Grids and forms

These works were made with acrylic on paper from April 2009 to February 2010.

Floating forms 1, 2010
30 x 30 cm

Floating forms 2, 2010
55 x 55 cm

Rising 1, 2010
38 x 37 cm

Rising 2, 2010
55 x 55 cm

Open vessel 1, 2010
25 x 25 cm

Open vessel 2, 2010
36 x 36 cm

Flow grid 1, 2010
30 x 30 cm

Flow grid 2, 2010
38 x 38 cm



Flow grid 4, 2010
38 x 38 cm

Just lines, 2010
35 x 35 cm

Forms

These works were made from January to March 2010; they were done with acrylic on paper.

Forms (pewter) 1, 2010
42 x 30cm

Forms (pewter) 2, 2010
52 x 24 cm

Forms (pewter) 3, 2010
54 x 28 cm

Forms (pewter) 4, 2010
54 x 24 cm

Forms (emerald) 1, 2010
54 x 32 cm

Forms (emerald) 2, 2010
52 x 24 cm

Forms (coral) 3, 2010
54 x 40cm

Forms (coral) 4, 2010
54 x 40 cm

Mystic-garden works

All works were made on fabric using mixed media such as pastel, wax, thread and fabric paint. Each work measures approximately 11 x 11 cm.

Mystic Garden #1

Mystic Garden #2

Mystic Garden #3

Mystic Garden #4

Mystic Garden #5

Vessel drawings 2010

I think of vessels as metaphors for the soul.

These A4 size drawings were made with a tailor's tracing wheel on paper.
Most of these vessel-like forms are open at both ends, suggesting unimpeded flow of energy. The shape of each vessel was created by moving the tracing wheel freely and intuitively on the paper, rather than by referring to real vessels.

Vessel Drawing 01, 2010

Vessel Drawing 04, 2010

Vessel Drawing 05, 2010

Vessel Drawing 12, 2010

Vessel Drawing 13, 2010

Vessel Drawing 15, 2010

Vessel Drawing 16, 2010

Alas, how soon the hours are over

Today I came across an 8-line poem 'Plays' by Walter Savage Landor and enjoyed it very much. Here is my interpretation of the poem through photographs which documented my installation work 'White Batik Man' (1997). The work incorporated a performance by my course mate Wilfred Soo.

Alas, how soon the hours are over,

Counted us out to play the lover!

And how much narrower is the stage,

Allotted us to play the sage!

But when we play the fool, how wide

The theatre expands! beside,

How long the audience sits before us!

How many prompters! What a chorus!

White Batik Man,
Performed by Wilfred Soo on 2 April 1997
BA Gallery, LaSalle-SIA College of the Arts
Singapore

Works of Mother

My mother first became a fascinating subject in my visual studies in 1992 and remained so till her death in 2005 at the age of 89. Art works that were continually reworked and remain 'unresolved' (2 included below) are very much part of the process of trying to capture the person she was through the making of images.

Mum (Every moment), 2000
Mixed media
40 x 30 cm

Mum with ring around, 2001 (incomplete)
Oil on fabric mounted on wooden panel
60 x 45 cm

Mum with bird, 2000(?) (incomplete)
Oil on canvas
approx 40 x 50 cm

Mum (frontal), 1994
Pen and marker on paper
35 x 28 cm

Mum (after Daumier #1), 1994
Conte and watercolour on paper
50 x 35 cm

Mum (after Daumier #2), 1994
Conte and watercolour on paper
20 x 40 cm

Mum at balcony, 1994
Poster colour on board
79 x 57 cm
(collection of Peter Slifirski)

Nonya Lady,
Pencil
(collection of Doug and Lai Coates)

Mum (portrait 4)
Charcoal pencil
(collection of Josephine Yeo)

Mum (small painting), 1998
Oil on canvas,
12 x 10 inches

Mum in profile, 2000
Pencil
40 x 30 cm

Mum in wax pencil, 2000
Pencil
40 x 30 cm

Mum on rattan chair, 2001
Pencil
40 x 30 cm

Mum, 2002(?)
Pencil
50 x 36 cm

Works based on Mother

Every Moment (Mum and Dad), 2000
Mixed media
55 x 35 cm
(collector unknown)

Blue Shadow, 1997
Mixed media
41 x 32 cm
(collection of the Singapore Art Museum)

Mum and Dad, collage #1, 1993
Mixed media on paper
30 x 21 cm
(collection of Art Focus Gallery, Singapore)

Seated woman with ikat leg, 1998
Mixed media on paper
44 x 36 cm
(collector unknown)

Mum as a young bride, 1993
mixed media on paper
(collector unknown)

Mum and Dad, collage #2, 1993
Mixed media on paper
(collector unknown)

Collage #3, 1993
Mixed media on paper
(collection of Wendy Page)

Choo-chiak (Cooking)
Acrylic on canvas
90 x 120 cm

Mum as a young bride
Acrylic on canvas
90 x 60 cm



She know all
Acrylic on canvas
90 x 130 cm
(collection of C.Chan)