On 1 November 2018, we went for a field trip to STPI at 41 Robertson Quay Singapore 238236. Our tour guide was Christina, she was someone who focuses in modern & contemporary art and owns a graphic design company.
About STPI, STPI is a dynamic creative workshop and contemporary art gallery based in Singapore. Established in 2002, STPI is a not-for-profit organisation committed to promoting artistic experimentation in the mediums of print and paper and has become one of the most cutting-edge destinations for contemporary art in Asia. STPI sits alongside National Gallery Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum as part of the national Visual Arts Cluster of leading institutions in the region. (taken from its website)
The artwork in the gallery when we visit was Fragments from a Collective Unity (2018) by Aaron Curry. Los Angeles-based artist Aaron Curry’s practice oscillates between the mediums of painting and sculpture. Constantly incorporating qualities of one medium into the other, his works challenge the divisions that isolate one medium from another to reveal a richness in the middle ground. His signature totemic sculptures resemble sculptural collages of flat, organically cut shapes. They possess a distinctive 2-dimensional quality and reference a wide range of artistic styles; from the bright colours of Pop and the distorted planes of Cubism, to the biomorphism of Surrealism, they display a bold and intensely saturated visual language that is distinctively his own. (description taken from website)
Christina told us that how his childhood and surrounding have become his inspiration and influence in his artworks. Such as BMX, music that he likes and guitar. She also told us a story of how Aaron, who was a painter became who he is now. Aaron went to a local museum in Los Angeles where he met his first Picasso that has both 2D and 3D elements at once. He has since made his artwork between 2D and 3D, combining both painting and sculpting.
In the series, his signature was seen from bones and body parts, mix of 2D and 3D with inspiration from biomorphic form, BMX, The Kinks (favourite band he grew up listening to — which its album covers influenced his artworks), 2001 film Odyssey and many other from his life.
In making the artwork itself there are six steps which are:
- Sketch & digitise
- Make stencil (on plywood)
- Laser stencil (carved into shape) on 2 type of material
- Cover with paper pulp use natural glue from nori
- Spray the print
- Silk screen the print
She also mentioned that every piece is original and there is only one copy. An interesting fact also that Aaron sells out his pattern for fashion show and it can be seen in the Instagram account @rochambeau
In addition, we were privileged to be given a tour to the workshop of STPI where there are many area to support and process the creation of artworks.
- Elephant press – history was made
- Stone grinding station
- Lithography station
- Paper mill sterile area
- Silkscreen area
- Inspiration wall
- Paper storage
- Wood workshop
Room about the process of artwork creation.
Reflections
It was an inspirational trip. It has made me wonder what influenced me… what do I want to do in life and what makes me persevere. I think to find a style of our own is something that an artist should look for. I hope to search for it during the holiday and hopefully through more exploration I will be able to find m style soon.
