Cuturi Gallery presents Night Call by Casey Tan (b. 1994, Singapore). Navigating a delicate balance between reality and imagination, Tan’s new selection of paintings sheds light on the daily turbulence that goes on within our inner worlds. By tapping into a wealth of emotions that come with charting how it feels like to be an observer and a participant held within the confines of our own bodies, Tan paints different narratives that unfold within private moments. With canvases that represent a kaleidoscope of joy, vulnerability, and introspection, Tan explores these feelings through the use of colours and characters that shape the emotional landscape of our interconnected society.

Usually known for populating his canvases with a myriad of characters onto a single canvas, Tan now beckons our focus to each individual character in his works. Behind contorted expressions and sombre moments are characters who are used as a gateway to capture what goes on within the four walls of homes in Singapore’s concrete jungle. A sense of alienation creeps in as a poignant element in Tan’s storytelling arsenal as characters represent an emotional inner tug-of-war between individuality and the weight of societal norms. Through his paintings, Tan personally reflects on being a product of his habitat and the pressure to conform to norms– expectations of romantic companionship, an idealised career path, and the inevitable weight of being moulded by the societal benchmarks around us. Despite the palpable alienation that surrounds the room, there is a quiet acceptance of succumbing to the mundane, forging a sense of comfort amidst the societal chaos.

Venue: Cuturi Gallery, 61 Aliwal St, Singapore 199937

When: 6 Jan - 3 Feb 2024,

By: Cuturi Gallery