Shifting Spaces
a printmaking exhibition
by Esther Ng and Marisa Keller
Thursday 23rd Sept 2004 7 pm
Utterly Art Exhibition Space
208 South Bridge Road 2nd Level
Tel: 6226 2605
E-mail: utterlyart and followed by @pacific.net.sg
Mon-Sat 11.30 am - 8 pm
Sun 12 noon - 5.30 pm
The exhibition runs to Sunday 3rd Oct 2004.
In "Shifting Spaces", Marisa and Esther's individual new series of prints and
drawings, though starting from different ideas, have a common thread in the
conceptual content which communicates their idea of a transition into a
different space, a transition that echoes a journey of changing perceptions and
experiences. Also included in this exhibition is a significant body of
collaborative prints done by both of them which show their individual distinct
styles weaved together in coherent and harmonious visual expressions of these
explorations of spaces.
Shifting Spaces - a two-woman
printmaking show by Esther Ng and Marisa Keller
Start Date:
9/23/2004
End Date:
10/3/2004
Comments:
Opening reception: 23 Sep 2004, 7 pm
The idea to stage an exhibition together came up during the artists' studies at
LaSalle-SIA. During long working hours in the printmaking workshop, they
discussed their works and ideas and found a mutual passion for printmaking and
for etching in particular. Although starting from different ideas a common
thread can be found in the conceptual content of the works. Ng and Keller are
both dealing with the notion of movement/stillness, and our human limitations in
space and time.
The exhibition can be engaged on several levels: as pure visual language and as
symbolic and metaphoric content.
In the exhibition 'Shifting Spaces', the artists plan to show a new series of
drawings, mixed media and prints. The title refers to the idea of a transition
into a different space, a transition that echoes a journey of changing
perceptions and experiences. The artists are especially fascinated with the idea
of capturing both continuity and change in a single moment of time and space.
The works explore these ideas using universally significant systems of
elemental, abstract marks, lines, forms and colours.
Besides the individual works the artists will show a collaboration work, which
consists of a wall installation of small prints. This collection of mixed media
works is entitled 'Second Hand', referring to the process of which requires both
artists to revisit and rework past and present works. Starting from their own
and each other’s prints, elements are added and subtracted, cut, distort and
reassembled to form a new coherent piece. This way the artists engage in a
dialogue with each other's philosophies and expressions, so as to broaden their
horizons. 'Second Hand' is also meant to be an interactive piece where any part
of the work can be purchase selectively by the public, thus facilitating further
shifting of and in the work.
'Nothing endures but change', Heraclitus, 540 – 480 BC
Esther Ng’s work in this coming exhibition 'Shifting spaces' consists of both
drawings and etching prints. Her watercolour and pencil drawings convey her
impressions of crossings between different landscape spaces in journeys while
her prints convey echoes of the crossings in a more spiritual dimension. To her,
shifting spaces are of twofold significance: they are both physical and
spiritual. It intrigues her that the crossing over of physical boundaries is
echoed by gradual passing from one state of mind to another. One influenced the
other. Her work shows her fascination with both the change and the sense of
continuity between spaces. This concept of change and continuity is reflected in
her works. The drawings show her play of different mediums to show a point of
interaction between two similar and yet distinct spaces. Her prints show that
interaction through the play of layers. Esther uses lines as her main visual
element to compose her visual expressions. She once commented on the
characteristic of her lines:
'To me, the lines shouldn't look cold and hard. That doesn't have the right feel
to me. I like my lines to be warmer, of a more fluid feel. Gold and Red has the
right feel to me personally. Gold is warm and subtle. Red exudes a kind of
vibrancy and energy and yet because they are only lines, they are subtle and not
overpowering. Silver, though cold, has a certain delicateness and tenaciousness
that pleases me.'
Her lines, drawn in rhythmic precision into an optical illusion of movement,
convey a sense of fragility, tenaciousness and yet resilience. To her, crossings
are moments of interaction of the old and new, of the past, present and future.
Accordingly, the play of lines, layers and shapes aim to draw the viewer’s
attention to the subtle changes in spatial dimensions in the works.
Marisa Keller's works, prints as well as the video installations, evolve around
different dimensions of water. On the surface the work shows the mesmerizing
aesthetic properties of water as it interacts with earth, air and light. The
submerged meaning speaks of water-based evolutionary roots of life itself, and
aims to evoke parallels between human sense perceptions, the sensuous tactility
of water environments, and the sense of limitless and continuous time and space.
Keller approaches her subject matter as a manifestation of vast time periods,
slow development and cyclical movement. This leads us, the viewers, into a
meditative engagement on our own humanness in relations to properties of water.
The works engage the senses for these reflective purposes. Rather than
submerging or engulfing the viewer, they instead offer vantage points from which
we can appreciate the macrocosmic and microcosmic worlds offered by these water
environments, and ponder our own place in these worlds. Recent series of works
done in monoprint and woodcut emphazising atmosphere and motion of water
environments are printed on chinese silk. Smaller works on paper are done in
many layers in different printmaking techniques: etching, aquatint, chine colle,
monoprint and photopolymer gravure. Parallel to her printmaking practice she
produces and edit video’s which are used in video installations. These works
also refer to water environments and aim to create an enviroment where the
viewer feels absorbed by the work.
Full time artist Marisa Keller grew up near the sea in the South of the
Netherlands. Now a Singapore PR she works and lives in here since 1993. Trained
as a painter she was always interested in printmaking and started to produce
colour woodcuts in the early nineties. During this time she did her Master of
fine Art in printmaking. Other techniques like video installations were
introduced in to her practice and now she is dedicated to push the bounderies
between printmaking and other media. She is currently a part-time lecturer
printmaking at LaSalle-SIA., Marisa Kellers paintings, prints and video
installations were shown in Singapore, USA , Australia and the Netherlands.
'I see my work as meditations on time, place, experience and perception'.
Utterly Art Exhibition Space
208 South Bridge Road #02-01
Singapore 058757
Tel: 6226 2605
