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Megan

My body of work explores the idea of memory and different aspects of how memory can be preserved, perceived, or shared. With my work, I wanted to explore many facets of memory and nostalgia - exploring different emotions and feelings while also exploring my heritage as somebody who has lived in many different countries other than my birth country. Despite living abroad, I wanted to delve deeper into my heritage being Singaporean-Chinese. Some aspects I explored are: isolation, personal memory, cultural/collective memory, and forgotten memories.Through these I looked at memory from several different perspectives, that of my grandparents, my own childhood, as well as the way that different cultures and experiences has influenced my own life as well as can influence memory.

This desire to showcase a variety of aspects led to the usage of different mediums for each piece, from ceramics, oil paint, acrylic, watercolor, layered paper, to ink. I explored ceramics, which indicate a sense of structure due to its 3D and permanent form, in order to represent the recollected building details of places I’ve lived. I also utilised watercolor and ink to add a sense of fragility, as they can be easily manipulated, as well as paint, which adds a sense of permanence. Personal memory was explored in ‘Tradition’, and cultural memory was explored through the series ‘Past Memories’, depicting wartime in Singapore. Inspired by stories from my relatives, and in exploration into my family history and important parts of my culture’s history, the three pieces capture different aspects of war, pain through ‘Anguish’, desensitization through ‘Numb’, and community through ‘Together’. The turning point was the creation of ‘Solo’, a 3D shadow box, which encapsulated all of the concepts I explored thus far. It allowed me to incorporate my cultural heritage as a Singaporean who has lived most of their life abroad through the setting of a mix of Asian cities, the multicultural languages used in the signs, and influences from the photographer Fan Ho, and his use of dramatic contrast and composition. The piece represents my multicultural lifestyle, and the impact it’s had on my life. Likewise, Colin Chilag influenced Untouched and A Day at the Harbour,where his unfinished style helped solidify my concept of forgotten memories, and Ian Fennelly, where his use of linework, color and urban sketching influenced my series On My Youth.
 

My exhibition is located towards the back of the gallery space, consisting of 3 large panels configured into a zigzag shape, at first being very confronting and open, displaying aspects of cultural memory before turning into a more intimate space, the inner wall, where personal memory is explored. The last outward facing wall displays a more general exploration into memory and isolation, and a retrospective look on the mundane parts of life. The two largest pieces are displayed on the outfacing walls. My key piece of work, Solo, is displayed between the panel showcasing personal memory, with the pieces On my Youth and A Day at the Harbour as well as the panel displaying Solitude, Distant Childhood and Untouched. This links the aspects explored, as Solo explores both my own memories as well as shows how cultural experiences shape memory and nostalgia. The panel displaying cultural aspects displays my series Past Memories and Tradition, both set in Singapore, exploring my family’s traditions and recollections.

My work, through the use of a diverse mix of mediums and forms, aims to represent different aspects of memory and how it and its effects can be interpreted in various ways for the audience. It illustrates both the fragility and strength of memory, but also cultural aspects of memory and how they can be linked, as well as the emotions evoked from memory such as nostalgia.The use of varying detail and brushwork, use of color, as well as high contrast and dramatic lighting attempt to invite the audience into exploring their own personal experiences with memory. I intend to have the audience reflect on how memory and the past affects their perception of their experiences, as well as how our lives are shaped through our memories and personal experiences, with an emphasis on cultural impacts.

 

 

Solitude (February 2024)

Charcoal and Chalk on Paper

50 x 60 cm

Solitude delves into the idea of isolation, and being alone in a hectic world. It’s a copy of the photograph Remembrance by Fan Ho, made to evoke nostalgia for the past in an Asian setting. The shadows made with charcoal and highlights made with white chalk create a dramatic tone. Through blending, blurriness is created similar to a previous painting Distant Childhood which evokes nostalgia. The composition makes the image more personal.This piece was made to imply peace within isolation. 

Solo (May 2024)

Acrylic on card

30 x 45 cm

Solo explores the theme of urban isolation through a street scene set in a card shadowbox. The layers of paper show a busy street market full of signs and details, in contrast to the lone figure riding a bike, inspired by the urban photography of Fan Ho and his use of contrast, creating a dramatic image. Meant as a tribute to Asian culture, the setting is inspired by Asian street markets. The card cutouts and standing elements create depth and texture, highlighting the lone figure.

