CJ Arts

02/10/2015

Kamcheng -- my Peranakan root

Hokkien province is where the migrant forefathers of most Chinese Peranakan originated.

Kamcheng, the name comes from Hokkien where kam 盖 is the lid while cheng 盅 is the jar below. Kamchengs are covered jars used for containing and storing food items.

Artist chose Kamcheng as a representation of the Peranakan heritage and culture. Not only Kamcheng is itself holds a significant part of the Peranakan heritage. But it's function is to store food items, and nothing speaks more about a culture than its food. This is especially so to the Peranakan.

Artist displays a Kamcheng with Peranakan tiles as background. This composition allows artist to express his bold use of colours. And at the same time to bring out favourite colours of the Peranakans (and also Artisit’s) like fuchsia pink, turquoise green, yellow, cobalt blue and purple

02/10/2015

submitted the following 3 paintings for the recent UOB POY 2015 art competition:

1. Take a Break, Mr Lee 2015
2. Plum Blossom: A Symbol of Strength
3. Kamcheng -- my Peranakan root

26/04/2015

It is an unusual piece of portrait of Mr Lee Kuan Yew; featuring Mr Lee taking a break, enjoying his cup of coffee. Artist has cleverly embedded the Crescent Moon (the light reflection of his elbow), and the 5 stars (light reflection of his cufflink, coffee cup, collar pin, tie pin, a shiny spark from his suit); the Singapore Flag. This is the artist’s contemporary expression of Mr Lee, the Singapore founding father’s lifelong delegation to building Singapore; that even when he is having a break, he cannot stop thinking of Singapore.

02/12/2014

Affordable Art Fair Nov 2014 Singapore - http://affordableartfair.com/singapore/

- with 108 local and international galleries
- presenting more than 950 artists,
- 18,200 visitors
- made S$4.96 million in contemporary art sales

It was pretty impressive and probably one of the most visible art events in SG.
Though the art fair was held in SG, merely 30% of the galleries were local
Furthermore, majority of these SG based galleries presented foreign artists.

What happened to our local artists?
I'll try my best to get my works into the next Art fair in Apr 2015!

20/11/2014

Interesting article:
http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2012/oct/28/art-critic-dave-hickey-quits-art-world

Dave Hickey condemns world he says has become calcified by too much money, celebrity and self-reverence

12/11/2014

Since the buyer is my Mom, thought I should make her “purchase” worthwhile. Thus, extended the painting into:

01/10/2014

Write-up about the Competition piece Oct 2014

Title: The Golden Elm
Medium: Oil & Acrylic on Canvas
Size: 32” x 32” (80cmx80cm)

Flowers often capture one's attention but yet it's Leaves that make food for the plant to sustain its growth. In Success, people often take notice of the “Flower” who soaked itself in the limelight but seldom see the silent humble workers, the “Leaves” who are the building blocks of these successes.

Golden Elm is probably the smallest of the Elm species. However, it is known for its golden leaves and symmetrical shape, which form the generous shade that the tree provides.

This painting, “The Golden Elm”, focuses on the Beautiful and Colourful Leaves that make the Golden Elm Tree, a Symbol of Strength & Endurance of the humble workers.

The gold acrylic paint as the back drop of the Golden Elm tree with numerous white spots represents the Sun’s radiant rays, the epitome of positive energy in all of CJ’s work. Together with simple shapes and strong colours, it exuberates energy (qi), warmth and passion, creating optimistic vibes.
.will post a photo of the painting towards the end of Oct i.e., after the competition

CJ

20/09/2014

2014 UOB Painting of the Year competition, Next....