scenarios, an endearing sense of naivety and warm hues of the earth – aspects that are so synonymous with daily life in an archetypal village of South India.

Exhibition: Mummy, Is My Drawing Nice?

Date: 06.03.10 – 07.03.10 Venue: Red Dot Traffic

28 Maxwell Road

Singapore 0691290 Consisting of works by children aged 18 months to 12 years old, this exhibition will demonstrate a range of illustrations such as scribbling, narratives, abstract drawings and violently strange characters, which reveals a deeper insight to the way they perceive and experience their world. This exhibition also investigates why art is vital to them and more importantly, to celebrate children’s art as inspired.

Exhibition: Mosaic Music Festival Date: 12.03.10 – 21.03.10 Venue: The Esplanade

1 Esplanade Drive

Singapore 038981 www.mosaicmusicfestival.com

The annual Mosaic Music Festival gets underway in Singapore on March 12th, kicking off a diverse tenday programme of international artists and bands. Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay hosts the event, which offers visitors an appealing mix of jazz, soul, hip hop, rock and world music.

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MAINTENANCE OF SCULPTURES

FEATURES

Collecting Sculptures and Their Maintenance Text: Dr. Robert B. Faltermeier

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For many years now, private and corporate investors have realised that investing in art can be very profitable and enjoyable.

Collecting contemporary art is a great way to add a new chapter to an existing investment portfolio. Buying modern art can also immediately enhance your living and working environment, having an artwork on display, at home or in the office can demonstrate taste, style and power. Depending on the understanding of the artwork and the artist, the piece can express a company’s ethics and mission.

A background check of the artist and his oeuvre is therefore of different importance for home and office.

Well known artists such as Rodin, Moor and Giacometti, are like blue chip stocks.

One of the most important Giacometti works L’Homme Qui Marche recently fetched 65 million pounds in an auction in London. This blue-chip-art is limited and appreciates better in a poorer market, than lesser-known artists. However, the price tags are vastly higher. To collect masters, you do need specialised knowledge of the art market and the artist. These exceptional artists have already proven their investment quality and are an encouragement to go out and find the next great masters. It is important to diversify the collection and it is always a good idea to include emerging regional artists, these will add bulk to your collection and there is always the potential of an artist to be discovered and really to take off. Imagine for a moment you were one of the few who started buying an early Picasso.

Collecting contemporary art is a great way to start collecting or to add new life into an established collection. To make an informed choice of artist or material to buy, visit galleries, discuss the pieces with the artist whenever possible. Research the artist by reading articles in magazines, books and the Internet. Look at the artist’s longevity; an artist might have only one big show and then disappear from view forever. Therefore his exhibition record becomes very important. See if the shows are only local or regional, or if the artist has been exposed to an international clientele. This will quickly reveal if an artist has been hyped by museums or galleries and this might be an indicator for quality an acceptance of pieces.

When buying modern sculptures, it is important to see if the new artist has understood the material he is working in.

Be it stone, bronze or modern materials.

Stone is one of the most resilient materials; the reoccurring maintenance costs such, as cleaning and conservation are low.

When buying a bronze for indoor or outdoor display, the patina has to be in pristine conditions and the sculpture needs regular attention, since bronze corrodes easily in an urban environment. Modern materials such as plastics are generally a difficult genre, since many modern resins can deteriorate rapidly when exposed to high light and temperature levels, as they are typical in tropical region. It is always good when investing in contemporary art to have the assistance of an independent experienced conservator, familiar with the material and the subject.

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MAINTENANCE OF SCULPTURES

FEATURES

Some legal aspects, a collector of modern and contemporary art, has to understand the copyright laws of the respective country. When buying a piece of art, the transfer of all copyrights should be contained with in a sails contract. The buyer has to ensure that the transfer is legally binding. This might be necessary in case of publication, conservation or future sail of the artwork in question, and might determine the final value. The contract should also indicate the authenticity, history and provenance as detailed as possible.

The maintenance of Outdoor Sculptures is necessary to keep its intrinsic and monetary value. The least maintenance is needed for stone sculptures. Regular cleaning and condition checking will keep them in good shape.

Even as a bronze sculpture leaves the foundry, its surface is under attack. Corrosion is due to the interaction between a metal and its environment. The rate, at which a bronze sculpture corrodes, depends on its environment. In a tropical urban climate, this corrosion can occur and progress rapidly. This is mainly due to the high humidity and temperature, but also air pollutants. Both formic and acetic acids are major organic acids contributing to the acidity of rain. These acids readily attack and dissolve patinas, resulting in patchy and streaky surfaces.

A bronze, containing chloride corrosion, due to the previous exposure to a chloride environment, can still corrode in an indoor environment. These chlorides can be due to burial, as in the case of archaeological bronzes, or in contemporary bronze sculptures due to airborne salts, handling and others. This chloride corrosion can be indicated as light green to turquoise spots, powdery or solid in texture, or even as a light green liquid when exposed to high humidity.

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if a good dehumidifying system is used, can the relative humidity be reduced to deactivate corrosion or an other option is the metal sculpture is coated with a synthetic material to prevent humidity attacking its surface. However; a low humidity level in turn will affect wooden sculptures, textiles and other organic materials and cause them to shrink and crack. Display cases are therefore recommended for mixed collections of high value.

When it comes to cleaning sculptures, make sure that no commercial cleaner is used. They can contain ammonia and other additives, which stain and rapidly deteriorate the surface. When dusting an indoor sculpture, it is best to use a very soft, clean and dry brush to dust the surface and make sure the metal sleeve around the bristles does not scratch the surface.

Sculptures made from polyester or epoxy are best shown in an indoor environment. Coated glass-fibre sculptures deteriorate rapidly in a tropic environment. The high humidity temperature and light levels have devastating effects on its structural integrity.

Do not place sculptures directly on soil if not absolutely necessary since the moist ground accelerates deterioration.

Place sculpture on a plane stone surface preferably marble or granite above the grass line. There should be no grass line around the sculptures since trimming with scissors, trimmers or cutters will scratch the surface. Be aware of animals such as cats and dogs that might use the sculpture as a marker, animal secretions can cause corrosion of the surface.

Sculptures should no be placed under trees, bird and other animal droppings are very aggressive. Positioning a sculpture in well aerated area allows the surface to dry faster, minimising deterioration.

It is not advisable to position a sculpture near a high traffic road, the pollution and the vibration increases deterioration and cracking. Outdoor sculptures should be washed once a month from top to bottom.

