press release - Flaneur Gallery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Urban Hysteria : 3 group exhibitions by 10 artists at Flaneur Gallery
Flaneur Gallery is pleased to present its inaugural show - Urban Hysteria. The exhibition introduces ten
local artists’ works and their study on our urban culture and environment and how our mental happiness
is tied to the external gains and sensual pleasures drawn from the urban life experience.
There are two sections to this exhibition: “The self in a state of excess” draws on issues of consumption,
economy and individuality that emerge as part of the urban ecology; the second section, “White noise”
explores urban development and the visceral responses to them.
The artworks presented in the exhibition reflect the diverse contemporary art practices of local young
artists, ranging from painting, photography, drawings to sculptures made of found objects.
Stellah Lim explores decadence in her enamel coated sculptures, which comments on the prevalence of
materialism in our consumerist culture today.The work reminds us that sometimes in trying to safeguard
our vanity, we can end up destroying it.
The fierce competition for wealth is a topic explored by Lim Wan Ying and Justin Lin. Wan Ying’s
Chinese ink and acrylic on paper series references the Chinese metaphor, 金山, or Gold Mountain,
highlighting the enormity of man’s desire for affluence.
"We Breached the Surface, Only to Find Ourselves Being Measured and Weighed Before a Crew of
Hungry Sailors", a sculpture by Justin, modelled after a weighing balance addresses the relationship of
self-worth vis-à-vis monetary value.
Some works position the individual as the main subject and present the ways the unique self responds to
the urban experience. The spectrum of bright colours, lines and brushstrokes in 心境 (the inner
landscape), a series of paintings by Vincent Chow, attempts to create form out of sensory experiences.
Ben Puah’s childlike illustrations are a response to his immediate surroundings trying to make sense and
humour out of the irregularity found in the ordinary.
Liu Wen Chao’s series of oil paintings depicts the Geylang district in Singapore, a place well-known for
being Singapore’s red-light district. Depicting his figures mostly as solitary beings, the work also
highlights an undercurrent of loneliness beneath these streets marked out for pleasure-seekers.
Sufian Samsiyar’s "dystopian urbanity" is a series of photographs that questions the connection between
the urban city and noise. The photographs were manipulated to show a worn and dilapidated Singapore.
By hollowing out the city, the work leaves the viewer confronting a barren and silent metropolis.
Yeo Tze Yang, on the other hand, uses noise as an indicator of change. His paintings document the place
he lives in and the changes it undergoes where construction sites are nearly ubiquitous.
Temple by Ruyi Wong reveals human figures curled into a fetal position, set in handmade soap. The
work is visually remindful that personal, protective spaces can be easily worn off, exposing the
vulnerability of man.
Ezekiel Wong’s illustrations encapsulate the heightened hysteria living and being among people. They
contain elements of satire that mainly highlight conflicts, worldly issues and confrontations
he faces in life.
The works in Urban Hysteria explore the cleavages of our contemporary culture. In doing so, this show
brings to light facets of the urban condition that seethe beneath our contemporary lifestyle.
About Flaneur Gallery
Founded by Mike Tay and Vincent Chow, Flaneur Gallery is a contemporary art gallery promoting
Singapore based artists who create brilliant art inspired by their acute observation of the urban life in
this vibrant city.
The gallery presents to art lovers, a wide range of art forms, all speaking earnestly in moving narratives
inspired by the artists' personal stories and experiences.
Residing in a beautifully restored conservation shophouse at 129 Jalan Besar, the gallery rides on the
precinct's historical past to nurture the art future of Singapore.
Through showcasing artwork at exhibitions and facilitating an ongoing dialogue between the artists and
the public, the gallery strives to promote patronage of local artists throughout the community and
beyond.
Show information
Gallery opening reception: 7pm, 15 Jan 2015
Urban Hysteria (the self in a state of excess) - Part 1
Date: 15 Jan (Thurs) to 25 Jan (Sun)
Artists: Justin Lin, Lim Wan Ying, Stellah Lim, Vincent Chow
Urban Hysteria (the self in a state of excess) - Part 2
Date : 29 Jan (Thurs) to 8 Feb (Sun)
Artists: Ben Puah, Liu Wenchao
Urban Hysteria (white noise)
Date: 12 Feb (Thurs) to 1 Mar (Sun)
Artists: Ezekiel Wong, Ruyi Wong , Sufian Samsiyar, Yeo Tze Yang
General Information
Flaneur Gallery
129 Jalan Besar, Singapore 208847
website : www.flaneur.sg
Opening Hours
Tuesday to Saturday : 11am to 7pm
Sunday :1pm to 6pm
Contact person : Mike Tay
Email : mike@flaneur.sg
Phone : 9112 4685
Attachments
Attachments at Dropbox (Exhibition essay, artists bio and artwork images)