Anthony James: Repose/Reimagined

The perfect antidote to the noise, fumes and dizzying speed of Formula One race cars may be the very still and meditative sculptures by British-American artist Anthony James.

Looking like relics from another century, the artworks are inspired by the 1960s Ferrari 250 GTO and the Bizzarrini Strada sports cars and are part of the Repose/Reimagined exhibition presented by Opera Gallery.

One work is located at JW Marriott Hotel South Beach, while the other is at Ion Orchard. Both are complemented with light sculptures by James.

He is known for his minimalist style, but with the sports-car sculptures especially, he takes the notion of power and beauty, as embodied by the vehicles, and reduces it to its elements – copper in the case of the Ferrari and aluminium for the Bizzarrini Strada.

Similarly with the light sculptures, the artist seems to distil the essence of light. Using ingeniously angled mirrors, he traps it in an immaculate stainless steel-framed glass icosahedron for eternity.

Where: JW Marriott Hotel South Beach, 30 Beach Road; Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn
MRT: Esplanade; Orchard
When: Till Friday
Admission: Free
Info: www.operagallery.com

REVVV

Motorheads and art lovers should head to Tanjong Pagar Distripark, where an exhibition of artworks inspired by fast cars is on show this weekend.

Revvv is set up at All About Art Gallery, which was co-founded by Mr Jonathan Toh, and features 50 contemporary works by 16 artists.

Abandoning the usual white wall aesthetic of most art galleries, the gallery has been set up to feel like a living room. “We believe that art can be made approachable for everyone,” Mr Toh says.

The artistic styles on show vary, but the hyper-realistic paintings of artists including Sergey Starodumov and Daria Kolosova are likely to appeal to sports-car enthusiasts the most.

Where: All About Art Gallery, 01-05 Gallery 3, 39 Keppel Road
MRT: Tanjong Pagar
When: Saturday, 2 to 6pm; Sunday, 11am to 6pm
Admission: Free
Info: galleryaaart.com

Altered Realities: A Jiangshi Introspection

While most will look at Daniel Yu’s artwork and consider them toys, the artist says: “To me, a sculptor worked behind the scenes to create these objects, and what does a sculptor make if not art?”

He works primarily in clay and resin to create macabre figurines like those from his popular jiangshi (Chinese zombie or vampire) series. A selection is now on show at pop culture gallery Blaxk by ActionCity.

Yu got his start in the early 2010s, first through a National Arts Council apprenticeship programme that saw him mentored by advertising creative director Pann Lim.

This was followed by another apprenticeship with art and design collective Phunk. “That lasted a year and culminated in a gallery exhibition, where my work sold,” he recalls.

The archive pieces at Blaxk are not for sale, but there are some newer pieces – hand-painted and unpainted – that will be. Also on show is a selection of works by 13 pop culture artists including Clogtwo, Ratking and Allison M. Low.

Where: Blaxk by ActionCity, 01-03 Funan, 107 North Bridge Road
MRT: City Hall
When: Till Nov 20, 11am to 9.30pm daily
Admission: Free
Info: www.thedanielyu.com