“Nostra” is a group exhibition that feature extraordinary artists such as Antz, ClogTwo, Debra Raymond, Marc Gabriel Loh, Muhammad Izdi, Oh Ruey Jen, OneTwoDelta, Safrie Effendi, Wong Tze Chau, Zaki Razak and Zero.
We are normally influence by our environment, people, activities and families during our childhood. “Nostra” allow the artist to present what make them who they are and why every individual is uniquely special. The artists’ showcase artworks that revolves around themselves with topics such as culture, faith, beliefs, fables & fairy tales, paranormal activities, people and self discovery.
ANTZ's meteoric rise from obscurity to becoming one of the upcoming urban artists to look out for stems from his unique illustrative style. A style which makes heavy references to chinese culture; from mythology to dialect and identity, ANTZ has managed to create an interesting juxtapozed mash of contemporary urban styles with traditional chinese visuals and influences. ANTZ is constantly on the lookout for new approaches in making and creating his art, be it in medium or concept.
Debra Raymond’s artworks revolved around the different people she met as she grew up on different places, create an on going interest in the connection of self, people, space, memories and home. Which explains her exploration works tend to be nostalgic as an observation and remembrance to this feeling of changes that happens along the way.
OneTwoDelta take Art that comes as a lifestyle. His early inspiration was from watching cartoons and reading comics. He still wakes up early for his weekend cartoons!
Wong Tze Chau’s divine series explore the concept of divinity. What is divinity? How is it translated into visual expression? It focuses on the dialogues between oriental god image and various world icons. Through these images I wish to strike a conversation between human/god, mundane/divine, low/high, east/west, local/global, created/creator.
About the Artists
Antz
ANTZ is a full time art director professionally and also the co- founder of the design collective The Geeksigners. Along with fellow artist, ZERO, ANTZ is part of RSCLS, a collaborative approach of styles, ideas and creative banter. As an artist, ANTZ has been involved in renowned projects and international events such as ADIDAS, NIKE, IdN, Converse, Taggerbags, Tiger Translate, Ministry of Sound (Singapore), MTV asia and many more. ANTZ is all geared up to intensify the industry with his up and coming contemporary designs.
ClogTwo
He is an illustrator, Graffiti Practitioner & Video Designer. He graduated from Temasek Polytechnic School of Design – Interactive Media Design in 2007.
Many of the people he had met tend to forget his real birth name sometimes; he think it’s not as significant or important after Clogtwo was found in 2004, on a chemically sprayed wall in a dark canal, general known to man as graffiti art and to some, vandalism, and to him, he think it’s destroying his lungs from all the fumes he had inhaled for the past 7 years. Clogtwo’s works merges from relative questions from social behavior to the mysteries of our religion beliefs. As time goes by, many artists favor to question themselves if their styles are well defined or recognized? He think there’s no such definition for style, style is not made, it’s oneself. He had worked with National Arts Council, National Health Promotion Board, Singapore National Museum, Singapore Arts Museum, OKTO channel and Adidas.
Debra Raymond
Debra Raymond (1991) Born in Cleveland, OHIO (USA), moved to Jakarta, Indonesia in 1996 where she spent most of her life and studies, then in 2008 she was offered a tuition grant from MOE to pursue her Bachelor in Fine Arts at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. Practicing both in Jakarta and Singapore.
She has been active with a street art community since 2006, which she specializes in mural. Jakarta Painter Community (HIPTA) recognizes her talent by winning the 3rd place for Graffiti competition in Jakarta in 2007. Ever since being part of HIPTA, she had her first solo exhibition at Darmint Art Gallery in 2007 and participated in several group exhibitions in galleries and events around Java, Indonesia. At the same time, Debra have been organizing an independent art magazine named FUR Magazine since 2008 where it allows artists showcase their works or share anything related to arts. Debra won twice the 1st winner of Photo Hunt event in 2005 and 2007, she further develop this interest during her study in Singapore that in 2009 had a group exhibition held in 2902 Gallery, Old School. She did participated in several group exhibitions in Singapore since 2008 such as NIXON Art Mosh at Old School, White Frames at Red Dot alley & Nation al Art Gallery and NOISE Singapore 2011 at ION. This explains how she always experimented and varies her choice mediums and media.
Marc Gabriel Loh
Marc Gabriel Loh, born in Singapore 1988, always felt the yearning to create so he began studying visual communication as this seemed to be the most practical option. But it did not satisfy his affinity to art so he decided to transfer into Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts doing a diploma in Fine Arts, majoring in ceramics. He works with a variety of other mediums including photography, film, painting and illustration often mixing them to produce his theatrical creations.
