Dichotomy of an Artist by Aaron Gan Watercolor

dichotomy of an artist

aaron gan

Supporters: Dichotomy of an Artist First published in 2016 By Aaron Gan www.aarongan.com ÂŠ 2016 Aaron Gan All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Designed by Nerissa Tan Printed and bound in Singapore by Oxford Graphic Printers Pte Ltd ISBN: 978-981-09-8189-1

DICHOTOMY OF AN ARTIST Moving outward, looking inward.

aaron gan

CURATORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NOTES Dichotomy of an Artist is about an artist finding his way outward by looking inward. Since exploring traditional Chinese ink painting in watercolour form in his last solo exhibition, Singaporean Aaron Gan has developed two divergent directions in his watercolour practice: a further exploration of Chinese painting, this time in colour with unique, stylized calligraphy; and a dense agglomeration of monochromatic squares referencing the starry night sky. The latter series won him a Gold Award at the 34th UOB Painting of the Year Competition in 2015, with its meditative large format patterning and infinite view afforded by the mirrored frame. Dichotomy as an exhibition is much lighter in spirit than last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Life as Art which was austere, Zen and spiritual. Several cartoon characters have crept into the starfield as line drawings, and transitioned into full-colour constellations in their own right. The calligraphy in the other series takes on a frenetic life of its own, battling with the lusciously-coloured subjects using style and showmanship rather than legibility. Words adopt squarish stances, get stretched and sheared and meander off into spidery trails. Subjects and calligraphy dance in an ordered engagement for balance. And in his dichotomy, Aaron discovers direction in two vastly differing styles.

Dr Pwee Keng Hock

STARRY NIGHT SERIES The brighter your surroundings, the less stars you’ll see. The darker your surroundings, the more stars you’ll see.

Moving outward, looking inward.

Dichotomy 2015 101 x 66 cm Watercolour on paper

“I’ll bet I’m missing some great TV shows.”

TV 2015 37 x 56 cm Watercolour and ink on paper

“...Let’s go exploring!”

Exploring 2015 78 x 28 cm Watercolour and ink on paper

Coming 2015 28 x 76 cm Watercolour and ink on paper

“You think too much, Nobita. You can’t be the most useless person in the world. There’s always someone inferior.”

I’m here! 2015 37 x 28 cm Watercolour and ink on paper

“Keep looking up... That’s the secret of life...”

Keep looking up 2015 76 x 28 cm Watercolour and ink on paper

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a dark and starry night.â&#x20AC;?

It was a dark and starry night 2015 56 x 76 cm Watercolour and ink on paper

Philosopher 2015 37 x 56 cm Watercolour on paper

Robot cat 2015 37 x 56 cm Watercolour on paper

Best friends 2015 76 x 56 cm Watercolour on paper

dichotomy of an artist

aaron gan

CALLIGRAPHY SERIES Teachings are like fingers pointing to the moon. To see the moon, we have to look beyond the finger.

The highest virtue is not virtuous. Therefore it has virtue. The lowest virtue holds on to virtue. Therefore it has no virtue.

Virtue 2013 42 x 30 cm Watercolor and ink on paper

As a jade without chiseling will not become a useful object, A man without learning will not know the way.

Learn 2013 30 x 42 cm Watercolor and ink on paper

Cultivating virtue within yourself is the foundation of successful endeavor.

Cultivate 2014 30 x 42 cm Watercolor and ink on paper

I have heard that the one who knows how to live Can wander through the land Without encountering the rhinoceros or the tiger. He passes the battlefield Without being struck by weapons. In him, the rhinoceros finds no opening for its horn. The tiger finds no opening for its claws. The soldiers find no opening for their blades. Why is that so? Death has no place in him.

Live 2014 42 x 30 cm Watercolor and ink on paper

Better to see the interior than know the exterior. The spirit employed always beats the form employed.

Interior 2014 42 x 30 cm Watercolor and ink on paper

Heaven is eternal and Earth is lasting. How can they be eternal and lasting? Because they do not live for themselves. That is how they can be eternal. Therefore: The sage puts himself last and becomes the first, Neglects himself and is preserved. Is it not because he is unselfish that he fulfills himself?

Preserved 2014 56 x 37 cm Watercolor and ink on paper

What should be shrunken must first be stretched. What should be weakened must first be strengthened. What should be abolished must first be cherished. What should be deprived must first be enriched. This is called understanding the hidden. The soft and weak overcome the hard and strong. The fish cannot leave the deep waters. The state's weaponry should not be displayed.

Strengthen 2014 56 x 34 cm Watercolor and ink on paper

Those who are content suffer no disgrace. Those who know when to halt are unharmed. They last long.

Content 2015 30 x 42 cm Watercolor and ink on paper

Those who stand on their toes are not steady. Those who take long steps cannot keep the pace. Those who show off do not shine. Those who are self-righteous are not prominent. Those who boast are not respected. Those who praise themselves do not prevail. To the Way, Such people are surplus provisions and useless actions. They are rejected by many. Therefore: Those who follow the Way do not remain with them.

Steady 2015 56 x 76 cm Watercolor and ink on paper

Filling all the way to the brim Is not as good as halting in time. Pounding an edge to sharpness Will not make it last. Keeping plenty of gold and jade in the palace Makes no one able to defend it. Displaying riches and titles with pride Brings about one's downfall. To retreat after a work well done is Heaven's Way.

Retreat 2015 76 x 51 cm Watercolor and ink on paper

ARTIST’S NOTES Starry Night is about finding the light during our darkest nights. Since young, I sought comfort in my comics whenever I felt down. As I got older, Calvin and Hobbes, Doraemon and Peanuts became my favorites due to their philosophical slant. Fusing my favorite comic moments with the Starry Night series is my way of paying homage to these comics. “It’s only a painting, daddy…” my daughter answered when I asked why she painted her unicorn yellow. The highest level an artist can paint at is when he paints from his heart. My daughter has achieved it. I have not. The Calligraphy series was never meant for public eyes . It was a series that I escaped to over the years whenever I wanted to meditate and go through the teachings of the books I have read. The words in the paintings are often illegible, a reminder to myself not to hang on to the words of the teaching, but rather to “look beyond the finger to see the moon”. Dichotomy (noun): a division or contrast between two things that are or are represented as being opposed or entirely different. One of my favorite teachings from Tao Te Ching talks about duality and paradoxical unity. One can view the Starry Night and Calligraphy series as distinctly different; or one can view them as two sides of the same coin. It is but a matter of choice.

Aaron Gan

For my daughter, Charmaine.

2015 HIGHLIGHTS

Gold Award, UOB Painting of the Year, 2015

On the Red Dot, Channel NewsAsia, 2015

2015 HIGHLIGHTS

The 5 Show, Channel 5, 2015

Lee Kuan Yew: We Bid Farewell, Channel NewsAsia, 2015