Alex Ong Boon Hau 12th Solo Exhibition - Voices Of Yarrow

Date: 1st - 15th May 2008

Venue: W-Two, A702 7Floor, Cape View Apartment, Jalan Junid, 84000 Muar, Johor, Malaysia

Time: 10am - 9pm

Contact: +6012-683 5551

Malaysian Watercolour Artist Chang Fee Ming has been continuing his work on the Mekong river which leads up to China. This new body of works will be shown as a touring exhibition to Malaysia, China and Singapore. Click here for more details on the exhibition.

5 March - 5 April, 2008
Valentine Willie Fine Art
1st Floor, 17 Jalan Telawi 3,
Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
www.vwfa.net
30 May - 15 June 2008
Vanessa Art Link
798 Art District, Block A 05-012
2 Jiuxiangqiao Road, Chaoyang Distrcit, Beijing 100015, China
www.vanessaartlink.com
5 - 26 July 2008
Valentine Willie Fine Art Singapore
HT Contemporary Space
39 Keppel Road
Tanjong Pagar Distripark #02-04
Singapore 089065
www.vwfa.net

The MWS (Malaysian Watercolour Society) returns to NN Gallery for their annual group exhibition - this time with more members participating. NN Gallery is proud to present the Malaysian Watercolour Society’s (formerly known as Malaysian Watercolour Organisation) Annual 2008 Exhibition from 23rd March till 15th April 2008 at NN Gallery.

Venue: NN Gallery Sdn. Bhd.
53A & 56 Jalan Sulaiman 1, Taman Ampang Hilir,
68000 Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Date: 23rd March 2008 - 15th April 2008，

Time: 9am-6m Mon-Sat, Closed Sun & Public Holiday

Telephone: (603) 4270 6588  Fax: (603) 4270 3357

Malaysian Watercolour Society is the most active art group in Malaysia. The inclusion of many new members since last year has guaranteed a record number of participating MWS members and 88 number of artworks for this year’s show. Over 40 MWS artists are set to showcase their latest works ranging from portraiture, scenic landscapes and images depicting everyday life , market scenes and fishing villages, flora and fauna as well as some stylized abstract works.

The MWO members are some of the most accomplished watercolourists in the country, with illustrious members who have long dedicated their art to champion the medium.

Modern Art society Singapore MASS Annual Art exhibition 2008

新加坡现代画会2008常年展

Opening:

Guset of Honour

Mr. Kwok Kian Chow

Director Singapore Art Museum

22 Mar 2008, Sat 3pm

The ARTrium

140 Hill Street, MICA Building

Exhibition period, 23 — 30 Mar 2008

Koeh Sia Yong 许锡勇, Singapore 2nd generation artist.

His oil paintings are collected by Singapore Art Musuem (SAM) and Singapore History Musuem. His artworks represent one of the most important period in Singapore Art History.

He is represented by Li Fine Art Gallery

Mr. Koeh Sia Yong was interviewed by Singapore Art Museum. He was the last president of Equator Art Society