If the surface is clean, moisture can dry up very quickly, however if there is a layer of dirt it will stay moist longer and initiate deterioration. To wash a sculpture it is best to use filtered tap water. The carbon filter will filter out most of the chlorine and fluorine and metal particles if present. A clean flannel or sponge is needed. Should the sponge or flannel fall to the ground or be used on very dirty, gritty areas, it needs to be replaced or very very thoroughly washed. Regular cleaning solutions should not be used.

Every 6 months the sculpture should be washed thoroughly inspected and waxed with a neutral microcrystalline wax that is suitable for the climate what works in a European climate is not necessarily applicable in a tropical climate.

For a good management of a sculpture, it is recommended that every 6 to 12 months a professionally trained conservator should inspect the surface for flaws and damage, and clean the sculpture and reapply a sacrificial protective coating. The condition check ensures that the estimated 5-10% increase in value per year is not jeopardised. //

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FEATURES

HAN SAI POR

Han Sai Por: An Interview

Text: Yow Siew Kah

Award-winning Artist Han Sai Por Talks About Her New Solo Exhibition, How She Relates to Her Materials and Her Creative Process.

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FEATURES

Han Sai Por is a top Singaporean sculptor who was awarded the Singapore Cultural Medallion in 1995 for her significant contribution to the arts. She was educated in pedagogical methods, the fine arts, and landscape architecture, and has exhibited in such prestigious locations as the Fukuoka Museum, Japan, the National Museum of Modern Art, Seoul, Korea, and in the Landscape Sculpture Exhibition in Beijing, China, during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. She talks to art historian Yow Siew Kah on her new solo exhibition in Singapore.

HAN SAI POR

Can you tell us about the show?

My upcoming solo show is entitled “The Changing Landscape”. I have always been interested in the tropical landscape, and the body of works I have made for the exhibition shows my continued involvement in this line of inquiry. The works are responses to what I see as violence inflicted on the tropical flora and fauna of Singapore.

Such violence occurs on at least two levels. First, in the last few decades, we have seen the physical infrastructure of our country developing at a giddying pace.

Large parts of the natural landscape have now been replaced by steel-and-concrete structures. Massive destruction of wildlife has accompanied this change. Some of the plants and animals that I used to see as a child appear to be extinct. Second, while attempts have been made to re-introduce nature into urban spaces, imported species have been given preference over indigenous ones. What we have now are well-manicured gardens rather than the untamed vegetation that used to strive under our humid tropical conditions.

The tropical rainforest is an important feature of the landscape of our region: it marks the difference between us and the more temperate areas of the world. Many places in Singapore were named after tropical plants which used to be abundant on the island. Now that the flora has disappeared, the names no longer have the same significance.

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I have grouped the works into four subthemes: Deforestation, Destruction, Extinction and Transformation, each addressing a different aspect of our changing landscape. Instead of using the usual pedestals, I will display the sculptures as installations.

How are the drawings in the show related to the sculptures?

Drawing is an important part of my art practice, and I have been doing it for many years. I do not draw only to conceptualise, although it certainly has that function. If it is possible to say that an art work can be “complete”, many of my drawings, including the ones in the exhibition, are “finished” products.

We usually think of drawing and sculpting to be two completely different activities. For sure, there are differences, But they have more similarities than one would imagine.

Both are creative acts that involve markmaking: drawing lines on paper can be like carving on stone. Of course, the media and tools are not entirely the same, and I need to be sensitive to the differences. For example, sculpting is usually about removing material, while drawing is “adding on”. But as movements of the hand, they are really not that dissimilar.

One of my key concerns in creating a sculpture is the effect of light, including how light and dark areas can be juxtaposed to create interesting visual effects. I also explore light-dark in my drawings.

At the risk of over-simplifying, for me, drawing is a more relaxing form of sculpting.

Making a sculpture out of a material like granite is hard physical work. The sound of the machine tools is always whirring in my ears, and the air that I breathe in is thick with dust. Very often, the process is so messy that it is hard to visualise the finished product. In contrast, drawing can be done in a more comfortable setting, and it is easier to see where I am going: there is a better sense of the overall image.

Please tell us how you work with materials.

After having worked as a sculptor for so many years, I have developed an intimate relationship with the materials that I commonly work with, such as bronze, granite and marble. Depending on the natural appearance of a material, I decide on how much work needs to be done. Some materials have such beautiful forms that I leave them pretty much as they are, but others require more manipulation. In general, granite has highly patterned surfaces and need a different kind of treatment from marble, which tends to have a more homogenous appearance.

Different materials respond differently to treatment. For example, granite is really hard, and cannot be carved the same way as marble. Also, not all materials can be polished with good results: granite shines easily, but sandstone never does.

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FEATURES

HAN SAI POR

As you can see in the works in the show, I like to create artificial textures on the stones, which would then interact with the natural ones in interesting ways. The textures are made using a variety of methods, including sand-blasting and polishing.

What about your creative process?

Many of my works are rather large, and to complete them, I need help from skilled craftsmen. They are really hard to find in Singapore and Malaysia, but I have access to some good ones in a workshop in Fujian province, China, where I spend a good amount of time.

I usually make a maquette, which is a scale model, of my design, and consult with the local masons on the choice of material. I may even need their help in making the maquette: the model is usually about half the size of the final product, so depending on the design, it can be quite sizeable.

It would be incorrect to assume that with a scale model, the craftsmen can complete the work unsupervised.

There are several reasons. First, the maquette is just a model, and because it is much smaller than the actual work and is made quite quickly, it does not have many of the details in the original design. This means that I will need to add in the finer points when executing

1. Destruction series 1, 2009, Marble with Honed Finish, H58.5 x W38 x D34.5 cm 2. Destruction series 2, 2009, Marble with Honed Finish H67 x W64 x D20.5 cm

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FEATURES

HAN SAI POR

the final work, either by myself or by directing a team of masons. This occurs rather frequently.

Second, the masons are not trained in art. They are good in replicating a design, but tend to be less competent in making aesthetic decisions. There is therefore a great deal of need for my input.

What projects are you working on?

I usually have ongoing special commissions to work on. At the same time, a party has expressed interest in publishing a small catalogue of my public art works. A significant portion of my portfolio consists of large, outdoor pieces. Some of these are in private collection, while others are installed in public spaces. Existing catalogues of my sculptures have tended to focus on the smaller works, which means that a large part of my oeuvre has been left out. I look forward to seeing a publication that features the bigger works.

