In August 2015, as Singapore celebrated its 50th anniversary, BAZAAR Art launched the search for the best emerging artists in the Lion City. The BAZAAR Art Prize asked emerging artists throughout Singapore to create a work that was inspired by the theme “Uniquely Asian,” and the judges were overwhelmed by the response. Artists from the fields of painting, sculpture and photography rose to the challenge and inundated us with works that showcased their medium.
Related article: Inside The Inaugural BAZAAR Art Prize Judging Session
“An award such as this is essential for a new market like Singapore.There is so much talent here, it’s important to give young artists a chance to be seen by art insiders and industry powerhouses,” says Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore Editor-in-Chief Kenneth Goh.
Related article: BAZAAR Hosts A Tea Session For The Inaugural BAZAAR Art Prize Judges
This month, we reveal the 12 finalists of BAZAAR Art Prize 2015, who will take part in an exhibition during Singapore Art Week at Robinsons The Heeren. Judge Christophe Cann, Group Managing Director for the Robinsons Group said:“I am passionate when it comes to helping young and talented Singaporeans.The number of submissions has proven that our local art movement is just as active as overseas.”
The winner will be announced live during Singapore Art Week right here on harpersbazaar.com.sg.The overall winner will receive $10,000 awarded by Robinsons and the winner of the remaining three categories will each receive a holiday with Club Med Cherating Beach, Malaysia.
By Claire Turrell
https://www.harpersbazaar.com.sg/gallery/get-to-know-the-12-bazaar-art-prize-finalists/
Introducing The 12 Finalists For BAZAAR Art Prize 2015
Category 2
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BAZAAR Art Prize Finalists
Category 3
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BAZAAR Art Prize Finalists
Category 4
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BAZAAR Art Prize Finalists
Category 1
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BAZAAR Art Prize Finalists
Aaeun
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bazaar art prize finalists
Cynthia Delaney Suwito
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bazaar art prize finalists
Fiona Koh Li Ping
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bazaar art prize finalists
Hu Qiren
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bazaar art prize finalists
Jay Yao Yahan
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bazaar art prize finalists
Kristie Sim Ze Ming
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bazaar art prize finalists
Leonard Yang Yuan Min
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bazaar art prize finalists
Nicholas Lim Ji Liang
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bazaar art prize finalists
Ryan Chiam Yiak Jin
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bazaar art prize finalists
Shawn Chia Chung Siang
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bazaar art prize finalists
Wang Jue
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bazaar art prize finalists
Yong Wee Loon
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bazaar art prize finalists
Synergie 21-03
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bazaar art prize finalists
“As Henri Matisse once said: ‘A large part of the beauty of a picture arises from
the struggle that an artist wages with his limited medium.’ The blankness in the beginning is where it starts. Changing
the blank space into movement is about making decisions that follow with actions. Which medium to choose, how to apply, where and when? These decisions define lines, structures, levels, timing and the way everything merges.”
Knitted Noodles
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bazaar art prize finalists
“Instant noodles is a common item in any Asian household. Being cheap and fast to prepare makes them very popular. Knitted Noodles contrasts the concept of fast and slow time. It puts an object that symbolises society’s need to move fast [or even instantly] into a slow process such as knitting, and asks viewers to look at the object in a different manner... slowing down the time for instant noodles.”
Hardship of Happiness
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bazaar art prize finalists
“My painting describes the importance of spending time together as a family across every social class. Despite the blessings
they receive, or the struggles they go through on an everyday basis, family will always be of the utmost importance. Inspired by
the common way of eating durians at home, in which we open up the fruits on sheets of newspaper, the painting’s newsprint, mangosteens and durians symbolise bonding within the family while consuming the fruits together. This expresses the simple joy of spending time together as a family during the ‘durian season.’ Through an artistic representation of local eating culture, one is also forced to ponder on the tradition of simply sitting down as a family for a meal, which is diminishing in our society today. Thus, in this period of rapid industrial growth, it makes locals focus on appreciating the daily routine of life and importance of family.”
American Ginseng
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bazaar art prize finalists
“Ginseng is a fascinating plant. It belongs to the genus Panax, which means ‘all heal’ in Greek. It is widely used in Chinese medicine and its century-old roots are highly prized. It is believed their longevity can be transferred
to the person that consumes them. According to the LA Times, ‘the US exported USD77.3 million in ginseng roots, most of it to Hong Kong, with American ginseng fetching the highest price.’ Packaged in prosperous red boxes branded with American flags, American ginseng has become one
of the most popular holiday gifts in China. Inspired by this growing trend, I constructed an installation piece referencing a section of a traditional Chinese medicine hall. The Chinese characters on the sign translate to ‘100 percent authentic’ or ‘never changing.’ The American ginseng is placed on the top shelf, according to value. I want to direct attention to the problem of access: Who can afford these exorbitant prices and improve their health with these products?”
Reflection
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bazaar art prize finalists
“The Reflection series is inspired by Dr Masaru Emoto. In my opinion, his work bridged science and religious teachings. What did you see? What did it reflect upon you?"
Reflection
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bazaar art prize finalists
"I believe our consciousness can affect our surroundings. In my photograph, I have used lights, flare and mirroring to create something different. From the once plain-looking shot of water, I have managed to bring out its beauty."