 

 

Layers upon Layers (December 2023)

Ceramics, oxides, and glaze

21cm x 9cm x 5cm per piece

Layers upon Layers explores the ideas of balance and geometric forms, abstracting the idea of stacked pillars and grounded structural shapes through the use of slab built ceramics, exploring memories of past structures. Its off-balance shape and stacked aspects are reminiscent of stone pillars and bridges off balance as if destroyed by war. The holistic forms are inspired by Ken Eastman, whose idea of the vessel takes shape in the large and simple shapes used, creating a sense of stability.

 

 

 

 

Untouched (October 2024)

Acrylic on Canvas

145 x 121 cm

Untouched depicts the ‘untouched’ corner in my grandparents bedroom, full of sentimental objects that link to my theme of memory. The colour scheme and the assortment of items belonging to my grandparents create a tableau that imitates the composition of 17th century Dutch still life artists, particularly Breitner, whose realistic painting style inspired the piece. The raw edges are based on the work of Colin Chillag, whose ‘unfinished’ edged paintings connect to the idea of faded memories. 

Distant Childhood (October 2023)

Oil Paint on foam board

70 x 50 cm

Distant Childhood investigates the idea of childhood memory. Inspired by the works of Gerhard Richter, highlight how memory becomes fuzzy with time. I depict the progression of faded memories through various stages of blurred paint in the image, juxtaposed with places of sharp focus. Childhood toys are depicted in the foreground in bright colours, which create a nostalgic feel. In the background, the window is painted in higher definition, symbolising a look into the future and moving on. 

 

 

‘Past Memories’ - Together (May 2024)

Acrylic on wood

25 x 35 cm

Together explores one aspect of the idea of ‘Past memories’, specifically the collectiveness of cultural memory of war, shown through a detailed and colorized image of civilians helping an injured man. The use of saturated color creates a hopeful and nostalgic feeling, highlighting the few positive aspects of wartime.The original reference was monochrome, with its colorization representing a romanticized look at the past. It’s set in Singapore, connecting to personal and cultural memory too. 

 

 

‘Past Memories’ - Anguish (May 2024)

Water-based ink pen

30 x 20 cm

Anguish focuses on one final aspect of ‘Past memories’, the emotional toll of war. The stark linework against the background highlights the emotions on the woman’s face, detailing her anguish. The texture of the paper gives a grittiness to the linework, furthering the dramatic nature of it. The lack of color creates contrast, highlighting the expressions expressed by the woman, and also separates it from the two other works. Overall, these aspects create a grim and confronting tone.

 

 

‘Past Memories’ - Numb (May 2024)

Watercolor on paper

31 x 40 cm

Numb traverses another aspect of ‘Past memories’, displaying how war became normalized at the time. The muted color scheme contrasts with Together, implying that this memory is less hopeful, and creates a more solemn feeling. The detailed linework, inspired by John Piper’s architectural war drawings, help highlight the physical damage of the war, rather than the emotions of the humans. The edges are faded out, implying that this is an aspect no longer as remembered. 
 

 

 

On my Youth (December 2024)

Watercolor and alcohol-based marker on watercolor paper

29 x 42 cm (per piece)

On My Youth illustrates locations I remember in my childhood from the perspective of a child, an arcade and a food court, linking with my theme of memory and referenced from photographs taken in my home country. The use of saturated colors and loose lines imitate the style of urban sketchers like Ian Fennelly, who uses watercolor and ink to capture life in the moment. The comic-like illustration style influenced by artists like Jim Lee creates a nostalgic depiction of childhood. 

 

 

 

A Day at the Harbour (February 2025)

Acrylic paint on canvas

64 x 77 cm


A Day at the Harbour depicts my childhood experiences, and the way that memories can be distorted over time. The painting illustrates my siblings and I in San Francisco, with saturated colors, a realistic style, and parts left unfinished inspired by the works of Colin Chillag. The piece highlights how the happiest memories may not be remembered, shown by the smudged colors and raw edges, with most important parts of the memory preserved through realism.  

 

 

Tradition (March 2025)

Acrylic paint on canvas

84 x 135 cm

Tradition traverses the idea of cultural history and traditions. Based on my own photograph of a Chinese New year tradition, the painting depicts a family tradition of giving Mandarin Oranges to the head of the household. The saturated colors and semi-realistic style have a joyful and festive connotation, with 3 generations taking part in the tradition. The bright colors and loose brushstrokes are inspired by Norman Long’s colorful self-portraits, displaying the joys in life.