Paper Trails Between Lion and Swan
Sculpture 2052 (Singapore) www.sculpture2052.com
Artsource (Perth/Boorloo) www.artsource.net.au
Harrison See, Desmond Mah, Yeo Chee Kiong
Six Australia Artist: Kelsey Ashe, Harrison See, Deborah Worthy-Collins, Di Cubitt, Sarah Thorton-Smith, Desmond Mah.
Six Singapore Artists: Ezzam Rahman, Nhawfal Jumaat, Terry Wee, Tan Yen Peng, Xin Xiao Chang, Yeo Chee Kiong.
At a glance, Singapore and Perth (Boorloo) appear to be categorically different cities: the former, the densely populated gateway between the global North and South, and the latter, the most isolated capital city in the world. However, these two coastal (and culturally diverse) cities share more than just the same time zone, and are bound by intersecting histories of British colonisation in the Asia Pacific region. It is this intersection that the Singaporean and Perth (Boorloo) artists of ‘Paper Trails between Lion and Swan’ have explored, specifically through the materialities of paper and textiles. This choice of materials is intentional and symbolic. Paper, as used by the British Empire (and so many empires before them) to invoke deeds, certificates and letters as tools of identity, division, authority and ownership; and textiles, as used for British flags, banners, uniforms and ship sails. ‘Paper Trails between Lion and Swan’ is an invitation to negotiate new intersections between Perth (Boorloo) and Singapore.
Sculpture 2052 [Singapore] - 18 Jan - 25 Feb 2024
Opening Remarks by H.E. Allaster Cox, Australian High Commissioner to Singapore
Artsource [Perth/Boorloo] - 9 June - 23 June 2024
Kelsey Ashe
2023. Detail. 'Deep Green Sea Scroll'. Folded Origami Scroll, Silk-Screen printed canvas in Botanical inks, Indigo, Wax, Resin