RememberingLKY: a tribute to mr. lee kuan yew

LKY

remembering

a tribute to mr. lee kuan yew

audrey yang clover chan liying chang hui-fang

Yeo Shih Yun shihyun@instinc.com +65 6227 9487

eunice lim wei mon tan lishan pamela ng pepper see

Sharlene Leong

sharlene leong

sharlene@wordyourstory.com +65 9797 3892

yeo shih yun zo fan

LKY

remembering

a tribute to mr. lee kuan yew

INSTINC Soho

12 Eu Tong Sen Street, soho2@central #04-163, Singapore 059819

7th Aug Fri 2015, 7 - 9pm: Opening Reception 7th - 9th Aug 2015, 12 - 6pm: Exhibition Dates

initiatives by INSTINC

One Raffles Place

1 Raffles Place, Singapore 048616

14th Sept Mon 2015, 7 - 9pm: Opening Reception (Atrium) 14th - 25th Sept 2015, 10 - 9pm: Exhibition Dates

and Word Your Story

a collaborative effort among 10 artists audrey yang clover chan liying chang hui-fang eunice lim wei mon tan lishan pamela ng pepper see sharlene leong yeo shih yun zo fan

foreword “Life is not about eating, drinking, cinema and television. The human mind must be creative, must be self-generating, it cannot depend on just gadgets to amuse itself.” - Mr. Lee Kwan Yew, 1970.

I will not forget the day Mr Lee passed away as it was the same day that I had to fly off to Sydney for my artist residency. It was not a shock as we all knew he was in a critical state for a while, but to know for real he is gone is somewhat surreal. I could not focus well on my work and kept thinking what I can do in my own small way for him; for someone who has done immensely for us Singaporeans. So, I wrote an email to 23 artists on 23rd of March 2015, with the subject title as ‘Exhibition - Remembering Lee Kwan Yew’, and content being ‘I would like to organize an exhibition to pay tribute to a great leader of our times, Mr. Lee Kwan Yew. It will be in Aug, the national day week at INSTINC. If 5 artists is in, then we will do this.’

It wasn’t an easy task gathering the artists, but, eventually we managed to gather 10 passionate artists, all in the spirit of paying a sincere tribute to our leader. We celebrated our 10th anniversary last year with 10 artists. This year, in the same spirit of “Collaboration and Friendship”, I am very proud and touched to see the realization of this tribute exhibition. This exhibition is the fruits of all 10 artists working hard since March 2015.

I hope that you will remember this exhibition and the man who inspired us to create these works. yeo shih yun director of INSTINC

foreword I have always wanted to give back to the community in any possible ways.

This exhibition is another opportunity for me to pay tribute to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and to give back to one of his legacies among many others.

His initiative to plant more trees in Singapore.

The moment I have decided to be part of this exhibition, I jump start the involvements and come onboard as a partner shortly after, so as to extend its awareness to members of the public. Many from all walks of life could remember him and his vision of a garden city.

“What I fear is complacency. When things always become better, people tend to want more for less work.” quote Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. Honestly, this is what I fear at the initial stage. But the initiative truly inspires me to get back to basics against all odds, and create a ‘foundation’ that last.

At the end of the day, our founding father has given up his life to build a successful Singapore. Are you inspired to bring forth his legacy?

Lets inspire each individual with his spoken words, and remember him through our little ways. sharlene leong founder of Word Your Story

introduction This is a collaboration of 10 local artists to commemorate the legacy of our beloved leader, who in his lifetime, has devoted his life daily to a vision of a better Singapore.

Featuring artists from different visual disciplinary, Audrey Yang, Clover Chan Liying, Chang Hui-Fang, Eunice Lim, Tan Lishan, Pamela Ng, Pepper See, Sharlene Leong, Yeo Shih Yun and Zo Fan, are very proud to present this series of artworks through interpretation of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and his legacy. These exhibitions pay tribute to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, who planted seeds of his vision for this country in everything he did.

Mr. Lee Kuan Yew has planted seeds for the future generations to enjoy, so now let us celebrate the 50th year of Singaporean independence to commemorate our great Founding Father. It is now our responsibility to carry on his legacy that has been passed down to us.

Our way of saying Thank you Mr. Lee.

audrey yang website: http://cargocollective.com/audsomee

audsomee@gmail.com

biography Audrey (otherwise known as audsomee) is a graphic designer by profession but an artist by nature. Her range of work spans from commercial to indie personal works, resulting in her having varied styles. She believes that the context of the work would lead her to the style that best portrays the message. Love and life are mostly what keeps her inspired. As a memory hoarder, she would post snippets of her work, thoughts and fun things on her instagram account @thisisaudsomee.

artist statement The passing of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew had been surreal and unexpectedly personal.

