Hiyah peoples!
We hope your January was full of awesomely arty moments!
It was a huge art-spirational month for Singapore, featuring Art Stage, the Singapore Contemporary Art Show and the Art Apart Fair - not to mention the numerous Art Week fringe events that were happening around town.
Art Stage was big, beautiful and busy as always. Sadly, we came away with one, slightly blurry photo:
“Happy” this does not make us young Skywalker...nope!
The Singapore Contemporary Art Show was, in our humble opinion, fabulous. There was definitely a relaxed vibe going on with plenty to see.
"Chinese Bride" by Andre Tan, 2016
"Instant Fame Can / Instant Justice Cans" by Iskander Walen, 2015
This February, Addicted turns 3 (months). Yes! 3 whole MONTHS #survivor! To celebrate, we have one word: CAKE. If you’re a person who prefers more words: a really, really, really big CAKE!
In addition to cakey-goodness, we're celebrating by introducing Japanese Pop art superstar, Yayoi Kusama, to the Addicted family.
In a perfect world, if they ever did a (proper) remake of the 'Karate Kid', we'd want Kusama to play the role of Mr Miyagi #shewouldknockitrightoutofthepark #takemymoneyalready*
To celebrate even more, we've made up a knock-knock joke. Ready?
Knock knock!
Who's there?
Banksy
Banksy who?
Exactly! Who the hell is Banksy??
We also have a Banksy. Whilst we would love to keep it under our mattress, it's time for ‘Grinny’, as we like to call him, to spread his wings and leave the nest.
*Disclaimer: this was written way before any sign of caffeine came into contact with the author. Forgiveness is divine #halo
Back to the subject at hand. These artists require no further introduction from us, so here they are...
NEW ARTWORK
Yayoi Kusama
“Polka dots are fabulous”
"Hat" by Yayoi Kusama, 1982
![Yayoi_Kusama-Shoes_[Green]-P-YK-005](https://s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/media.addictedgallery.com/Website/Content/Imported/Articles/Yayoi_Kusama-Shoes_Green-P-YK-005.jpg)
"Shoes (Green)" by Yayoi Kusama, 1984
![Yayoi_Kusama-Shoes_[Yellow]-P-YK-003](https://s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/media.addictedgallery.com/Website/Content/Imported/Articles/Yayoi_Kusama-Shoes_Yellow-P-YK-003.jpg)
"Shoes (Yellow)" by Yayoi Kusama, 1984
![Yayoi_Kusama-Shoes_[Red]-P-YK-004](https://s3-ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/media.addictedgallery.com/Website/Content/Imported/Articles/Yayoi_Kusama-Shoes_Red-P-YK-004.jpg)
"Shoes (Red)" by Yayoi Kusama, 1984
A bit about Yayoi Kusama...
"If it were not for art, I would have killed myself a long time ago.”
Kusama trained in a formal style of Japanese painting called Nihonga, that was popular during the Meiji period (from 1868 - 1912) as a way of revitalising Japanese traditions and deflecting the influence of western art. In 1958 her interest in the international art scene led Kusama to make a new home in New York.
Kusama’s work from this time is best remembered as the beginning of the Infinity Nets series of paintings, vast canvases measuring up to 33 feet in length, entirely covered in small, thickly painted loops representing infinity. Influenced by childhood hallucinations of dots and nets this theme has become prominent throughout Kusama’s career. The mere scale and scope of Kusama’s work embeds itself in the viewers memory and her art is as much experienced as it is seen.
As one of Japan’s most prominent artists, she has worked in a wide variety of media including painting, collage, sculpture, performance art and many public and private installations.
During the 1960s, Kusama rubbed shoulders with the likes of Donald Judd, Andy Warhol, Joseph Cornell and Claes Oldenburg.
Kusama’s work has become known for being provocative and as part of her anti-war (Vietnam) demonstrations Kusama wrote an open letter to Richard Nixon offering him vigorous sex if he would put a stop to the war.
In 2012 she collaborated with Louis Vuitton's creative director Marc Jacobs on the collection "LOUIS VUITTON × YAYOI KUSAMA”. Kusama’s genius has been exhibited all over the planet.
Kusama's giant creative talent has been held in thrall to her mental illness at times and she has lived voluntarily in a psychiatric institution since 1977.
Banksy
“A wall is a very big weapon. It's one of the nastiest things you can hit someone with.”
"Grin Reaper" by Banksy, 2005
A bit about Banksy...
Banksy may or may not have been born in 1974. Although his identity remains a mystery, Banksy’s ‘guerilla’ art has been in the spotlight for nearly 20 years.
Banksy started his graffiti career on the streets of Bristol in the early 90’s when he began using freehand graffiti techniques. The use of stenciling was gradual but by the late 90’s this became Banksy’s signature style.
Known for his anti capitalist themes, satirically critiquing war and his political viewpoints, Banksy has used his art to draw attention and create conversation.
“We can't do anything to change the world until capitalism crumbles. In the meantime we should all go shopping to console ourselves.”
Banksy’s subject matter includes the every day; policemen, rats, apes and children to name a few, but those in the public eye have also been used to convey a message. Banksy has been known to use copyrighted material, famously using Monet’s iconic images of water lilies and adapting the image to include shopping trolleys and rubbish floating in the scene.
For an artist whose identity remains a mystery Banksy has done a remarkable job of proliferating the art world with his works. Banksy has exhibited around the world (although often the exhibits are unauthorised) and his pieces have consistently fetched prices exceeding half a million dollars.
In 2010 Banksy produced, ‘Exit Through the Gift Shop,’ a movie about the explosion of street artists, particularly in Los Angeles. The film was nominated for an Academy Award the following year.
Banksy’s art is a unique commentary on modern day life and it laughs in the face of authority, creating art, and humour, out of his and others’ lives.
That's about it from us, but before we go: Gong xi fa cai everyone! May your year be full of monkey magic.
Until next time...
Forever art junkies...
Blair + Elena :)