Articles
Spain Camino Series
2012.05.14 By Ong Hwee Yen
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.The Arts of Adele
2012.05.09 By Adele
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.Art, My Love!
2012.04.17 By Jasnilda
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.Licentia Poetica
2012.04.12 By Chantel Tian
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.Nganampa Ngura
2012.04.04 By Zeana Haroun
ReDot Fine Art Gallery is honored to host a ground-breaking show “Nganampa Ngura” (Our Place) by Ninuku Arts. Deriving from a tiny community in the north-western corner of South Australia, Ninuku Arts is one of the most exciting art centres to emerge over the past 5 years. They are an important part of the celebrated district known as the APY (Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara) Lands which has become known as one of the most dynamic in the whole of Australia, thrusting itself onto the national stage over recent years. Ninuku Arts is an Indigenous-owned organisation based in a tiny community called Kalka. The majority of the artists in the district speak Pitjantjatjara. It is a place of colour and beauty – rocky mountain ranges, cavernous ravines, desert flowers, red earth, narrow trees and flourishing foliage, covering much of the ground. It is not surprising that a lot of the artwork from this area uses a vibrant palette of rich colour. Senior artist Jimmy Donegan is one such artist who is inspired by the colourful landscape. Colloquially known as Mr. D around the art centre, Donegan uses a plethora of colours to depict his Tjukurpa (or Dreaming stories). In a repetition of dotted lines, he carefully dots his canvas with a thin stick which he has either found on the ground or plucked from a tree. Donegan continues to be celebrated as one of the most sought-after artists from the district to Australian and International collectors, galleries and institutions, since winning the prestigious Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Telstra Art Award in 2010. As reported at the time, "Like much of Donegan's work over the past decade, the award winning painting is solemn and emphatic in its design, but dazzlingly illuminated. The artist’s technique is to compose the colour lines of his canvases from thousands of large dots in different hues, which blend into a whole" as stated by Australian Arts Writer Nicolas Rothwell in The Weekend Australian, August 2010. The “Nganampa Ngura” (Our Place) exhibition boasts an exciting group of master works painted mostly by the senior men and women from the Ninuku Art Centre. They are the traditional owners of the land and they hold the stories of the country deep within their hearts. As the name ‘Our Place’ suggests, this exhibition is a subtle statement about ownership and history, but also a joyous collection of paintings acting as an invitation to the viewer – an invitation onto the land of the old men and women. As well as teaching the international audience about the culture, the show also aims to teach the emerging artists from the district. It is critical to the continuation of this great indigenous culture that it continues to be taught to the future generations. As senior man and Ngangkari (traditional healer) Harry Tjutjuna describes, “Old generation are here now and I am old generation too. Lots of old generation have passed away. What can we do? What happens when I pass away? New generation got to learn Tjukurpa (Dreaming Stories).” Harry Tjutjuna is the most senior of the artists exhibiting. His unique style and approach has made him one of the most sought-after practicing artists in the country. He paints a range of stories with both authority and courage. He is known for the drippy, painterly qualities in his technique, and is a natural colourist often choosing a palette of vibrant, poppy hues. Stanley Young also uses lots of colours but he lays them down with precision and a steady hand into a composition of structure and minimalism. The women featured in the show definitely lean towards a more feminine palette. Founding Directors of the art centre - Yaritji Connelly and Molly Nampitjin Miller – attended an exhibition last year at ReDot Fine Art Gallery which celebrated works from two art centres combined - Ninuku Arts and Tjungu Palya. Both directors are featured again in this show. They have had, and continue to play a pivotal role at the art centre. Yaritji Connelly describes where the name of the art centre comes from, “Ninunya mulapa minyma Tjukuritja, palupalanguru kurunpa mukuringanyi pulkara” (Our spirits have a deep attachment to the bilby. The bilby woman is our true creation ancestor and this means we have a need for her in our spirit and soul.) The