Scout Singapore: Emerging Art Practices

This exhibition is held from 20th January 2016 till 24th January 2016 over at Gillman Barracks.

It is a short exhibition which is part of Art Week 2016. It was initiated/curated by Patricia Chen and Joanna Lee with the support/funding of NAC. It was held in 16 containers in car park b of Gillman Barracks. The lay out was a social sculpture by Jennis Li Cheng Tien.

24 artists were featured. Initially 25, but Zen Teh pulled out. Dunno why, but from hearsay it was due to the dissatisfaction with the container wall for the presentation of her art works. But she was at Art Stage with Gallery 2902.

Anyway the advantage of such a programme is the promised exposure to some people from various arms of the art industry including some collectors (Joanna Lee's connections I guess). But with the clash of Art Stage, Singapore Contemporary Art fair amongst others, foot fall might be limited. And I think exposure to most collectors will be very limited. Further, most of the shows at Gillman have already had their opening, so less spill over of the collectors. Art after dark this friday, will bring in alot of general public for them, I'm very sure. In short, Scout will find it difficult to pull in collectors. Most of the people who are most keen on it are industry people. The organisers should plan the dates of the exhibition to clash with the opening of significant shows at Gillman to catch the spill over of collectors. I haven't any data to back me up, but that's what I feel.

I have no problems with Scout. I really really enjoyed myself and meeting those artists who were present and talking about their practice. Would be great it if came round again next year as it made a difference to Art Week 2016.

Anyway back to the meat of the write up.
Artists which stood out for me (not in any order):
Check out their bio's here.
1. Allison M. Low - Drawing and painting. Really really nice woks.

Allison's works

Allison's Dorothy

Allison's Frog Prince

2. Ashley Yeo - Drawing but in this exhibition she showed paper cuts. The ones that were shown at FOST gallery. Really superb and well executed.

Ashley Yeo's Arbitary Metrics II 

Ashley Yeo's I'm Here

3. Yap Soke Kee- Really young artist just fresh out of SOTA, and awaiting to go on to do her BFA in UK. Abstract artist. Showed a really nice painting which was done over someone elses's painting so as to recycle. She also presented Gel Wax works. One was indoor and fixed. Another was outdoor and melting each day and changing form/shape.

Yap Soke Kee's Innards

Yap Soke Kee's Untitled - Gel wax painting

4. Wilfred Lim - Photographer. Presented photos of abandoned buildings and intervention of fish/seafood parts to form mutants/chimeras.

Wilfred's photographs of abandoned buildings

5. Fyerool Darma - Presented his Moyang series.

Fyerool Darma's Portrait No.8

6. Ezekiel Wong Kel Win - Presented his political/ social statement series of the black and white male figures. You can refer to my post on AAF young talent programme in 2015.

Kel Win's Works

Kel Win's Works

7. Antz - together with Zero whom he shared the container with, transformed the entire container into an installation. Painting/ tagging/ bombing the outside of the container. And transforming the inside of the container to a white half/legal half of Zero who was awarded the Young Artist Award by the government and a black half of Antz who was arrested and charged as an accomplice in the SKLO/ sticker lady case.

8. Jennis Li - didn't present much except some sculptures as part of the study when coming out with the arrangement of the containers.

Please catch this if you can. Not many days left.

Points for collectors: Allison Low - possible buy rating. Need to research more on her, but really like her works. Ashley Yeo - Buy rating. Yap Soke Kee- too young to give a buy rating, but definitely very talented. Wilfred Lim - possible buy rating. Fyerool Darma - Buy Rating (will be featured in this years Singapore Biennale). ANTZ - Strong Buy if you are into street art. Smart guy going places. Ezekiel Wong Kel Win - Buy rating. Jennis Li - Buy rating.