Incorporating ART into Our Living Spaces

So, you have finally got your dream house or apartment. All the fixtures and fittings have been impressively installed, and you have even bought the right decorative items to be positioned tastefully in your new home along with the furniture. All that begs to be “dressed” are the bare walls of various hues. Now, what would you choose to deck on those walls?

Pearl Lam Hong Kong Gallery

I would like to offer a humble suggestion here. How about buying an art piece instead of the usual wall hanging fare?

Pearl Lam Shanghai Gallery

Art, in all its broad definition, have helped shaped the spaces of our homes, offices and even hospitals. There are many different forms of art. From paintings, murals on walls, sculptures and etc. All we need to do is walk into a museum, or an art gallery to see how art has evolved over centuries; and thereby reflecting the changes in our society. In many ways, the art works of various centuries act like a mirror. They show us a peek into the culture of that particular era. From the great masters such as Michaelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, to Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Picasso, Dali to Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and so forth. Each artist had captured their perspective of the world around them of that time.

Of course, art is a very personal and subjective topic. What is praised as a masterpiece by an individual or group may be dismissed as nothing more than child’s play by another. Henry David Thoreau famously said, “It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see”. 

To this day, for the life of me, I still do not know how to appreciate a Jackson Pollock painting. However, there are many who do. Respected art specialists around the world have assessed his works to be worthy of its hefty price tag. Hence, art is something that speaks to the individual. What makes art different from the other wall hanging accents is that it could appreciate in value, depending on the artist who created it. In this respect, art is one of the most unique decorative items that we can procure to not only enhance our habitat, it can even become a priceless investment if we bought the works of a much sought after artist. 

When a society becomes more affluent, households can afford to deck their homes with all kinds of impressive “gadgets” and shiny “toys”. For some, art collection can become a passion. For others, it is a practical way of diversifying one’s investment portfolio. So, how do we really know which art to buy, collect or invest in? There are several local Malaysian respected artists such Ibrahim Hussein, Eng Tay and Chang Fee Ming to name a few. However, I wanted to understand the growing global fascination with the Chinese contemporary art. Of late, Chinese artists have been garnering a lot of media attention in the art world. Not to mention, how the prices of their art works have been rising consistently. As I had the pleasure to meet with Ms. Pearl Lam who was recently in Kuala Lumpur, I decided to consult her expert opinions on this genre.

Ms. Pearl Lam

Pearl Lam is a Hong Kong native. She is the owner and founder of “Pearl Lam Galleries” in both Shanghai and Hong Kong, and also, the “China Art Foundation”. In addition, she is a curator, collector and patron of the arts. Pearl defines Chinese contemporary art “as reinvention of traditions reacting or embracing western influences to create new expression”. What I admire about Pearl is that she is not only an art gallery owner, she is a passionate advocator of contemporary art.

Pearl Lam Hong Kong Gallery

Pearl Lam Galleries has been advocating in the promotion and re-evaluation of the philosophy, perceptions and aesthetics of Chinese art for almost 20 years. Pearl has even funded an “artist-in-residence program” for artists and designers worldwide, where by they are invited to push the boundaries of traditional Chinese art and craft techniques in order to create new works that reflect their experiences in China. 

Yinghua's Art Piece

Her work as a curator was much recognized in the acclaimed exhibition entitled, “Awakening: La France Mandarin”. It was an exhibition of the French influence on Chinese art, which was a central part of the 2004 'French Year in China’. The exhibition was staged in the Urban Planning Museum, Shanghai and at Beijing's National Gallery of Art.

Su Xiaobai's One Line of Whiteness

As a patron, Pearl has donated many art works to the museums around the world. This includes the Victoria & Albert Musuem in London, the Asia Art Society Museum in New York, the KW Institute in Berlin, the Museum of Art and Design in New York, the Peabody Museum in Boston and the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Therefore, Pearl is definitely more than qualified to dispense advice on Chinese contemporary art.

Zhu Jinshi's Who Will Write Wei Bei with Me?

Pearl shares, “I love Chinese contemporary art that has a Chinese structure or language but it is contemporary versus Chinese art that has western structure or language with Chinese content, which, for me is a derivative.”

Pearl explains, “Chinese has been searching the contemporary identity in art while the West has been interested in Eastern spirituality which has made Chinese contemporary abstract art become "hot" to collect.”

