Reframing Modernism at the National Gallery By Vidya Schalk
For nearly a century, the term modernism had a distinctly western flavour, but perhaps for the first time in a 100 years, we can see a rich body of artwork from Southeast Asia showcasing what modernism meant to artists in this part of the world, thus reframing the concept. At the National Gallery, in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou, the Reframing Modernism exhibition contains over 200 artworks by 48 artists in a collection that invites one to enjoy these works in their own right or take on the challenge of teasing out the parallels between artists from the East and the West. When some artists of the late 19th and early 20th century deliberately rejected the conventions and traditions of the past and created artworks that better reflected modern society by experimenting, innovating and using new materials and techniques, modernism was born. Art was analysed, broken up and Bagyi Aung Soe, Self Portrait, 1986 (left), Affandi, Man with the Fighting Cock, 1963 (right) reassembled to evoke a unique perspective from each visitor’s viewpoint. The artists were responding to their countries’ issues, the horrors of war layered onto by their personal experiences. Aung Soe, was accused of destroying Myanmar’s traditional Thousands of miles away, parallels in thought and emotion art – his non-representational style was considered psychotic were expressed in styles that converged with colour giving or mad. It was only after his death that his genius was voice to canvas, and what a beautiful voice it is. recognised and he was appreciated as a trailblazer and a Southeast Asian pioneer in Myanmar’s modern art. artists such as Nguyen People who have seen Affandi paint, say that it seemed as Gia Tri, Le Pho, Galo if he was in a trance; such was his concentration that he was Ocampo, Edades, Anita truly unaware of his surroundings. Perhaps it was during Magsaysay-Ho, Cheong one such episode that he broke his brush. Unable to find a Soo Pieng, Georgette replacement, he could not stop and thus found his unique Chen, Affandi, way of applying paint directly to the canvas by squeezing it Sudjojono, Hernando from the tube. This became his signature style. Ocampo, Latiff Mohidin Walking through Gallery 3, you will suddenly come are exhibited along across an artwork made in Affandi’s distinct style and only with Matisse, Foujita, upon closer inspection do you realise that this is a selfMonteiro, Chagall, portrait by Aung Soe. Perhaps it was painted as a tribute, Pignon, Valensi, Atlan, or perhaps as a token of friendship of the time Affandi Picasso and Kandinsky. and Aung Soe spent at Shantiniketan in India, exchanging The works on display their thoughts and ideas about what art meant to them, are truly compelling never realising that decades later they would go on to and it is easy to see how be internationally recognised artists who had ushered Southeast Asian artists modernism into their countries. held their own ground Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to discover when their works are your own connections and the parallels between artists Collage of various artworks on display (clockwise-Sudjojono, Atlan, H. Ocampo, seen alongside the from around the world. Be sure to check it out before the Monteiro, Magsaysay-Ho, Kandinsky) great masters and their exhibition ends on 17 July. contemporaries from the western world. Vidya Schalk is delighted to have the opportunity to explore art One cannot but be impressed by the sheer brilliance and and history through art at the National Gallery, Singapore. creativity that the artists invested in their work and despite being ridiculed in their own societies, they held onto their passion and beliefs while forging new paths and identities, some at great personal cost. The Myanmarese artist, Bagyi All images courtesy of the National Gallery, Singapore
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PASSAGE May / June 2016