Departure 2 is a group exhibition featuring the works of Singapore-based artists Betty Susiarjo, Ashley Yeo, Jon Chan and Ezekiel Wong Kel Win, all of whom are former students of artist and curator Milenko Prvacki, whose works are also in the show. This is the second edition of the Departure series, which looks at the development of young artists after they graduate.
WHEN THIS TURNS TO THAT (2016)
Milenko Prvacki, acrylic on linen, 155x200cm
Veteran artist Prvacki's works often have their own visual language, where the artist appears to question the representative nature of painting.The title of this work suggests a possible way to view and read the images.
HOLD ON FOR DEAR LIFE (2016)
Jon Chan, acrylic on canvas, 36x70.7cm
The title of the work and the absence of the strap handles in the train suggest a sense of danger - the people lack something they can hold on to. The painting is part of a series of MRT works by the artist, each of which portrays an "intruder". Here, it is a tortured prisoner from Iraqi prison Abu Ghraib. The photos from Abu Ghraib were staged and the artist invites the viewer to question whether the other figures in the work have been staged in a similar way.
BEWITCHED (2016)
Ezekiel Wong Kel Win, charcoal and acrylic on canvas, 198x125cm
The artist, known for his satirical wit, plays on a Chinese idiom meaning "down to earth". But while the legs of the human figures touch the earth, their bodies are far from it. The legs also symbolise an ecosystem or a structure of how society works.
AQUAMARINE GOLD (2015)
Betty Susiarjo, oil, acrylic and thread on paper, 30x30cm
Indonesia-born artist Susiarjo explores the concepts inspired by the ideals of Romanticism, such as of temporality and beauty. In this work, she wanted to capture the subtle presence of sunlight, dew and a sense of a beginning.
I'M HERE (2015)
Ashley Yeo, handcut paper, 3.5x3.5x3.5cm
This paper-cut series is the artist's attempt to slow down the experience of viewing an artwork, in contrast to the rushed demands of modern society. Yeo's works often communicate and encourage kindness amid the alienation felt by a high-density population.
RHEMIAL'S PASSING (2016)
Jon Chan, acrylic on canvas, 51x72.5cm
Rhemial is a variation on the name of a fallen angel. The subjects in this painting were partially inspired by an actual drunkard the artist encountered as well as by online images. The work suggests a spiritual encounter of sorts.
SUMMON (2016)
Ezekiel Wong Kel Win, animated video, 60 seconds
Social media uses a hashtag to identify and easily access a trend or data. The figures in this work are clamouring around what appears to be smoke, illustrating how information can spread like wildfire with the help of the hashtag.
WHERE: 50 Cuscaden Road, HPL House, 01-01 MRT: Orchard WHEN: Till Aug 27, 10am to 7pm (Monday to Friday), 11am to 6pm (Saturday), by appointment on Sunday and public holiday ADMISSION: Free INFO: www.ipreciation.com
