System Revisited

I LOVE YOU

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SOLDIER BOY THAT MAKES ME WHOO!
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RELAX AND KISS ME

EMBRACING JACK
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BEARY NICE KISS

NUMBER ONE
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MUST KEEP MY EYES OPEN
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RESCUE ROMANCE

EXCITING WITH BRUCE

KHIGHT'S KISS
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In partnership with the Philippine Embassy in Singapore and Philippine Art Trek III,

Sunjin Galleries presents “System Revisited,” a solo exhibition by Filipina artist Clairelynn Uy from November 7 to 21, 2009. This is Uy’s 11th solo exhibition and her first outside Manila.

“System Revisited” showcases the artist’s intensely-colored oil on canvas paintings. Uy says that her paintings “span the range of the perceptive and the judicious portrayal to the bizarre and the spectacular.” She is well-known for her series on toys facing different real-life situations : action figures, dolls and stuffed toys performing mundane everyday tasks to being challenged by more precarious propositions. In “System Revisited,” she combines these inanimate objects with colorful backgrounds of dialogues inspired by comic books. “In my works, living issues and actual situations abound that provoke a compelling honesty and existential urgency to subliminal and subconscious currents and contradictions that are too often ignored as the course of life flows with its repetitive nature.”

Who We Are

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Who We Are
a contemporary indian art exhibition

6 October – 29 October, 2009

In conjunction with Arushi Arts Gallery of Delhi India, Sunjin Galleries is pleased to present “Who We Are”, an exhibition introducing some of India’s finest contemporary artists. A showcase of the diverse creative talent of India, the exhibition explores the identity of modern India. The themes explored relate to critical current events in India as well as the day-to-day life of modern citizens of India.

Roy Thomas’ work entitled “The Invisible Revelation Part II” is a reaction to the Mumbai terrorist attacks of November 2008, an event that provoked personal, political, and social responses from people worldwide. The masked villain and multitude of guns featured in the painting are hauntingly reflective of the horror and shock experienced by those who watched in disbelief as terrorists launched a series of co-ordinated attacks across Mumbai.

Mousumi Biswas’ and Saptarshi Naskar’s works portray images of youth. Biswas’ works have a surreal quality to them incorporating exotic and fantasy like images, reflective of the active imaginations of children: their dreams and aspirations. Naskar’s work entitled “Overflow” shows a buggy filled with school children dressed in uniform. The beauty of Naskar’s work lies in the detail – the manner in which the children’s hair is combed and how the children’s socks are worn pulled up. There are too many children for the vehicle, yet they appear content despite the crowdedness. Naskar explores Indian urban society through images of daily life experienced by the middle-income citizens in India.

Joydip Sengupta also portrays the daily life of Indians through his use of water tanks, a central aspect of life for middle-income families. The water tanks in the backgrounds of Sangupta’s works incorporate a distinctive symmetry while a young man appears to be doing a balancing act in the foreground. The painting “Vantage Point” is littered with the elements of daily life, paintings, storage containers, a mug and even a bunch of bananas, suggestive that the water tank system is yet another mundane dimension of urban life.

Sanjay Verma’s work illustrates the streets of India. Verma takes symbols that are uniquely Indian such as a horse buggy or two people sitting on a scooter, common modes of transportation in Indian cities, and superimposes them onto a relatively plain background. Within these symbols are images of India’s busy streets that are overflowing with cars and people. Verma’s artistic skill lies in his ability to offset the crowded focal points in his works with simplistic backgrounds and clever use of colour and shading. Sohan Jakhar’s work is more specific and focuses on street vendors in India. Jakhar’s palate for vibrant colours and textured backgrounds accurately represent his roots and Rajasthani culture.

In addition to paintings, sculptures by artist Venkat Bothsa are also included in this exhibition. Made of fibre glass, Bothsa’s sculptures take the shape of life-size human heads that are painted with images of nature and the modern world; a reflection of deteriorating ecological balances as urban development rages. Bothsa who comes from a small fishing village Visakhapatnam, in the state of Andhra Pradesh, contrasts the beauty of simple village life with the culture of consumerism that characterizes urban centres. In so doing, he critically engages with and assesses the values of modern society.

The underlying theme that connects the artists in this exhibition is the exploration of the Indian identity. India, the second most populous country in the world, is also the largest democracy. As the 12th largest economy with an average economic growth rate of 6.5% expected this year, India has both political and economic significance. Yet India suffers from severe poverty and socioeconomic inequality. The “Who We Are” exhibition is an expression of the life, concerns and dreams of India’s modern generation. While the art works contain elements that are distinctly Indian, viewers are confronted with a representation that barely betrays the origins of the artists. In the era of globalisation, the concepts and aesthetics of India’s contemporary artists have become increasingly universally, resulting in works that are relevant and appreciated by audiences worldwide.

We welcome you to join us as Sunjin Galleries this October to experience “Who We Are” an exhibition of contemporary Indian art.