The Changing Landscape is at The Luxe Art Museum, 6 Handy Road, #02-01, The Luxe, Singapore 229234, from 1 March 2010 to 25 April 2010. The exhibition is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 11am to 7pm. It is closed on Mondays and public holidays. For more information, contact the museum at: phone: +65-63382234, fax: +6563372234, email: info@thelam.sg. //

Tropical Legacy, 2009, Ink on paper, 36 x 39 cm

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FEATURES

P. GNANA

What Makes P. Gnana?

Sculptor & Painter Text: Vidhya Gnana Gouresan

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FEATURES

This holy Mother Earth bears, together with many other things, a massive number of artists of all sorts and nature. However, in every country or culture, there is always a selected few who stand out from the rest for one or more reasons. P. Gnana, a painter and sculptor, is one such artist who has obtained a highly-captivated audience in the Lion City and internationally, for the aesthetic and conceptual niche that he has created for himself within the ever-competitive dynamics of urban artmaking, This, he continues to achieve, by constantly counter-challenging or taming the forces that urge him to dispel his obsessive fascination towards the cow, a recurring symbol in his art since the past four years.

It is a fact that exemplary paintings by Gnana are also in the collections of the President of the Republic of Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum of the National Heritage Board. Gnana is a recipient of the LASALLE Scholarship of the LASALLE College of the Arts (Singapore), from where he received his formal training in the art of painting.

In 1970, Gnana was born to Ponnusamy (a foreman) and Navaneetham (a homemaker) in the township of Neyveli in Tamil Nadu (South India), as the third of four children.

Trained as a mechanical engineer for the sake of his parents’ vision for his livelihood, his entry into the unfathomable world of art was an unexpected occurrence that served as a platform to realise his innermost desire to drown into a realm that he related to naturally. As a child, Gnana

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P. GNANA

was always drawing, requesting every guest to his home to vote for the drawing that he/she considered to be the best of all his drawings. This childhood practice did lay a foundation for the artist’s current penchant for observing the subjective reactions (verbal and behavioural) to his art from the viewer or the appreciator.

This practice, the artist reveals, “gives me an awareness towards the communicative process that my art provokes in the viewer.’

On the contrary, it will be a tedious task for the viewer to tempt Gnana to talk about his own art. He finds this daunting indeed. “My artwork, together with the processes within it, is my conversation,” Gnana explains. During the birth of his self-exploratory career as an artist, the figurative mode was a dominant aspect of his paintings, together with a clear evidence of the artist’s very rigourous study of the many possibilities of colour manipulation. Then, there came a phase whereby he was lured into the challenge of abstract expressionism. What begin as a phase to prove his spontaneous creative capability in abstraction, did indeed turn out to be a monumental phase that offered Gnana an absolute sense of freedom as an artist. During this phase, Gnana declares, “I truly experienced ‘art for the artist’s sake’. My brush was uncontrollable.”

Gnana’s admiration towards significant modern artists such as Andre Mason, Jackson Pollock and Piet Mondrian were vital in this phase.

Coming back to the impervious representation of the cow in Gnana’s

art, the herbivore is very much a part of the artist’s fascinating childhood in his hometown, that was almost entirely a rural ambience. His mother used to own and breed two cows and a calf.

Gnana fondly recalls moments whereby he enjoyed assisting his mother in the upkeep of the cows in duties such as collecting grass for sustenance, searching for a missing cow during the monsoon season and even in the process of birthing a cow. When one talks to Gnana about his experiences with the cow in his formative years, it will be impossible to miss the instant twinkle in the artist’s eyes. The cow in Gnana’s art is not accidental at all. Indeed, it is a worldly expression of an element of his subconscious; an element that is undeniably linked to the carefree innocence of his childhood and his deep affection for the one who nurtured him and the cows at home – his mother. In essence, Gnana’s celebrated Eternal Companion series of paintings embraces the notion of emotional ecstasy and the enjoyable taste of being cherished, with the cow and an often androgynous human being as metaphors, portrayed in a blatantly stylised, semi-figurative mode.

At this point, it has to be acknowledged that the Eternal Companion body of paintings did indeed emerge as a phenomenon in its own right, Moving further into his affair with the cow in his art, Gnana obeyed his urge to venture into creating three-dimensional representations of his inspiration. The debut collection of Gnana’s charismatic

sculptures was officially launched to the public via his eighth solo exhibition, The Eternal Cow: Sculptures and Paintings

by P. Gnana, which was presented at the Singapore Philatelic Museum from January 2009 to March 2009.

Experimentation, serious and sometimes meditative, has been one of the key instruments that has shaped Gnana’s creative journey through the years, allowing him to rejuvenate in a world of constant change and fluctuating emotions. Gnana’s fascination towards the technique of collage in his paintings began in the first few years of his career. Today, collage is back in his art, but this time, on both sculpture and painting.

“With collage, an artwork is never complete,” Gnana opines in a matter-of-fact manner.

For Gnana, collage is process-oriented with layers and layers of ideas, presenting him with fresh possibilities that emerge on the spur of the moment.

“I don’t like to be controlled.” Simple as it may sound, this very spontaneous statement

by P. Gnana is not to be taken lightly, as it manifestly resonates the eminent artist’s subtle yet forceful stance as a creator and the very motto of his personal disposition.

However, it is almost paradoxical to note that it is control, in varying intensities at different points in time, that has stimulated the brilliance of the intense process of formation – from mind to medium - in the compelling span of art that this man-of-a-few-words has contributed to the seemingly enigmatic realm of contemporary art and its market. //

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FEATURES

P. GNANA

1. Parallel Play, sculptural installation 2. Eternal Companion, bronze sculpture 3. Relaxed, 2002, oil on canvas.

4. Eternal Companion, bronze sculpture 5. Holy Cow, 2009, oil and fabric collage on canvas, 180 x 200 cm 34 // CONFABULATION

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FEATURES

DAVID GERSTEIN

David Gerstein in Singapore

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FEATURES

It is difficult to think of another artist like David Gerstein whose work in the recent years has gained such prominence in the local and international art scene. Everyday in Singapore, thousands of commuters on their way to work and play, travel pass the iconic 19-meter sculpture in the courtyard of One Raffles Quay. Momento, the commissioned project that took two years to complete and consists of a top figure that is mobile and is reflective of the multi-cultural Singaporean work ethic comprising of people climbing the ladder to success.