So, I asked Pearl what she likes to collect. After all, if she personally collects art works from a certain artist, it must be worth looking into.

Jason Martin's Turca

This was Pearl’s reply, “Chinese contemporary abstract, which is derived from ink brush cultural based upon Daoism and Buddhism, is what I recently love to collect. It is distinctively different from Western Abstract expressionism, Chinese abstract is based on Chinese philosophy like Daoism’s "Form is Formless" or the Buddhism Diamond Sutra that questions Truth based on perception.” 

The “hot” Chinese contemporary artists that Pearl recommends for collectors and investors alike are Zhu Jinshi, Su Xiaobai and Yinghua. The Western abstract artists are Jason Martin and Jim Lambie. Sample of their work can be seen in the accompanying photographs.

Jim Lambie's Metal Box (Butterfly and Orchid)

Pearl labels “collectors” as people who have bought artworks from a certain artist because they believed in the artist, and that they are passionate about the works. They are not so concerned whether the prices of these artworks will go up or down. To them, the collected art works itself give them tremendous pleasure or enjoyment. They love the artworks purely for the art itself.

However, an investor has a different point of view. These collectors take calculated risk, and would be very disturbed if their artworks have diminished in value. They seek to gain a return on their art investments, as this is their primary focus in procuring the artworks. Therefore, these investors may only hold each artwork for no more than 10 to 15 years. They will seek to sell their artistic investment when the prices start to appreciate.

So, whether you choose to be an investor or a collector, it would be wise to gather as much research and knowledge about the artists in question. In addition, consult with various art specialists, galleries and art magazines. All these would undoubtedly assist you in making a more educated decision in your art acquisition. Art investment is nothing like buying a piece of furniture or a new electronic gadget. It does have a longer shelf life and would enrich not only your bare wall or a corner of your living space, but also your bank account when the art piece appreciates in value. For some families, certain art pieces are collected over decades and passed down to succeeding generations. Thereby, creating their own family heirloom or treasure.

Pearl Lam Galleries has been invited to participate in the “Art Stage Singapore” from 24^th January to 27^th January 2013 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention and Exhibition Center. This international art fair will showcase artists and their works from this region. There will be more than 100 galleries exhibiting and country platforms for Indonesia, Singapore and Australia. This might be a good place to visit, learn and source for a new artwork to enhance your living space.

At the end of the day, the question remains – Why is art important to a living space or even society? To answer this impossible question, I’d like to borrow the words of a beloved visual artist: Kermit the Frog ~ “How important are the visual arts in our society? I feel strongly that the visual arts are of vast and incalculable importance. Of course I could be prejudiced. I am a visual art.”

  

 

 

 

The Insider's Scoop to W Singapore, Sentosa Cove

Today, my article on W Singapore is published in New Straits Times, RED Segment (NST, RED). You can read the newspaper's version here.

However, this post in my blog is another version of that said article. You will find very different photos of the W Singapore in this blog version as well. Hope you like it.

  

Getting the INSIDER's Scoop to W Singapore at Sentosa Cove

Welcome to the world of W.

The W Singapore at Sentosa Cove

The W hotels and resorts are nothing like a Ritz Carlton, Hilton, or even its other sister hotels such as Sheraton and Westin. Its DNA is strictly composed of quirky, funky and high-octane attributes. The first W was unveiled in New York in1998. Instantly, it transformed the very definition of hotels and luxury. Starwood wanted to showcase a lifestyle hotel that sizzled with contemporary cool designs, hip music and glamour. It had to also reflect their famous “Whatever/Whenever service”. This is what makes W the crowned leader of innovative lifestyle brands.

The "Glowing Jungle"

While all W hotels and resorts retain this riveting essence, they are also individually unique. Despite appearances, not every of the W hotels and resorts in the world are not owned by a single large hotel chain such as Starwood. The worldwide Ws are operated on a franchise business venture. Hence, each W property may belong to different corporations, groups, or persons. This is where it gets exciting, and “individualized”. In my recent trip to Singapore, I chose to stay at the W Singapore in Sentosa.

