As we have attested at Affordable Art Fair’s around the world for the past twenty years, we strongly believe in supporting the careers of emerging artists, those abound with talent and potential; making our Young Talent exhibitions some of the most exciting features at our fairs. With its extensive nine-month programme, Affordable Art Fair Singapore’s Young Talent Programme, in collaboration with ION Art is no exception!

The 2018/19 programme started with a stand-out Young Talent exhibition of eight rising-stars at Affordable Art Fair Singapore last November, each hand-picked by the Young Talent Programme Selection Committee. The second phase saw three shortlisted artists work closely with Seah Tzi-Yan, Programme Curator and committee member,  over ten-months, gaining creative support in developing new works, and essential experience within the art industry – through a Southeast Asian tour, travelling and exhibiting at three of Hotel Jen’s locations in Manila, Penang and Singapore.

And the programme doesn’t end there! The talented trio will now hold their own solo exhibitions – the Winners’ Solo Exhibitions 2018/19, at the stunning ION Art Gallery, 30 August – 15 September 2019, ION Orchard Level 4. The opening night is on the 29 August, 6.30pm – 9pm. In advance of the opening, we’re delighted to give you a sneak peek at new works by the talented Arya Wirawan, Lim Jia Qi and Liu Ling, plus hear from the artists themselves about their creative process:

SINGAPORE’S YOUNG TALENT PROGRAMME WINNERS 2018/19

ARYA WIRAWAN (b. 1986 Indonesia)

“I have great interest in visual semiotics especially in codes of folklore, myths and legends which are hereditary from our predecessors as a form of speech and visualization from a unique perspective. From these there are various moral messages, life advice, clues for a better way of life for their successors. Therefore, I decided to rewrite, redesign and recreate the visualization of folklore, myths and legends into a new form. I aim to remind people of noble values, that they are not only keepers of their own identity by tracing their culture, but their actions also awaken something precious in every human life, which is the potential within each person.”

LIM JIA QI (b. 1997 Singapore)

“Standing in the shoes of the detached observer is the constant starting point of Jiaqi’s work — the observation of the crowd. Through observations from daily life, Lim endeavours to capture the poetics of urban living by creating narratives or the lack of it that entail the traits of modernisation. Her primary method of working involves photography and reconstructing these through a play of perspective and positive-negative space. A printmaking major, she is interested to apply learned techniques to contemporary practice. She also works with concrete slabs as an alternative, drawing similarly from a technical standpoint as with relief printmaking.”

LIU LING, (b. 1985 China)

“My art is a celebration of reality. It always gives me an indescribable thrill to see inanimate materials transform into something lifelike, a similar emotion is evoked when I ponder the unfathomable miracle that everything exists the way it is. Isn’t it amazing to see an object born from nothing gradually take form and have a life of its own? To (re)create reality, details have to be convincingly and intricately constructed. A bigger challenge than skill or patience is the honesty to wholly embrace reality with all its imperfections. Through the process of capturing what is in front of my eyes, I attempt to rediscover the essence of beauty, especially in the ordinary, the ignored and the forgotten. Each artwork is my humble tribute to the wonder of life and a reminder not to lose our connection with it.”

Don’t miss the Winners’ Solo Exhibitions 2018/19 at ION Art Gallery (30 August – 15 September 2019), where you’ll be able to meet the artists themselves, plus attend exclusive talks and workshops:

Artists Talk; Arya, Jia Qi and Liu Ling in ConversationFri 30 Aug 7pm – 8.30pm

Artists WorkshopsSat 31 Aug, 7 Sep and 14 Sep 11am – 12pm

Plus, applications for this fantastic programme are now open! If you want to apply for the Singapore Young Talent programme 2019/20, follow the link below to download the application form.