name of the Art Centre derives from ‘Ninuku Tjukurpa’ meaning Bilby Dreaming, which is the main Dreaming story in the country surrounding the Kalka Community. Yaritji has a unique approach to painting. She mostly paints a story called Malara. It features a water snake. Connelly depicts this snake by painting sweeping curves and connecting them by lose, fluent dotting. Subtle colour shifts come by her tinting her colours and sometimes dipping in two paint pots before laying down the dots. Molly Nampitjin Miller uses a similar approach as is evident by the beautiful colour shifts in the painting by her is this show. The most revered female artist at Ninuku Art Centre is Puntjina Monica Watson. Her works have a stand-alone quality which commands the attention of the audience. She has a quirky approach to composition, creating a border or frame with every painting dotted heavily with lines of bright colourful dots. The open space in the middle often features landmarks such as a rockhole, from the country she paints known as Pukara. Monica paints tirelessly every day but still spends many, many hours on her canvases. They are so heavily and carefully dotted, meaning large-scale works can take her several months to create. In contrast but by no means any less labour-intensive, is the work by Tjulkiwa Atira Atira. This artist is one who has relatively recently found her stride. She paints an area or story known at Arulya. She does this by painting a series of bold lines (often in black and white) down the canvas and then dotting them with varying-sized dots. Atira carefully mixes a range of colours, each one only subtly different to the next. The result is a very optical and modern outcome, quite striking amongst the other desert works. This exhibition is a true celebration of the men and women’s contribution to culture and art. It showcases an exceptional and masterful collection of works – many of which are large-scale – to give the audience powerful insight into their place, their country and their story. The exhibition will be accompanied by landscape photographs from the district, portraits of the artists and documentation which will give the viewer great context for the paintings. It will be the first independent exhibition by Ninuku Arts internationally and it will be held in Singapore. The exhibition opens Wednesday 23rd May at 7.30pm.Segar
2012.03.22 By Gwen Herat
An Impressionist; a Romantic; a stroker of cubism; a believer in classicism and they all roll with passionate force and become Segar, the peer of all great expectations in the world of art. He is an icon painter who invented his own style of drawing. He pays tribute to the beauty of Asian women and everything his eyes behold ... from nature to religion... from life to eternity. They are all captured in the fury of colour and moist, sometimes based on line and square but not particularly in cubism but which I find in many of his paintings. Segar is rightfully a different artist, someone Sri Lanka is immensely proud of. His brush strays towards abstract too but not with severe force. He has tremendous energy as he dabbles in creating his own colour schemes. Very bold in the use of fiery reds, stunning blues, gorgeous greens and the sunny yellows. He also competes with the setting sun, plucking off his vibrant orange to set of the dull colours. Not entirely dependent on subtle colour. Segar also gets carried away by their impact when in a pensive mood. His favourite animal is the bull and he reveres it the way he does with, Ganesha. Segar also paints Christ in sombre mood and the Buddhist monks in their saffron robes. And Segar has to move on. He has to get in to the bracket of some of India’s greats who have stormed into Sotheby’s and Christie’s. He started simplifying and abstracting figures so that line and colour would harmonies rather than the objects itself. Segar is one painter who relies on colour as his vehicle for expression. The realistic depiction of ordinary objects is of no importance. It is the substance that he finds in roaring colour that matter. The brilliant luminous colours fascinate him. In a sense, he challenges the conventional ideas of figure and line never pausing to wonder why and consciously reject the image in his art. His expression in painting are different and very soon Sotheby’s will marvel at them and Christie’s will add to their collection. He has no free floating forms but serene and courageous in his strokes. Did he decide to upset the convention of painting and turn away from nature? I wonder at times. He explains his theories in sequences but profoundly influence the ideas of modern, contemporary and abstract art. He is a genius at it. It is so classical that one has to