HU QIREN, Detail of All That Glitters, 2024. Photo courtesy of Richard Koh Fine Art and artist
Hu Qiren’s third solo exhibition, All That Glitters explores visual language and the ways that it is used in the expression of the self.
Presenting 8 new mixed media works, Qiren uncovers the familiar icons that make up his Singapore. In the articulation of the polished personas that the Lion City strives to project, official icons like the Merlion are so often put to work. But a look below the surface reveals vernacular icons such as 四色牌 (or “Four Colour Cards”) and the white singlet, which are deeply rooted in Qiren’s own familial and community histories. These personal references speak to the in-jokes and shared memories that make up the beating heart of a place. Regardless of their source, Qiren finds droll humour in the way these symbols reflect individual and collective experience of life in Singapore, which can be at once hyper-global and engineered to precision, as well as remarkably local and idiosyncratic. In this sleek and playful exhibition, Qiren layers these visual references to create a composite picture of self and place.
Ultimately a love letter to the city where Qiren lives and works, All That Glitters dwells on the joy and expansiveness that becomes possible in the embracing of all versions of the self.
The exhibition is curated by Gillian Daniel.
Venue: Richard Koh Fine Art, Blk 47 Malan Road #01-26 Gillman Barracks Singapore 109444
When: 24 Aug - 14 Sep 2024,