It also revealed a side of him that is unheard of - the love story of him and his wife, Mdm Kwa Geok Choo. Their story reminded me that they too, were ordinary people who loved like the rest of us, or maybe more. I was inspired to create the following works after reading an article written by their daughter, Dr. Lee Wei Ling, titled “Love does indeed spring eternal.�.

have i ever let you down embroidery 110mmW x 110mmH 2015

clover chan liying instagram: @cloveriee helloclover.cly@gmail.com +65 9137 6725

biography Clover is a Visual Communications major at Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design & Media. Having recently made the switch from Animation to Visual Design, her endeavors are a discovery of both worlds. As a lover of clean, fluid aesthetics and elegant minimalism, her greatest flaw is obsessing over intricate yet sometimes trivial details, which ironically dawned on her to create miniature paintings roughly the size of a 50-cent coin. On her own free time, she illustrates whimsical girls with shiny hair in unusual poses. Her works can be found on her instagram handle @cloveriee.

artist statement The project, titled Commemorating LKY, is a series of fine miniature watercolor paintings (each no bigger than 30mm in diameter), documenting the timeline of the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew. In honour of our founding father’s contributions to Singapore, each painting has been designated a date that signifies key events in Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s life. Some of these include the founding of his law firm in 1955, the 1959 elections where Mr Lee Kuan Yew was sworn in as Singapore’s first Prime Minister, the separation of Singapore from Malaysia on 9 August 1965, and ultimately his passing on 23 March 2015.

separation watercolour 200mmW x 200mmH 2015

chang hui-fang website: https://changhuifangart.wordpress.com

changhuifangart@gmail.com +65 9328 5443

biography Chang Hui-Fang is an artist whose artworks utilized large amounts of Chinese ink, combined with pencil sketching on paper for her initial works In Taiwan.

She is passionate in incorporating realism from the abstract. Finding order in the seemingly uncontrollable through the use of Chinese ink, she pursues after the balance and harmony that transpires. She won the first prize of Tainan Fine Art Exhibition in 2001. Living in Singapore since 2012, she started to record down the memories and impressions she has of the country by using oil painting.

Born in Taiwan in 1981, she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tainan University of Technology. She received her Master of Arts in Art Museum and Gallery Studies from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom (2008).

artist statement I am from Taiwan and have been staying in Singapore for 2 years. The trees in this garden city bring in fresh and cooling air, the safe environment and a government that does its best to care for every citizen, are all things that are difficult to come by.

the leader oil on linen 900mmW x 1000mmH 2015

In the 1968 national day parade, people did not disperse despite of the heavy rain.

Till this day, it is the same. This was made real to me on the day of mourning. It was then that I saw an unbelievable scene. Despite of the heavy rain, it did not stop everyone from paying respect to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew and to thank him for all he had done and sacrificed for this country. At that moment, I wanted to record it down. This painting is a tribute to Mr Lee Kuan Yew and all Singaporeans who have tirelessly worked hand in hand to build this home, and a reminder to treasure what we have and not take it for granted.

eunice lim wei mon

golden jubilee acrylic on boards 1200mmW x 810mmH 2015

website: www.elwmart.com elwm.art@gmail.com

biography Eunice Lim (b 1992), a Singapore based visual artist, has always been intrigued with human relationships and narratives in culture. She translates her studies with mediums her ideas discern most appropriate for.

Eunice’s works has been featured in various press & media platforms.

She has also exhibited both locally and internationally. These comprise venues such as Singapore Art Museum @ 8Q (Singapore), The Arts House (Singapore), Angel Orensanz Foundation of Contemporary Art (New York) and Sabanci University (Turkey).

artist statement Singapore came a long way to reach where she is today. Adversity and tough decisions were inevitable in Singapore’s progress. Yet in spite of it, Singapore came out triumphant.

Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s life revolved so much around Singapore. Every decision he made sum up our golden jubilee today.

tan lishan facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ShanzMuse

lishansg@gmail.com +65 9826 5008

biography Lishan is a freelance artist intrigued with hand embroidery.

As she does not follow any specific rules in the creating process, her art pieces sometimes capture unintentional pleasant surprises as an end result.

artist statement Creating a garden city was a key element in Mr. Lee Kuan Yew’s development strategy for Singapore. In honour of the late Mr Lee’s significant contributions in building a city in a garden, an abstract version was embroidered. It is made up of thousands of French knots, which is one of the embroidery techniques.

