DEFY INK 2024

39 KEPPEL RD #03-10

Yeo Shih Yun墨非 : DEFY INK  is a semi-retrospective exhibition charting the artist’s early works collected by 5 ardent patrons of art at the Singapore Art Week 2024. It marks a milestone as the artist reflects upon the essence of her early artistic endeavours while anticipating the boundless possibilities ahead in her new studio. Inspired by the aleatoric approach of John Cage’s compositions, ‘ink’ goes beyond a mark under Shih Yun’s persistence in redefining the boundaries of ink as her emblem of art-making.

Venue: 39 Keppel Rd, #03-10 Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Singapore 089065

Exhibition duration: 17 Jan – 4 Feb 2024, Wed - Sun, 1 – 8pm (19 & 26 Jan, 1 - 10pm)

Curator Tour: 20 Jan, 27 Jan & 3 Feb 2024, 2pm at the exhibition venue (RSVP link)

Inspired by the words of John Cage who aptly noted that ‘the world, the real, is not an object. It is a process’, 墨非 : DEFY INK embodies the spirit of an ongoing and dynamic process in art making. The exhibition delves into the nascent years of Shih-Yun’s art practice, where ink evolves from a mere mark to a note in a rhythmic composition, ultimately transforming into an instrument of her audacious creative rebellion. 墨非 : DEFY INK is a collectors’ showcase curated by Arielle Lau with selected works from the collections of Koh Seow Chuan, Toh Ee Loong, Low Nguan Kiang and Esmund Chua.

The exhibition presents more than 20 works, including some never-before-exhibited pieces, shedding light on her formative years through the collections of five patrons who supported her early artistic expressions. The featured works highlight Shih Yun’s innovative approach of art-making including collaborative paintings with fellow artist Wyn-Lyn (Exit series, 2005), blending traditional ink with elements of serendipity (Conversations with Trees, 2012), as well as her use of robots as a response to the highly digitalised world (The K, 2010). 

The showcase also underscores the vital role of art collectors in shaping the evolving art ecosystem. In an age dominated by digital experiences, these paintings stand as a testament to the enduring significance of physical art collections. 墨非: DEFY INK is an invitation to explore the infinite potentialities intrinsic to ink, as it transcends historical moorings, assuming an avant-garde role as a dynamic instrument for mark-making in the hands and defiance of Shih Yun. 

About Curator

Arielle Lau is a cultural worker based in Singapore. Drawn to a transdisciplinary approach, she works between and across disciplines of Contemporary Asian Art & Design, and has managed more than 20 art exhibitions and curatorial projects. At the core of her practice lies an aspiration to awaken critical consciousness of cultural identities; bridging the gap between imagination and instruction, preservation and proliferation. She was the co-curator for the inaugural multifaceted design event - Singaplural 2012, and has most recently curated Goh Beng Kwan: Time & Again at Straits Gallery, 2023.