Affinity with the element Carbon (part 2)

2012



















Artist: Me
Title: Still life of dragonfruit and apple
Type: Pencil
Dimensions: 42 cm x 29.7 cm
Date: 1/8/2012

It was rather tedious when I did this pencil drawing. I spent 4 hours working on it, which exceeded my original aim to finish it in 2 hours. As the dragonfruit has a complex outer structure, I had to capture every shadow casted so that my final piece will look realistic. Also, I drew a rough outline of each fruit first, positioned them on my drawing paper and made sure they were spaced out before getting on to the details.

I started with the dragon fruit first, knowing that it would be the tougher one to draw between the two. I spent more than 3 hours completing it. However, I only spent 10 minutes drawing the apple, after which, my teacher touched up a bit. As I was sitting on a chair looking down at the fruits, the perspective of this drawing seems a little warped and the position of the shadows look strange as well.

I learnt that for still life using pencil, the most important thing is the shading, not the shadow. The shadow of the object can be sketchy since it is a pencil drawing. I love to draw using pencil since I can erase any mistakes and redraw, unlike watercolour or poster colour, which mistakes are intolerable as it would mean to redo the whole art work.



Artist: Me
Title: Untitled
Type: Pencil
Dimensions: Unknown
Date February 2012

It is from one of my sketchbook pages when I was investigating on how to sketch a human. I always find pleasure in drawing realistic human images as I get to focus on the task and really examine the picture and try to replicate it using pencil. It's a relaxing process. No wonder art is sometimes used as a therapy for patients. It brings innner peace and tranquility.

Affinity with the element Carbon (part 1)

2009


Artist: Me
Title: Still life of nose sculpture
Type: Pencil
Dimensions: 42 cm x 29.7 cm
Date: 2009 (Secondary 1)

I did this during an AEP practical session. I was still improving my skills of drawing with pencil, thus I was not that effective. The form is skewed as I moved when I was drawing it. Also, the tones are not dark enough since I used a 2B pencil, and there is zero variation in the shading, causing the whole drawing to look dull and unfinished.

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2009


Artist: Me
Title: Still life of lip sculpture
Type: Carbon chalk
Dimensions:  50 cm x 32 cm
Date: 2009 (Secondary 1)


Artist: Me
Title: Still life of an armchair
Type: Carbon chalk
Dimensions: 50 cm x 32 cm
Date: 2009 (Secondary 1)

I fared pretty well for these two pieces of carbon chalk work, each an A1 grade. However, I thought they did not deserve the mark since they look pretty sketchy and unfinished and have low variations in light and dark tones. I sketched out the shapes of the objects before shading them. Their forms are quite regular since I used a view finder (hand made) to draw them.

Dreams & Reality

Exhibition

This exhibition showcased French Impressionist paintings done by famous artists such as Vincent van Gogh and Millet. It was held at the National Art Museum, Singapore.

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Painting 1


(I forgot to take a photo of the caption)

As suggested by the title of the exhibition, paintings depicted either one of the two themes. This painting depicts reality, where two female workers seem to be starting a fire. This is a common real-life scene, thus it perfectly portrays Reality.

The brushstrokes are not refined as the texture of the painting appears to be grainy. This reminds me of Pointilism which was to place dabs of paint next to each other to portray subject matter, The dabs of paint would merge together when viewed from afar. These type of paintings usually appear to be grainy as well.

The subject matter of this painting reminds me of yet another art movement called Realism. Everyday objects and people doing their daily activities were usually portrayed. These type of paintings are called genre paintings.

Hence, with all these elements that suggest that this painting may not actually belong to the Impressionist paintings, I wonder, why is this considered as one of them? Then I remembered one of the paintings that I have come across, namely, Impression: Sunrise.


Artist: Claude Monet
Title: Impression: Sunrise/ Soliel Levant
Type: Oil on canvas

Impression: Sunrise looks unfinished, sketchy and painterly. The brushstrokes are quick and gestural, which gave the wrong impression of someone trying to finish a preparatory work quickly. The painting does not have a particular subject matter, just a seascape with a rising sun, the boats and the water. There is no particular meaning to the work, just like this painting. Both just portray a scene in life, perhaps for documentary purpose.

