“Painting grows with time; it should even be a step ahead of its time.” Cheong Soo Pieng, 1961
Regarded as a leading figure within Singapore’s art history, Cheong Soo Pieng is known for his distinctive style, which stemmed from a profound understanding of easel painting and Chinese aesthetics. Bringing the science of studying paintings to life, encounter the artist’s work alongside in-dept research into his artistic process and use of materials. Uncover untold stories behind selected artworks, and learn how an artist like Cheong conceives, composes and puts an artwork together – layer by layer.
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- 5 April – 29 September 2024
- City Hall Wing, Level B1, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Concourse Gallery
Free Admission for all.
View Exhibition Brochure
Encounter art in new ways through interactive experiences that unfold across the exhibition’s three sections.
WHAT MAKES A PAINTING?
Dive into Cheong Soo Pieng’s artistic process through a step-by-step journey from sketching, to choosing different materials, and finally, the application of paint. In this section, explore the process behind creating artwork that answers the intriguing question, "What makes a painting?"
Installation view, Cheong Soo Pieng: Layer by Layer, National Gallery Singapore, 2024.
WHEN IS A PAINTING COMPLETE?
Centering on the question of composition – or how an artist organises elements in an artwork – the next section asks, "When is a painting complete?" Follow the investigative work that curators and conservators undertook, travelling back in time to trace a painting’s journey in time through technical tools like infrared photography and x-ray scans.
Installation view, Cheong Soo Pieng: Layer by Layer, National Gallery Singapore, 2024.
WHAT IS PAINTING?
Finally, explore the broader question “What is painting?” in the exhibition’s concluding section. This section focuses on Cheong Soo Pieng’s integration of a wide range of materials into his art from the 1960s onwards, including everyday and industrial materials. Laboratory analysis and close observation allowed for the precise identification of materials in artworks.
Installation view, Cheong Soo Pieng: Layer by Layer, National Gallery Singapore, 2024.
TOURS
Tour period; Fri, 19 Apr 2024 – Sun, 29 Sep 2024
- English: Thu – Sun | 11am
- Mandarin: Sat & Sun | 2pm
ABOUT CHEONG SOO PIENG
Born in Xiamen, China in 1917, Cheong Soo Pieng migrated to Singapore in 1946, where he taught at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and travelled across Southeast Asia. He became a full-time artist in the 1960s and spent two years in Europe, where he continued to experiment with abstraction and colour. Exhibiting widely throughout his life, Cheong worked tirelessly across various mediums, including painting, sculpture, batik and printmaking, all while reworking and translating favoured motifs. Cheong passed away at the age of 66, leaving behind a prolific body of work and a legacy of innovation for his students and the artistic community in Singapore.
Cheong Soo Pieng painting in his studio at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, c. 1950. Digitised by National Gallery Singapore Library & Archive with kind permission from Cheong Leng Guat.
Material as Method: Kwok Kian Chow in Dialogue with Teo Hui Min
Material is typically seen as a component of the larger category of "medium" in art. Yet, particularly in the realm of painting, this concept warrants rethinking.
By drawing upon insights from the exhibition Cheong Soo Pieng: Layer by Layer, this dialogue between Kwok Kian Chow and exhibition curator Teo Hui Min aims to examine the transformative impact of artists and art movements on the interpretation of materiality within the context of modern art in Singapore and Asia in the 1950s.
At the Conservator's Bench
Did you know that Cheong Soo Pieng’s renowned artwork Drying Salted Fish was made using different types of ink? This 3-part edition of At the Conservator's Bench introduces the artist's innovative techniques and versatile practice through the unique perspective of material analysis in art conservation. Watch to learn more!
Interactive Game
Located within the exhibition space, delve deep into Cheong's art and bring home a piece of the exhibition in this interactive experience. Match miniscule paint samples to artworks featured in the exhibition and get access to exclusive mobile wallpapers!
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Exhibition Catalogue
Cheong Soo Pieng: Layer by Layer presents a unique insight into the artist’s innovative use of materials in painting through examples from the 1950s to 1980s. This exhibition catalogue features reproduced artwork plates presented alongside technical photographs that illuminate Cheong's artistic process and choice of materials. Accompanied by essays that explore the intersections between conservation science and art historical research, it poses the question: what makes a painting?
ACCESS ADVISORY
National Gallery Singapore is committed to creating an inclusive experience for our diverse audiences.
Click here for the Exhibition Access Advisory.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
MAJOR PARTNER
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