Solo Exhibition of Chen Dongfan
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JW PROJECTS is pleased to announce the launch of Chen Dongfan’s solo exhibition “Sailing By” on 14 January 2024, accompanied by a solo project which will be presented at ART SG.
As his first solo exhibition in Singapore, the exhibition features recent paintings that continue the artist’s exploration of the warmth and power of life, as well as attempt to echo Singapore’s emotional history as a transshipment point on the Straits route and a place where the diverse people and cultures converge.
The title of the exhibition, “Sailing By”, was taken from the 1963 composition of the same name by British composer, Ronald Binge. The piece was routinely played on BBC radio 4 at 00:45 before the late night shipping forecast. The composition has a waltz-like musical structure, with woodwinds and strings weaving a steady, light, calm and graphic melody.
Chen Dongfan’s works are often interwoven with music which emphasizes the power and rhythm of feelings in his paintings. The fervour of life burns like the stars that hang in the night sky above a vast sea, and the poetic flow responds to the breath of the world, and cruises along the course of time and emotion — many of Chen Dongfan’s works portray imagery of rivers, oceans, the subconscious mind, and voyages. In 2018, Chen created a huge spatial painting, “The Song of Dragon and Flowers”, on the pavement of New York’s Chinatown which was based on the history of Chinese immigrants in the United States.
In 2023, Chen Dongfan’s solo exhibition “Rivers” at Shanghai’s AIKE Gallery takes inspiration from the imagery of the Huangpu River and Shanghai’s harbour. His paintings depict a river of life and emotions, a river of memories, a river of transformations, and a river of blessings.
The title of the current exhibition “Sailing By”, is based on the unique diaspora history of Singapore. This piece of composition has a unique significance in the context of maritime trade: every morning at 00:45, BBC Radio 4 would begin to broadcast the weather conditions for the night voyage, and the song would ebb through the sea. The ocean feels as quiet as eternity, or hints treacherous rain at night. Over time, as the song can be consistently heard at this time, the tune began to create a sense of security for seafarers experiencing the dullness of life at sea, yet it also hints at the gradual loss of time, and the repetitive and overlapping nature of life.
As part of the ART SG VIP programme, the artist will conduct a special live painting session in the gallery space on 16 January from 2-5 pm.
The exhibition will be held until 3 March 2024.
Text / Liu Beining
Additionally, Chen Dongfan held a special live painting session on 16 January in collaboration with local artist, Yu Hang (N0mood), who improvised to create a unique soundscape for Chen Dongfan to paint to. The artists improvised together to create a piece, collaborating to create a visual representation of the music and unique atmosphere.
The work, titled Sailing at Night, was subsequently displayed at Chen Dongfan’s solo exhibition at ART SG 2024.
JW PROJECTS荣幸地宣布将于2024年1月14日推出艺术家陈栋帆的个展“航行经过”，此次项目也将有一部分参与ART SG 新加坡国际艺术博览会展出。
作为陈栋帆在新加坡的首次个展，此次展览将呈现陈栋帆近期的绘画作品，这些作品既延续了艺术家 对生命的力量与温情的探索，也试图呼应新加坡作为海峡航线的中转之 地和世界人口与文化交流汇聚之地的情感历史。
展览的标题“航行经过”(Sailing By)来自英国作曲家Ronald Binge于 1963年所作的同名曲目。这首曲子⻓期在BBC广播的每日夜间航海天气播报前播放。这首曲子采用了华尔兹的音乐结构，木管与弦乐组织出稳定、轻盈、平静且富有画面感的旋律。
陈栋帆在绘画中重视力量的倾注和感情的节奏，他的作品与音乐总保持着紧密的关系。生命力的燃烧就像海上夜空的星星，诗意的流淌回应着世界的呼吸，巡洄于时间与情感的航线之中——陈栋帆的许多创作都与 河流、海洋、潜意识以及航行的意象有关。2018年，基于美国华人移⺠的历史，陈栋帆在纽约唐人街的街道路面上创作了巨幅空间绘画《⻰与花之歌; 2023年，陈栋帆在上海艾可画廊的个展《河流》以⻩浦江与上海港口的意象为出发点，在绘画中呈现了记忆之河、转化之河以及祝福之河的生命情感史。
此次，基于新加坡的人文历史地理，展览以“Sailing By”为题。这首乐曲在海上贸易的背景中有着独特的意义: 每一个凌晨的零点四十五分， BBC第4电台都会开始播报夜间航路的天气情况，这首歌曲也会随之在 广播中流淌而出。夜晚的海洋静谧地有如永恒，或者孕育着诡谲的⻛雨。船舱之中，当一段乐曲总是如期而至，久而久之，它成为了海员在 海上枯燥生活中的一种安全感，也提示着时间和生命的流失、重复、层层交叠。
陈栋帆个展同期作为ART SG艺博会 VIP活动的一环 ，艺术家还将在1月16日下午2-5点，在画廊空间举办一场特别的现场即兴绘画。
展览将持续到 2024年3月3日。
文 / 刘呗宁
JW PROJECTS 