Regularly exhibited at distinguished galleries all around the world, Bruno Art Group has teamed up with Sunjin Galleries to present Gerstein’s first solo show in Singapore. Gerstein’s rich painting style; the secular, flat, mundane images, simple and glowing in their colors; his relating to a society accustomed to seeing reality through the television frame and which has forgotten the simple pleasures of sand and sea and riding a bicycle with one’s hair blowing in the wind - all these encourage us to ascribe his cut-outs to a late Israelistyle pseudo Pop Art genre, designation by genre and, not a fundamental-ideology.

The Israeli artist seeks to expand the limits of the two-dimensional paintings into three-dimensional sculptures. In his choice of subject matter he wishes to break down the existing barriers between the work of art and its audience, by creating enchanted and simple straight forward images, which render sometimes intimate, dream-like, naïve scenes and another times

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DAVID GERSTEIN

a cinematic, large scale, choreographed reality.

Gerstein creates universal colorful and layered images of still-life compositions, urban landscapes and human activity, witch always retain local and autobiographical elements. His versatile body of works consist of indoors wall-sculptures formed as multi-layered cutouts, outdoor works, sculptures, paintings, prints, drawings, and designed objects including jewelry, which can be found in Museums and galleries, indoor and outdoor public as well as artifacts and design shops in Israel and around the world.

Born in Jerusalem in the early forties, Gerstein grew up without toys. Together with his twin brother, he had to devise them from anything that came to hand.

To invent a world for himself by cutting people and cars out of cardboard and painting windows, wheels and doors onto them, exactly like the thin toys made out of tin (which years later were declared illegal). Naturally, the Gerstein twins, bubbling with relentless creativity, were quickly considered highly gifted wonder children.

Until the late eighties - when the large body of his works called “cut-outs” appeared, along with the process of reproducing them in series of up to 150 signed and numbered copies, hand-painted in industrial paints with some freedom in variation. In his cut-outs - even though most of them are fashioned in three layers - something can still be found of the two-

For me art is something simple and basic, like bread and water and air. I have heard about artists’ creative torments, but I feel that I create naturally, like a fruit growing on a tree. I also think of my works as fruit that the tree has sprouted. I don’t have to invent anything or rack my brain on how to process a grandiose idea: things simply grow by themselves. They flow when I’m driving, talking, in the morning before I get out of bed. Then I come to the studio and work, and perhaps cultivate my fruit: A piece of fruit on which nature bestows enticing color and shape, so that birds will come and feed on it and disperse its seeds.

In other words, the tempting color and shape have function and reason.

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FEATURES

dimensionality of the cut and painted cars.

Gerstein went through different expressive phases, yet in all of them he brought together the biographical with the local.

Over the years his image reservoir grew to include trees, butterflies and birds, and his painting technique improved until it reached the formulation of handwriting, line and coloring which are uniquely his own. His images were treated again and again, his funny figures internalized their slight stammer, their innocent absurdity and their kindness, until they became more and more graphic, automatic, spontaneous, immediate, schematic, direct, with no double-lining; Merely a smiling gaze.

Before the metal cutouts with their industrial-like process of production, Gerstein created works in painted woodcuts. He painted the first of these objects in the exact same manner as his canvases - with conventional oil paints.

However, the transition to another medium and material called for relevant paints and painting techniques: super-lacquer, stencils, tapes, airbrushes, etc. He tried to liberate the “statues” cut in wood from the flatness of the plywood. In order to achieve an expressive, tangible effect he covered the image’s surface with a mixture of glue, sand and paint, and added acrylic paint on top of the resulting rough texture. However, it seems that even this did not satisfy him. His quest for a suitable personal language led him to metal, forcing him to give up acrylic paint and adopt industrial paint, since acrylic does not take to metal.

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MARC QUINN

The improved technique gave rise to strong characteristic graphic bravado, with stylistic gestures of strong figuration, classical elements of drawing and traditional painting compositions. With these came a great release of color and a switch to shiny, sensual colors that celebrate life and its fullness, with their television-like flickering and their lack of guilt and conflict. The respective shadow, which forms when the cutouts hang against the wall, is also taken into account as part of Gerstein’s poetic duplication and echoing effect.

Marc Quinn: A Profile Text: Elisabeth Chairil

David Gerstein one-man show runs from 15th April to 6th May at Sunjin Galleries at 43 Jalan Merah Saga, #03-62 Workloft @ Chipbee, Singapore 278115. For more information, please contact the gallery at + 65 6738 2317 or email sales@ sunjingalleries.com.sg. //

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FEATURES

One often asks, what is the role of an artist in his studio? He is the creator of art, yes. But how different is he then from the scientist in the lab? Like a scientist, Marc Quinn similarly experiments and creates his works not only in practice, but also in subject matter. Often dwelling with the subject of science and nature in his works, this painter, sculptor, photographer, furniture designer and scientist only wants to be labeled purely as an artist.

Born and based in London, Quinn graduated from Cambridge University and he soon became considered as one of the most important and young emerging artist of his period in the UK. He rose to prominence in the 90s with his controversial self-portrait piece titled Self (1991) which was made from the artist’s blood collected over a period of five months and displayed in a refrigerated case.

He has since created numerous monumental pieces made from various materials. Many of his works discusses the relationship of the human body, science and nature and include key themes such as creation and the beginnings of life, death and beauty.

Like many artists, his successful and whirlwind career started with a solo exhibition in the renowned Jay Jopling / Otis Gallery in London not long after he graduated in 1986. Rarely to appear in auction houses, the sales of

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MARC QUINN

his works are done through the private market of dealers and galleries all over the world. It was only recently that the artist was featured in the Sotheby’s publication, as his works were included in a charity event held by the auction house in which his large-scale oil on canvas Flower Painting sold for US$330,000.

This newly formed relations with the auction house has more than ever given a commercial validity to the artist and yet Quinn is still able to hold his artistic integrity by making something that is personally significant. In a profile interview the artist stated:

“Ideally you want to find something that’s profound and appealing, but sometimes you have to do things that are personally important even if you suspect you’ll never sell them.

Luckily I’ve found that if you connect with people the sales thing takes care of itself” (September 2008 ) His more prominent sculpture, Venus (2006) is of one that he made of Kate Moss which talks about the changeability and flexibility of the human figure and the duality of human life. The statuesque and yogic pose of the supermodel body sculpted out of various mediums ranging from bronze and some adorned with gold leaf creates a near-perfection representation of the human figure.

