Exhibiting Artists: Chang Lei, Kwon Hyuk, Khan Siong Ann, Sweta Jha, Tian Xutong
Exhibition Venue: 2 Orchard Turn, Ion Orchard, Level 4, Ion Art Gallery, Singapore 238801
Contemporary Fine Art has become a global phenomenon!
Art is without boundaries. YANG GALLERY is proud to present ‘A Cultural Bonding’ from 3rd – 9th March 2017 at Ion Art Gallery, featuring five established artists Chang Lei, Kwon Hyuk, Khan Siong Ann, Sweta Jha, Tian Xutong from China, India, Korea and Singapore. This collection elucidates various narrative sensibilities, which aptly exemplify the individual creative psyche of the participating artists. The exhibition offers the viewer a prolific combination of meticulous technique and poignant stories to ponder over.
‘A Cultural Bonding’ as a theme in this exhibition proposes the dynamic integration of differing traditions into a syncretic form, that various elements can co-exist together harmoniously. This exhibition can be seen as a co-optive response to the global art market’s multiculturalism. This theme, which is the essence of multiculturalism – the very notion of the harmonious co-existance while maintaining the integrity and uniqueness of the given cultures, is particularly important and relevant in the context of Singapore, it being a multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious society.
Chang Lei 常磊
Chang Lei, born in 1976 in Jinan, Shandong Province, China. Through stark contrasts between sombre background tones and glowing highlights of the subjects internationally renowned artist Chang Lei’s paintings delve into the history of China. The artist is attempting to analyze its cultural richness from a critical and thorough perspective. Hence his paintings evoke both positive and negative sides that have marked the course of the centuries, thus aiming to achieve ‘the truth’. In this sense Chang is searching for the beauty of truth and his female figures are not only charming icons of the Beijing opera but they also seem to allegorize the romantic ideal of “beauty is truth and truth is beauty”.
Kwon Hyuk 权赫
Established Korean contemporary artist Kwon Hyuk’s works feature the traditional Korean ceramics subject. With influence from western realistic still life paintings, his works are minimalistic in artistic approach yet extremely expressive in form. The colors in his table ware are gentle and subtle but very poetic and abundant. They seems to naturally ‘age’, their appearance washed lightly by layers of colors; giving an elegant sense of vintage appeal. When viewing Kwon Hyuk’s works, the dishes and vases seemed to come alive like a glass of aged good wine, simplistic yet leaving a complex aftertaste and creating a strong remembrance.
Khan Siong Ann 康雄安
Established Second Generation Singapore artist Khan Siong Ann was born in Guangdong in 1942. Khan studied art at NAFA and not long after his graduation in 1967, relocated to Paris where he spent the next 15 years honing his talents. Since his return to Singapore in 1989, Khan has participated in numerous exhibitions both internationally and domestically.
Sweta Jha
Established Indian contemporary artist Sweta’s vivacious and creative approach and freshness of ideas have given a new dimension to the ancient art form of Madhubani. This is seen across the gamut of her innovative works that brim with bright colors, hues and sharp strokes. In her own words: “I represent the glorious ancient culture of Mithila, the land of Goddess Sita and Lord Buddha. My life mission is to take my legendary legacy and rich heritage to the world and enrich people’s lives”.
Tian Xutong 田旭桐
A perspicacious Chinese ink painter whose life and art are one and the same with the philosophy he depicts, Tian Xu Tong’s name has become synonymous with Zen for his distinctive black-and-white ink-paintings of sagacious monks meditating on boats on water or on mountain tops insinuated by nuances of lines painted in plain, abstracted space. Pure, natural, elementary and calm, Tian’s composed seriocomic allegories take the imagination through boundless space with a leisurely and carefree lightness.
Incorporating and expressing both the clarity and power of focus, and infusing his works with the clever delight and simplicity of Zen philosophy on rice paper through ingenious brushwork and dexterity of conceptualization,