The Grand Staircase

 As always, whenever I arrive into a W property, I would look for the “W Insider”. It is not a secret that most W hotels and resorts have an “Insider” who serves a very special role in all their guest-relations. Yes, this “Insider” is a person and not a Newsletter or a techno gadget. It is the Insider’s job to go beyond the services of the concierge, or the guest liaisons officers in each of the W property. The Insider would have an in-depth knowledge of the property, its history, all the amenities and activities available on site, including the customizing of novel programs for each guest. This is an added service that is provided by the W Hotels and Resorts for every guest, and is not exclusive only to those who reside in their suites.

The Reception Desks

In W Singapore, their “Insider” is Ms. Sheena Koo. This is her first hotel gig. She shared that the most important asset to an Insider is his or her network of contacts. It comes in most handy when Insiders are requested to do the near impossible feats, such as driving out of the resort in the middle of the night in search of “kim chi” and sushi for a particular guest. Or, running around in the city to find a personalized gift for a couple celebrating their wedding anniversary at the resort. Ever since W Singapore opened their doors on 16^th September 2012, Sheena has been swamped with specific requests for organizing weddings and proposals. It seems that many people find the W Singapore to be the perfect venue for commemorating their momentous occasions or events. She also spoke of this regular Platinum Starwood guest who always insists on staying at their room 701, despite being able to afford the higher category of their suites. After visiting the rooms of the “01 series”, I understood the why this particular guest enjoys staying in room 701. It is not something that can be described in words, but a feeling to be savored upon entering the said room. 

The Marvelous Suite's Bedroom

On the day of my arrival, I had the pleasure and privilege of being taken on a personal tour of Singapore’s W by Sheena. This is how I got to know the many fascinating aspects of the resort. For example, there are over 40 fairies of both gender embedded in their grand ballroom. It is somewhat fun to try and spot every one of them. 

The Marvelous Suite's Living Room

To be precise, there are many other little surprises to be found lurking in every corner of this resort. Every decorative item or furniture piece placed within the W Singapore is there for a reason. Each holds an interesting story. For instance, the birdcages scattered tastefully around the Woo Bar is reminiscent of the days when all the elderly uncles would bring down their birds in cages from their Singapore HDB flats every morning. They would then congregate at the nearby park and compare their birds. This was an indelible feature of the Singapore public housing lifestyle of yesteryears. Of course, these days the birds carry a different metaphor altogether at the Woo Bar. They no longer are caged, and they are mostly two legged beautiful ladies who serve the enticing concoctions from W’s resident mixologists. 

The WET Pool

   

The only temporary drawback in W Singapore is the lack of dining options. In the whole resort, one can merely go to two dining locations, excluding the pool bar and the Woo bar. They are the all-day dining “Kitchen Table” and “Skirt”, which only opens at 6pm. One would have to travel out of the hotel in order to sample other dining choices. Thankfully though, there is a complex of retail, food and beverage outlets that will be opened by late December this year to support the resort’s limited dining facilities. This new addition adjacent to the property is called, “Quayside Isle”. It is within walking distance of the resort. So, we do not need a car but a pair of sturdy legs.

The Quirky Elevator

 The land where W Singapore resides was previously a jungle of wilderness. Now, it has been transformed to a swanky ‘glowing’ jungle. This W is owned by the City Developments Limited Group, or otherwise known as “CDL”. They are one of the biggest landlords in Singapore with over 7 million square feet of nett leasable space. In creating their own brand of W in Singapore, CDL recruited the talents of the Rockwell Group and the London-based architects, WATG. This dynamic collaboration gave birth to all that we marvel at the W Singapore today.

It is important to note that the resort’s interiors were further enriched by Mrs. Kwek’s very personal touch. Mrs. Kwek is the wife of CDL’s Chairman, Kwek Leng Beng. Some of you may have heard of Mr. Kwek’s fellow billionaire cousin, Mr. Quek Leng Chan, Chairman of the Hong Leong Group in Malaysia. Mrs. Kwek was the artistic “curator” of this Singaporean W resort. It is from her love for all things artsy that W Singapore houses some of the most eclectic original artworks - from an Andy Warhol to a Rodin sculpture. It is a delight to wander about the entire property hunting for the various masterpieces. It is an aesthetic treasure hunt that I truly recommend for all visitors to this W resort.

