How Singapore Grieves Through Art

290315 #1, 2015, 120x150cm, Oil on linen [Photo: iPreciation]

Boo Sze Yang’s oil paintings take on the mantle of watercolour pieces as the colours run on into each other and drip down to the bottom of the canvas, leaving the whites of the untouched canvas exposed. Paint runs into each other, the drips resembling the pouring rain of the day of the send off, but maybe also tears, almost like a teary vision of the scene representing the emotional meltdown of the people.

Out of the sixteen paintings, the image of Lee Kuan Yew is noticeably missing, unlike many tribute artworks that other local artists have created. When I asked him why, Boo said: I’ve already painted a whole series of him last year, I don’t want to repeat myself. I could paint him now, but it’s not what I want to do. To me, Lee Kuan Yew is not just a face, he’s everywhere. Everything you see in Singapore seems to have his footprints somewhere. It’s not just his face. To me, the most important thing is that it shakes the people. I don’t know if that will change anything, but hopefully people will become a bit more cohesive, can become stronger as a people.”

29.03.15 is the 15th solo exhibition by Singaporean artist Boo Sze Yang, and will be held at iPreciation from 31st July to 22nd August 2015.

Boo was born in 1965 and graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1991; completed his Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Art at the University of Reading, UK in 1995, and received his Master in Arts Degree from Chelsea College of Art & Design, the University of Arts London in 2004. His works are in the collections of the Singapore Museum, the Singapore Istana Art Collection, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore, United Overseas Bank, Simmons & Simmons Contemporary Art Collection, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Yingu Art Mansion in Beijing.

290315 #4, 2015, 125x160cm, Oil on linen [Photo: iPreciation]

290315 #9, 2015, 120x150cm, Oil on linen [Photo: iPreciation]

Media: Cobosocial.com

Full article here:
http://blog.cobosocial.com/2015/08/19/a-nation-grieves/