Three small, deformed sculptures by second-generation Singapore artist Teo Eng Seng are easy to miss amid the visual clamour of the National Gallery Singapore's Awakenings exhibition - a showcase of more than 140 provocative works by Asian artists such as Japanese-American Yoko Ono and Singaporean Tang Da Wu.
Yet, Teo's rarely seen cuboid works - made more than 30 years ago from plaster of Paris coated with silver paint and shoe polish - will likely weigh on the minds of those who take the time to view them.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 11, 2019, with the headline A critique of tough times. Subscribe