ART SG 2023

11 January–15 January, 2023 
Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, 10 Bayfront Ave, Singapore, China

Stand BI10

Singapore—For the inaugural edition of ART SG, Pearl Lam Galleries is delighted to present two immersive solo presentations of new works by British artists Philip Colbert (b. 1979, UK) and Mr Doodle (b. 1994, UK). Viewers will be brought on a journey where the confined booth space is challenged by the kaleidoscopic floor and wall designs of the respective themes.

Philip Colbert taps into the subject matter of the lobster and, specifically, its art historical reference from 17th-century Dutch still life painting. During the golden age of vanitas painting, the lobster functioned as an icon for expressing mortality. The Painter Portrait series revisits the classic idea of the artist holding a paintbrush and speaks to the existential angst involved when looking for meaning within the process of painting. The deeper you look, the more difficult it is to find and in turn, the more absurd it becomes. Through the veneer of pop, colour and humour, Colbert pushes the limits of self- representation in a society of hyper consumption, uplifting this gruelling activity beyond the self.

A liberating act, doodling occupies a critical place throughout history as the technique of scribbling funny or grotesque characters can be traced back to antiquity. Mr Doodle has constructed a whole new visual phenomenon: his DoodleWorld, where he manifests his vision of the world, producing mesmerising and dense clusters of characters, objects, and patterns that grow and multiply relentlessly. Mr and Mrs Doodle Prepare to Fly to DoodleLand is a celebration of the artist’s love story. Mr Doodle channels his creations with love, joy, and happiness directly from his DoodleWorld into ours with great stamina. His process is fluid, therapeutic, unrestrained, and without hesitation, where the dense clusters of black and white doodles are gradually tinted with an array of bright colours.

In addition to indulging viewers in a pop-art world, a selection of artworks by artists from the gallery stable will also be on view in an individual viewing room showcasing the breadth of the gallery’s aesthetics. Exhibiting artists from different cultural backgrounds include Jana Benitez (b. 1985, USA), John Copeland (b. 1976, USA), Babajide Olatunji (b. 1989, Nigeria), Cynthia Polsky (b. 1939, USA), Su Xiaobai (b. 1949, China), and Zhu Jinshi (b. 1954, China).

Founder Pearl Lam states, “I am delighted to return to Singapore, a gateway to the Southeast Asia region. Our mission has always been to promote cross-cultural dialogue; we work with artists over a long period of time and are constantly looking to discover new markets and territories to present their work to new audiences and stimulate debate about the art of different regions and international interpretation.”