1. Moment of Passion, 2009 Oil on Canvas, 100 x 200 cm

On the opposite spectrum of his works, Quinn’s Flower Paintings are equally as majestic in scale as his figurative sculptures. Nearly eight-foot by nine-foot in size, larger than life hyper-realist style paintings of flowers and fruits explored the artist’s interest in the human’s increasingly distant relationship with nature and all things natural. Among other things, it also talks about the human’s want to create a more complex and hybrid fruit and plants during any time of the year, regardless of seasonal change. These highly wellexecuted hyper-realist images based on photographic still lives are manifest of the artist’s talent and interest for perfection in natural forms. // Marc Quinn’s works are exclusively available at S.Bin Art Plus Gallery.

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REVIEWS

REVIEWS REVIEWS

A Review on《K 变形记》 The Esplanade Theatre Studio 21.02.10 Text: Richard Chua

On the outset of discovering that Scenes -- a programme presented by the Esplanade – would be presenting Singapore bilingual theatre company Toy Factory artistic director Goh Boon Teck’s 1996 play 《K 变形记》 (K, in short) in celebration of 20th years of Chinese Language theatre in Singapore (the term “Chinese Language theatre” in culturally mixed Singapore is a highly problematic one), one would expect a retrospective of the play presented during that time (1996) and its relevance in presenting it again in this present moment in time.

In 1996 the play was presented as an incisive response to the systematic culturalalienation process happening in Singapore due to influx of foreign cultures when the country was actively pursuing economic development, especially in the area of biomedical sciences, where multinational companies were actively encouraged to set up operations in Singapore. As compared to seminal play presented the year before – Kuo Pao Kun’s Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral – K pales in comparison, hence it did not get the attention it should deserve, coming from a relatively young playwright 46 // CONFABULATION

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REVIEWS

and theatre company. Nonetheless, Goh Boon Teck’s relentless pursuit in putting minority voices out in the public sphere through the performance was indeed commendable.

15 years on, where Singapore has experienced a couple of first(s): the first time issues on homosexuality (Penal Code 377A) were debated openly in Parliament; grounds-up civil society activities without government intervention as seen in Singapore women organization AWARE’s dramatic saga of leadership tussles between groups, one that protects secularism and the other promotes Christian-right values; the open embrace of a so-called social ill in Asian societies: the setting up of casinos in Singapore -- where would this play stand?

One notable example is how ChineseLanguage is taught these days, albeit the less than effective ways, where the language has gotten itself unprecedented attention in the light of China’s rise in the world. Hence the ethno-centric critique as expounded in the line 我不喜欢上英 语课，因为我是华人 seems to have lost its relevance and effect in the present day. But some perennial issues will stay for a long time, especially loneliness in contemporary urban societies, something not restricted to Singapore, applicable to major cosmopolitan cities in the world, as said aptly in the play: 一个空虚人.

If we were to read Peter Sau’s version as a response, or even an extension to

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REVIEWS

Goh Boon Teck’s script, it would mean that the play needed to move along the time-history of this country in charting its relevance and power-effect. That would be very interesting. On the contrary, Peter Sau’s version of the play was merely an update on Goh Boon Teck’s version in 1996, with some new additions of his own, in the usual irreverent Peter Sau satirical humour. There is also a fair amount of questioning in the play, a typical theatre-making style in Singapore in the 1990s. Unfortunately, these questions were left unanswered, together with the proclamations laid by Goh Boon Teck, which were highly didactic.

Having watched a couple of Peter Sau’s works in recent years, I realized that his strength lies in the systematic deconstruction of text and ridiculing them to the maximum. This quality that should be highly valued in the local theatre scene. The ultimate objective of art-making is the subversion of its seriousness through comedic humour.

Artists should not take themselves so seriously, as seen in the behaviour of contemporary artists in Singapore.

Hence the very strength in Peter Sau’s K lies in his meticulous direction of the actors in creating a carnivalesque-like performance style that made fun of almost everything in the play, from children songs to children games, not to mention a dash of contemporary Chinese pop-music on the side. The ensemble cast members

consisting of veteran actors Julius Foo and Judy Ngo (whose strength seems to lie in Mandarin Theatre more than her English productions); veteran comebacks such as Ling Poh Foong (The Theatre Practice’s Love A La Zen in 1999 and 2 versions of Toy Factory’s Titoudao) and Tan Wan Sze; new actors Guan Jin Sen, Derick Qiu and Loki Tung -- gave competent performances throughout, with differences in acting abilities clearly delineated. New actors Guan Jin Sen and Derick Qiu had strong streaks of the Chinese spoken-drama of the 1980s in them, while Loki Tung a lack of energy in his performance. Veteran actors, especially the come-backs, needed revision, especially with their new-found energies in their bodies; while others like Julius Foo and Judy Ngo, more training to strive towards breakthroughs in their existing styles of performances, which were prevalent in their performances in the Yang Family presented by The Finger Players and Chestnuts by STAGES respectively.

Designers Lim Woan Wen (Lights) and Philip Tan (Sound and Music) had also created wonderful light and sound-scapes in the space allowing Peter Sau’s direction to come forth with greater strength. However Wong Chee Wai’s set design – as much as it was beautiful and aesthetically strong – was devoured by the organic state of Erika Chen Huan’s sand art display.

Special attention is needed on the

sand artist Chen Huan, for her fantastic display of sand art in creating images at will has garnered attention in the local theatre circle in recent times. Her live drawings in Raka Maitra’s work (please see review: http://www.theatrex. asia/?p=176) have impressed many audiences. Unfortunately it also drowned the other elements in the Indian dance performance. Similarly, in K, Chen Huan has again drowned Wong Chee Wai’s set design, making it looked like a piece of canvas, rather than an organic set piece that will move together with Chen Huan’s images. On the other hand, Chen Huan’s art – seen twice by this reviewer – seems to be moving in a 2-dimensional manner, lacking perspective in creating attention points for the viewer. For it to become a piece fine art, there is a need to make sure that movements are accentuated with depth, on stage.

On the whole, K is a well-presented play that touches on issues not unfamiliar to Singaporeans. However more needs to be done in excavating their collective memories in establishing dialogues to get out of the dire cultural condition.

As said earlier shouting does not solve problems, neither do they make our lives better. Proclamations and humour can only effect little changes. Action needs to be done. We should be confident that theatre can be the place to effect important changes. //

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REVIEWS

REVIEWS

Cheo Chai-Hiang’s “Banyak Orang Bergelang Tanggan” The Esplanade Till 28.02.2010 Text: Amanda Lai Image: Ken Cheong (Courtesy of The Esplanade Co. Ltd)

Banyak Orang Bergelang Tangan…

The mention of the phrase “In the Swing of Things” – with its connotations of ease, simplicity, naturalness and grace - invokes in me scenes from my childhood spent in Nee Soon Village. Amid the current on-going public discussion about school children acquiring their mothertongue language, my own childhood memories conjure scenes from market places, satay stalls, weekends on the beach, even political rallies where conversations moved freely between several dialects and languages – often within a single sentence.

