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OUR GREAT ARTISTS
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It’s official! Our pioneer and great artists are Cheong Soo Pieng, Chen Wen Hsi, Georgette Chen, Liu Kang and Cheng Chong Swee. I should add our Chinese calligrapher, Tsue Ta Ti and educator and founder of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Lim Hak Tai. It’s unanimous from all quarters of the artistic community that these are our important artists deserving our recognition and respect.
Why do we not know them?
They are our heroes and inspiration are they not? Unfortunately other than among their contemporaries in the artistic community, few really have profound knowledge of these artists. Their works are hard to find when you want to see them even though art museums, galleries and private individuals collect them. There is insufficient literature about them and what we have are bits and pieces from exhibition catalogues and news clips. The only real attempt to document our important artists are the few early books published by artist Thomas Yeo who was shell shock in the New York Art Fair when he discovered that the Singapore booth in the fair was the only one without any publication to inform the visitors of their artists. On his return, he took it upon himself to commission writers and published six volumes under the title: Singapore Artists Speak. Later, the National Arts Council Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum published a few more books including Channels & Confluences: A History of Singapore Art by Kwok Kian Chow, the Singapore Art Museum Director and National Arts Council’s Narratives : Notes on a Cultural Journey, a publication on Cultural Medallion Recipients.
Art Writers
We have some very good art writers like Constance Sheares, T.K. Sabapathy, Choy Weng Yang, Chia Wei Hon, Lindy Poh and Susie Wong. Unfortunately, like the artists who could have excelled even higher with more positive support, there were few opportunities for them to write more vigorously.
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Promoting our Artists
How can our artists triumph among the blockbuster foreign artists we are bringing into Singapore if we continue not to publicise and display prominently and permanently works by our important artists? How can we change our mindset that our artists are not so worthy of stronger support from our government, corporation and private sector?
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Self-help or No Help?
Artist Teo Eng Seng has taken upon himself to help organize this series of five exhibitions titled : Important Second-Generation Artists Series. Like Thomas Yeo, Choy Weng Yang, Chia Wei Hon and Susie Wong, they have felt the need to go into the promotion of our artists when they should be concentrating on their art in their studios. After all, if artists don’t help themselves, then who will help them? Odd thinking but let’s say, they are privileged to be able to contribute differently from their main role even at the expense of their own artistic development. Hopefully, this will not continue for long as we have now a pool of trained talents, efficient institutions and our arts infrastructure is improving.
Delving on your Support
Important Second Generation Artists Series 4 features Choy Weng Yang, Thomas Yeo, Yeo Hoe Koon, Teo Eng Seng, Goh Beng Kwan and Tang Da Wu. They are strongly established artists, with tremendous commitment to experimentation, discovery and development. They can be likened to our pioneer artists in spirit and body of work and contribution to the shaping and development of the Singapore art scene. While our pioneer artists need no further encouragement and support other than taking care and publicizing their works, second-generation artists will need an environment where the artists are supported and they can concentrate on doing their utmost best in achieving the heights they are capable for our inspiration and posterity.
From Third to First World
We have moved now to the first world. But first world is only good when we enjoy quality life beyond the material: fine houses, cars, credit cards and plenty to eat. Other than spending time making money for our security, we should be able to enjoy the finer things in life that develop the spiritual and make our survival worthwhile.
The Exhibition
This exhibition is organized by DLR Gallery with the support of the National Arts Council, Singapore. Open daily from 12 noon till 8 p.m. including Sundays from 29 September to 15 October 2006. Happy viewing! You are enjoying first world culture.
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