Exhibition: Singapore Biennale 2019, 22 Nov 2019 – 22 Mar 2020

Singapore Biennale 2019 will open to the public on 22 Nov 2019. My installation and participatory performance ‘In The Skin of A Tiger: Monument to What We Want (Tugu Kita)’ can be viewed at the Coleman St. entrance of National Gallery Singapore.

Singapore Biennale 2019 will open to the public on 22 Nov 2019. My installation and participatory performance ‘In The Skin of A Tiger: Monument to What We Want (Tugu Kita)’ can be viewed at the Coleman St. entrance of National Gallery Singapore.

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Singapore Biennale 2019 (SB2019) returns for its sixth edition, with 77 artists and art collectives from 36 countries and territories. Titled Every Step in the Right Direction, the international contemporary art exhibition invites the public to engage with the act of artistic exploration, drawing on the importance of making choices and taking steps to consider the conditions of contemporary life and the human endeavour for change. Commissioned by the National Arts Council and organised by SAM, the Singapore Biennale will run from 22 November 2019 until 22 March 2020 across 11 venues in the city.

Open Call: Participants wanted for ‘In The Skin of A Tiger: Monument to What We Want (Tugu Kita)’, 9 Nov 2019, National Gallery Singapore

Malaysian artist Sharon Chin is calling for 150 participants in Singapore to join her in the making of “In the Skin of A Tiger: Monument to What We Want (Tugu Kita)”, an artwork commissioned by the Singapore Biennale 2019.

The artist is inviting members of the public to sew on 13 plain banners made from recycled flags she collected after recent elections in Malaysia. Afterwards, these solid-coloured, geometric-shaped banners will be hung as a monument in National Gallery Singapore, symbolising the collective hope and effort that leads to change.

The crafty, relaxed, 1.5-hour participatory performance will take place at 5:00pm, Saturday, 9 Nov 2019, on the steps of Padang Atrium, National Gallery Singapore. Participants will then be able to witness the hoisting of the banners, which will happen after hours.

In August this year, a similar sewing session, utilizing the same banners, took place at the National Art Gallery of Malaysia. Therefore, this Singaporean event marks the culmination and final completion of Chin’s artwork, which has taken place across two countries and involved the cooperation of two national art institutions.

Participation is free of charge. All materials will be provided.

For full details, and to register as a participant, please visit Eventbrite: In The Skin of A Tiger

Publication: Living Art Book

I’m one of the artists featured in ‘Living Art’, a book about Malaysian artists’ studios and practices by art historian Emelia Ong.

I’m one of the artists featured in ‘Living Art’, a book about Malaysian artists’ studios and practices by art historian Emelia Ong. ‘Living Art’ available at Areca Books and all good bookshops.

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Snapshots of contemporary Malaysian art practice, revealed through insightful interviews with 14 professional artists. In their own voices, these artists share intimate stories of their first exposures to art. They reveal their learning processes, unique approaches and creative strategies, explaining their choices of space, materials and styles. A book to inspire those embarking on their own journey into the world of art.

Featured Artists
Mad Anuar Ismail
Noor Mahnun Mohamad
Sharon Chin
Abdul Mansoor Ibrahim
Hasnul J Saidon
Gan Chin Lee
Jennifer Liu Hsin Ying
Roslisham Ismail (Ise)
Elias Yamani
Eiffel Chong
Azzaha Ibrahim
Shia Yih Yiing
Ilse Noor
Pangrok Sulap

About the author
Emelia Ong Ian Li is currently a Senior Lecturer, teaching Malaysian Art History in the Visual Arts MA programme at the Cultural Centre in the University of Malaya (UM). A specialist in the Visual Arts field, Emelia received her BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut, USA, and earned her MA in Visual Arts at the University of Malaya under the supervision of renowned Malaysian pioneer art historian, the late Redza Piyadasa. She then completed her PhD at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, with a thesis on the construction of identities through art practice during the independence period of Malaysia. Emelia’s research interests include modern and contemporary Malaysian and Southeast Asian art, and its intersections with culture, identity, tradition and nationalism. Currently, she is researching local art practices as processes of personal and social meaning-making.

