Point, Line, Plane

Zhao Yao, A Painting of Thought I-346, 2023, Acrylic on found fabric, 180 x 180 x 4.5 cm

Ota Fine Arts Singapore is delighted to present “Point, Line, Plane”, a group exhibition featuring artists Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Tsuyoshi Hisakado, Guo-Liang Tan and Zhao Yao. In the works of these four artists, structure and repetition are in contrast to a sense of the intangible and spirituality, yet they exist somewhat cohesively, creating a means for contemplation.

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian’s (b. 1922 – d. 2019, Iran) mirror and reverse glass painting mosaic sculptures are built around principles of Islamic geometry, and expand to encapsulate philosophical and poetic sensibilities. Inspired by geometries of her Iranian heritage, such as those found in old mosques with their tile, metal, wood, and plaster work, Monir’s structure and repetition have spurred her limitless creations.

In Tsuyoshi Hisakado’s (b. 1981, Japan) crossfades #4 series of paper works, a spiral of minute numbers derived from the mathematical constant pi (π) are silkscreened underneath a layer of blotches, splashes, or strokes of ink, visible only upon close observation. To Hisakado, the never-ending numbers of pi alludes to concepts of time and infinity. Between the paper, ink and numbers, the continuity of pi is distorted, invoking subtle shifts in the eternity of space and time.

On the other hand, Guo-Liang Tan’s (b. 1980, Singapore) indirect approach to painterly expression has led to the development of a new series of works where he utilizes the inherent memory of the aeronautical fabric to create folds and wrinkles which reappear as traces through the layering and depositing of colour pigments on the stretched fabric. The paintings’ surfaces seem to embody residual images of the production process, visualizing the memory of the fabric itself.

Lastly, Zhao Yao (b. 1981, China) visualizes the process of thinking by painting diagrams from “brain training games” onto a canvas, in his A Painting of Thought series. From the images and colours to the fabric, everything is ready-made. The various visible visual elements and invisible abstract thoughts serve as the fundamental elements of creation, just like the colours and brushstrokes of painting, and they are combined together according to an internal logic and order.