
Tam Kwan Yuen, Happy Hour (2016), 56 x 76 cm Pure Watercolour on Arches Paper
Urban Sense is a solo exhibition by Singaporean artist Tam Kwan Yuen. Evoking the sights, sounds, and scents of a thriving cosmopolitan city into his works, Tam Kwan Yuen seeks to depict the aesthetic and emotional through a new series of watercolour paintings in Urban Sense.
Tam has always been fascinated with the interactions of people and their surroundings. Scenes portrayed include a myriad of glitzy lights along Boat Quay where crowds gather to wind down after work, a musical evening by Marina Bay set against the mesmerising skyline of Singapore’s central business district, and a voguish woman surrounded by the majesty of the past. Tam has accentuated the vibrancy and vitality of the city in these vivid watercolour works.
“Tam’s artworks explore modern lifestyles that are generally thought to be hard to depict by the more traditional watercolour artists here. He managed to explore subjects artistically which has brought him new art skills while he creates emotional contents in his images. His choice of colours is very sophisticated, which enables him to depict the subtly of his subject matters like the interiors and night atmospheric scenes. These subject matters require careful observation, masterly control of colour transitions as well as good tonal depiction of atmospheric space.” says Ng Woon Lam, an Assistant Professor at School of Art, Design & Media in Nanyang Technological University, who has received awards in international shows and mentored Tam in his early art career. Ng continues to describe Tam as a significant 4th generation watercolour artist in Singapore who has opened up new ground in the local watercolour art scene.
Exhibition Opening: Saturday, 9 July 2016, 4-7pm
Venue: Chan Hampe Galleries, Raffles Hotel Arcade #01-21, 328 North Bridge Road, Singapore
When: 9 - 24 Jul 2016,