Realities of life — dark and past — in Singapore

SINGAPORE — Once upon a time, provision shops at HDB void decks were common, and sand-based play areas like the dragon playground in Toa Payoh (the last one remaining) could be found in every HDB estate. Teh tarik uncles displaying their craft were also a common sight at hawker centres. Today, all these seem to have disappeared.

Singapore’s rapidly changing urban landscape is the inspiration behind architect-turned-artist Mark Wee’s illustrative art on show at the On Point! exhibition at Element Art Space, at Raffles Hotel Arcade. The 41-year-old wanted to document these rich landscapes and experiences for his young daughter.

Wee said that it was while working on a project at his previous job as an architect that “got me thinking about what home truly meant to me”.

In this series, Wee explores themes of hope and childlike wonder using familiar local scenes such as a provision shop and HDB flat, creating an alternative world nicknamed the Good Kingdom.

Wee said: “As Singapore is changing so rapidly, shaping itself into a global cosmopolitan city, hosting every new fad, international brand, and people from all over, I wonder which of the current experiences that make up my Singapore life will remain when my daughter grows up, and how much of it will be but a memory of the past.

“Hence, I wanted to capture some of the beautiful experiences that make up living in the heartlands for her, and as many of them such as the provision shop, old hawkers, teh tarik men, and original HDB playgrounds may not be around for her to enjoy in the future,” Wee added.

The On Point! exhibition launched on Thursday (Dec 15), and also showcases the work of two other Singaporean illustrators, Natalie Kwee and Teresa Lim.

All three artists pay homage to the Singapore daily life from HDB flats to family life, through an alternative universe full of whimsy yet misanthropy, allowing you to acknowledge realities that we hate to admit we live in.

If “illustrations” bring to mind cute imagery such as Hello Kitty and Gudetama, you are in for a surprise.

According to gallery director Aniela Rahardja, these works are not “your daily ‘cute’ and ‘decorative’ pieces you can find in the shopping malls. They can be about a simple teh tarik stall or subjects that Singaporeans rarely discuss openly, such as bullying and self-image.”

Lim, 26, who is the youngest artist, says the inspiration behind her embroidered illustration series are “personal stories revolving around the theme of growing up”, with each piece “hand-embroidered into a narrative”. Titled 12 Rooms, she explores themes of adolescence and coming of age.

The graduate in Fashion Design and Textiles shared that creating these series of works was a personal outlet of expression. “I started this series as an outlet of expression and illustrative reminders on growing up in this digital day and age as a millennial. I was also inspired to create these pieces to encourage conversation about certain issues like bullying and sexuality.”

In her series, Kwee, 28, who is also a trained architect, explores the philosophical illusion of purpose in everyday life and the struggle to bring meaning to our existence through the creation of an alternate universe filled with bizarre creatures and fantastical scenarios in her series titled Facade.

Kwee described her work as providing, “a comfortable distance from which we are invited to question the heavy topic of our reality. Upon closer inspection, the intricacies of this great lie, this illusion of purpose we’re all trying to uphold begin to reveal themselves.”

“But do not despair!” she added. “The hopefulness that arises from self-reflection flows freely out of this world less serious than ours.”

The three artists are known for their illustrative art in Singapore, and have collaborated with brands such as Gucci, SingPost, and OCBC Bank. But this is the first time that they are exhibiting in a fine-art gallery.

Rahardja explained: “With this show, we hope to elevate illustrators as artists whose works should be recognised as fine art.”

“We also wanted (the works) to be relatable to the Singapore public today, hence the title of the show, On Point!, which refers to the technique they use to create the works — with pens and needles — and also meaning “to be exact” or to meet the person’s (or, in this case, the artists’) standards in today’s urban language.”

On Point! is on now, until Jan 8, 2017 at Element Art Space, #02-13 Raffles Hotel Arcade, 328 North Bridge Road.