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Painting 2


(I forgot to take a photo of the caption)

This painting depicts the French Revolution, with Liberty leading the French in the revolution. However, what’s interesting is there is a silhoutte of a black horse behind Liberty. The purpose of the French Revolution was to change the society for a better one, the dream of every French during that time. Hence, this painting represents Dreams. The colours used in the background of this painting are complementary as seen in the pink clouds and blue sky.

Back to the silhoutte of the horse, I remembered a painting of Napoleon, called Napoleon crossing the Alps. The horse silhoutte with Liberty in front resembles the subject matter of Napoleon crossing the Alps, that is, Napoleon on his horse leading his troop to cross the Alps. That painting was to show how majestic Napoleon was and portray him as the hero of the French. Hence, I think the artist of this painting wanted to show Liberty as the heroine in the Revolution.


Artist: Jaques Louis David
Title: Napoleon crossing the Alps
Type: Oil on canvas

However, what’s ironic is that the comrades are lying on the ground under Liberty who is leaping across them, seems to me that those comrades are disregarded and appear to be at her disposal. In a Revolution, when the lives of all people are involved, when all people are involved in the fight for greater good, everyone should be regarded with respect and dignity, not trampled on like this. What’s worse is that there are crows or ravens hovering on top of the dead comrades! That means the corpses are left rotting on the battleground, unclaimed! This shows how cruel revolutions are, how much blood was lost and how much sacrifices made to gain Liberty.


Artist: Eugene Delacroix
Title: Liberty leading the people
Type: Oil on canvas

(Liberty leading the doomed)

The Days back then

Artist: Me
Title: The Days back then
Type: Photography
Dimensions: Unknown

This photo that I took has a balanced composition— the boys in the forground and the water in the background. The material used to make the sculptures, bronze, further balances the composition as bronze has a greater density than water, so it ‘sinks’ in water.

I took a photo of the sculpture, The First Generation, at this angle because I want viewers to feel what it is like to be among the company of boys who are about to leap into the Singapore river. We can no longer do this now since it is illegal. I suppose swimming and playing in the Singapore River must be a favourite past time of the children of the First Genenration. But I can never experience it and the people who have done it can only relish the experience. This photo serves to remind the younger generation as well as trigger memories of the older generation.

A walk in the CBD

 
Artist: Unknown
Title: Unknown
Type: Bronze sculpture
Dimensions: Unknown

This is a bronze sculpture of a mother and a child. I think the scale is too small and the location is not suitable. It is situated among the bushes and behind a pond, which caused it to be unnoticeable and insignificant. It is indeed a pity. People can just walk past and not see this sculpture at all.

A successful sculpture should have a catchy theme, attractive composition and subject matter and of course, a good site to showcase the sculpture. Although this sculpture has a catchy theme- mother and child, attractive subject matter- contorted body of the mother, attractive composition- mother writhing in agony and naked baby helpless and vulnerable, the sculpture should be placed in a better location. For example in front of the entrance of a building or perhaps in the middle of a pond to enhance the effect and add on to the helplessness portrayed by the baby.

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Artist: Henry Moore
Title: Reclining figure
Type: Bronze Sculpture
Dimensions: Unknown

This is an artwork by Henry Moore, a sculpture of a large reclining figure, weighing four tonnes and one of the largest works ever made by Henry.
The reclining figure is a female, stylised and possesses a flowy form. It is placed in a shallow man-made pond and the places where the sculpture touches the water, there will be patches of pebbles. There is also a tiled walk way across the pond, in front of the sculpture, for viewers to get a closer look at the bronze figure.


Tiled Walkway

This is a successful sculpture since the size is really big and the form is interesting. The water is also an enhancement since it reflects the sculpture’s image, giving the whole sculpture a totally different effect, making it look ethereal. There is also a slope for viewers to walk up towards the sculpture. Both the tiled walkway and the slope enable viewers to feel as though they are included or even part of the art work, giving a whole new experience to viewers. Thus, viewers may have a good impression on the artwork and thus, they may even like it.

Slope

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Artist: Unknown
Title: Unknown
Type: Bronze sculpture
Dimensions: Unknown

In front of One Raffles Place

This is another bronze sculpture outside One Raffles Place. It looks like a karst formation of limestone, just that this is not made of limestone but bronze. I like the location of the sculpture. It is right in front of the building, which serves to lead viewers eyes to look at the building as they look at the sculpture. This is a good tactic, like what some would say— kill two birds with one stone. As viewers admire the sculpture, they admire the building as well. Thumbs up!

