As the recent Singapore Art Week has shown us, the local art landscape is a rich and diverse one.
There is a multitude of homegrown talents to be discovered, including painters that draw from traditions of past art movements; conceptual artists that tackle social issues such as marginalisation and class politics; and digital creators that blur the lines between fantasy and reality.
Priyageetha Dia
It’s not often that artists can stake their claim to a particular medium, but Priyageetha Dia has succeeded in making golden surfaces synonymous with her practice since her 2017 installation, “The Golden Staircase”. The work, as well as its 2018 follow-up “Golden Flags”, responded to social issues like marginalisation, censorship and class politics. Indeed, there is grit under the gloss of Dia’s Midas touch. She has since delved deeper into her identity as a Brown woman, resulting in explorations in other mediums like latex works, wax sculptures and even CGI graphics. You can discover the latter at the ongoing group exhibition, An Exercise of Meaning in a Glitch Season, at the National Gallery. You can also purchase a collectible gold-lacquered tray and coaster set designed exclusively by Dia for Creative Unions.
Discover Priyageetha Dia’s work at National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Rd, Singapore 178957. Her Creative Unions creation is available for purchase at Grafunkt, #04-01 Funan Mall, 107 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179105.
Shayne Phua
Another young artist to keep your eye on is Shayne Phua, whose ceramic sculptures are rich with colour, texture and symbolism. Much of that is owed to her exploration of Chinese culture and mythology. Last year, she made her debut through a solo exhibition, Sehnsuhcht, which featured a series of works inspired by antique wooden moulds and brass stampings. In her deft hands, ordinary objects are transformed into works of wonder. Some of them can now be found and purchased at Grafunkt, as part of Creative Unions.
Shayne Phua’s Creative Unions creation is available for purchase at Grafunkt, #04-01 Funan Mall, 107 North Bridge Road, Singapore 179105.
