Continuing its quest to cultivate talented young artists from Singapore and around the region, the 7th edition of the Young Talent Programme Winners’ Solo Exhibitions 2018/19 presents new and distinctive bodies of work by three winners of the 2018 Programme at the ION Art gallery from 30 August to 15 September 2019.
The Young Talent Programme (YTP) is a joint initiative by Affordable Art Fair Singapore, which is celebrating its 10th year, together with ION Art, an all year-round art programme by ION Orchard, and supported by Jen by Shangri-La.
Headlining this year’s Winners’ Solo Exhibitions are Arya Wirawan (Indonesia), who presents Asia (A Tale To Tell); Lim Jia Qi (Singapore), showing Concrete Encounters; andLiu Ling (China) with Screen, Time. Their works draw inspiration from themes of cultural values and life, creatively articulated using woodwork, charcoal paint and concrete.
In Asia (A Tale to Tell), Arya Wirawan references folklore from Asia, where there are recurring versions of similar stories with the same moral messages and narratives. Lim Jia Qi’s Concrete Encounters is a body of artworks that encourages the rethinking of unimaginative spaces in our urban environment, most commonly associated with the ‘Singapore lifestyle’. For Screen, Time, Liu Ling reflects on how people relate with technology now and in the past.
The three artists said: “We are excited to share our new works at the Winners’ Solo Exhibitions after 10 rigorous months and guidance by our curator, Ms. Seah Tzi-Yan. It has been our absolute privilege to be in the Young Talent Programme, which provides industry mentorship where we learned to sharpen our artistic and creative skills, equipping us for our careers as artists”.
The three artists will lead tours and workshops every Wednesday and Saturday during the exhibition period at the ION Art gallery. They will also discuss their practice at a talk on Friday, 30 August.
Ms. Yeo Mui Hong, CEO of Orchard Turn Developments, said, “Through seven memorable years of the Young Talent Programme, we have continued to support promising young Asian artists in their professional development and growth and it is heartening to see how they have each grown and found success in the career path they choose. This year is a special one for us as ION Orchard celebrates a decade of wonders in bringing together the best of fashion, luxury, art and entertainment to our shoppers and visitors.”
Ms. Camilla Hewitson, Regional Managing Director Asia, Affordable Art Fair said, “We are delighted to continue our partnership with ION Art and remain committed to investing in the Young Talent Programme, which is now in its seventh year. As we mark the 10th edition of Affordable Art Fair Singapore this year, we reaffirm our pledge to foster, support, and promote Asia’s next generation of talented artists and to help them connect with the art industry, collectors, and the public.”
Since last year, the winners of the YTP were also given the opportunity to embark on a series of travelling exhibitions at Jen by Shangri-La properties across Southeast Asia, including Penang and Manila, with the final stop being Jen Tanglin Singapore, following the solo exhibitions at ION Art gallery.
The fair has showcased 53 artists since the start of YTP. Of these, ION Art has presented the solo exhibitions of 23 artists, some of whom have gone on to be commissioned and exhibited at the Singapore Art Museum.