study his paintings to absorb what’s in it. You cannot glance at his art for a moment and turn away because there is more to what meets the eye. Does he express emotion through form? There again it is a challenge for the critic. But there is so much of music, poetry and passion in all his work. Yes, music is so vibrant in his art that I can recall the powerful but highly classical scores of Tchaikovsky, vibrant and full of life. Through a series of sketches, he increases abstract until the final composition appear. His hand is disciplined and fingers steady, rarely overlapping what he has in mind. May be he divides his art into impressions and compositions and the spontaneous results are the explosion of colour and rhyme in variety. Segar is aware that colour could and would advance or diminish in the hands of the painter and therefore, he allows all vibrant colours to filter through his fingers on to the canvas. His female figures are sensuous but without sexism. The mystique oriental beauty captured in them are both alluring and voluptuous and rekindle the ladies of the harems of kings of yore. They are heavenly and profound evoking many a desire in the beholder. Segar plays on colour and light but not to enhance a particular point. They are merely gap-fillers for this gorgeous figures. His is a new language in art so different to most painters. As I have always said, I could pick a ‘Segar’ from a distance just the way I do with Lawry’s match-stick paintings or for that matter, Monet’s. Segar has his exhibits permanently sited in many countries but operated from his beloved Sri Lanka.The Best of Kris
2012.03.15 By
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.PANU
2011.12.10 By Zeana Haroun
“We painted these dreaming’s on the school doors because the children should learn about our Law. The children do not know them and they might become like white people, which we don’t want to happen….We want our children to learn about and know our Law, our Dreaming’s. That is why we painted these dreamtime stories” – Paddy JAPALJARRI STEWART In the early 1970s the people of Yuendumu began transferring their traditional stories, dreaming’s (tjukurrpa) and ground paintings to western mediums such as canvas boards and plywood; then to the doors of the Yuendumu school. In 1984 five aboriginal artists, including Paddy, painted thirty iconic doors at the Yuendumu school. These thirty doors represented the dreaming of the Warlpiri people, an extraordinary history of sacred rituals, painted to remind the children of their patrimony – the web of sites and obligations that extend across Warlpiri country. The painting of the school doors was initially conceptualized to educate the children of the community, what better way to ingrain culture than by putting it on the doors the children would need to pass through repeatedly on a daily basis; but it also had an impact on the larger community – it bought together five artists from two classicatory groups, kirda (father, owner) and kurdungurlu (teacher, servant, worker, policeman). These two groups learnt and shared the different tjukurrpa’s depicted on each door openly, something that in normal life would not have necessarily happened. Each door represented either the Honey Ant tjukurrpa, or any of the many other tjukurrpa’s – Water, Snake, Possum, Kangaroo, Big and Small Yam, just to name a few, that are sacred to these people and their lands. The Yuendumu community is in the Tanami Desert, 300 km north-west from Alice Springs, the remoteness of this special community has helped the kinship maintain their strong language, social and spiritual traditions, which are the inspiration for the beautiful, artistic expressions of the association’s older artists. For thousands of years the Warlpiri people traced their dreaming symbols onto ground paintings as part of their ceremonies and when the ceremonies were over the images would be brushed away by hand or by the desert winds. Nomadic, desert life is all about change, but the doors remained in place at the school for twelve years, resisting erasure despite the desert wind and sun, surviving robust treatment from Warlpiri school children. We wake and we open doors, we work and we open doors, what would life be without doors? Western society would be lost without them, but what good is a door in the desert? To Aboriginal culture, and the old traditional way of life, doors served no functional purpose whatsoever. It was thus ironic and poignant that the painting of the Warlpiri tjukurrpa’s should be done on the school doors, a fitting marriage of two very different cultures finding a common place to communicate, through the education of the young and the future. Of those five pioneering