Will You Be | So Close

There has been talk of a burgeoning arts scene, and if you are wondering where the bright young talent is, look no further than our nation’s very own creative institutions.

“Will You Be | So Close” will be on view from 27th March to 15th April at Forth Art Gallery, and represents a group effort from eight Bachelor of Fine Arts undergraduates. Curated by Annette Heitmann and Lee Shuxian, both students from the School of Art, Design and Media (ADM) at NTU, this exhibit promises a collection of paintings, illustrations and installation pieces. Revolving around the complexities of human relationships, the artists take turns to explore issues of intimacy and yearning.

What is essential here varies with each individual interpretation, and the exhibit sheds light on the many nuances of the theme, “close.”

Oh JiJi seeks to intertwine seemingly disparate subjects to represent the things we often take for granted in life. She said, “My purpose is to highlight the idea that sometimes we are so close to some things, that we don’t notice it.”

Others, like Julienne Tan choose to tackle the grey areas of human relationships and the immaculate fear of opening up to someone completely. Through mixed-media illustrations, her work is best summed up by the line, “Maybe in our effort to get closer, we pushed words out of the way.”

Nigel Heng organizes objectification, love, desire and disgust in a way which offers a discourse in the nature of the human gaze – writ large in a single image of a life sized nude. Daniel Lim’s paintings of figures in embrace express the mutual desire to be loved and accepted, whilst hinting at the stifling nature of holding someone too close.

Forth Gallery will present more visual metaphors and conceptual ideas from the group in its entirety, which includes works by Heitmann and Lee as well.

For many of these young artists, taking part in an exhibit also means self-progress beyond the confines of an art school regimen. As curators, Heitmann and Lee look forward to the exhibit as a platform for their peers to showcase their talent, and to promote traditional art forms within the local scene.

“This is a chance for us to explore the theme and to stretch our artistic styles, without fear of academic judgment, or grading,” Heitmann said. “I think mostly, everyone is just excited to be part of something that we feel belongs to us, which gives us the motivation to create art that means something to us.”

This article was written by  Tan Pey Chuan.