FLESH MATTERS
Presented by The Culture Story at Artspace@Helutrans
12 July—22 July 2018
“FLESH MATTERS” at Artspace@Helutrans showcased over 25 new paintings and 15 works on paper and collages, highlighting Wong Keen’s mastery and virtuosity as a painter. This series was among the most accomplished in his five-decade career. The exhibition catalogue featured full-colour illustrations and an essay by Lee Chor Lin, former Director of the National Museum and CEO of Arts House Limited.
The works on exhibit charted the latest development in Wong’s artistic career. Having spent over five decades in America, his diverse oeuvre—spanning oil, acrylic, ink, and mixed media—fused the fluidity of Chinese ink wash aesthetics with the bold experimentation of Western form and colour. This dynamic approach continued to shape his exploration of flesh as both form and philosophy. His stylised depictions of the nude, butcher shop, and burger, rendered across various styles and mediums, reflected his relentless push beyond artistic boundaries—an inventive spirit that distinguished him from his Singaporean contemporaries.
The centrepiece of “FLESH MATTERS” was The Aftermath, a mural-sized acrylic painting measuring 305cm by 610cm. A striking composition of bold colors and symbolic forms, it explored themes of warfare and destruction through visceral depictions of flesh—one of Wong Keen’s recurring motifs. Violence was implied rather than explicitly shown, resulting in an image that conveyed a complex web of relationships and an unspoken horror—more evocative than a direct depiction of carnage.
Venue: Artspace @ Helutrans, 39 Keppel Road, Singapore 089065