men, only Paddy JAPALJARRI STEWART is still alive. A gentle, intelligent man, incredibly knowledgeable about the country and the laws associated with it, he has had an extraordinary life as an artist. He was born in Mungapunju, just south of Yuendumu and as a young man he was a station worker at Mt Allen, Mt Dennison and in the top end of Australia. His artistic career commenced in the early 1980’s and has only gained momentum and significance through the years, over 100 group shows have included this cultural heavyweight’s work and it remains a mystery why it has taken until 2012 to witness the first ever solo exhibition of his works at the tender age of 76 or so. Paddy (affectionately known as ‘Cookie’ in reference to his early years as a cook in the Papunya Tula community) has had his work added to some of the most renowned museums in Australia - Flinders University Art Museum, South Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne and National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, just to name a few. This amazing man is a force to be reckoned with and has accomplished so much in his lifetime – from a school bus driver, to a remarkable artist who has travelled to Paris with five others creating a ground painting installation at the exhibition 'Magiciens de la Terre' at the Centre Georges Pompidou. Indeed Paddy was widely acknowledged as being the force behind the school project given his close ties to the school and his role of teaching young children both kardiya and yapa (non-aboriginal and aboriginal). In 2000 Paddy undertook to produce 30 etchings of the original doors in collaboration with Paddy Sims. The first print of the etchings was all on one page and had its debut alongside the Yuendumu doors while they were exhibited in Alice Springs. The etchings in a set were launched in 2001, to great acclaim with the set winning the Telstra, 16th National Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Award. The iconic doors have since been unhinged permanently and are on display at the South Australian Museum as part of their permanent collection, but we at ReDot Fine Art Gallery are fortunate enough to have the only exhibit replicas of the school project along with the artist proof of the works on paper. Paddy has painted this entire series, recounting and re-telling each of the dreaming’s depicted on those iconic doors so many years ago. The combination of Paddy’s stately importance within the Warlpiri community, the deferral to his ancestral knowledge, his advancing years, combined with the impact and cultural significance of the doors, make this particular exhibition a once in a lifetime experience. This is not a show to miss. This is a show that will make an irreversible impression on your understanding and appreciation of culture, art and Aboriginal civilization. ReDot invites anyone fascinated by indigenous art and culture to step into a world that is familiar in its simplicity but memorizing in its depth and wonder. The living stories virtually leap off each canvas and beg the viewer to look more deeply for meaning and consequence, for understanding and order. ReDot Fine Art Gallery is honoured to host Paddy JAPALJARRI STEWART’s first ever Solo Exhibition, titled ‘Panu’ (All). A fitting climax to a career of a man who’s knowledge of the desert and its mystical laws is ALL encompassing. The show will run February 15 2012 - March 31 2012 at ReDot Fine Art Gallery, 39 Keppel Road, Unit #02-06, Singapore.Shining from the Slums
2011.11.28 By Arnaldo Mirasol
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.Achieving by Honoring Nature
2011.11.18 By Aps Shan
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.Simply Me and My Beginner Arts
2011.10.28 By Igna Zhuo
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.Adung's Symbolic Art
2011.10.17 By Apsi Cai
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.A Devoted Mom and a Cool Artist
2011.10.07 By Kai Shan
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.Driving His Passion
2011.09.23 By Jocelyn Aps
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.A passion yet to be explored
2011.08.26 By Jerry Dean
For such a long journey in art, my deep passion still boils down to wall paintings. See my works. Judge if I deserve recognition in a field of art which until now I am falling head over heels in love withThe Fulfillment of a Long Journey
2011.08.17 By Olga Bliznetsova
Fatigue and depression were my companions until such time I realized that instead of having regrets for the rest of my life I had to fight for what I really wanted to do.Nature Takes its Course
2011.07.18 By Nirupam Borboruah