In homage to these childhood memories, I place this beautiful Malay pantun at the centre of the installation, titled Banyak Orang Bergelang Tangan.

In his recent exhibition Journey to the Wet Lands, featured at the Singapore Art Museum, Latiff Mohidin makes use of the motif of Chinese landscape in his ink and brush drawings to exercise and explore his own particular visual language. This type of cross-cultural referencing is reminiscent of some of the Pioneer Artists who introduced the local motifs of tropical fruits, kampong scenery and fishing boats, using traditional Chinese ink and wash painting technique in their attempts to address the question of their new “Malayan identity”.

My introduction of the Malay pantun in four official languages, in an event closely related to the Huayi Chinese Festival of Arts, seeks to raise issues about the use of languages and contemporary cultural practices in Singapore today.

Cheo Chai-Hiang (15th November 2009) 50 // CONFABULATION

Veteran Singaporean artist, Cheo ChaiHiang’s installation, “Banyak Orang Bergelang Tangan” at the Esplanade is, in the artist’s own words, one that “invokes in me scenes from my childhood spent in Nee Soon Village”. The Malay title translates to “In the Swing of Things”, and the viewer is immediately directed towards the idea of conversation and discussion, coupled with feelings of nostalgia and memory.

Central to this installation is the use of a beautiful pantun, a Malay poetic form. The poem is also translated into English, Mandarin and Tamil. The poem is presented both visually, in rolling text on small screens, and aurally, with narrators reciting them simultaneously in the four languages.

These intermingling voices swirl amidst the resultant work: Seven irregular, organically-shaped “islands” filled with an assortment of seashells set against the ascending steps of the Concourse of The Esplanade. This is an homage to the oral tradition of the pantun, and the continuous back-forth recitation of the poem in the four official languages of Singapore forms a verbal discourse of sorts, where the languages are different,

but the meaning is the clear and understood by all.

Cheo asserts that this installation was inspired by childhood memories, of conversations that move freely among the various languages spoken in Singapore.

Cross-cultural interaction is a major theme, yet the seashells come across as nothing if not homogenous; Shiny beige shells floating in a sea of white. They evoke a sense of peace and calm, but little of the visuals one expects to see in relation to the cross-cultural connotations.

The installation is beautiful, if restrained, to the extent that one might even see it as clinical and sterile. There is an austere quality to the work, yet its lines are organic. This dichotomy is subtle and easily overlooked, but will perplex once recognised. It makes one wonder how memories can be collected in an environment such as this, for is it not contradictory and not conducive to the retention of memory?

Cheo Chai-Hiang’s art is conceptual in presentation and dialectic, but at heart, it is a local art. This installation is social commentary, disguised as a personal memory, and situates itself in the centre of the Singaporean diasporas. His art recalls

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REVIEWS

nostalgia, but it is contemporaneous to its time. His art is documentary, the conversation and memories captured by the seashells that dominate the installation.

The use of seashells as the dominant objects within the installation evokes ideas associated not only with the sea, but also of listening and collecting. The beautiful, haunting sound of waves that is heard when one’s ear is against a shell is recollected. The seashell has the uncanny ability to transport the sound of the sea to faraway places. Cheo’s installation works along similar lines, where the pantun circulates among the shells, and questions are raised with regards to self and national identity. Yet, if cross-cultural integration is meant to be seen as a unifying factor, that must also surely be questioned because from a higher vantage point at the top of the steps where the installation is located, it looks like seven distinct and separate islands, and the visual language points little towards unity but more towards differentiation and separation. //

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+ Art directory

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SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE

+ Singapore

Dynasties Antique & Art Gallery 18 Boon Lay Way #01-136 TradeHub 21 Singapore 609966 +65 67383268 www.9911art.com

Impress Galleries 1 Kim Seng Promenade #02-07/08 Great World City Singapore 237994 +65 67362966 www.impressgalleries.com

AndrewShire Gallery 5 Swiss Cottage Estate Singapore 307519 +65 9836 4960 www.andrewshiregallery.com

Eagle’s Eye Art Gallery 39 Stamford Road #01-01 Stamford House Singapore 178885 +65 6339 8297 www.eagles-eye.com.sg

Indigo Blue Art 33 Neil Road Singapore 088820 + 65 6372 1719/38 www.indigoblueart.com

Art-2 Gallery 140 Hill Street #01-03 MICA Building Singapore 179369 +65 6338 8713 www.art2.com.sg

FOST Gallery 65 Kim Yam Road Singapore 239366 +65 6836 2661 www.fostgallery.com

instinc 12 Eu Tong Sen Street soho2 @ central, #04-163 Singapore 059819 +65 6227 9487 www.instinc.com

ART FORUM 82 Cairnhill Road Singapore 229684 +65 6737 3448 www.artforum.com.sg

Gajah Gallery 140 Hill Street #01-08 MICA Building Singapore 179369 +65 6737 4202 www.gajahgallery.com

iPRECIATION Fine Arts 1 Fullerton Square #01-08 The Fullerton Hotel Singapore 049178 +65 6339 0678 www.ipreciation.com

Galerie Belvedere 168 Robinson Road #36-01 Capital Tower Singapore 068912 +65 6423 1233 www.galeriebelvedere.com

Lukisan Art Gallery 110 Faber Drive Singapore 129421 +65 6774 1609 www.lukisan-art.com

GALLERIES

Artfolio 328 North Bridge Road #02-25 Raffles Hotel Arcade Singapore 188719 +65 6334 4677 www.artfolio.com.sg Art Seasons 7 Kaki Bukit Road #02-12, 1 Eunos Technolink Singapore 415937 +65 6741 6366 www.artseasonsgallery.com Cape of Good Hope 140 Hill Street #01-06 MICA Building Singapore 179369 +65 6733 3822 www.capeofgoodhopeart gallery.com Collectors Contemporary 5 Jalan Kilang Barat #01-03 Petro Centre Singapore 159349 +65 6878 0103 www.collectors.com.sg 56 // CONFABULATION