Adding on to the idea that it looks like a karst formation, I think the karst formation has got something to do with One Raffles Place. One Raffles Place belongs to UOB now, an established bank. The process of karst formation involves what is referred to as “the carbon dioxide cascade.” Thus, soluble bedrocks are being moulded by natural elements (rain with dissolved carbon dioxide), karst formation is formed. This could mean that even though there were countless setbacks, UOB emerged through the tough times to become what it is today, just like the karst formation, beautiful even though it has encountered acid rain. Thus, the sculpture could be a symbol of UOB, tried and proved to be a champion.

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Artist: Yang Ying-Feng
Title: Progress & Advancement
Type: Bronze sculpture
Dimensions: Unknown

Front view (skyline)

This is a bronze sculpture near Raffles Place MRT station, with many commercial buildings surrounding it. It is a spiral-like sculpture with intrinsic details on it.

Firstly, we can see the developed, prosperous and famous skyline of Singapore, showing our economic prowess and status. However, as I went around the sculpture, I saw scenes of the fishing village Singapore once was. There is a Malay kampong and on the river, there are different types of ships, Chinese junk, British ship etc. This shows the pretext of Singapore before it was developed. I also noticed that there are a few Chinese junks, malay fishing boats and other  trading boats moored by the riverside, with traders streaming into the kampong. I guess this is perhaps the earliest form of racial integration in Singapore?


Fishing boats



Malay kampong


Deck of Chinese junk

As I moved on, I saw some buildings of old Singapore, a scene that depicts Singapore in its 1900s, with bullock carts and British architecture etc. A bustling city then already. Then, as I continued, I came back to the present, the established city again. This sculpture is like a time machine that transports viewers back to the past and to the present again, perhaps to remind viewers, especially Singaporeans, of the effort made by our forefathers and to urge us to work on the progress made and advance. Onward Singapore!


Old Singapore

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Artist: Chong Fah Cheong
Title: The First Generation
Type: Bronze
Dimensions: Unknown

A bronze sculpture of a handful of naked boys ready to jump into the river. And this river is no common river, but the iconic Singapore River. I like this particularly because of the facial expressions of the boys. It was pure joy. This is a successful sculpture since it is site-specific and able to evoke strong emotions from viewers.

Remembrance

 
Title: Remembrance
Artists: Hui Sze, Jing Lin, Xinge, Yi Yuan, Zhong Xin, Yu Qi
Dimension: diameter- 20 cm, height- 15 cm


A tomb once existed in the garden behind the school. It could have been destroyed by now. It was made from materials found in the garden. We intended it to be site-specific, just like how Andy creates art from nature.


We stumbled upon a tiny plant and some pebbles in the garden. And we have decided to surround the tiny plant with a ring of pebbles. It turned out to resemble a tomb and so we thought it would be interesting to see what we can continue do with 1) a ring of pebbles and 2) a tiny plant in the middle of the ring. We thought that tombs have a tombstone, so we found a white pebble as the tombstone and gathered some fallen wild flowers as offering. We picked up a snail’s shell along the way and placed it in front of the tombstone. Then, it occurred to me. A realisation.


The reason why we get to see plants growing healthily is due to the nutrients that exist in the soil, which are the result of the contribution of decayed matter. Organisms die and decay and go back to earth as nourishment for other plants that rely on it to grow well. It is the way nature functions, as a cycle.


We always forget why we can enjoy the beautiful scenary. We always forget the reason is because of the constant, endless and seemingly unnoticeable contribution of the organisms in the habitat that helped to sustain the scenary. We always forget that we should also do our part to make our environment beautiful.
Hence, I thought that the snail’s shell can represent the contribution of dead organisms and the tomb can serve as a commemoration and remembrance of the contributions made. This art work is a reminder to us, urging us to do our part to conserve the beautiful environment.

Extension


Artist: Andy Goldsworthy
Title: Pebbles around a hole
Dimensions: Unknown



“The underlying tension of a lot of my art is to try and look through the surface appearance of things. Inevitably, one way of getting beneath the surface is to introduce a hole, a window into what lies below.”-- Andy Goldsworthy


I think Remembrance is similar to Andy’s Pebbles around a hole sinceboth have a focal point, the tombstone and the black hole respectively. Also, both art works have pebbles as the main type of material.



