Artist’s statement:
Whereas past exhibitions have dealt with what I know, what I've observed, and what I remember, RECESSES OF MY MIND is primarily a function of the conjurings of my over-active imagination. Settled realities of the Peranakan past have given way to an almost hallucinatory journey where the world is not only charming, but dangerous. In an effort to break away from previous Peranakan depictions, the artist is demonstrating the primacy of his mind over his eyes.
About the artist:
Martin Loh is a self-taught Singaporean artist who culls his subjects from the richness of his own Peranakan heritage. His paintings reflect the colour, charm and details of a bygone era in a naïve style that is uniquely his. A self-confessed day-dreamer, he lets his imagination run wild through his works, recreating images of people and places from his childhood days growing up in Katong, a predominantly Peranakan area. His earlier works were highly nostalgic and mainly inspired by home-based activities and portraits of the “lady of the house”, as well as old architecture and traditional costumes. Over the years, he has evolved to a freer style of painting and works that are more whimsical, though no less enchanting, drawn from his wide-ranging experiences as he travels around the region. This series investigates a darker psychological mindscape, where nyonyas toy with anthropomorphic animals and concomittant danger. As he transitions from paper to canvas, his work is no less colourful, many still replete with the crowded details and fussiness so favoured by the Straits Chinese in days gone by.
Whereas past exhibitions have dealt with what I know, what I've observed, and what I remember, RECESSES OF MY MIND is primarily a function of the conjurings of my over-active imagination. Settled realities of the Peranakan past have given way to an almost hallucinatory journey where the world is not only charming, but dangerous. In an effort to break away from previous Peranakan depictions, the artist is demonstrating the primacy of his mind over his eyes.
About the artist:
Martin Loh is a self-taught Singaporean artist who culls his subjects from the richness of his own Peranakan heritage. His paintings reflect the colour, charm and details of a bygone era in a naïve style that is uniquely his. A self-confessed day-dreamer, he lets his imagination run wild through his works, recreating images of people and places from his childhood days growing up in Katong, a predominantly Peranakan area. His earlier works were highly nostalgic and mainly inspired by home-based activities and portraits of the “lady of the house”, as well as old architecture and traditional costumes. Over the years, he has evolved to a freer style of painting and works that are more whimsical, though no less enchanting, drawn from his wide-ranging experiences as he travels around the region. This series investigates a darker psychological mindscape, where nyonyas toy with anthropomorphic animals and concomittant danger. As he transitions from paper to canvas, his work is no less colourful, many still replete with the crowded details and fussiness so favoured by the Straits Chinese in days gone by.
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