“The canvas is a mirror and art is the reflection of our true selves. Like a mirror, a painting never lies, too. It’s a true reflection of actually what we are within and the way we see, feel, accept and react to the world. It seems for Nirupam, nature takes its course.My World as a Painter
2011.07.09 By Nocid Eia
My World as a Painter By Nocid Life is not always what we plan to be but there is always something so much better in the end-- something that will fill the hunger of our soul and that which, all along, is where we ought to be. I bowed to my fate to bring me back the colorful world of art which was already at my hand when I was a child. And it did.--- Nocid Eia How were you as a child or rather as a child of Art, Nocid? I was young when I realized that I love to draw about nature and people as my past time. Initially, corkboards helped a lot to progress in the world of art and before I was introduced to ordinary enamel paints, make-up sets which were supposedly to beautify the face became my medium. Likewise, I would always be grateful to small pots where I practiced with enamel paints. I remember to keep in mind that the bedroom door needed to be locked so no one could discover me with my simple extra ordinary childhood fascination. And with books, sure I love to read…as long as it is art and nothing else! You can then tell how was I as a student. To my own surprise, I just woke up one day with a college degree which is far related to arts. Reading books without illustrations and colors were a challenge. I thank the heavens above to have brought me back to this colorful, emotional, and expressive life of art after sometime. I think fate has a way to make us realize what we truly appreciate and stick to it no matter what. What influenced your style? I learned that I love to draw figurative symbols of man, nature, and symbols which are undoubtedly evident in most of my works. I also have this whim of being together with nature. I was a child when the graphic make-up of plant leaves set in my porch led me to a unique visualization of triangles of different sizes and styles which as they occurred to me as representations of the different elements, which are earth, wind, fire and water and, sad to say, unfulfilled dreams as these little triangles kept themselves hidden in the background where no one seems to notice. What do you become when you paint? When I'm painting, everything around me changes like I am in a new surroundings, as if I'm in a world that no one can interfere as to what I'm doing. My mind can feel the silence that no one can hear but only me. It is my silent lucidity, my self-expression; my emotions are humming thru my paintings. It is my escape from reality, a moment of silence and expression of who I am in a different world and my outlook in life that I can't express in any other form but only through my painting. Who are you now, Nocid? I am proud. I’m a self-taught painter. I am a self-made artist. I was never intimidated by fellow ones who burnt their eyebrows studying art and who have spent their cash to widen their horizon on art practices. I am confident that my passion and my love for paintings can compete and can stand out from the rest. Through painting, I express my emotions and experiences. Painting is my self-medicine in times of depression, my diary of my experiences, and the manuscript of my outlook in life. It is no longer important if my life will not turn out what I plan it to be. But what is important is what makes me happy and it is, who I am today as a painterInfluences from Picasso
2011.07.08 By Edgardo Parducho
I started as a copier artist with focusing on hyper realism. I discovered my interest to unconsciously divert to shadows of images. Creativity rules my mind and thoughts of Picasso’s works in geometric shapes is also applied to mine. My unique painting style is a product of my father’s teaching and influence, my experiences, and work practices.From Brain To Paint
2011.06.28 By Deden FG
I think that process is never done that is why I need to keep learning, learning, and learning. In artistic life, career is all about learning process. It is not about ending result, neither economy factor nor popularity.Expressions of LOVE
2011.06.14 By Eman Santos
Eman Santos discovered his talent and passion for the arts at a yound age. His philosophy of innovation and dedication to the arts brought him much success in diverse regions all over the globe. Family and love are the themes that drive much of his work and he continues to dwell deeper into this magical connection. He conducts classes as a means to teach youths this beautiful language - art.Taking a leaf out of success
2011.06.08 By Durga Prasad
