September Round-Up

Sullivan+Strumpf, M&C Saatchi Group & Saatchi Gallery, The Back Room, Almine Rech Paris, Matignon, Silverlens, A+ Works of Art
By A&M

Dawn Ng, ‘Scar Tissue that I Wish You Saw’, 2022, archival pigment print, 95 x 95cm. Image courtesy of the artist and Sullivan+Strumpf.

Into Air

‘Into Air’ by Dawn Ng is on show at Sullivan+Strumpf Sydney, following its debut in Singapore and subsequent tours to Seoul and London. It is a manifestation of the artist’s fascination with time, memory and ephemeral objects. Altogether, there are three series of works: ‘Clocks’, large-scale photo portraits of melting frozen pigment blocks, ‘Ash’, residue paintings of melted pigment manipulated through sheets of paper and ‘Time Lost Falling in Love’, time-lapse films that capture the process of disintegration of the frozen pigment blocks. 

'Dawn Ng: Into Air' is showing from 18 August to 10 September 2022 at Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney, Australia. Click here to find out more.

Art for Change Prize. Image courtesy of M&C Saatchi Group & Saatchi Gallery.

M&C Saatchi Group & Saatchi Gallery’s Art for Change Prize

In a new free-to-enter competition, M&C Saatchi Group & Saatchi Gallery are looking for emerging artists globally to respond to the theme of ‘Equality’, to encourage conversation around the potential of visual arts to stimulate change. A total prize fund of GBP20,000 will be shared among six winners from the United Kingdom, Europe, Americas, Asia, Australia and Africa, with a dedicated panel of judges for each region. The winning works will be exhibited at Saatchi Gallery in London. The closing date for entries has been extended to 15 September 2022. 

More information here.

Jerome Kugan, 'Together', 2020, graphite and acrylic on HIV medication packaging, 35 × 40cm. Image courtesy of the artist and The Back Room.

Hurt Need Undo Live Part 2

Jerome Kugan’s solo exhibition ‘Hurt Need Undo Live’ at The Back Room features works that visualise the wide range of human emotions and experiences in a comical way. The first part, shown in August, featured “talismans” painted over a chopping board, in line with his use of various non-conventional materials as surfaces. For the second part of the exhibition opening in September, he used recycled medication boxes, cards and paper as canvas to paint anonymous figures in a surreal and atmospheric manner, such as in ‘Together’ (2020). 

'Hurt Need Undo Live Part 2' is on show from 3 September to 2 October 2022 at The Back Room, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Click here to find out more.

Mai-Thu, 'Portrait de famille', 1971, signed lower right, monogrammed, titled and dated on the back Ink and colors on silk, 64,5 x 48cm. Image courtesy of the artist and Almine Rech Paris, Matignon (photo: Nicolas Brasseur).

Inventing Tradition – A Vietnamese Painter in France

The works of Mai-Thu will be shown in ‘Inventing Tradition – A Vietnamese Painter in France’ at Almine Rech Paris, Matignon. Featuring 30 works made from 1941 to 1976, they depict various themes, from daily life, traditions and celebrations in Vietnam to representation of war in the country. Although the artist lived in France most of his life, his paintings remained heavily influenced by Eastern and Vietnam painting methods and styles. The figures in ‘Portrait de famille’ (1971) are painted over silk in soft and simplified forms to mimic traditional Chinese painting.

'Inventing Tradition - A Vietnamese Painter in France' is on show from 7 September to 8 October 2022 at Almine Rech Paris, Matignon, France. Click here to find out more.

Installation view of two solo exhibitions: ‘The Protectors’ by Martha Atienza and ‘At the Roof of the Mouth’ by Yee I-Lann. Image courtesy of Silverlens.

‘The Protectors’ by Martha Atienza and ‘At the Roof of the Mouth’ by Yee I-Lann

Two solo exhibitions inaugurate Silverlens’ new gallery space in New York. ‘The Protectors’ by Martha Atienza asks questions about ownership of land and sea across the Bantayan group of islands in the Philippines. And ‘At the Roof of the Mouth’ by Yee I-Lann features a selection from ‘TIKAR/MEJA’, along with a new series of photographic works ‘Measuring Project, Chapters 1-7’.“Silverlens brings to New York a roster of artists venerated by institutions and biennials across Asia yet virtually undiscovered by Americans,” says Katey Acquaro, Directors, Silverlens, New York. “These are artists who are in some of the most regarded collections in the world. New York cannot be a truly global player in the art world if we remain outside this conversation. And the benefits are symbiotic­. I think it will be thrilling for the intelligent, inquisitive audience to explore this work.”   

The opening reception takes place on 8 September from 6 to pm. Both shows run till 5 November 2022. More information here. You can also listen to a From A to Zig-Zag podcast episode between Nadya Wang, Editor, A&M and Isa Lorenzo and Rachel Rillo, Director, Silverlens here.

Wiyoga Muhardanto, ‘Dzalim’, 2022, plastic toys and acrylic paint, 13 x 15 x 15cm. Image courtesy of A+ Works of Art.

Immediate Conception

A+ Works of Art presents a group show titled ‘Immediate Conception’ in collaboration with Blank Canvas, a new gallery based in Penang, Malaysia. The exhibition features 18 artists, including Alvin Lau and Amanda Gayle from Malaysia, Handiwirman Saputra and Wiyoga Muhardanto from Indonesia, and Bangkok-based artists Kentaro Hiroki and Naraphat Sakarthornsap. With materials readily available in their studio, each artist was given 24 hours to respond creatively to an issue of choice. This idea was inspired by the artwork ‘Tarta de cumpleaños (Birthday Cake)’ (2009) by Cuban artist Wilfredo Prieto, who constructed a cake with simple and inexpensive items such as a coin, chewing gum and a matchstick. 

‘Immediate Conception’ is on show from 10 September to 23 October 2022 at Blank Canvas, George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Click here to find out more.