Having no particular type of tree images in mind, the finished piece somehow resembles a giant bonsai.

a garden city embroidery 330mmW x 330mmH 2015

pamela ng

our air-conditioned nation mixed media 750mmW x 820mmH 2015

email.pamela.ng.here@gmail.com

/ My kids and husband seem to thrive in it. / Double-edged sword. Necessity but often unnecessarily cold and wastage of energy. / Aircon brings wealth, indoor winter temperature affects health. / I don’t want to feel cold, but I do want to feel cool. Why do cinemas and hospitals have to be Arctic? / Air-conditioning makes it possible to set up offices with a comfortable working environment. Certain manufacturing firms may require ultraclean and dry, dust-free environment for their products, like semi-conductors or other electronics. / Cannot live without it. / Basic human want isn’t it, comfort. /

biography Pamela Ng is passionate about and actively engaged in the arts and social causes.

This has seen her managing fine art galleries across marketing, PR and consultancy.

She also writes about the arts and lifestyle with published articles in PINNACLE, ART REPUBLIK and SINGAPORE. She conceptualized, curated and sourced sponsorship for an art exhibition Celebrating Women, featuring 15 female artists across a wide range of mediums, with spoken word and live music performers and a time-based work.

A portion of each artwork sale was donated to AWARE. In August 2013, she co-curated a group exhibition Nostra 2, featuring new media and installation works by 13 emerging local and international artists. In Nostra 2, she exhibited a collaborative work, City Shrines, which showcased her iPhone photography and interpretative poetry that re-told intimate memories of Singapore.

She looks forward to writing about, creating and curating more art in the future.

artist statement Lee Kuan Yew knew that to succeed, Singapore had to stay cool.

His foresight recognized that air-conditioning was an important invention towards the young nation’s success. It enabled skyscrapers to rise from beaches and invariably shaped Singapore’s architecture, recent past and cosmopolitan future. As the nation turns 50 this year, it is a fitting tribute to Singapore’s late founding father, who introduced it to the civil service and then the masses.

Exploring the presence of air-conditioning units and Lee Kuan Yew’s contribution towards popularizing its usage, the artist documented her sightings of air-conditioning with an iPhone whilst reaching out to people residing in Singapore for their personal thoughts and experiences. Through this process, the project grew into one that aimed to raise the awareness of our physical urban environment; making visible the air-conditioning units tucked in forgotten spaces.

Collectively cocooned in artificial climates that comfort us, each resident of Singapore has been impacted by air-conditioning. Welcome, to Our Air-Conditioned Nation.

pepper see

in conversation acrylic on canvas 1000mmW 760mmH 2015

theartist@pepper-gallery.com pepper@pwrks.com.sg

biography Pepper is a self taught artist with a background in commercial art and design. Her stylistic portraitures are unique interpretations and explorations into the human psyche; juxtaposed by the lithe strokes and striking colors that embolden the subject.

“Every picture tells its own story. That is why I love painting people and animals the most. The sheer depth of one’s emotions can be expressed in a multitude of ways through a nuance in their expression. And when I paint them, I feel like they have let me in; into some unexplored part of their soul, which I now must translate and re-tell in my own imagination.”

Her studious approach to art; inspired by the likes of Van Gogh, David Hockney and Banksy, has seen her adopt an experimental sensibility in different mediums, slowly honing her craft and defining the style that now characterize her works.

Pepper also co runs ‘Nomad Art’, a school dedicated to cultivating art appreciation in children of all ages.

artist statement Deeply moved by a great man’s spirit, wisdom and dedication towards his vision, against life’s many odds and challenges, here lies my artistic attempts to capture and visually express some of those moments where our legendary Mr Lee Kuan Yew has transpired and inspired. Something to remember.

sharlene leong complacency acrylic and ink on canvas 355mmW x 254mmH 2015

website: www.wordyourstory.com

sharlene@wordyourstory.com +65 97973892

biography With a passion for design, a love for words and music being a must, Sharlene Leong graduated from Lasalle College of The Arts with Distinction for Diploma in Communication Design in 2001, and from Birmingham Institute of Art and Design with a Scholarship for Bachelor of The Arts with Honors in Graphic Design in 2002.

She learned different trades of the design and advertising industries as a art director and visual communicator with industrially known companies and brands like LeeHwa Jewellery, MTV and more. She completed each project from scratch, working with projects ranging from graphic and adveritisng to art and design.

She believes in getting in touch with the inner-self and translating what the inner thoughts have to say. Visually.

