Ask the artist!

This time: Kelly Reedy

Could you please tell us something about your background?

I grew up in a small Midwestern town in the US. As a child I remember myself constantly drawing and painting. I also knew at a very young age I wanted to travel to other places and experience different cultures. I am still doing these two things!

After completing my Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and drawing from the University of Wisconsin in 1985, I moved to Paris, France where I continued my studies at the Sorbonne and L'Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs. Visiting the many museums and cathedrals in Europe greatly influenced my own work. Byzantine and Medieval masterworks inspired me the most. After returning to the US in 1989, I moved to N.Y.C. and tasted the excitement of living in one of the greatest art capitals in the world. There I learned much from my fellow artists and the contemporary art scene.

... read more

Ask the Artist!

This time: Justin Lee

How did you get involved with art in the first place?

My grandfather used to be a full time photographer in the local press holding Nanyang Xiang Po. He invited me to join him in the dark room where he finished his work. I enjoyed the artistic environment and the process of developing prints. The stack of black and white photographic works that remain from his work are really valuable, not only to me, but also because they tell valuable stories about the society in which he created them.

My first professional contact with art was in New York, where I was doing my internship with the Singapore Tyler Print Institute in 2000. It was a great opportunity to work with famous artists like Frank Stella and Ken Tyler. During the process of collaboration, we worked on big size prints with several artists. I learned a lot there.

... read more

Highlights abroad:

CP Biennale II, 2005, Bank Indonesia Museum, Jakarta

This time next year the first Singapore Biennale will open its doors. I am very excited about this event which will surely benefit the whole visual arts scene here.

In the meantime, our neighbour Jakarta is holding its 2nd Biennale right now. Under the headline Urban/Culture, 52 artists and groups from all over Indonesia plus 18 international participants share their artistic ideas in regard to issues facing urban society. Not only visual artists, but also architects, photographers, graphic artists and cartoonists were invited to participate. Many of the works displayed have not been created by only one artist, rather the CP Biennale II 2005 highlights a number of collaborative projects.

... read more