For the past three years, Gajah Gallery has been a formidable presence at Art Basel Hong Kong, drawing the attention of art appreciators, private collectors and the international media. Now returning for the fourth consecutive year, the gallery dedicates its stage to nine artists who represent some of the most powerful ideas and sentiments coming from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and China. In the 4th Edition of Art Basel Hong Kong, Gajah Gallery is proud to present a group showcase of the latest works by some of South East Asia’s most compelling artists.
The gallery will present a fresh collection of paintings and sculptures at Booth 1D34 from 23-26 March, 2016. Art Basel Hong Kong is the premier platform of Asia’s international art scene, attracting over 60,000 visitors last year over the course of the weekend.
Ashley Bickerton (USA) is known as a maverick in the Contemporary South East Asian art scene. For over 20 years, the artist has focused his attention on the exotification and commodification of culture, assembling beautifully grotesque compositions that expose the affectations of modern culture through the portrayal of objectified female bodies – all while nodding at the artist’s own paradoxical inclusion in the narrative of the painting as its creator.
Kumari Nahappan (SG) is widely recognized for her sculptural work, which ranges from table pieces to large scale public commissions. Using simple composition and strong vibrant colours, Kumari’s works are philosophical, reflecting on life and energy.
Li Jin (China) will debut a new series of miniature paintings at Art Basel Hong Kong, created during his stimulating trip to Bali in late 2015. In this series, Li Jin ventures into new artistic territory by painting an array of bizarre tropical subjects in a lush, vivid color palette.
Mangu Putra (Indo) has caused more than a stir over the course of his career thus far. His paintings exude an acute sensitivity to visual forms, bearing striking attention to detail and masterful manipulation of light and shadow.The artist is known to draw from a wide range of subjects, constantly evolving and reshaping the vocabulary of his distinct visual-aesthetic language.
Ng Joon Kiat (SG) is one of Singapore’s most successful abstract painters, receiving the accolade of being invited to participate in the 2014 Busan Biennale. His latest work delves further into a textural study of land and cityscapes, allowing the viewer a topographical view of the multidimensional layering of natural and man-made systems.
Sabri Idrus (Malaysia)is known as one of the most stimulating artists in Malaysia, whose work is inspired by surface and spatial stacking in a physical and metaphorical sense. His extensive process of abstraction and layering causes forms to appear, vanish, and intermix; shaping the relationship and the possibility of inter-expression unendingly
Ugo Untoro (Indo) employs a range of tones, colors, shapes and techniques to reflect the turbulence of emotional states. This year at Art Basel he premieres his latest reinterpretation with “Nevermore After Gauguin” – a contemplative work that draws a clear social commentary from the artist on the affectations of contemporary culture.
Wei Ligang (China) infuses his deep reverence for the traditional form of Chinese calligraphy with the influence of Western painterly ideas. While his subject matter remains deeply rooted in Classical poetry and his own philosophical musings, he translates the traditional form to contemporary relevance through the use of bold colors and non-traditional materials.
Yunizar (Indonesia) continually proves his massive appeal to international audiences following several successful solo and group exhibitions over the past year. His work reflects an ideal of imaginative and authentic expression, where the removal of supposed rational schools of thought allows for boundless creativity.
