Boxplot

31/01/2019

'Watchfire', curated by Boxplot and Tropical Blaze at Silverlens Galleries, is a group exhibition that brings together five artists who have each made a critical contribution to the development of contemporary ceramics in Asia: Tessy Pettyjohn, Jon Pettyjohn, and Joey de Castro of the Philippines. Shozo Michikawa of Japan, and Alvin Tan Teck Heng of Singapore.

Ongoing until 9 Feb 2019.

View the works and read the exhibition essay here: http://silverlensgalleries.com/exhibitions/2019-01-12/watchfire

01/01/2019

Happy New Year! We're excited to kick off 2019 with 'Watchfire' Silverlens Galleries - opening on 12 January!

Watchfire brings together five artists who have each made a critical contribution to the development of contemporary ceramic art in the Philippines: Tessy Pettyjohn, Jon Pettyjohn, and Joey de Castro of the Philippines, Shozo Michikawa of Japan, and Alvin Tan Teck Heng of Singapore.

For this exhibition, the artists were invited to participate in an anagama wood firing at the studio of fellow ceramic artist Pablo Capati III. Presenting work from a single firing, collectively undertaken, Watchfire examines the role of both the individual and the collective in building a ceramic art scene in the Philippines that is collaborative yet independent, locally engaged yet highly international. Furthermore, this exhibition examines how the participating artists successfully balance collaborative action with their own individual artistic identities.

This project is co-curated by Boxplot and Tropical Blaze. @ Silverlens Galleries

29/12/2018

Hetty Lie-Schricke’s boat series was developed for ‘Variables of the Function’, curated by Boxplot at T U Collab, Singapore.

In this series of works, Singaporean artist Hetty Lie-Schricke explores her personal and ancestral history, from the journey that her Chinese ancestors made across the South China Sea to the Peranakan culture of later generations. Each boat focusses on one of the five senses, through which Lie-Schricke engages viewers in various aspects of her rich cultural history while simultaneously exploring the potential of the ceramic medium.

Lie-Schricke worked as a scientific researcher until 1994 and thereafter devoted herself to art. She developed her ceramics practice under the tutelage of master potter Dr Iskandar Jalil at Jalan Bahar, Malay Heritage Centre and Temasek Potters Studios respectively, before establishing her own studio at Jalan Bahar Clay Studios. Lie-Schricke works extensively with local clays, which she considers to be a way of defining her identity and connection to Singapore. She likes to imagine how the clay has witnessed the history of its place of origin. Lie-Schicke is a member of Sculpture Society Singapore and has exhibited in Singapore, India, Taiwan, France, Belgium, Netherlands and Japan. @ Novelty TechPoint

22/12/2018

This installation by .wee was developed during her residency with Boxplot in Adelaide, Australia, and exhibited in ‘Variables of the Function’ at T U Collab, Singapore.
Jezzel Wee’s biomorphic forms are populated with tiny moss-like spores, highlighting the subtle growth in the natural world that often goes unnoticed. Wee’s interest lies in the quiet power of small organisms to exist and grow within the inhospitable environment of the mega-city of Manila, Philippines, where she is based. Her work reflects days spent observing the small plants that creep through the city’s cracks and tiny creatures that gather in forgotten corners. This installation is also influenced by Wee’s residency in Adelaide, particularly the corals and jetties she observed at the local beaches. @ Novelty TechPoint

20/12/2018

Last days to see ‘Variables of the Function’ curated by Boxplot at T U Collab, Singapore. Ongoing until 22 December.

This exhibition features ‘Moulting’ - a ceramic installation by from the Philippines. ‘Moulting’ centres on the concept of duality, exploring the opposing forces that exist within and between humans and their environment. Nogueras utilises a visual language that is rich in symbolism, integrating imagery of the human body with other creatures and elements of the natural world. Through this, she explores the dualities of strength and weakness, anxiety and calmness, and fragility and stability. Nogueras’ complex and sensitive integration of these supposedly opposing forces highlights the relationship between them, the potential for complementarity, and their ultimate interdependence. @ Novelty TechPoint

05/12/2018

Hiroko Mita's 'Line Series' forms part of 'Variables of the Function' curated by Boxplot at T U Collab, Singapore. Ongoing until 22 December 2018.
Hiroko Mita’s works often begin as unassuming wheel-thrown or hand-built vessels. To these seemingly utilitarian forms, Mita slowly and meticulously adds line after line of clay. As the lines wrap like vines around their hosts, the original forms are gradually consumed along with their potential to serve a utilitarian function. Emerging in their place are striking and complex compositions of distinctly individual yet inextricably intertwined lines. Mita's compositions are created from carefully selected local and imported clay bodies and glazes, fused together through the firing process.

Having studied fine art and graphic design in Japan and the USA, Hiroko first began working with clay at Jalan Bahar Clay Studios in 2006 where she learnt pottery techniques from Dr Iskandar Jalil. Mita’s works have been commissioned by the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Arts Council, National Heritage Board and the Duke-NUS Medical School. She participated in the mural project for the NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine and Church of Our Saviour, Singapore. @ Singapore

01/12/2018

‘A.D. 2018’ by Ella Mendoza is now showing as part of ‘Variables of the Function’ curated by Boxplot at T U Collab, Singapore.
In ‘A.D. 2018’, Ella Mendoza explores the history of ceramics in the Philippines as a means for illuminating the present context. Mendoza presents a series of forms that loosely reference ceramic artefacts found in the Philippines, from vessels once used in indigenous cultures through to the wave of imported wares from China and neighbouring Southeast Asian countries. These ‘artefacts’ sit alongside ceramic forms that suggest contemporary disposable packaging materials – the synthetic vessels that have assumed many of the utilitarian functions once performed by ceramics. Through her explorations of the vessel, Mendoza considers the historical and contemporary context of ceramics in the Philippines, as well as the nature of human consumption in the present day.
As Mendoza states: “If years from now this period is considered from an archaeological point of view, traces of our lifestyle will be easily drawn out from remnants of what we use to consume, in the same way archaeologists were able to trace history from looking at artefacts, particularly ceramic shards.” Mendoza graduated with a degree in both Painting and Art History from the University of the Philippines but subsequently developed a preference for working with the tactile qualities of clay. She recently held her first solo exhibition, ‘For Your Convenience’, at Artinformal in Makati, Philippines, from August – September 2018. @ Singapore

19/11/2018

If you’re in Singapore, please join us this Saturday 24 November for the opening of Variables of the Function at T U Collab! @ Singapore

12/11/2018

Excited to be curating T U Collab's first exhibition with a fantastic group of artists from Singapore and the Philippines. 'Variables of the Function' opens Saturday 24 November. Check out the link below for more info on T U Collab and the upcoming show!

Singapore’s newest art space is dedicated to the creation and exhibition of contemporary ceramics. Housing a fully equipped ceramics studio and gallery space, T U Collab will provide opportunities …

12/04/2018