When local artist Justin Lee embarked on his final project for his Master’s in Fine Arts at LASALLE College of the Arts, it took him to an unexpected place – the heart of Singapore’s hawker centres, where he collected over 400 discarded tin cans of evaporated milk for a two-part installation. The work draws into focus his interest in social issues, which formed the topic of his Master’s thesis and research.
Justin, who was nominated in 2006 for the President’s Design Award and was also a recipient of the Mont Blanc Young Artist World Patronage Project in the same year, said, “I was inspired by found objects that are very familiar to all of us, such as tin cans and cardboard from local housing estates. I’m interested in examining these everyday things that surround our living spaces, especially things that are neglected by people or no longer of valid use. Through observation, recollection and objectification of these found objects, I uncover a sub-culture embedded in modern Singapore.”
Justin is among 11 accomplished artists from seven countries who will unveil the culmination of their Master’s studies at LASALLE’s MA Fine Arts graduation exhibition by the class of 2016. Featuring multi-disciplinary works in a range of media including painting, photography, sculpture, installation and video, the exhibition highlights the intricacies and complexity of creative processes.
And the rest of such things opened officially on Friday 22 April at LASALLE’s Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, Gallery 1. The exhibition opening was graced by Guest of Honour Russell Storer, Senior Curator, National Gallery Singapore.
LASALLE’s MA Fine Arts is the longest-running MA programme in LASALLE, first established in 1994. Its alumni number among the who’s who of the art scene locally and internationally, from Cultural Medallion recipient Lee Wen to acclaimed photographer John Clang and artist/designer Jackson Tan, best known for designing the SG50 logo for Singapore’s Golden Jubilee in 2015.
Programme Leader Dr Ian Woo sees this as a key factor in the programme’s growth. The MA Fine Arts programme at LASALLE has seen a spike in interest recently, with applications on the rise and a 73% increase in intake in the 2015 cohort.
“Word of mouth about the programme is increasing, in Singapore and overseas. More established artists are making the decision to pursue their MA Fine Arts at LASALLE. This comes down to the widespread network of alumni we have built up through the years, and the strong reputation of the programme. We have also seen more interest from a very diverse range of practitioners who bring different expertise and approaches to Fine Arts. We are starting to see a breakdown of silos in which aspects of design, sound and sciences are stretched within the realm of Fine Arts, and practices are becoming more interdisciplinary. This is apparent in this year’s graduation show, which features site-specific, experimental, hybrid interventions,” added Ian.
Accomplished artist, musician and trained chemist Jordi Fornies, who hails from Spain, is best known for his cutting-edge contemporary paintings – but over the past two years in LASALLE, he has taken his practice into new and unexplored territory. His work Sonance explores the synaesthetic connection between sound and art, using 3D printing and design to create a prototype of a basic instrument that moves from a basic tube shape to a complex wave.
“As a visual artist and musician, my intention and interests lie in crossing conventional boundaries in order to compose other narratives which link both practices. These new narratives include time-based interactions, and focus on the creation of multi-sensory works with a strong use of materiality and form,” said Jordi.