Galerie Joaquin 1 Cuscaden Road #01-03 The Regent Hotel Singapore 249715 +65 6725 3113 www.galeriejoaquin.com HaKaren Art Gallery 19 Tanglin Road #02-43 Tanglin Shopping Centre Singapore 247909 +65 6733 3382 www.hakaren.com

Mulan Gallery 19 Tanglin Road #02-33 Tanglin Shopping Centre Singapore 247909 +65 6738 0810 www.mulangallery.com.sg Opera Gallery Singapore 2 Orchard Turn #03-05 ION Orchard Singapore 238801 +65 6735 2618 www.operagallery.com

Osage Gallery 11B Mount Sophia #01-12 Singapore 228466 +65 6337 9909 www.osagegallery.com Red Sea Gallery Block 9 Dempsey Road #01-10 Dempsey Hill Singapore 247697 +65 6732 6711 www.redseagallery.com S.Bin Art Plus 140 Hill Street MICA Building #01-10/11/12 Singapore 179369 +65 6883 2001 www.sbinartplus.com Sunjin Galleries 43 Jalan Merah Saga #03-62 Work Loft @ Chip Bee Singapore 278115 +65 6738 2317 www.sunjingalleries.com.sg The Gallery of Gnani Arts 1 Cuscaden Road #01-05 The Regent Singapore 249715 +65 6725 3112 www.gnaniarts.com Valentine Willie Fine Art (VWFA) 39 Keppel Road #02-04 Tanjong Pagar Distripark Singapore 089065 +65 8133 1760 www.vwfa.net Xuanhua Art Gallery 70 Bussorah Street Singapore 199483 +65 6392 2556 www.xuanhuaart.com

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SINGAPORE

SINGAPORE

Yisulang Art Gallery 6 Handy Road #01-01 The Luxe Singapore 229234 +65 63376810 www.yisulang.com

DEALERS/CONSULTANTS ARI 4-21-17 TakadaHigashi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 2230065 Japan +81 (0)80 3244 6992 www.ari-art.net Asian Art Options 131 Devonshire Road Level 2 Singapore 239887 +65 6372 0357 www.asianartoptions.com MORRPH Unique personalized styling services For residential & commercial interiors +65 9362 7417 michelle@morrph.com Y2ARTS 140 Hill Street #01-02 MICA Building Singapore 179369 +65 6336 8683 www.y2arts.com

AUCTIONEERS 33 Auction 7 Kaki Bukit Road 1 #02-09/10 Singapore 415937 +65 6747 4555 www.33auction.com

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Black Earth Auction 352B Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427559 +65 6346 3767 www.blackearth.com.sg

Singapore Art Museum 71 Bras Basah Road Singapore 189555 +65 6332 3222 www.singart.com

BOROBUDUR 10 Ubi Crescent #05-39 Ubi Techpark Singapore 408564 +65 6745 6066 www.borobudurauction.com

VENUES / ASSOCIATIONS / GROUPS

LARASATI 15 Scotts Road #03-02, 1 Thong Teck Building Singapore 228218 +65 6737 2130 www.larasati.com MASTERPIECE 1 Kaki Bukit Road 1 #02-16 Enterprise One Singapore 415934 +65 6747 8151 www.masterpiece-auction.com

MUSEUMS 8Q sam 8 Queen Street Singapore 188535 +65 6332 3200 www.singart.com/8qsam Asian Civilisations Museum 1 Empress Place Singapore 179555 +65 6332 2982 www.acm.org.sg National Museum of Singapore 93 Stamford Road Singapore 178897 +65 6332 3659 www.nationalmuseum.sg Peranakan Museum 39 Armenian Street Singapore 179941 +65 6332 7591 www.peranakanmuseum.sg

Black Earth Culture Arts Center 352B Joo Chiat Road Singapore 427559 +65 6346 3767 www.blackearth.com.sg Gnani Arts Space 190 Middle Road #02-30/31, Fortune Centre Singapore 188979. +65 6339 1230 www.gnaniarts.com JENDELA (Visual Arts Space) 1 Esplanade Drive Level 2 Singapore 038981 +65 6828 8377 www.esplanade.com Sculpture Square 155 Middle Road Singapore 188977 +65 6333 1055 www.sculpturesq.com.sg The Luxe Art Museum 6 Handy Road #02-01 The Luxe Singapore 229234 +65 6338 2234 www.thelam.sg The Substation 45 Armenian Street Singapore 179936 +65 6337 7535 www.substation.org

ART SERVICES Ray’s Transport & Services Artwork Installation & Delivery Services All other Art related services +65 91522511 artswithray@gmail.com

ART SCHOOLS NAFA Campus 1/2/3 80, 38, 151 Bencoolen Street Singapore 189656 +65 6512 4000 www.nafa.edu.sg LASALLE 1 McNally Street Singapore 187940 +65 6496 5222 www.lasalle.edu.sg Nanyang Technological University School of Art, Design & Media 81 Nanyang Drive Singapore 637458 +65 6790 6667 www3.ntu.edu.sg/adm School of the Arts 90 Goodman Road Singapore 439053 +65 6338 9663 www.sota.edu.sg Sotheby’s Institute of Art 82 Telok Ayer Street #02-02 Far East Square Singapore 048467 +65 6305 2600 www.sothebysinstitute.com

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MALAYSIA

SINGAPORE

FRAMERS

+ Malaysia

Impress Galleries 429 East Coast Road Singapore 429016 +65 64404533 www.impressgalleries.com

GALLERIES

Peter’s Frames 19 Tanglin Road #02-02 Tanglin Shopping Centre Singapore 247909 +65 6737 9110 petersframes@hotmail.com

ANTIQUITIES AND FURNITURE Antiquaro 19 Tanglin Road, #02-42 Tanglin Shopping Centre Singapore 247909 +65 6737 4822 www.antiquaro.com

ARTISTS’ STUDIOS Chieu Sheuy Fook Studio Studio 102 91 Lorong J Telok Kurau Road Singapore 425985 +65 96690589 chieusf@gmail.com Ketna Patel 35 Jalan Puteh Jerneh Chip Bee Gardens, Holland Village Singapore 278057 +65 6479 3736 www.ketnapatel.com

