Commonwealth of World Chinatowns

Isles of Ink Art Exhibition

Penang State Legislative Assembly Building, 13th to 31st July 2024

Isles of Ink: Chua Say Hua, and Hong Sek Chern

Opening on Saturday, 13th July 2024

ln celebration of the launch of the Commonwealth of World Chinatowns and in support of the development of the Penang Art District, the Isles of Ink exhibition held at the Legislative Assembly of Penang features celebrated Singapore ink painters Chua Say Hua 蔡世华 (b.1966), and Hong Sek Chern 洪雪珍 (b.1967).

The exhibition title, Isles of Ink, refers to the historical and cultural significance of the landscapes of Singapore and Penang depicted in the paintings. It includes a specially created 4-meter work by Say Hua and Sek Chern for this momentous occasion. The Isles of Ink also serves as a poignant reminder of the closely connected and parallel ink painting histories of these culturally vibrant islands.

Penang artist Yong Mun Sen was the first to recommend the establishment of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore in 1937. Over the past eight decades, many prominent Singaporean and Malaysian artists have studied at the academy.

The exhibition tells the story of how Chinese ink painting has evolved in Singapore through the works of three prominent artists. Lim Tze Peng's work reflects a long-term unfolding of modernity in ink art in Singapore, while Chua Say Hua and Hong Sek Chern represent new contemporary directions in Singaporean ink art, shaped by broader art education and cultural resources.

The Isles of Ink exhibition, a testament to the enduring aesthetic relations between Singapore and Penang in the genre, also opens up new possibilities in the ink medium. As you, our esteemed audience, step into this realm of art, you become an integral part of this continuation and evolution of the ink art form.

Double Vision by Chua Say Hua & Hong Sek Chern

Title of Artwork: above

Double Vision

Dimension: 138x411cm (6 panels of 138x68.5cm)

Medium: Chinese ink, pigment and collage on rice paper

Year: 2024

“Double Vision” is a representation of the two Chinatowns located in Singapore and Penang. It

is a recording of the visual history through the depiction of the buildings that can be found in the

two sites. Visual sources of these buildings were obtained online - primarily from tourism

websites, travel blogs, Google Map Streetview and images Internet strangers uploaded on

Google Map. Three panels from viewer’s right were composed based on the buildings located in

the Chinatown in Singapore and those on the left were of Penang.

Isles of Ink Art Exhibition

Penang State Legislative Assembly Building 13th to31st July 2024

Chua Say Hua

Chua Say Hua, 58, works with various art mediums and focuses on painting in Chinese ink, acrylic and collage. He aims to create contemporary interpretations as well as abstract compositions of modern subjects such as urban landscapes and old buildings.

Say Hua graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1992 with a Diploma in Fine Art and went on to receive his Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts (High Distinction) in 1994 from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Australia. In 1997, he obtained his Postgraduate Certificate in Fine Arts from Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Say Hua has held 14 solo exhibitions in Singapore since 1991 and participated in many group exhibitions held locally and overseas. An innovative painter who constantly challenges the boundaries of traditional media, Say Hua won many art awards including the Most Promising Young Artist award by the Philippe Charriol Foundation in 1993, Juror's Prize awarded by Philip Morris Group of Companies Singapore Art Awards in 1995, and the first prize in Expressions in Art by Singapore Telecoms in 2001. He was awarded The Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council of Singapore in 2001 for his outstanding achievements and contributions to visual arts. In 2014, he received the Silver Award for the Established Artist Category with his ink-and-pigment abstract piece titled Wall of Inscriptions.

Hong Sek Chern

Hong Sek Chern, 57, is interested in exploring various themes within urban settings in her paintings. She focuses on exploring Chinese ink painting to discover new possibilities with the traditional medium. A Diploma in Fine Art graduate from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1995 Sek Chern has also received her Master of Fine Arts from Goldsmiths College, University of London.

Sek Chern has held seven solo exhibitions in Singapore and participated in group exhibitions held locally and overseas. She was recipient of the Young Artist Award from the National Arts Council, Singapore in 2000. Sek Chern was selected to participate in the President Young Artist Show organised by the Singapore Art Museum in 2001. She represented Singapore at the 25th Sao Paolo Biennale in 2002 and the 5th International Ink Painting Biennial of Shenzhen in 2006.

Patron's Preview

13th July, 10.30am

In this exhibition, a selection from the very extensive work of specially produced pieces by Chua Say Hua and Hong Sek Chern.

This show is organized with the expertise of the curatorial team of the Hin Bus Depot. For those interested in acquiring the pieces please have a look at the e-catalogue which will be uploaded soon. A special invitation to a pre-opening preview can be arranged. Please contact us for an exclusive invitation.

Special Selection Artwork for Sale

Pieces by Chua Say Hua and Hong Sek Chern are affordably priced to encourage newer collectors to support the arts in Penang.

To learn more about the pieces and the artists please join us for a Patrons' Lunch.

This is the first one of a series of art exhibitions being planned by the CWC to forge closer relationship between the two cities.

e-catalogue

Soul of Ink

An Award Winning book by Woon Tai Ho

Soul of Ink by Woon Tai Ho pays tribute to the remarkable achievement of an artistic renaissance at 100. The author describes Lim Tze Peng’s art as the art of perseverance. At the heart of the book is the word “soul”, where the author traces the grit of a 100-year-old artist still looking for a breakthrough every time he puts ink to paper.

Soul of Ink was launched by then Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2021. “Tze Peng’s art opens a window into our nation’s soul, enriching our heritage and contributing to an emerging national cultural identity,” he said.

On 23rd April 2024, Sou of Ink won the inaugural Dr Alan H.J. Chan Spirit of Singapore Book Prize. The $30,000 prize is Singapore’s richest book prize. The judging panel praised the book for its “intimate portrayal of the artist, one who strove to improve, innovate and challenge himself even at the age of 100.”