What lies ahead of the art world? Is it but a diminishing path or is this an opportunity for artists to grow? Spotlight 2020 finalists Ho Chung Kwang, Chua Hui Qin, and Amirul bin Alwi have not let their guards down when it comes to creating art.
By Clara Ling
As young emerging artists, there will be times where challenges arise and things become difficult. From the lack of job opportunities in the art industry to the decline of artwork purchase from art collectors especially during this pandemic, we catch up with three Spotlight 2020 finalists to find out how they’re coping.
[Read more: Spotlight 2020 Top 20 Finalists]
Chung Kwang, who is based in Singapore, went on to continue his studies in Fine Arts and was given the opportunity to curate and participate in a few exhibitions. Amirul received an invitation to join an exhibition with senior and established artists on the Vertical Show in Galeri Prima. Hui Qin, a two-time finalist, has been grateful to widen her circle of art influence. “Spotlight brought out excellent artworks and broaden(ed) my horizons. It also gave me (the) opportunity to realize my own limits. A good platform like this gives me exposure through the media, collectors and other art lovers,” Hui Qin comments.
What has been the biggest challenge for you since Spotlight 2020?
Amirul: The pandemic hit me so much because of the lack of exhibitions and the power of buying (art) decreased.
Chung Kwang: A very big challenge was to find a job in Singapore. After Covid-19 hit Singapore, a lot of job opportunities were cut short, especially in the art market. I have finally found an art-related career after endlessly searching for three months.
Hui Qin: I think the biggest challenge for me is to reflect on myself during setbacks and grow out of it to create my self-worth.
What’s the one thing you created this year? Why did it matter so much?
Amirul: This year, I made one big painting (6 x 7 feet). This painting matters so much to me because I successfully broke and changed a bit of my style which is what I wanted to do for so long. From that, I have an idea for the next painting with the new style.
Chung Kwang: Since Spotlight 2020, I have continued to develop my final year project for my Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts. In a way, it is important to me as it will determine my grades and how my future company will see me. On the other hand, it is not that important to me as the medium I have used is not what I wish to continue with in the future.
Hui Qin: I’ve been actively participating in art scene activities online these days. I feel that spreading art online and through social media are an extension of (what) art galleries and associations do. Although it cannot replace the space and narrative an artwork creates through placement in a gallery itself, the advantage is it helps to publicise and overcome the limitation of place.
Amirul bin Alwi and his artwork, “1. Root, 2. Third Eye, 3. Crown” which was created in 2020.
Photo courtesy of Amirul bin Alwi.
The global pandemic has affected the arts scene tremendously. What matters to you now, as an artist in the midst of this pandemic?
Amirul: The word “surviving” is so real. But I take that as a positive matter because, being an artist, I have to face any kind of situation.
Chung Kwang: I wish that people would know that while essentials are still the priority during a pandemic, the arts still matter a lot and should not be confused and dismissed as something unnecessary. It is everywhere and impacts our lives every day.
Hui Qin: Art materials, logistics, and manpower were shaken or stalled during the pandemic. This has limited the way I use the materials or collect information in my work. It has greatly affected my demand on (or expectations for) the artwork visually.
If you’d known you’d be isolated for so long, what would you have done differently?
Amirul: Saved more money for the future.
Chung Kwang: I have not been isolated as I am not currently in Malaysia. But if I were, I would still continue to practice art.
Hui Qin: I would have bought more materials and done my research early because there are a lot of raw materials that are hard to find online, and their quality is not guaranteed. Since those from overseas need longer transportation (time), this affects the time I spend creating and its overall quality.
Ho Chung Kwang and graduate show piece, Grad Expectation 2021, in Objectifs, Singapore.
Photo courtesy of Ho Chung Kwang.
Have you changed your artistic style or direction this year? How have the recent challenges shaped and changed you into becoming who you are today?
Amirul: Yes, I changed my style this year. I faced an artist block during this pandemic, so I challenged myself to overcome that problem. It took me a long time to overcome that. That was the worst nightmare I faced so far.
Chung Kwang: My artistic direction has changed from being 2D to being installation and performance during my one-year degree. It was fruitful but I plan to switch back to 2D works, such as painting, as I feel that I am more skilful at that.
