Gajah Gallery Singapore presents Neti Neti, a solo exhibition by Jane Lee produced in collaboration with Yogya Art Lab (YAL). Conceptualised and created over the span of the past two years, the show is Lee’s first sculptural solo exhibition in Singapore. Dating back 8,000 years, Neti Neti is a Sanskrit expression that roughly translates as not this, not this. It is a constituent of the meditative search for a non-dual awareness of reality and universal essence. The expression has been an integral part of Lee’s search for her true self—consequently shaping Lee’s approach to artmaking.

Jane Lee is one of Singapore’s prominent contemporary artists, renowned for her sublime, sculptural works filled with intricate tactile details. In 2019, Lee began collaborating with YAL to create wall-based works from modelling clay, and has since explored a diverse range of materials with the foundry, from cement to stainless steel. Challenging the boundaries between painting and sculpture, Lee’s works created at YAL assume the physicality of sculpture while maintaining the illusory depth of the painted image.

Curated by John Tung, the show unveils 14 new artworks by Lee. Though it features sculptures, it builds on the artist’s ongoing attempts to distill the essence of painting. The works reference iconic paintings in art history, and radically invert their materials, proportions, and dimensions—thus challenging the boundaries between the various realms of art. From Monet paintings printed on crumpled steel, to a ceramic jug and rattan chair quite literally popping out of Cezanne and Van Gogh replicas, the innovative mediums and meticulous labour that went behind each work transform these familiar icons into thought-provoking, original works in their own right.

Venue: Gajah Gallery, 39 Keppel Road, #03-04, Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Singapore 089065

Opening Hours: 11 am – 7 pm (Weekdays) | 12 pm – 6 pm (Sat, Sun & PH)

When: 6 - 29 Jan 2023,

By: Gajah Gallery