Alliance Française de Singapour, supported by Conil Gallery Paris, is organising France + Singapore New Generation Artists (FSNGA) this year for the first time in Singapore. FSNGA features a new generation of visual artists from France and Singapore and this exhibition aims to provide a platform which introduces the creative potential of these upcoming artists from both countries to its international audience, hence creating awareness of the emerging styles in art and contributing in shaping the landscape of the art scene.
Alliance Française de Singapour, supported by Conil Gallery Paris, is organising France + Singapore New Generation Artists (FSNGA) this year for the first time in Singapore. FSNGA features a new generation of visual artists from France and Singapore and this exhibition aims to provide a platform which introduces the creative potential of these upcoming artists from both countries to its international audience, hence creating awareness of the emerging styles in art and contributing in shaping the landscape of the art scene. It also put together to promote an exchange of artistic
knowledge, experiences and ideas between the new generation artists from France and Singapore.
Jack Ying Tan
(Singapore)
Muhammad Khairullah
(Singapore)
Lionel Descostes
(France)
Madhvi Subrahmanian
(Singapore)
Tikal Dumas
(France)
Lim Zi Sin
(Singapore)
Zenn Tan
(Singapore)
Exhibition runs from
22 October till
21 November 2009
Organised and presented by:
Supported by:
The Gallery is Presented by:
FSNGA is planned to be held annually in SG Private Banking Gallery at Alliance Francaise de Singapour. This year, Alliance will gather a group of
French and Singapore artists for the group exhibition that will be held in
October. One artist from the exhibition will be awarded a solo exhibition in
Alliance Française de Singapour in 2010. The selection for the finalist will
be conducted during the group exhibition period.
The EXHIBITION
2 French and 5 Singaporean artists have been selected for the group show
in October 2009. Artists selected are: Jack Ying Tan, Muhammad
Khairullah, Lionel Descostes, Madhvi Subrahmanian, Tikal Dumas, Lim Zi
Sin and Zenn Tan.
ARTISTS STATEMENTS AND CONCEPTS
Tan Jack Ying
“A new generation artist lives in a post-modern era where conceptual art, installation art and new-technology art is highly valued. New generation artists no longer restrict themselves to just one method or material to create art work but
also cross-boundaries to apply new medium in their work. A new generation artist’s work often reflect on the contemporary issues that we
have today such as ecological issues, cross-cultural issues, feminist issues and many others and of course, every work is personal to the artists. Collaboration of artists from different background and culture are common as well. A new generation artists should have a constant curiosity to their surroundings and towards art. He should not only be an observer but also an activist. He should
have an endless enthusiasm in the art making process.
As a new generation artist, I had always see Art as a self-exploration in life. Thus, I question my role in this world as well as in the society that I belong to. From a personal point of view, I see art as a kind of therapy and question if art can help or improve the society. Hence, the art that I create should be reflective of the social issues that exist in today’s society. I am currently investigating on the notion of home and displacement. This work evolves from the last project in my year one which I produced a series of painting titled: Changes in the process of becoming.”
Both safety and home are human basic desires, thus there is a need for a human being to belong to a space/structure. As a child, Jack Ying was brought up in an environment where shifting and re-adapting to a changed environment are frequent events. Changes eventually become her greatest fear in life. Her work is about trying to question and define an anchor point in this ever-changing world. It
is also about temporality, constructions, home and displacement. The function of house is not only to serve as a shelter that provides us as sense of security and comfort; it also ‘house’ memories in a space within a timeline. Hence, it is an intimate and personal space. We witness the construction and destruction of space and the life and death of human being in that space. The concept of what
is a house, its functions and presence and what is an anchor point thus becoming ambiguous. The idea of house also suggests temporality and displacement. To articulate the above ideas, the works have been taken in different methodology
and medium, from printmaking, sewing, origami to installations. Works often involve the audience interactions and participations.
MUHAMMAD KHAIRULLAH
“The idea of the supporting role has always taken a back seat to the leading role, when in reality the success of the leading role is highly dependent on the supporting role. My artwork puts this idea in the context of the animal kingdom. The rhinoceros is often associated with the elephants as the giants of mammals. However, in my opinion, the rhinoceros is always passive compared to the elephant. I am not suggesting that the rhinoceros is weaker in terms of strength when compared to the elephant or vice versa, though I feel that the elephant is always playing the leading role and rhinoceros, as the supporting role. In short, the elephant can be seen upon as the “Batman” and the rhinoceros as “Robin”. Using mainly the rhinoceros as a metaphor to this idea, the artist’s artworks on the other hand, put the rhinoceros in the limelight as the leading role, excitingly only as a sidekick/ supporting character. Always being exposed and awed by images of animals during his lifetime, be it wild or domesticated. Varying from geographical documentaries to cartoon series, animals are one of the most prominent subjects that interest him till today. He could often recall during his younger days comparing which of two animals were
stronger. Gradually, his fondness for the “second” became more apparent (e.g. leopard over the lion, stork over the eagle, marlin over the shark, etc.)