My curious and experimental nature resulted in the creation of the Leaf Motive, which was later recognized with a National Award. I also sincerely believe in my role to impart knowledge to younger artists.Gond Art
2011.06.01 By Tulika Kedia
Gond tribal paintings are the contemporary Tribal art painting of Central India. The Gond tribal community is one of the central India's largest indigenous communities and their art is an expression of their everyday quest for life.Destined to Paint
2011.05.25 By Arnaldo Mirasol
I chose to pursue Painting, which according to my eldest sister is a profession suitable only for rich people who'll still eat even if they never sell a single painting. She must be wrong thereBuilding Confidence in Art
2011.05.18 By Jhoie McNally
Towards the end of my first year in university, I decided to switch course to Fine Arts because I felt that Fine Arts was more related to what I was doing. Unfortunately, I had to break off my studies before completing the degree, for lack of funding.Sketching to Perfection
2011.05.09 By Erland Sibuea
Sketching is not practiced by many artists. Sadly, the impression that sketch is an unfinished work still remains in the minds of many peopleArt Collector Interview: Being an Artist and Collector
2011.04.26 By Tan Chee Seong
When Chee Seong accompanied his then-girlfriend (now wife) for art classes nearly 11 years ago, little did he realise it was a creative road of no return for him.Art Collector Interview: A Retirement Dream
2011.04.20 By Francis Choo
Stepping into Francis’ beautiful house, one is immediately taken in by the rustic Buddha sculptures, carefully polished wooden furniture and soothing greenery. Yet, without a strand of doubt, the exquisite collection of paintings takes center-stage.Caring for your Wall Painting
2011.04.20 By Jocelyn Aps
Some basic tips on how to take care of wall painting at homeBehind Closed Doors
2011.04.18 By Artyii
Just how are art pieces transported from storage to museum galleries?Private Wall Series - An Accidental Art Collector
2011.04.06 By Dinah Low
Last month, Dinah and her husband flew to Bali looking for a koi painting to complement their new home. Instead they returned with nine different artworks, ranging from paintings to woodcrafts.The Skull School in Philippine Art
2011.02.21 By Arnel Mirasol
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.The Presence in the Heart of Summer Capital
2011.02.14 By Jocelyn
Summarized your article. Limit to 400 characters.Thank God For Art Collectors
2011.01.13 By Arnel Mirasol
Where would painters like me be if there are no art collectors? Maybe, God forbid, some would have done a Van Gogh and just commit suicide. Morbid as this may seem, for the weak-hearted artists, suicide is the rational thing to do when no one appreciates what they do and they can't even earn a living from doing it.How to Critique Art - the Gentle Way
2010.12.20 By Jeanette Mok
Subjectivity grounds every individual unique in their own right and shapes each of them differently. Art and design are disciplines that are subjective to public’s scrutiny, and infrequently objective.Watercolor Made Easy
2010.11.11 By Jeanette Mok
Like all forms of art, watercolor painting is not a medium one can grasp easily. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. I will take you through 13 simple steps to painting your own honeysuckle spray bearing in mind that watercolor painting is actually a build up of layers of colors. This is an easier approach to applying color to your canvas.Nanyang Style - Singapore's Pioneer Art Movement
2010.11.09 By Artyii
Singapore was known as Nanyang in the late 18th century. Representing South Seas in Chinese, Nanyang was a goldmine for many Chinese immigrants.Art was denied progression during this period of colonial rule. The first nationwide art class was also implemented reluctantly to comply with British examination standards.For the Love of Hoi An
2010.10.25 By Phuong Le
Artist Thai Tuan Hoang, 55 years old, of Fu-Chian origin, has been living in Ho Chi Minh city (Sai Gon) for the last 22 years. However, his works still very much reflect his inner Hoi An spirit and his love for the small ancient town famous for its artistic atmosphere and a history of prosperity and grandeur.Evolving with Times - Art in Philippines
2010.10.25 By Cris Villanueva
Cris is no stranger to prestigious art awards. Since becoming a full time artist in 2005, he has won the Philip Morris Art Competition thrice and established a signature style of painting bubble wrap as a layer effect on his art.'Do' Paper - A Lost Tradition
2010.10.11 By Phuong
Do paper is made manually, dried by sunlight which gives it durability of up to 500 years. Compared to lacquer and silk painting, it is less popular, despite all three of them being considered unique Vietnamese arts.
