About the artwork
( For project ) Joo Chiat road was formerly known as the Confederate Estate road before being named after wealthy Chinese landowner Chew Joo Chiat. It consists of pre-war architecture in the form of vibrant two-storey Peranakan shophouses separated from the street by five-foot ways. The facades of the houses boast intricate, ornate motifs and striking tiles which are reflected in the painting. Coined as the first 'heritage town' in Singapore in 2011, the area underwent a process of gentrification as well as an initiation of a 'Save Joo Chiat' campaign to weed out unsavoury activities that occurred in the back alleys of the area. Hong Sek Chern cements a piece of Singaporean heritage in her painting coupled with the topsy-turvy architectural perspectives that she has made part of her style.
About the artist
Hong Sek Chern (b.1967) graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, followed by an MA in Fine Art from Goldsmiths College, University of London. Sek Chern’s Chinese ink interpretations of the Singapore urban landscape have won her several awards, including the 26th UOB Painting of the Year Grand Prize. She was recipient of the Young Artist Award from the National Arts Council and was selected to represent Singapore at the 25th Sao Paolo Biennale. Her works are part of several institutions and prestigious collections, including Singapore Art Museum, Taipei Fine Art Museum, and the National Arts Council (Singapore)