Ten well-established artists in Singapore have banned together for a unique exhibit with each using a one color tone in their works, a style typically used in design and printing agencies. On display are an assortment of different mediums ranging from paintings to digital art, by the following ten artists: Aiman, Jamie Paul, Jonathan Leong (a.k.a Zxerokool), Antz, Ben Qwek (Mr.B), Jack Youngblood, Jeremy Sharma, Malvina Tan, Messy Msxi and Mojoko.Recently, some of the artists discussed the meaning behind their individual work and the messages they are conveying through monochrome.
Artist Jamie Paul: Process Cyan
By luck of the draw, English artist Jamie Paul picked the color "process cyan" (similar to light blue) for his works in the PantoneMyArt exhibit. When asked about the meaning behind his "$ingapoor Dream" painting, including the Mickey Mouse and Superman references, he remarked that he prefers viewers to discover and interpret his paintings in their own personal way. However, he did discuss the influences he felt during the artistic process. "With these works, I am interested in exploring how the media, particularly newspapers and some news channels, over sensationalize their headlines or leading stories and how this then can effect a group or sector of people in society," Paul continued, in a personal communication dated March 8, 2011.
When asked about his successful exhibit at TCC last year, Paul explained the difference of his work this time around. "The previous works focused more on oneself, self obsession and narcissistic tendencies, whereas, these later works don't focus upon an individual, but rather take a step back and look at a section of society such as the elderly and children," stated Paul.
Paul is currently organizing a few solo exhibitions, which should be announced within the next two months.
Artist Aiman: Hooker Green
Aiman is a local Singaporean artist who recently had works displayed at the HIV- Show Me the Love exhibit in December of 2010. With his current work entitled "Please Do Not Pluck the Roses", he has returned to the use of toy soldiers and the conformity and hard reality that they tend to represent. "I was thinking about facades and soldiers and camouflaging and I came to the idea of how people sometimes give others roses or flowers in an attempt to mask guilt. The idea of using paper roses instead of real roses shows a certain insincerity and I felt that paper represents a form of contractual obligation'" stated Aiman, in a personal communication dated March 9, 2011.
Further discussing his piece, Aiman continued by describing how the bud and bloom represents the lifespan that we live in and the series of contractual obligations and repetitive nature that we are all born into. "The toy soldiers' lives are directly connected to the lifespan of the rose and as the roses wilt and die, so will they, and then the process starts over again," he continued.
Keep your eyes open for some additional exhibits Aiman has planned for this year.
Artist Jonathan Leong (a.k.a Zxerokool): Fluorescent Pink
In a recent discussion, Leong admitted that he was at first terrified of the color he picked before his idea for "Let's Put a Smile on That Face", along with a series, came into his mind. "I guess the thing that I've always lived by is that there is no right or wrong in art, that's probably the best advice I ever got. That is the kind of ethos of the character of the Joker, he is pretty much a deranged character but there is a certain method to the madness that also comes across effortlessly cool," said Leong, in a personal communication dated March 8, 2011.
Leong is planning for an overseas exhibition in the next one or two years. For a video of the exhibit's opening event, please see art-management.com on YouTube; the PantoneMyArt exhibit ends March 31, 2011.
Julie Maggiacomo Carrera - Julie's writing career began back in college in the 1990s. However, she considers herself a new writer since she has put this profession ...
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