Muhammad Izdi
Muhammad Izdi is a self-taught artist who strives to make his mark on the art world. His style is an evolving illustrative approach takes numerous subtle cues from well-known illustrators and artists such as Gary Baseman, Seth Fisher, David Choe and Eko Nugroho among numerous others. Based in Singapore as a Graphic Designer in the Singapore Art Museum, Izdi has had the opportunity to meet some of the regions’ most prolific artists which has helped influence his work and improve his craft.
Oh Ruey Jen
Oh Ruey Jen is a graphic designer and illustrator with a degree and diploma in Design Communication from Lasalle College of Arts. Ruey Jen had participated in numerous exhibitions in Singapore and well as the recent exhibition - New Generation 7th International Exhibition of Design @ Sangmyung in Korea. Ruey Jen is also the award winner for Singapore Crowbar Awards, 2010.
OneTwoDelta
OneTwoDelta is Shahril Supangat, a graphic designer and illustrator. He is known in Singapore’s graffiti scene for his black and white illustrations. Alternatively to aerosol spraycans, his medium is paint and brushes.
OneTwoDelta mingles Art with lifestyles and all intimate around him. A psychotic introvert, his head is like a convention of random thoughts and silent comments. His philosophy of Seek Glory puts him on a constant learning mode and drives his pursuit in creating new ideas and mediums. He is also a member of a 7 artists-Art Collective, ARTVSTS
Safrie Effendi
He spent an early childhood with a relative family that has been a prominent part of his life. As a single child with divorced parents, he could recall, as he was a young boy, he used to watch cartoons and the early MTV back in the 80s and his Aunt would always give him blank drawing papers, color pencils and crayons. It was then; his early years of creativity began to slowly hatch from inside of him.
Safrie have always been observant as he go alongside these experiences, the issues and satisfactions that he faced partly influence his artworks. However, he had intended to rebel in regards of the non-satisfactions. On the other hand, he had always been very imaginative in relation to this world and how it revolves around us. He makes it to a point that, traveling will always be a part of him and this life cycle will somehow or another make its way into his artworks and the way he perceive things. In conclusion, one's interests and passion that influences one's artwork will always be ever-changing as we go along the years ahead.
Wong Tze Chau
Chau attended some water colour & drawing classes since young and his architectural training in university provided him some opportunity to experiment with various visual techniques and design skills. But he was not exposed to modern art till recent years.
He started to explore visual art rigorously in 2007 after studying some art theories in my BA philosophy course. He was intrigued by the questions asked in modern art such as ‘what is art’, ‘how to evaluate the quality of art’, ‘why can art possibly liberate human spirit’ etc. Through philosophy of art I start to understand some fundamentals of art.
At the beginning he attempted various art forms including graphic design, paper clay sculpture, abstract painting and Chinese calligraphy. After exploring and digesting plenty of art books, art museums, art shows he began to teach himself to paint on canvas in Dec 2009.
Zaki Razak
Zaki Razak who recently completed his Masters in Fine Arts at LASALLE College of the Arts first made his mark as a street artist named Lilpinkdevil. In 2004, his work was exhibited at the SENIexhibition at Singapore Art Museum, and subsequently he has featured in many other local and overseas exhibitions, including shows in Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia and Australia. Zaki has also made his mark as a curator of innovative art projects including shows at Warung S. Nasir, as well as the 2010 exhibition of Singapore street artists entitled Is This Home, Truly? at Helutrans Artspace and Berita Harian 2: Utusan Melayu, an exhibition of Malay contemporary artists. Zaki is interested in the human consciousness, the hermeneutics of art, and often employs wordplay and games in his works.
Zero
A graduate from NAFA with a Diploma in Visual Communications in 2000 and Lasalle College of the Arts with a Diploma in Painting in 2007 and BA(HONS) in Fine Arts, Mohammed Zulkarnaen Othman also known as ZERO is a member of the urban arts collective ARTVSTS- art activist. Zero's art revolves around street culture,pop culture and current affairs; constantly creating dialogue and social commentary through them. His work constantly evolves as he tries tointegrate the function of design and advertising within the framework of conceptual and traditional fine arts.
Zero has been involved in numerous events and exhibitions and have been an integral part in the growth of ARTVSTS collective since its formation in late 2003. Was a shortlisted candidate nominee for President’s Young Artist Awards 2005. A practicing artist since completion of National Service early 2003. Zero is part of The Substation's Associate Artists Programme Alumni and lectures part time at Lasalle College of the Arts.