The List of original Artworks

It is customary to be greeted by an effigy of the iconic “W” alphabet in all the W properties at the main entrance. However, each hotel and resort will have its own interpretation of this figurine. In W Singapore, it is dappled with butterflies, ferns and flowers but bathed in the colour of white. This “W” structure is lit from within, and its lighting colour will gradually change from purple to pink. The organic elements of nature are fundamental to W Singapore’s central design and theme. One will witness the many creative ways of how this nature motif is incorporated throughout the property. Some may not even be visible until they are illuminated. Again, I suggest keeping an eye out for these zany characteristics of the W Singapore. 

The AWAY Spa

Do not be alarmed when one finds that the whole ambience of the lobby will change dramatically from morning to night. The lobby in the W Singapore works as a Reception Area by day, but moonlights as a Dance Floor by night. From 6pm onwards, the DJ will start to spin loud funky tunes. The music can even be heard underwater in their generously sized pool with a swim-up bar. This is at the courtesy of its 24 speakers. A W hotel or resort would not be complete without this principal melodic facet. Groovy music feeds the soul of every W.

The AWAY Spa's Vitality Pool

As it is Christmas, W Singapore presents its own version of the famed tree. Theirs is christened as the “Mirror Tree”. I was told that the resort wanted to construct a Christmas tree of meaning and purpose. Therefore, the mirrors are decorated on the tree with the intention of inspiring everyone, guests and staff alike, to reflect upon how the year has been for them as it comes to a close. This would inevitably aid everyone in formulating meaningful New Year’s resolutions for themselves as well. Hence, the W Singapore’s Christmas tree is not merely an ornament but serves a higher significance. Here lies some of the expressive qualities of this particular W.

The Mirrored Xmas Tree

I got myself a Spectacular Room from the resort’s 240 guestrooms of various categories. It had a lovely white pendant light that is adorned with butterflies at the end of the room, and my balcony opened to the charming views of the marina. What I always appreciate about the W rooms is their mood lighting system. In Singapore’s W, my room had 3 distinct ambient lighting choices. They were “Runway”, “Escape” and “Flirty”. Naturally, I was drawn to “Flirty”. Within a split second of pressing that “Flirty” button, all the lights in the room became dimmed. Then, the purple mood lighting under the bed came to life. The intricate wall paneling at the head of the bed also ignited into the same colour tones. Instantly, my whole room was enclosed in a cool sexy purple hue. I suppose if I had to pick a colour to define “Flirty”, this might just be it.

The "Flirty" Mode

Spectacular Room's Bathroom

After all that is said and done, one just has to experience staying at a W resort for oneself. Each individual will no doubt have his or her own perspective of a W hotel and resort. W is like Opera - you either hate it or love it. There is no “grey” area in one’s relationship with a W. To date, I have visited W Bali, W Koh Samui, W Hong Kong, W Taipei, W New York and now, W Singapore. Every one of them has been exceptional in their own distinct ways. Then again, I usually befriend the “Insider” of each W as quickly as I arrive. Sometimes, even before I arrive. It certainly has helped made my stay more enjoyable. The next W I will be visiting is the one in Bangkok. Until then, happy holidays and Merry Christmas!

   

A SNEAK PEAK INTO A DIRECTOR'S MIND

I am taking a slight digression from story posting today to share this deeply personal perspective of an extremely talented Filipino Director and friend, Erik Matti. 

Erik laments the degradation of the independent film industry in his country. However, I find that some of his words resonate with me on the state of our society at large. After all, art does imitate life to an alarming degree. I hope you will take the time to read this, as it is rather long. It is definitely a worthy read. 

By the way, Erik is one of the nicest guys I have the priviledge of knowing. He is famous for his temper and his fierce loyalty to friends and films. Please do google him and find out more. There are really many good films and Directors that will never see the light of day because mainstream movies have been hogging the cinemas across the globe. How will we ever see other points of views or enjoy the diversity that is an essential part of life?  


Rantings on the state of the indies by Erik Matti

I realized that my collection of paintings has exactly the same qualities I look for when I watch a movie. Craftsmanship, subject, honesty and a unique personal eye imbued by the artist in the world depicted in the subject of his work.

I don't have in my collection conceptual and abstract pieces. The kind that has splashes of color that matches the sofa in 

your living room or a hotel lobby. I also don't have works that has a single nail in the middle of a huge stark white painting with a thread tied to it and the end dangling with a drop of the artist's blood. Nothing wrong with these pieces if it is worthy as final piece of work. Worthy of emotional and form value that we can marvel at.

