Dominic Thian, Slippers of the Moon Bride, 2023, Oil on linen, 81.3 x 71 cm

AC43 proudly presents Anthologies Unearthed, the debut solo exhibition of young Singapore artist Dominic Thian. Featuring 18 new oil works that explore the motif of flowers within the genre of Still Life, the treatments vary from intimate etudes of local flowers to exercises in aesthetic arrangement.

Dominic explains that his exhibition title, ‘Anthologies Unearthed’ references two aspects of the word ‘Anthology’: First being the etymological aspect, where the word originally meant ‘a gathering of flowers’ in ancient Greek; second being the modern use of the word, which refers to a significant and eclectic collection of writings and poetry. ‘Unearthed’ refers to the act of representing the oft-unnoticed (and thus buried) motifs in our collective culture and consciousness.

In modern times as it was in ancient days, flowers adorn our ceremonies and rituals. We still use objects — heirlooms, gifts, icons, etc. — to heighten our (physical and symbolic) commitment to each other, whether it be between parent and child, spouses, friends or members of a community. This relationship to the corporeal (as opposed to digital) object is deeply embedded in our humanness and everyday interactions. The flower, as a cultural artefact and artistic motif, potently contains all the complexities of this human-object relationship. In this body of work, Dominic seeks to give tangible expressions to a variety of different emotions and thoughts that characterise one’s inner life. For intimacy and nostalgia, he sought local garden flowers and a loose yet minute rendering of their petals. The choice of flower, the symbolic quality of the objects, and the manner of painting were also carefully considered in other more poignant expositions of the flower motif.

Venue: AC43 Gallery, 76 Bras Basah Road, #01-01 Carlton Hotel, Singapore 189558

When: 2 - 17 Dec 2023, 12noon - 7pm

By: AC43 Gallery