Yeo Workshop presents Vitrine – a new pop-up exhibition space to spotlight local artists, extending beyond premiere gallery spaces of Gillman Barracks to the Central Business District.
Anchored by an iconic 1981 work from Singapore’s pioneer artist Cheong Soo Pieng, Inside the Dream of a Durian Seller is a group exhibition that takes inspiration from Cheong’s dreamlike painting of a durian seller. This historic image—ordinary yet surreal—sets the stage for a contemporary reimagining of all the elements within this painting. From its formal qualities grounded centrally by a mysterious opium pipe as a compositional device, to the act of communal eating by women dressed in batik clothing, Singaporeans are able to relate to this symbolic painting of ritual and shared national memory, beyond their love of durians.
Tisya Wong, a fresh voice in local contemporary art, takes over the “dressing rooms” and will present Economy of Scales. Drawing from the practice of amplifying measurements as a sales strategy among certain durian vendors, the work reveals how perception can be shaped and leveraged, inviting viewers to reconsider the systems that define worth in everyday life. While Jimmy Ong’s sweeping charcoal drawing depicts one of our national pastimes—gatherings over durian, Teng Jee Hum’s Hence in 50 Years? introduces a reflective dimension to the exhibition, using the Merlion and a lurking shark to probe questions of national identity, vulnerability, and what may endure in the decades to come. Each artwork transforms the everyday shop front on a main thoroughfare into an immersive space of imagination, heritage, and community, echoing Cheong’s ability to elevate ordinary scenes into metaphors for wider social and artistic conditions.
Complementing the exhibition are mini lunchtime programmes designed for the corporate community, including art collecting sessions, art history discussions, sustainability talks, and hands-on workshops on framing and art services.
Venue: OUE Downtown Gallery pop-up space, 6A Shenton Way 01-36, Singapore 068815
When: 20 Nov - 20 Feb 2025, 12noon - 7pm Mon-Fri
By: Yeo Workshop