Hui Qin: My style has always been versatile and I often wander through different subjects. I will metaphorically put my view of the subject matter in different forms through my works. Today it’s painting, tomorrow it could be sculpture or performance art. Next day is feminism and self-healing another day. It could be difficult to recognise my work from the art style itself. Even if that’s the case, I would not fix my art and role in the frame or in the clay. Art is varied, it comes from the artist’s thoughts and perceptions, not from the way it appears each time.
How’s your creative process like under lockdown? What’s still on your “to-do” list as an artist?
Amirul: (I’ve been) doing research and searching for ideas online through websites or movies. (I’d like to) make more experiments exploring style and ideas.
Chung Kwang: As I am not in Malaysia at the moment, I am not too restricted but I think I will do the same and practice painting. I still have many upcoming art projects, such as exhibitions and curations. But two things to have now is to find an income and to be good at my job.
Hui Qin: I think during lockdown, and because of the limitation of movement, I started to notice and magnify common but neglected details in the house. At this moment, I feel a connection with the saying that the art comes from livelihood. Lockdown gives me freedom in (terms of) time. I can put into practice complicated ideas that require a lot of time. This freedom reduces my stress when working on an idea.
Ho Chung Kwang’s 東流 EASTWARD in The Fluxus House, Singapore.
Photo courtesy of Ho Chung Kwang.
What’s the most creative way you have come up with so far to overcome challenges artistically?
Amirul: Meditate and look back at all my previous artworks. From there I got new ideas to do new paintings.
Chung Kwang: I was supposed to organise two exhibitions for a gallery in Singapore while I was stuck in Malaysia. I was also supposed to handle curation, design, and the setup of the exhibitions. I had to be creative on how to handle the job from Malaysia and to coordinate the procedures clearly and fairly for the people involved to help out with the exhibitions.
Hui Qin: I began to use my imagination and bring household objects or everyday living into my creative medium. I had a lot of fun doing this.
What would you want to achieve before things become normal again?
Amirul: I just pray that I can survive in this pandemic journey and hope my mind can cooperate with me.
Chung Kwang: For now, I have recently graduated from my Degree in Fine Arts and have already found a suitable job. I just hope that my career path is smooth and will not be affected by this pandemic.
Hui Qin: I want to take all the time I have during this lockdown to deepen my perceptions of the world with all my heart. Through the internet and even books, (I’d like) to get to know more about interesting subjects, try new methods to stimulate possibilities in my art.
Chua Hui Qin’s “Footbinding – the 3rd sexual organ of women” artwork process.
Photo courtesy of Chua Hui Qin.
Any piece of advice for the upcoming Spotlight 2021 applicants?
Amirul: Don’t think of winning the competition but do enjoy doing artworks. From there you will get a masterpiece. Always believe that your artwork can give an impact or benefit to the audience. Just love the process.
Chung Kwang: Besides the technical skill needed to create a good piece of art, do not disregard creativity as it will make your work unique and stand out. In contemporary art, make sure the concept of the artwork is also unique and/or significant, or at least makes sense for the judges and laymen to understand.
Hui Qin: Art creation requires the artist to enjoy the process rather than overvaluing the results. If you care too much about whether the result is satisfying to yourself or appreciated by others, your creativity and art work will be limited and you will lose your personality. Without changing, you will reach a plateau very soon. You need to keep experimenting to widen your perspectives, even if it is unrealistic or unreasonable. The freedom of being creative will allow you to find your own identity unconsciously during the process, and this result usually comes when you are unaware of the process.
[Enter now: Spotlight 2021 by Penang Art District]
Undoubtedly, art will always have a key role to play as communities re-emerge with new norms and redevelop approaches to how we view our world. With so much artistic content available and accessible to communities, artists still play a vital role in assisting cultural connectivity, stimulating imaginative creativity and health and wellbeing. Being an artist is about being resilient when times get hard and in spite of what challenges lie ahead, artists have the ability to brace through the impact and innovate creativity. As Chung Kwang advises, “I see every aspect of [life] as lessons that are necessary for us to learn and grow into a better person and artist.”
Clara Ling is a writer by day and a creator by night. She has been involved in art writing, research, and publishing after finishing her Masters in Fine Arts.