Koeh Sia Yong, Paradise in Bali, 1996, Oil on Canvas, 91.5 x 122 cm
Born in 1938, Koeh Sia Yong is a second generation Singaporean artist who has dedicated his life to creating spectacular works of art, capturing his environment and its occupants. An acclaimed artist, Koeh’s works are highly sought after by collectors including the Singapore Art Museum, National Museum of Singapore, UOB and Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation.
The Women of Koeh Sia Yong is a rare exhibition by the artist, his first in a 57-year long career focusing solely on the many females in his art, and also his 13th solo exhibition. Koeh’s oil paintings portray the multi-faceted roles of women in society as they go about their daily routines, sewing, bathing or simply relaxing.
Some of them articulate intimate displays of sisterhood, in the form of a Balinese dancer helping a fellow performer fix her headdress, or a quartet of Samsui women having a lively chat.
Others arouse a sense of mystery – solitary portraits feature a lone woman in each scene as she gazes away from the viewer in a pensive state or smiles gently, flanked by large yellow sunflowers and bright red spices.
Yet more have the dreamy quality of a fantasy: a cluster of Indonesian women playfully splashing beneath a cooling waterfall brings the water nymphs of Greek mythology to mind, while drowsily reclining ingenues blending into their natural surroundings recall the faeries of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Each artistic piece makes Koeh’s respectful appreciation of femininity clear, carefully depicting delicately arched eyebrows, rosebud lips, and milky skin on generous bosoms and fleshy thighs in a sensual yet never vulgar manner.
With a rich palette of tropical hues, Koeh expresses the grace, beauty and contributions of the fairer sex, acknowledging the importance of their presence in a world run by men.
Koeh Sia Yong, Preparation for Dance, 2006, Oil on Canvas, 60 x 50 cm
Exhibition: The Women of Koeh Sia Yong
Dates: 8 – 15 March 2015
Hours: Weekdays: 9am – 6pm, Weekends: 12pm – 6pm
Public Opening Launch: 7th March, 3pm, The Art Fellas Gallery
Venue: The Art Fellas, 46 Kim Yam Road #02-25, The Herencia
Web: www.theartfellas.com, www.fb.com/theartfellas
