S.E.A. FOCUS 2024

Wei-Ling Gallery is pleased to participate in the sixth edition of S.E.A. Focus 2024. Curated by John Tung under the theme ‘Serial and Massively Parallel‘, this exhibition presents a collection of regional artworks delving into the core of our inherent human identity amidst the imminent convergence of technology.

The Gallery showcases the works of Malaysian contemporary artist Choy Chun Wei, featuring nine unique artworks that investigates the dynamics of the urban landscape, where the boundaries of our authentic selves blur amidst the bustling spectacle of modern life. His artworks dissect the entrapment within materialism and the constant flux of communication that characterises contemporary urban existence. 

Chun Wei’s fascination with architecture is evident, drawing inspiration from the inherent repetition within our built environments. He observes the rhythm defining urban life, encapsulating our routines and the structures shaping our existence. Employing collage, assemblage, casting, painting, and drawing techniques, he infuses energy into his vision, fashioning sculptures with painterly qualities that elevate beyond their original found materials. Chun Wei touches on transferability, emphasising the inherent transformative force within his expression.

In this collection of nine pieces, Chun Wei contemplates the parallels between societal systems, including education and culture, juxtaposed against mechanistic processes reminiscent of a factory line. His work urges contemplation of the manufactured nature of our world. Notably, these pieces are predominantly comprised of resin, marking a new direction for the artist. This exploration into casting resin aligns with the artistic trajectory initiated by his prior solo exhibition, ‘Changing Identities’ (2023), at Wei-Ling Gallery, Kuala Lumpur.

The Gallery is also featuring ‘The Buddhist Bug, Into the Night’ (2015) by multidisciplinary artist Anida Yoeu Ali, in collaboration with Studio Revolt and filmmaker Masahiro Sugano. Anida Yoeu Ali’s work encompasses photographs, videos, and live performance where the artist playfully embodies a sinuous, caterpillar-like persona dressed in colours reminiscent of Buddhist monk robes. “Into the Night” is the final chapter in this series which finds The Buddhist Bug inside Phnom Penh’s nightlife travelling to “girl” bars, disco clubs, karaoke rooms, amusement parks and hawker stands. Her bug character stems from a deep fascination with Buddhism as a Khmer-Muslim and her exploration of diasporic identities. The project took shape when Ali returned to her birthplace of Cambodia, to document the evolving rural and urban landscapes while navigating her multifaceted background as an ethnically mixed American-Muslim with Malay, Cham, Thai and Khmer ancestries. The film will be included in the Screening Room at the fairgrounds of SF24.

Visitor’s Information

Date: 20 Jan 2024 (Saturday) – 28 Jan 2024 (Sunday)
Time: 1PM – 8PM 

Address: S.E.A. Focus 2024
Tanjong Pagar Distripark
39 Keppel Rd
Singapore 089065

For further information or press enquiries, please contact:
Telephone: +60322601106
E-mail: siewboon@weiling-gallery.com

ABOUT THE ARTIST

CHOY CHUN WEI (B. 1973)

Choy Chun Wei expertly aligns fine art with graphic design, a defining aspect that sets his practice apart. His background in Graphic Design studies at the tertiary level imbues his art with a design-oriented conceptual reading and contextual imagination, significantly shaping his approach in the realm of fine arts. This fusion of design and fine art distinctly distinguishes Chun Wei from his contemporaries.

An established figure in the Malaysian art scene, Choy Chun Wei draws attention from both local enthusiasts and international collectors. His multi-layered collage works, often mistaken for abstraction, serve as an invitation for viewers to engage in his intricate pictorial dialogue.

His practice is deeply influenced by the transition from rural to urban landscapes, transforming his perception of space suffocated by colossal structures and light pollution. This shift reshaped his use of materials, emphasising material culture in his practice. The act of ‘seeing’ becomes pivotal in identifying texts and found objects within his dense, intricate collages. Objects’ significance directly relates to Malaysian material culture, as he explores the process of seeing and how it influences material selection and handling.

His recent solo exhibition ‘Changing Identity’ (2023) stirred a myriad of thoughts, urging introspection and active contemplation. For Chun Wei, understanding human reality isn’t enough; there’s a need for accurate interpretation and debate on relevant conditions, emphasising that we’re not mere cogs in a soulless machine.

 

ANIDA YOEU ALI (B. 1974)

Anida Yoeu Ali is an artist whose diverse repertoire spans performance, installation, video, poetry, public encounters, and political activism. A first-generation Muslim Khmer woman born in Cambodia and raised in Chicago, Ali returned to Phnom Penh in 2011 through a U.S. Fulbright Fellowship, exploring creation mythologies in contemporary Khmer performance.

From the Faroe Islands to Ho Chi Minh City, she lectures, exhibits, and performs globally. Her past works with ‘I Was Born With Two Tongues’ (1998-2003) are archived with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Program and the Hemispheric Institute Digital Video Library. Her recent project, ‘The Red Chador’ (2015-2017), boldly addresses Islamophobia, confronting societal tensions from the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo killings to affluent U.S. locales. Ali’s provocative artworks have stirred reactions from the White House (‘My Asian Americana’, 2011 & ‘Return to Sender’, 2012), faced vandalism (‘1700% Project’, 2010), and encountered censorship (‘Pushing Thru Borders’, 2003) by Vietnam’s authorities. Her exhibitions span globally, including prestigious venues like Palais de Tokyo, Musée d’art Contemporain Lyon, and Queensland Art Gallery. Ali’s work has garnered grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation, National Endowment of the Arts, and Art Matters Foundation. She holds a B.F.A. from the University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and an M.F.A. in performance from the School of the Art Institute Chicago.

Collaborating with Studio Revolt, an independent artist-run media lab in Phnom Penh since 2011, Ali engages in global dialogues, community activism, and resistance against oppression. Their acclaimed documentary ‘Cambodian Son‘ (2014) chronicles a deportee’s life transformation through poetry.