upcoming Exhibition

Natee Utarit | Déjà vu: Buddha is Hiding

28 September – 1 December


Natee Utarit, ARCHETYPE, APOLLO 14, TORSO, UTOPIA (left to right, installation view), 2024, STPI handmade cast paper, dimensions variable. © Natee Utarit / STPI. Photo courtesy of the artist and STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, Singapore.

STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery is pleased to present Déjà vu: Buddha is Hiding by leading Thai contemporary artist, Natee Utarit. Set to run from 28 September 2024 to 1 December 2024, the exhibition will comprise of over 40 artworks by Utarit, and is curated by John Tung, one of Singapore’s most prominent curators with significant experience curating past editions of S.E.A. Focus (2024) and the Singapore Biennale (2016 and 2019).

This exhibition concludes his Déjà vu series first conceived in 2019, where Utarit imagines Buddha’s hypothetical journey to the West, and explores themes of identity and colonial conditioning, juxtaposing Eastern and Western imagery through innovative print and paper works made in collaboration with STPI.

Highlight works on show include BUDDHA PALAZZO (a.m.) (2024) and BUDDHA PALAZZO (p.m.) (2024), which present two different views – by day and by night – of the same building and reflect his study of the intersection of Eastern and Western ideologies. Monumental in size and complex in printing techniques, the artworks are layered on a canvas hand-painted by Utarit, creating stunning textured compositions of impressive scale that set the tone of the exhibition.


Natee Utarit, BUDDHA PALAZZO (a.m.) (installation view), 2024, Acrylic paint, screenprint and flocking on linen, 240 x 650 cm (5 panels). © Natee Utarit / STPI. Photo courtesy of the artist and STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, Singapore.

Using paper made in STPI’s very own mill, Utarit finds innovative expression for the medium, creating a sculpture series of statue fragments. These works – TORSO (2024), UTOPIA (2024), ARCHETYPE (2024), APOLLO 14 (2024) et al – comprise anatomical forms and shapes of clothing that allude to ancient Buddha statues. With touches of graffiti embedded in some of these statues, Utarit plays with the motif of illicit erasure, seen through the lens of European colonialism and the unapologetic looting of cultural artefacts.

“Utarit’s works of art become a new “truth”, reshaping understanding of the original circumstances through the lens of a different language and culture. With this series made in collaboration with the STPI Creative Workshop, he invites the audience to discover overlooked stories and histories of the East, in order to weave a clear perspective of the world for ourselves.”

– John Tung, Curator

In Déjà vu: Buddha is Hiding, Utarit amplifies his place as an important voice in the regional art scene, concluding his Déjà vu series with a powerful examination of Western hegemony in art history, vis a vis the cultural and historical landscape of Southeast Asia.

A solo showcase of Utarit’s works will concurrently be presented by Richard Koh Fine Art at The Private Museum, Singapore from late October 2024. Earlier this year, Utarit was included in the group show The Spirits of Maritime Crossing, a collateral event of the 60th Venice Biennale, which highlighted themes of displacement, colonialism and hybrids of diverse cultures across Southeast Asia.

In collaboration with STPI’s highly skilled Creative Workshop team, print and paper take centre stage to manifest new creative dimensions in distinguished art practices. Renowned contemporary artists such as Pinaree Sanpitak, Melati Suryodarmo, Dinh Q. Lê and Manuel Ocampo, among others, have thrived in the unlimited possibilities allowed by artistic experimentation in their STPI residencies.

 

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Dear Visitors, kindly note that Chances of Contact will open at The M in Manila on 24 August 2024 (Saturday), due to a public holiday in the Philippines on 23 August (Friday).

Featuring works by artists from

Singapore:
Amanda Heng, Charles Lim Yi Yong, Chua Ek Kay, Genevieve Chua, Goh Beng Kwan, Han Sai Por, Heman Chong and Yanyun Chen

Philippines:
Alfredo & Isabel Aquilizan, Anita Magsaysay-Ho, Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera, Geraldine Javier, Lyra Garcellano, Manuel Ocampo, Pacita Abad and Ronald Ventura

Leading contemporary art space in Singapore, STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, is proud to be presenting Chances of Contact: Contemporary Prints from the Philippines and Singapore at the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, also known as The M, in conjunction with the 55th anniversary of bilateral relations between Singapore and the Philippines.

Co-presented by Singtel Group from 23 August to 26 October 2024, this joint exhibition featuring STPI’s works by artists from both nations has sparked between the two art institutions in collaboration with the Singapore Embassy in Manila, who understood the significance of putting this show together.

Constance See, Singapore Ambassador to the Philippines, describes the show as one that “exemplifies the vibrant cultural dialogue and artistic exchange that has flourished between our two nations over the past five decades. It is a shining example of how art can transcend borders and bring people together, reflecting our shared vision for a more connected and culturally enriched Southeast Asia.”

The same spirit of collaboration stems from the heart of STPI, an organisation that has enjoyed over two decades of artistic collaborations with more than 100 artists from around the world. With the time spent on the fertile ground of STPI, each artist has pushed the boundaries of print and papermaking and of their own practice through the colliding of ideas and experimentation – often with happy results – with the team in the Creative Workshop.


Ronald Ventura, Shadow of Forest 2, 2014, Cast paper, frottage, acrylic paint on linen canvas, 52 x 63 x 16 cm. © Ronald Ventura / STPI. Photo courtesy of the artist and STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, Singapore.

“Beyond showcasing the creations that emerged from the artists’ collaboration with STPI, Chances of Contact has brought STPI and The M together, bridged by the Singapore Embassy in Manila, for a meaningful celebration of the artistic talents from both Singapore and the Philippines in honour of their 55 years of diplomatic ties.”

– Emi Eu, Executive Director, STPI

Curated by Patrick Flores, Deputy Director of Curatorial & Research at National Gallery Singapore and the Professor of Art History and Criticism at the University of the Philippines, the exhibition focuses on works produced by 16 artists – 8 from Singapore and 8 from the Philippines – during their respective artist residencies at STPI. Guided by his curatorial interpretation, the exhibition offers new ways of seeing the art of print and papermaking from both countries through the selection of works that reflect the intersection of different time periods, mediums and art forms.

“The M is committed to a continued strengthening of significant artistic and cultural channels and linkages between the Philippines and Singapore. STPI has played an important role in deepening not only our respective artists’ understanding of the power of printmaking as a medium, but also the power of cultural exchange.”

– Tina P. Colayco, President of The M

Chances of Contact will feature works of Singapore artists like Chua Ek Kay, Han Sai Por and Genevieve Chua, and Filipino artists like Ronald Ventura, Alfredo & Isabel Aquilizan and Lyra Garcellano. Also included are the works of Goh Beng Kwan and Anita Magsaysay-Ho that were donated by STPI to the Singapore Embassy in Manila.

Exhibition Venue
3F South Gallery
Metropolitan Museum of Manila
MK Tan Centre, 30th Street, Bonifacio Global City Taguig City, 1634 Philippines

Visitor information here.

Dates and Times
23 August – 26 October 2024
Tuesday – Friday: 11am – 6pm
Saturday: 10am – 6pm
Closed on Sundays and Mondays

For media enquiries, please contact [email protected]
For sales enquiries, please contact [email protected]