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Exhibition: ARTAID19, 22 – 27 Oct 2019, Whitebox @ Publika

Happy to be part of ARTAID19, a charity exhibition to benefit Malaysian AIDS Foundation, 22 – 27 Oct 2019 at White Box, Publika.

I contributed a set of watercolor illustrations for ‘Whalebone & Crabshell’, a short story by Zedeck Siew written around the time of the Rohingya refugee crisis in 2015. It tells about a people cast out at sea, who in the last resort call on an ancient god to grant them not survival, but revenge.

Read ‘Whalebone & Crabshell’ in full here.

Publication: ‘Lepas Tangan’ on the cover of Naratif Seni Rupa Malaysia Jilid 4: Perspektif

Photo documentation of ‘Lepas Tangan (Let Go)‘, a 2016 performance piece in collaboration with Aisyah Baharuddin and Intan Rafiza is featured on the cover of Naratif Seni Rupa Malaysia Jilid 4: Perspektif. The photo is by Seth Akmal.

Narratives in Malaysian Art / Naratif Seni Rupa Malaysia is a four-volume publication series in English and Bahasa Malaysia, published between 2012 and 2019 by RogueArt.

 

Exhibition: Transit2x2, 16 – 25 Sep 2019, HOM Art Trans

Happy to contribute a piece titled ‘Study for Langit Biru I’ to Transit 2×2 fundraising exhibition in support of Malaysian Art Archive & Research Support (MARS), 16 – 25 Sep 2019 at HOM Art Trans.

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Transit is a group exhibition that is annually organised by MARS to raise funds for its operational expenses. Using specific dimension as the anchor theme to determine the size of the artwork, Transit exhibition kick-started seven years back intending to challenge the artistic creativity of selected artists to produce works beyond their typical practice. Beginning with Transit A4 (2012), Transit AO (2013), Transit A2 (2016), Transit A1 (2017) and Transit 3×3 (2018). Transit 2×2 this time around involves approximately 46 Malaysian artists of a different generation— from senior artists to the young and new.

Study for Langit Biru I
2019
Embroidery on patchwork fabric reclaimed from political party flags
61 x 61cm
(Photo by RogueArt)

Exhibition: ENTWINE Maybank Women Eco-Weavers meet Southeast Asian Artists, 21 Aug – 8 Sep 2019, National Museum Singapore

I’m showing an installation ‘Yang Tersurat dan Tersirat (Kolaborasi dengan Ibu-ibu Desa Lenek Lauk)’ created in collaboration with the weavers of Lenek Lauk. The work is a result of a week spent learning weaving under the Maybank Women Eco-Weavers programme.

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2019 ENTWINE
Maybank Women Eco-Weavers meet Southeast Asian Artists
21 Aug – 8 Sep 2019
The Concourse, National Museum Singapore

It is with great pride that we invite you to the 2019 Maybank Women Eco-Weavers Exhibition organised by Maybank Foundation & Chan + Hori Contemporary.

The Maybank Women Eco-Weavers programme is a flagship economic independence initiative that connects ASEAN’s heritage through the ancient art of textile weaving in Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia to create a sustainable weaving industry. Curated by Khairuddin Hori, this exhibition features six contemporary artists who responded to their experiences with artisans of different weaving communities. A celebration of regional art and culture, their artworks are displayed alongside handmade fabrics from the eco-weavers; with merchandise available at the Museum Label store.

Maybank Women Eco-Weavers supports women weavers from poor and marginalized communities with the aim of reviving and sustaining traditional weaving practices in ASEAN countries. The ancient art of textile weaving cuts across borders of the 10 member nations of ASEAN. These textiles can be works of art that represent the heritage of their respective countries, yet the women weavers who sustain the traditional crafts often struggle to survive in modern times.

