FLESH MATTERS at Artspace@Helutrans will present over 25 new paintings and 15 works on paper and collages, illustrating Wong’s compelling mastery and virtuosity as a painter. The series is considered one of the most accomplished in Wong’s painted oeuvre over fifty years. The accompanying exhibition catalogue includes full-colour illustrations and an essay contributed by Ms. Lee Chor Lin, former Director of the National Museum and the CEO of Arts House Limited.
The works on exhibit chart the latest development in Wong’s artistic career. Having spent over fifty years in America, his outstanding oeuvre, which encompasses oil, acrylic, ink and mixed media works, is a powerful embodiment of Chinese ink wash aesthetics and Western inventive approach towards form and colour. This dynamic approach has continued to characterise his dramatisation of flesh in form and philosophy over the last few years. His stylised images of the nude, the butcher shop and the burger across different pictorial styles and mediums reflect his commitment to continuously evolve and push the boundaries. This inventive spirit certainly sets him apart from his Singaporean contemporaries.
The largest work in Flesh Matters is a mural-sized acrylic painting titled, ‘The Aftermath’. Measuring 305 by 610 cm, its scintillating display of bold colours and narrative symbols devised through the form and atmosphere of flesh reflects the theme of warfare among other recurring threads in the series. Acts of violence and destruction are always suggested rather than depicted, and the result is an arresting image that bespeaks a complex chain of relations and an unutterable horror, rather than a point-blank picture of carnage.
Exhibition Information
Exhibition Dates: 12 July – 22 July 2018
Time: 12pm – 7pm (except 14 July, it will close at 4pm)
Venue: Artspace @ Helutrans, 39 Keppel Road, Singapore 089065
Official Exhibition Opening
Official opening with artist present will be held on Saturday 14th July 2018 from 12PM – 4.00PM.