“Movement, change, light, growth and decay are the lifeblood of nature, the energies that I I try to tap through my work…,” as quoted from Andy. Indeed, decay belongs to the lifeblood of nature, without it, nature cannot function, beauty is history.

Good as Goldsworthy

Artist: Andy Goldsworthy

Title: Pebbles, broken and scraped

Dimension: Unknown

“People do not realise that many of my works are done in urban places. I was brought up on the edge of Leeds, five miles from the city centre-on one side were fields and the other, the city.” — Andy Goldsworthy

This remarkable artist created this piece of work titled Pebbles Broken and Scraped. He is in the Environmental/ Land Movement. He extracts natural things from the nature to create his art work. His works embody the qualities— simplicity, profundity and inspirational. He loves nature, thus, he advocates protection and conservation for Mother Nature through his art work. His love for nature is the spirit of his works.

Yi Yuan and I selected this spiral structure made of pebbles, broken and scraped. We chose it because we felt that this piece of work was the most outstanding, in terms of contrast of colors, the grey and turquoise on the pebbles with the sandy hue of the beach and the texture of the pebbles due to scratches and the grainy surface of the beach. With the scratches on the pebbles, the art work looks as though it illuminates. These attributes serve to enhance the visual appeal of this art work. Since the pebbles were from the beach itself, both the spiral and sand complement each other very well, it is almost like as though the art work originally belongs to the beach, part of the landscape, which reminds me of Singapore’s East Coast Park and our aquatic ancestry. We used to be a fishing village and the sea and the beach used to be a common sight, part of the people’s life.

One look at the work, it is clear that the central focal point is the middle of the spiral, where the broken line starts and spirals outwards…

In the evening went to small
beach to work as the sun
went down - time the
completion of work with
sundown - broken stones
-cracked in two -not easy.
Scratched white around cracks
- made a sort of spiral which
suited this work - this is how
forms such as spirals/circles/balls
appear - out of the making and not
taken out there to be imposed

The above extract was taken out of Andy’s website, describing the process of making this piece of art.

I interpret the spiral as a journey. The spiral will only continue to spiral out in a similar fashion which can be liken to a long journey. Just like Singapore’s journey to independence. The scraped pebbles remind me of the people who had to eke out a living and scrape by life. Also, as it spirals out, it represents Singapore has to move on from its past and work towards a better future. Hence, with the sand as the background and the spiral motif, this artwork best fits in Singapore in terms of our history.

Also, as seen from a quote from a website on Andy,”For me looking, touching, material, place and form are all inseparable from the resulting work. It is difficult to say where one stops and another begins.” To me, the process of planning, thinking and searching for resources for his art work is likened to a spiral, whereby the start of the spiral is formed when Andy first had an inspiration. Then, as the planning goes on, the spiral continues to swirl outwards. The spiraling is never-ending even after Andy finishes his art work because like what he has said, “…looking, touching, material, place and form are all inseparable from the resulting work.” This is perhaps his definition of art making, as a journey, as a spiral. And the journey never ends, just like his passion for nature.

Just like Andy, Walter Demaria created the Lightning Field by placing steel rods in an open grass field. He waited until a thunderstorm approached and lightning struck the steel rods to take photographs of the moment when the lightning struck the steel rods. It created a visual spectacular when the lighting struck the steel rods. It was really as though the field was struck by lightning! The rods are used as the channel of communication or interaction between elements of nature. It is interesting as lightning can never strike a grassfield, but with Walter’s steel rods, it really did seem that the lightning phenomenally struck the field! While Andy explores nature by creating artwork from nature and his artworks decay, thus temporary, Walter explores nature by bringing elements of nature that do not interact naturally together. In other words, he defies nature by connecting lightning and grass together, two elements that cannot connect, by introducing a channel. He then documented the ‘phenomenon’ using photography.

Bringing back to Andy, photography is important in his work as his works are biodegradable. Because of this, it is of utmost importance to document his works, to prove that his works existed, before they decay and return to nature. Photographs last for a long time, thus, Andy uses photography in his work. Also, if he should document his works by painting pictures, then they would seem unrealistic as his works tend to be abstract-looking and do not ‘fit’ in with nature. Thus, photography gives a touch of realness in his works; the photos of artworks taken are more for the sake of recording evidence rather than for the purpose of art.