Titled Entwine, this exhibition is a meeting of traditional craft and contemporary art. Showcased here are artworks by six Southeast Asian contemporary artists invited (since 2018) to interact and be inspired by Maybank Women Eco-Weavers through short residencies at the various weaving centers across the region. While the women in this programme receive access to training, capacity-building and microfinance, which helps them and their families to become economically independent, the artists are afforded invaluable and first-hand access to the preservation of a living culture.

The Maybank Women Eco-Weavers programme is currently active in East and Central Lombok and West Sumatra in Indonesia, Sarawak in Malaysia, Xiengkhouang Province in Laos and Siem Reap and Takeo Province in Cambodia.

ARTISTS

Lugas Syllabus (Indonesia)
Lyle Buencamino (The Philippines)
Shahrul Jamili (Malaysia)
Sharon Chin (Malaysia)
Sheryo (Singapore)
Ubatsat Sutta (Thailand)

WEAVING CENTRES

Lao Sericulture Co., Ltd. (Mulberries), Laos
Penenun Dampingan ASPPUK, Indonesia
Color Silk (Cambodia), Cambodia
Tanoti Crafts, Malaysia

Open Call: Participants wanted for ‘In The Skin of A Tiger: Monument to What We Want (Tugu Kita)’, 17 – 18 Aug 2019, Balai Seni Negara

Artist Sharon Chin is calling for 100 participants in Malaysia to join her in the making of “In the Skin of A Tiger: Monument to What We Want (Tugu Kita)”, an artwork commissioned by the Singapore Biennale 2019.

The artist is inviting members of the public to sew on 13 plain banners made from recycled flags she collected after recent elections. Afterwards, these solid-coloured, geometric-shaped banners will be hung as a monument in National Gallery Singapore, symbolising the collective hope and effort that leads to change.

The sewing event will take place on Sat and Sun, 17 – 18 Aug 2019, at Balai Seni Negara. BSN is generously hosting this event as part of their Festival Anak Muda programme.

The crafty, relaxed, 1-hour participatory performance will take place in two sessions:

3:00 – 4:00pm, SAT, 17 Aug 2019
3:00 – 5:00pm, SUN, 18 Aug 2019

Each session is limited to 50 people.

Session 1 will end with participants walking with the banners down the spiral ramp of BSN’s rotunda.

Session 2 will end with participants taking the banners on a short walk in the streets surrounding BSN. Those who attended Session 1 are invited to take part in the walk during Session 2.

For full details, and to register as a participant, please visit: tugukita.eventbrite.com

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Pengkarya Sharon Chin ingin membuka panggilan kepada 100 orang sukarelawan untuk mengambil bahagian dalam menghasilkan satu karya baru yang bertajuk “In the Skin of A Tiger: Monument to What We Want (Tugu Kita)”,sebuah karya seni baharu untuk Singapore Biennale 2019.

Beliau menjemput orang ramai menjahit diatas 13 helai sepanduk kosong yang diambildari bendera kitar semula yang telah dikumpulkan dari pilihan raya yang lalu. Dan sepanduk ini akan digantung dan dipamerkan di Galeri Nasional Singpura nanti sebagai melambangkan harapan dan usaha kolektif dalam membawa perubahan.

Aktiviti menjahit ini akan berlangsung pada 17 – 18 Ogos 2019 pada hari Sabtu dan Ahad di ruang Balai Seni Negara. Acara ini adalah sebahagian dari aktiviti Festival Anak muda 2019 yang dianjurkan oleh Balai Seni Negara.

Acara santai seni laku interaktif ini akan berlangsung selama 1 jam dengan 2 sesi :

3:00 – 4:00pm, SABTU, 17 OGOS 2019
3:00 – 5:00pm, AHAD, 18 OGOS 2019

Setiap sesi adalah terhad kepada 50 orang sahaja.

Untuk pendaftaran dan maklumat lebih, sila lawat: tugukita.eventbrite.com