Through visual communication, each innovative creation aims to speak the heart, c reating a visceral effect on the audience. She remains hungry in her passion by challenging new ideas and founded Word Your Story.

artist statement With the power of words, each memorable expression and lasting quote of Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, were visually captured and illustrated to create a never ending story.

yeo shih yun website: www.shihyunyeo.com

shihyun@instinc.com

biography Yeo Shih Yun is a full-time artist and the founder of INSTINC . She is known to reinterpret the very act of ink painting with striking results. Her experimentations of fusing the traditional form with contemporary mediums like new media or performance art has garnered much acclaim, including a commission by the Singapore Art Museum, winning the Sovereign Asian Art Prize People’s Choice Award in 2012 and being awarded a Certificate of Distinction and Highly Commended Entry at the UOB Painting of the Year Competition in 2007. Her painting at the Sovereign Asian Art Prize was auctioned by Christie’s Asia in 2012.

Her recent exhibition was in NUS MUSEUM titled “Scholars and Ink”.

artist statement Mr. Lee Kwan Yew planted a tree on 16 June 1963 and many more in his life-time. I was not aware of this before his death. Without him, we will not have about 2 million trees and I am so grateful for his vision and commitment in making his vision a reality.

“Never mind the colours, just green up the city first. When the first plane lands, I want people to look at planted vegetation not ranked vegetation” were Mr Lee’s spoken words. My love for the trees in Singapore led me to create” Conversations with trees” since 2011 and in this series my idea is to combine the silkscreens of Mr Lee Kwan Yew planting trees and the marks of Singapore trees on the same canvases. This series pays tribute to Mr. Lee Kwan Yew - the chief Gardener of Singapore’s Garden City.

tribute to mr lee kuan yew (detailed) silkscreen and acrylic on canvas 400mmW x 2400mmH 2015

zo fan website: https://www.zofanproductions.com/ zo@zofanproductions.com

biography Zo Fan is a Film, Sound and Video graduate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, right now on a gap year to continue her freelance work. Her portfolio includes a wide range of local and foreign projects involving Singapore’s National Day Parade, Chingay Parade, dance / theatre shows, exhibitions, fashion, portraiture etc. Her recent tribute video to Mr Lee went viral but it’s hearing that the film touched the hearts of people that means the most to her. And it is her ultimate goal to make films that would ask you questions.

artist statement Everything started with this nagging feeling, a kind of growing itch. Yes, the very same one that pushes people to have to create something, anything, to get it out of their systems.

With that, I knew I just had to reach out to the late Mr. Lee, who was at that time still present, albeit critically ill.

It’s funny when people ask about the conceptualisation, because in truth, this was just a conscious documentation of my feelings then, a work that excluded the usual technical pre-plannnings.

A surprisingly healing process it was, because by listening to my instincts and digging out my rawest feelings, it helped me remember parts of why I came into filmmaking, rescuing me from one of my most serious bouts of dry-spells, *another story*.

But with it now in your hands, I can only hope that it would tell the story I wanted you to hear.

i wish i could miss you, mr lee 6 minutes video 2015

acknowledgement

sponsors & partners

“INSTINC is not a commercial gallery... It’s a project of an artist dreamer...” - Alba Escayo Thank you so much Francis Chia, from NPE Printing who so generously sponsored this catalogue. Sharlene, my ex-classmate from Lasalle College of The Arts, who spearheaded this project the second she was on board, art directing all collaterals and overseeing the success of our extended exhibition at OneRafflesPlace. Hui Fang who helped as a curator, artist’s chaser (making sure artworks were submitted on time) and taking care of the logistics of the exhibition at INSTINC. Pepper for writing the press release. Eunice for getting the printer sponsor for our catalogue. Thank you all the artists for working hard and making this exhibition a successful and fun one!

initiatives by

venue partners

Last but not least, Thank you all who once again for igniting my artist’s dream. yeo shih yun director of INSTINC

stand buildier / printing / packaging partner

Thank you all individual sponsors, artists, friends and families in seeing through the success of the extended exhibition at One Raffles Place. Your kind sponsorships and assistance are very much appreciated.

Without our venue sponsor, One Raffles Place, we have no venue to proceed forward.

Without our stand builder, NPE, we will not have proper panels for any artwork to be displayed.

Without further kind sponsorships for light refreshments, we might go hungry at our opening.

Without the assistance and collaborative efforts from everyone involved, the show will not go on.

Thank you all for realising Word Your Story’s motto through this successful exhibition.

“To combine facts and fantasy (to plant more trees with our creations), mix arts and science (artists from different fields), deliver your purpose (inspire many individuals), provide high degree of customization (creating the original from scratch)”.

Let us translate what the inner thoughts have to say through this inspiring quote from Mr. Lee Kuan Yew, that applies to all areas in life.

“To the young and not too old, I say, look at the horizon, follow that rainbow, go ride it.”.

- Mr. Lee Kuan Yew sharlene leong founder of Word Your Story

design partner

refreshment partners