Reflection
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bazaar art prize finalists
"I am flattered to hear from many people their different interpretations
of this photograph. Their life experiences and background have cast upon them their own unique set of reflections.”
Metamorphosis
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bazaar art prize finalists
“Society today is indebted to tradition, yet we want to surpass it. The intention of my piece is [to show] that tradition is reinvented in a new social context, but never left behind. Globilisation may not necessarily be about Western imposition, but rather the socio-physiological development within the emergence of diversity itself. Originating from a young and diverse country, I’d like to bridge Eastern and Western influences. The only way to establish a contemporary [society] would be to build on tradition. This explains my choice of Chinese ink on rice paper. Using an ancient medium invites viewers to contemplate how perception and culture has changed according to social and environment context. A rock will always be
a rock, just like how ink will always be ink. Who is to define what is Eastern and what is Western?”
Co-Existence
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bazaar art prize finalists
“I am inspired by the landscape and environment that we call home. By overlaying photographs of nature reserves with paintings of the archetypical shophouse, I hope to create a place in which nature, civilisation and heritage are one with each other.”
Co-Existence
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bazaar art prize finalists
“I am inspired by the landscape and environment that we call home. By overlaying photographs of nature reserves with paintings of the archetypical shophouse, I hope to create a place in which nature, civilisation and heritage are one with each other.”
Co-Existence
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bazaar art prize finalists
“I am inspired by the landscape and environment that we call home. By overlaying photographs of nature reserves with paintings of the archetypical shophouse, I hope to create a place in which nature, civilisation and heritage are one with each other.”
Staple
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bazaar art prize finalists
“Rice is a staple in Asia and is a part of many Asian cuisines. As such I felt that it is a symbolic object that Asians can easily relate to, while also being a symbolic representation of Asians. Staple is a series of photographs created in macro perspectives to depict a landscape with different types of rice grains."
Staple
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bazaar art prize finalists
"The act of enlarging the tiny grain suggests the importance of its role. My artistic progress during the making of this series is divided into three parts that includes the harvesting, where I went to the supermarket to gather a few types of rice; the post-harvest, where I handpicked the correct size and shape I wanted to document; and finally, the cooking, which I captured using macro photography."
Staple
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bazaar art prize finalists
"The layers of the grains, though simple in form, embody multiple meanings. We are all familiar with rice grains, but have never observed them at such a scale.”
Watching
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bazaar art prize finalists
“Singapore is a largely conservative Asian society with traditional emphasis on the extended family and respect for the elderly. The new modern emphasis on achievement in the workplace creates a unique problem in Singapore. The elderly now lack the same traditional support of the extended family that they did in the past. Many are left isolated in flats, away from any truly close-knit community in any real sense of the world.
Using only subtly textured surfaces in some of my works,
I began drawing more influence from Anselm Kiefer, who incorporated a broad use of materials to create his heavily textured pieces; using clay, enamel, concrete, metal and other materials.
The scale and sense of desolation and age in his works depicting Germany’s war-torn past inspired me to incorporate his style into my work.
Rust gives connotations of years of neglect and age; the monochromatic colour scheme for the emotions; the bleak interior with hardly light inside, and the use of old spectacles at the windowsill. Who uses these? What or who were the owners looking out to? Why are they left there?”
Four Stories
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bazaar art prize finalists
“Four Stories is a commentary on communal life in a Housing Development Board (HDB) unit—a quintessential part of Singapore. It focuses on the unique details that define these communities. I chose the mono-print medium because of the textural patterns that imply wear and tear over time. Four Stories Dover depicts a Singapore where early HDBs were built and it features families that hold fast to traditional values; Four Stories Chinatown looks at a space where families have migrated for work; while Four Stories Boon Keng portrays a more developed part of Singapore with newer HDB units that emphasise people who have work-orientated values and spend less time at home; and finally Four Stories Commonwealth shows the mid-construction phase of a unit and includes details which show that the direction of Singaporean communities is left ambiguous.”
Emily and Ger
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bazaar art prize finalists
“This project aims at expressing my thoughts
on LGBT relationships. It is based on my own experiences and emotional trajectory. The subject matter showcases the characteristic emotions, tension and struggle in relationships, and also examines the larger issue of societal positioning and acceptance. I hope to create an inviting pictorial space that effectively blurs the boundary between me, the audience and other human subjects. It is a dichotomy of distance and intimacy. My intention behind this is not only to create a homogenous and harmonious whole, but to pay the same heed to each individual character depicted, and most importantly to make myself a seamless part of that whole.”
Back Alley
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bazaar art prize finalists
“Back Alley captures the essence of old Singapore. There is a very interesting interplay of colours and textures, from the rust of the corrugate iron walls to the grimy plastic of the rubbish bins and the years of dirt and grime on the walls. Yet, if I look hard enough, I see joy in the red of the fire hose, the blue of the metal door and the yellow of the gas pipes—primary colours that shout out for attention. I want my paintings to make the viewer stop and look at the delicate details of the colours, textures and forms of the objects that are often dismissed. There is beauty there if you look hard enough.”
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- BAZAAR Art
- BAZAAR Art Prize