In short, I don't have a piece of painting where the rationale is more interesting than the work itself. I also don't get swayed buying a piece of work where any one with a wild imagination from 5-12 years old can put together and pass it off as art.

Nowadays, there seems to be a prevailing acceptance of conceptual films with no solid groundwork on crafting solely because of the charm the work evokes out of the struggle of the filmmaker to put the film together. Again, the story behind the filmmaker's struggle to mount such work has overshadowed the merits of the final film itself.

We all know the limitations of film production in a Third World country such as ours. Without sounding elitist in the way I feel filmmaking should be done, the task of the filmmaker aside from just evoking emotions out of abstract images or poetic dialogues is to really push the form and the medium by which he is working with.

I was asked a week ago by a magazine what i think about "why films should reflect culture". My answer was cynical. Our local films, primarily Indie movies, nowadays, certainly reflect our culture. It reflects our culture of settling down on what we can do as a nation. Our films have lost all the wanting to explore the form and to push for excellence in craftsmanship to help evoke the emotions and the ideas the film material requires. Just like our Government, we have come to believe that to settle is acceptable and that what matters is the spirit behind it even when there really is no effort whatsoever to put out a work of excellence.

The last CinemaOne Originals have reflected that whole spirit of "making do". Movies that are unfinished, masturbatory and are loosely told are deemed "acceptable given its shortcomings". Don't get me wrong here. CinemaOne as a festival is something I highly respect given its bold choices of film subjects and styles. But the filmmakers now have mostly become self-indulgent and lacking in the foundations of film as medium and a good sense of storytelling. And they have become a breed of filmmakers who have come to believe their own glory.

It scares me that such kind of filmmaking and film appreciation seems to permeate in our film culture. We have now become, as a film viewing nation, accepting of badly crafted movies solely on the belief that anyway the idea of the movie and the spirit it moves along with is worth appreciating.

As a filmmaker myself and as someone who has done 8 shooting day movies, I see no excuse for filmmakers to do badly crafted movies using resources as an excuse. It is imperative that, just like painting, the story behind the subject and the execution of it is equally important in the appreciation of the work itself. Why make movies when your resources can't afford the vision in your head?

I am scared to wake up one day and see that we have become a nation of film viewing people who hail only the ineptly made and call it art solely because of the grand idea the film espouses and shoot down the ones that kill themselves to come up with a film work that tries hard to further the form and take crafting their movies seriously to tell their movie ideas using the medium by which it's working with.

I have a general feeling that our local film festivals now have given permission to anyone and everyone to just bring forth their ideas without really thinking hard whether it is really an idea deserving to be made into a film or whether the ideas equal the resources they are handed with. And the sad part is, these festivals have given birth to monsters who feel that they are God's gift to filmmaking.

To paint takes a lot of hard work to find your own signature, to manipulate the paint and the form to make it your own so that the painter can then render the subject that is personal to him.

Everyone can be filmmakers. But at least, take time to learn it first and don't do it on the fly. Filmmaking goes beyond than just grand ideas of indigenous tribes, black and white treatments, long takes, esoteric dream sequences, handheld shots and photographing Third World scum.

Though, I can't really blame the "filmmakers" who resort to all these trappings of a serious, meaningful film. The resources dictated the form. And since the form has been hailed here and abroad, it has become acceptable. But i just can't get over the idea of how unfair it is that other directors like Celso Ad Castillo, Peque Gallaga, Mike De Leon and Ishmael Bernal kill themselves to craft and tell their stories well using the medium when in fact, even critics only appreciate the merits of story and idea but never the painstaking design that a filmmaker puts into the film using the elements at his disposal to further flesh out the basic story on the written page.

But in any work of art, more than craft and the subject, the question is, is it honest? For the last few years of our indie film festivals, we have seen a prevalent mix of movies that have the same kind of form to it primarily to pass it off as "important". But then, where is honesty and integrity in the work in all these?

I apologize for sometimes looking or talking down on these indie works. That's why I haven't been to these festivals for years now (except of course watching only the works of my friends) because i refuse to see it and end up getting furious at watching these pretensions.

I wish to see a different kind of filmmaking soon. Something that appeals to how I was taught films should be made and appreciated. Then maybe I can start a collection of these local indies too. Until then, I think I can settle to just reading about them.