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12 (Art Space Gallery) 12 Jalan Gombak Off Jalan Pahang 53000 Kuala Lumpur +603 4023 4128 www.12as12.com +Wondermilk Art Gallery 39-41 Jalan SS 21/1A Damansara Utama 47400 Petaling Jaya +603 772 5893 www.theclickproject.com A2 Gallery 27 Bangkok Lane 10250 Penang +603 4227 4985 www.a2artgallery.com Annexe Gallery Level 1 & 2 Central Market Annexe Jalan Hang Kasturi 50470 Kuala Lumpur +603 2070 1137 www.annexegallery.com Art Case Galleries 7, Level 4 Great Eastern Mall 303 Jalan Ampang 50450 Kuala Lumpur +603 4257 4007 www.artcase.com.my Art House Gallery 20-1 Jalan 24/70A Desa Sri Hartamas 50480 Kuala Lumpur +603 2300 1343 www.arthousegallery.biz

Art Loft F 03, Level 1 CapSquare Centre, Capital Square No. 7, Persiaran CapSquare 50100 Kuala Lumpur +603 2692 6118 www.artloftgallery.net Art Salon @ Seni 55350 Changkat Duta Kiara Off Jalan Duta Kiara Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur +603 2287 1908 www.theartgallerypg.com Artseni Gallery FF 5, Level 4 Starhill Gallery Star Hill Centre 181 Jalan Bukit Bintang 55100 Kuala Lumpur +603 2141 2242 www.artseni.com CHAI (Instant Cafe House of Arts and Idea) 6 Jalan 6/3, Section 6 460000 Petaling Jaya Selangor +603 7784 8792 www.instantcafetheatre.com Edi.A Art Gallery FF 10, Level 4 Starhill Gallery Star Hill Centre 181 Jalan Bukit Bintang 55100 Kuala Lumpur +603 2145 3440 www.ediarts.blogspot.com Galeri Chandan 15 Jalan Gelanggang Bukit Damansara 50490 Kuala Lumpur +603 2095 5360 www.galerichandan.com GALERI PETRONAS 341-343 Level 3 Suria KLCC Kuala Lumpur City Centre 50888 Kuala Lumpur +603 2051 7770 www.galeripetronas.com.my

Galeri Shah Alam Persiaran Tasik, Tasik Barat 40000 Shah Alam Selangor +603 5510 5344 www.galerisa.com The Gallery @ Star Hill Level 4 Star Hill Centre 181 Jalan Bukit Bintang 55100 Kuala Lumpur +603 2143 3323 www.starhillgallery.com galleriiizu @ Shangri-La Hotel Annexe 7 Level 1 UBN Shopping Arcade 11 Jalan Sultan Ismail 50250 Kuala Lumpur +603 2031 5266 www.galleriiizu.com House of Matahati (HOM) 6A Jalan Cempaka 16 Taman Cempaka 68000 Ampang Selangor +601 7364 6004 www.matahati.com.my Lookiss 1A-1 Anzen Business Park Jalan 4/37A, Taman Bukit Maluri 51200 Kepong Kuala Lumpur +603 6275 1333 www.lookissgallery.com Metro Fine Art Level 1 Legend Hotel 100 Jalan Putra 50350 Kuala Lumpur +603 4042 2224 www.metro3gallery.com NN Gallery 53A & 56 Jalan Sulaiman 1 Taman Ampang Hilir 68000 Ampang Kuala Lumpur +603 4270 6588 www.nngallery.com.my

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MALAYSIA

Pace Gallery 64 Jalan Kemajuan 12/18 Petaling Jaya 46200 Selangor Darul Ehsan +603 7954 6069 www.pacegallery.net

Wei-Ling Gallery 8 Jalan Scott Brickfields 50470 Kuala Lumpur +603 2260 1106 www.weiling-gallery.com

Pelita Hati 22 Jalan Abdullah Off Jalan Bangsar 59000 Kuala Lumpur +603 2284 8380 www.pelitahati.com.my

Y 2 S Art Space 9A, Jalan 5/62A Bandar Menjalara 52200 Kepong Kuala Lumpur +603 6273 2853 www.y2sart.com.my

Pinkguy Gallery A-G-02 Marc Service Residence 3 Jalan Pinang 50450 Kuala Lumpur City Centre +603 2166 2166 www.pinkguymalaysia.com

ZINC Lot 61 Jalan Maarof Bangsar 59000 Kuala Lumpur +603 2282 5388 www.zinc.com.my

Shalini Ganendra Fine Art 16 Petaling Jaya 46200 Selangor +603 7958 2175 www.shaliniganendra.com Valentine Willie Fine Art (VWFA) Ground Floor 17 Jalan Telawi 3 Bangsar Baru 59100 Kuala Lumpur +603 2284 2348 www.vwfa.net

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LIES WHAT FOR AHEAD

PINE P I L I H P ART?

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OTHER VENUES

Malaysia National Art Gallery 2 Jalan Temerloh, Off Jalan Tun Razak 53200 Kuala Lumpur +603 4025 4990 www.artgallery.gov.my MERAH: Mansion for Experimentation, Research, Arts and Horticulture 44 Jalan 17/4 46400 Petaling Jaya www.facebook.com/pages/ MERAH/148050170487

GAL

CARIN

Lost Generation Space 54 Jalan Taman Seputeh 3 58000 Kuala Lumpur +6019 6838 397 lostgenerationspace.blogspot. com

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Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia Jalan Lembah Perdana 50480 Kuala Lumpur +603 2274 2020 www.iamm.org.my

K BY RO

RougeArt 19 Jalan Berangan 50200 Kuala Lumpur +601 6266 7413 www.rogueart.asia

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Richard Koh Fine Art 2F-3 Level 2 Bangsar Village II Jalan Telawi 1 Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur +603 6203 7013 www.rkfineart.com

Rimbun Dahan Km. 27 Jalan Kuang Kuang 48050 Selangor +603 6038 3690 www.rimbundahan.org

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POSTSCRIPT

LOVE

Artist: Robert Indiana. Consists of the letters 'L', 'O' (titled sideways) over the letters 'V', 'E'.

Recreated in multiple versions, colors and languages, the sculptures are displayed around the world.

Image started as a design for a Christmas card for the Museum of Modern Art in 1964 and included on an eight-cent United States Postal Service postage stamp in 1973.

First exhibited as a sculpture in NYC in 1970 and later moved to Indianapolis Museum of Art.

66 // CONFABULATION

The polychrome blue and green piece in Singapore was commissioned

by Wing Tai.

The LOVE emblem has been adopted by skateboarders and frequently appears in skateboard magazines and videos.

After skateboarding was banned in Philadelphia’s LOVE Park, the emblem was used by organizations opposing the ban.

Unveiled by Dr Ker Sin Tze, Minister of State for Information and the Arts on 29 July 1993.

Originally placed in front of Park Mall.

It was quite unfortunately removed and kept in storage a couple of years ago.

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