PLAYING WITH FIRE – 3ARTS POTTERY

21 – 27 August 2020

Overview

Exhibition: Playing with Fire by 3Arts Pottery

Date & Time: 

  • Playing with Fire: Tokoname Wood-Firing Exhibition Preview –  21 August 2020 (Fri)  from 11am-9pm (Free admission) 
  • Playing with Fire exhibition – 21 August to 27 August from 11am-8pm (Free admission)
  • Ikebana flower arrangement demonstration by Jenny Chew – 22 August (Sat) and 23 August (Sun) from 3pm-4pm (RSVP only) (free admission)

Venue: Visual Arts Centre Exhibition Gallery

About this exhibition:

Organised by 3Arts Pottery, “Playing with Fire” is a Tokoname Wood-fired ceramics Exhibition showcasing 14 local artists and 2 Japanese master potters’ ceramic artworks that were birthed through the traditional wood-firing Anagama kiln in Tokoname, Japan. The participating artists are Tang Chong Wing, Toh Kiam Hock, Tan Ah Chiew, Tan Geok Chye, Tom Lim, Margaret Lee , Johnny Lee, Wong Juat Ngoh, Hazel Ng, Jaslin Poh, Judith Chew, Kwan Ru Shan, Cassandra Lai, Tan Shao Qi, Peter Seabridge and Masahiro Kumagae.

These beautiful artworks are fired through a long and arduous 3-day process of stoking the fire and flames in the wood-fired anagama kiln. Flying ashes and volatile salts then fill the atmosphere within the kiln, resulting in beautiful natural wood ash-glazed artworks.

The potters spend long hours tending to the 1300 degrees raging fire, with hopes that the high heat and flames will engulf their works so that the natural ashes produced will settle on the clay. This would produce unpredictable colours and textures on their artworks, only achievable by using this traditional technique unrivalled by contemporary firing methods. Playing with Fire exhibition, hence, is filled with surprise and astonish pottery pieces.

For more information about 3Arts Pottery and their Pottery classes, please visit: //www.pottery.sg/

Exhibition View

Tom Lim, who draws inspiration for his artwork from his photography journeys to various parts of the world. An avid aerial landscape photographer, Lim noticed how the once majestic landscapes and terrains have now succumbed to global warming and man-made decadence. Bringing this Texture Series to Playing with Fire, he hopes to shed light on the importance of preserving our environment for future generations to come.

Toh Kiam Hock is a veteran ceramic artist who is known for his rhinoceros sculptures. He is especially drawn to the beauty of the endangered rhinoceros. These unique creatures he creates are achieved after over fifty hours of firing in a wood kiln.

Tang Chong Wing holds a certificate in Ceramics Art from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. He has been teaching since 1991 and has also participated in various exhibitions and demonstrations.

Jaslin Poh is particularly drawn to the wood firing technique, which she first picked up and experimented with in 2017 in Tokoname. Wood firing has since become one of her favourite techniques as it is the most organic and traditional way to fire pottery works.  With a goal to share her experiences and expertise with the local community, she co-founded 3Arts pottery in 2018, and is now working as a full-time teacher there. 

Tan Shao Qi is a recent graduate from the International Baccalaureate Career-Related Programme (IBCP) from the School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA). She is currently pursuing her BA (Hons) in Ceramic Design at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London (UAL). Her studio practice revolves around her exploration of Nature, where she seeks to draw a connection between man and the environment. She experiments primarily with clay and explores different mediums such as photography and paper-cutting – through which she makes visible the flora that is often disregarded and overlooked in the urban landscape.

You can visit her website here to learn more: https://www.tanshaoqi.com/

Johnny Lee began to appreciate pottery and its art form after working as an art apprentice in a ceramic factory for 5 years. He then took up a course in Ceramic studies in Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts to further pursue his interest. He began conducting pottery classes since 1989 and has since have numerous students under his tutelage. He is highly skilled at hand building and have created many outstanding pieces – inspired by Japanese pottery. 

Growing up in a kampong, Hazel loved playing with mud. She subsequently found gravitating herself towards the art of pottery. Since she began learning from Dr Iskandar Jalil in 1994, her passion grew as she avidly learnt from overseas experiences as well. Her two trips to Tokoname, Japan, for wood firing workshops was described as “awesome” as the ashes from the pine wood resulted in masterpieces that were so beautiful. Pottery fascinates her because, ultimately, she still surrender in wonder to nature with the birth of every unique piece of artwork.

Our 16 Artists For This Exhibition:

Tang Chong Wing

Toh Kiam Hock

Tan Ah Chiew

Tan Geok Chye

Tom Lim

Margaret Lee

Johnny Lee

Wong Juat Ngoh

Hazel Ng

Jaslin Poh

Judith Chew

Kwan Ru Shan

Cassandra Lai

Tan Shao Qi

Peter Seabridge [ Guest ]

Masahiro Kumagae [ Guest ]

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