24″x20″ Oil on Canvas SGD8,000	Born in 1938 and graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Art. Since then he has undertaken his exploration in the art world for over fifty years. Known for his unique artistic style and excellent painting techniques, today he is one of the outstanding and highly collected artists in Singapore.In the 70s, Koeh was an art editor working for children Art Magazine, a part of the Xinzhou Newspaper’s weekend issue.During the 80s, as a specially appointed graphic artist of Nanyang Business Newspaper, he produced a large number of political cartoons, magazine covers and illustrations. In addition, he was also engaged in exhibitions and events. He had successfully held many solo and group exhibitions and published two catalogues “Koeh Sia Yong Cartoons” and “Koeh Sia Yong’s Paintings”.
Koeh’s oil paintings are diverse in subject matters. The realistic and expressive approaches are two major characteristics of his work. Many of his figure paintings describe the indigenous conditions and customs of Bali Island, Indonesia. His brushes capture the wavy figures of Bali women. Rich and intensive colors presented the touching scene of Bali ladies’ singing and dancing as well as their traditional costumes and hair decorations.Koeh’s landscape paintings usually depict scenes of the Singapore River, old streets, temples and volcanoes etc. Through the bold and unrestrained brush strokes, the artist not only represented objects realistically, but also expressed his inner feelings as well.	32″x24″ Oil on Canvas SGD8,000
36″x24″ Oil on Canvas SGD15,000	40″x30″ Oil on Canvas SGD5,000
Koeh has mastered good techniques in the application of color and light. Contrasting colors such as yellow and purple, red and green, blue and orange, appeared often in his works. By employing complementary colors to coincide with these bright colors, the artist created a vibrant, gorgeous and yet refined visual effect in his oil paintings.During the creation process, Koeh always spends time in observing and producing the subtle changes of color tones, light and shades. And through his thorough study, his finishing touches help bring the works to life. For example, in one of his works, the artist applied a slight tone of red on the black surfaces, which perfectly pictured the Indonesian young girl’s dark brown skin under the sunlight.	In Koeh’s landscape painting, various treatments can be observed. He likes to use bold, heavy and dark outlines to depict Singapore old street scenes while using thinner, lighter and more vivid colors to reflect the spirit of modern Singapore.
24″x24″ Oil on Canvas SGD4,000	48″x48″ Oil on Canvas SGD6,000
In conclusion, Koeh’s paintings enable viewers to experience the rich cultural scenes of South East Asia and its people, the sunny weather, blue sky and flourishing tropical forest etc. Currently, Koeh is still pursuing his unique individual style in order to capture his passion for life and nature.	11″x14″ Oil on Canvas SGD1,000

What is a good painting?

At first I wanted to say Good Art, but I think that 100 times more complex.

So let me just retrict this topic to paintings.

When I started learning how to paint, I learnt a lot of fundamental skills; like tones, colors, light and shadows, design concepts, observation methods, space, ……. I can’t say they are rules. They are probably like a language to me. And then, I learnt to use them more and more. I find them more and more complex.

After that, in order to resolve many complex problems, I had to learn from old masters. Therefore, I learn old master painting techniques, design concepts, space construction and art history.

And there, I learnt more about contemporary art movements. And I found that all the visual language I have learnt doesn’t seem to serve any purpose because nobody could or wants to define what is good.

Hence I would like to open this discussion — Can we define what is a Good Painting?

Today either the post-modern art in New York or contemporary art in China are in rigorous movement. Everyone is talking it. I don’t see much painter skills in most of these artworks though the ideas or concepts might be nice. I have to agree that they have good historical value like pop art. Museums will collect and display them so they feature sky high prices. I can understand that.

Just have these doubts :

Do musuems collect only history; or they collect good paintings or they collect good paintings with good historical value?

Do students go to art musuems to learn just history of art or skills of art or both?

Do you go to art musuems to see skillful paintings or history of paintings or both or none of the above?

Like to share everyone’s thought. Thanks!!!

Ng Woon Lam

Painting Design Concepts and Composition Tips

Viewpoints – Changing viewpoints is one way that I love. It naturally alters my dead and formulated thinking. Different viewpoints : Look up, look down, look behind, look closer, look further

Creating a problem - I try to create a problem in each painting composition I work on. This enriches my visual dictionary progressively. Once a while, I like to work on a large painting and create a large problem. It is a good benchmarking method to measure my progress.

Changing tonal keys or dominant colors - Generally, I find tonal structures and dominant colors determine the mood of a painting. Keying in brighter or darker with different color dominant could complete alter the character of a painting.

Doing the opposite – I believe this is the most powerful method to improve one’s design ability. Staying with pre-defined formulae or rules stops me from exploring. Taking risk doing the opposite things best describes what ‘composition’ is all about. I like to elaborate my points with examples below.

E.g.