Art illustration has largely been regarded as commercial, with much of it being seen as part and parcel of products such as greeting cards and wrapping paper (read: neither high nor fine art enough). Contemporary art gallery Element Art Space hopes to refute such old-school thinking by holding its inaugural exhibition on illustration, On Point!, this Thursday Dec 15, featuring the embroidery of Teresa Lim, and drawings by Natalie Kwee and Mark Wee.
Yes, they may create using only the humble pen, needle and thread. But don’t judge: these three do not merely produce handiwork that can be quite so easily dismissed as arty-farty. Interpreting the everyday realities of Singaporean life, the pieces in the presentation show a particular artistry that reflects each of their styles and perspectives.
Lim weaves together needlework, doodling and surface pattern design into 3D works that show feminine whimsy, with her work gaining enough traction to be exhibited in Hong Kong and Japan, and for her to undertake projects with brands such as Gucci, Swarovski and H&M. Trained architect Kwee (who has worked for Tadao Ando and Bjarke Ingels Group) runs an illustration studio, and her drawings are often of subjects and objects (such as food and crowds). She’s also worked with brands like Clarins and Monica Vinader. And like Kwee, Wee is a trained architect whose favourite themes revolve around child-like wonder and hope, and he’s done commissioned works for New Majestic Hotel and Frank by OCBC. Dec 15-Jan 8, admission is free
Like this? Take a look at other creatives into the art of knitting, a new art installation at the National Museum of Singapore and office spaces that both artists and designers would love to be working at.