LIONEL DESCOSTES
“I belong to a generation of emerging artist after a contemporary art booming period; a time I feel is a crisis. However, this unfortunate situation for us currently will be strength in our (immediate) future and for the next generations of artists, because this crisis places ourselves at a position to be aware of the reality of the world of ‘over consumerism’, and all the damage from this result. We then will realize that our planet is unwell, and we have destroyed it from our excesses, waste, and lack of regard for our environment, swept along by the ‘ever more spiral’. So we must learn again to live in a simpler world, freed of the superfluous, to better employ our know-how and that we already have… Art is the society’s reflection. The artist of a new generation adapts to the world in which he is living.” The series of works stresses importance of the squares, the basic shape that forms the art work as whole. We are living in an over consumption period, and there is always an urge to find some new shapes. The artist act by his critic against the production saturation who always wants to differ up to make the form more important than the content.
The artist exploits squares and develops them instead to try to impose some new forms. “I centre my work on the sensibility, the emotions and not the canon of beauty; an evident beauty (closer to the perfection) - Repetition is important in my
work, it gives freedom to my gesture until it becomes not reflective, just instinctive, then I get something natural, lightly, with this feeling that the spirit of the creation on stage is emerged. - By repetition, I try to extract some emotions of life from our daily reality. Even if my repetitive gestures are not always visible in all of my creations, they correspond to all our daily gesture. And the work is being built from
all this small things that make our life.”
MADHVI SUBRAHMANIAN
“We live in a global world where information and ideas travel across the globe at break neck speed. This whirlwind is resulting in an ever-shrinking world that is becoming flat. Identities are shifting and the world is beginning to think more
collectively as a whole. I belong to this world.
For artists this world presents new mediums, new opportunities and a new ways to express the old. Having lived in three continents and moved countless times, I belong to a new world constantly on the move and adapting to the changes. With
each move and opportunity, my studio practice struggles to get established and finally extends into a realm I did not know existed.
Finally, for me the real test of a “new generation artist” is one who adapts, mutates and transforms himself/herself with the times that they live in. In my studio practice and work I represents some of these ideas of movement and change.”
This series of art works by Madhvi explores sculpturally the concept of motherhood and fertility. She uses the simple pod and seed as a starting point for this exploration. She sees the pod and the seed as containers that physically and spiritually hold, protect and nurture-no different than the human body that holds, protects and nurtures the unborn child. Having lived in several parts of the world, the seeds and pods echo her migrant life as they too are dispersed without will to find a home. The organic abstractions she makes in ceramics, range from multiples like families to a singular object or objects in pairs engaged in a dialogue.
Often small organic objects arranged on the wall in different configurations express meanings far beyond their physical form. Her work is influenced not only by her personal search and interest in the infinite possibilities of these forms but also the ability of the pod and seed to reflect her own life. The work is about movement and time. It represents a fertile future and a migrant life. Besides the work is also fluid as it transforms based on the space it inhabits. It is made in ceramics and is very different from the way ceramics is usually
perceived and viewed.
TIKAL DUMAS
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science." Albert Einstein
"The defining function of the artist is to cherish consciousness" Max Eastman “New generation artist lives in a changing world, a disturbing globalised fashion propaganda. It might keep you disconnected from your own soul energy. My goal is to crystallize emotions into thought, and then transform it in a visual form. Art should wash away from the spirit the pollution of everyday life. Bad vibes might
break down your soul; my work is here to remind you that you have one. I saw the soul of Mayans in their stone carvings then I started being an artist to set their spirit free."
GENESIS FLOOD/ ECOLOGY CYCLE II
The 3 stones Of Maya Genesis are floating among a Jade pearl flood. According to ancient Mayans,
green color is associated to etrenal renewal. Green stones are much appreciated and nature is sacred
and worshipped. Mother Earth is deeply respected.
TREE OF LIFE/ ECOLOGY CYCLE I
In Mayan cosmogony, the Tree of Life is a symbol of TRANSCENDANCY. Alligator's skin is compared to the Earth crust. The trunk represents our living Planet. The branches of the tree lead to the celestial Realm represented by the bird.
LIM ZI SIN
“My work has always dealt primarily with the limitations of a frame and the flatness and surfaces of painting and drawing. Recently, I have started to explore the possibility of making artwork without the use of traditional drawing and painting
materials.”
Elements used here focus on are texture, material and technique. Zi Sin uses piercing with penknife as a way to achieve purity in her work. Most of the artworks she produced are mainly for aesthetic pleasure and aimed at dispelling any
interpretive reading.”
ZENN TAN
“With the advanced in technology, we find prices for high tech gadgets getting more affordable. Out on the streets, I see children and housewives taking sharp and high resolutions photographs. Inside the malls, I find ready-to-paint painting materials of the world’s famous paintings neatly packed in boxes. Everyone, or rather, just anyone is a ready photographer and/ or painter. Inasmuch as pioneer
artists had to battle with the invention of the camera, a modern artist probably has to battle ‘technology’. I believe that a new generation artist balances traditions with technologies and to conceptualize without being restricted by conventions.
Texts predominates Zenn’s works as she gathers her inspirations from her interest in human perceptions and the complexities of human languages to the afterthought for daily conversations. Constantly exploring on the constructions and physical structures as well as researching on their definitions and discourse, she focuses her interest on the use of the symbolic texts in contemporary visual arts.
Her current works were inspired by the convenient usage of the internet in our modern era. She feels that art should be fun.
