ART:DIS presents exhibition A Journey Through Time by local artists Chng Seok Tin and Raymond Lau, both of whom have overcome disabilities to pursue artistic practice.

The highlight of the exhibition was the mixed media sculpture Tribute to Samsui Women (2001) by Cultural Medal recipient Chng (1946–2019). These immigrant labourers, known for their iconic red headgear, imprinted their handprints and footprint on a cement board one after another. Together with their profile images, their legacy is memorialised not only in our urban landscape, but in this installation piece as well. Accompanying the sculpture are archival materials, including a newspaper clipping which states how the catastrophic flooding of the Pearl River Delta of China in 1915 prompted women from Sanshui District in Guangdong to head to Singapore to make a living. The red scarves worn by these women were apparently a symbol of good luck.

Chng has taught print-making at LASALLE College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and the National Institute of Education. This exhibition features more than 40 of her prints (such as Live under the debris, which reflects upon the lives lost during the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and Gold Rush, which criticises the excessive pursuit of material things) and sculptures (such as The Tumbler and The Sacred Procession: Mother and Child) created between 1988 and 2014. These works often incorporate the philosophy of Zhuang Zi and existentialism and further touch upon themes relating to dreams, love and freedom. Proceeds from the sale of Chng’s artworks will be donated to the Chng Seok Tin Education Fund to cultivate a new generation of young artists with disabilities.

Raymond Lau (56 years old) is Chng’s godson. The two met in 1992 and had painted together, but A Journey Through Time marks their first time exhibiting together. Lau said in an interview that he missed Chng because she often lent him a listening ear, including times when he was broken-hearted, and encouraged him to continue his artistic endeavours.

Lau has lived with Tourette’s syndrome since he was a child and recently recovered from laryngeal cancer. This exhibition features more than 30 of his paintings in his signature abstract expressionist style – some in colour, others in monochrome, depicting the changes in Singapore’s landscape and incorporating the artist’s memories. He especially loves to go Little India and Geylang, which is why there are a number of paintings dedicated to these neighbourhoods on showcase. He obtained a degree in fine arts from the University of Tasmania, Australia, and is also Young Artist Award recipient.

Read the article here