New year, new art
Purchase artworks by talented kids and support The Business Times Budding Artists Fund.
EVERY year, thousands of children from underprivileged and troubled homes benefit from The Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT BAF). Through sponsored art courses ranging from drama to visual arts, the children learn to be more confident, creative and collaborative. These traits stand them in better stead in the real world, and help them compete with kids from more privileged homes.
This year, the fund hopes to raise money through an online auction of standout artworks by talented children across the country. The inaugural 13-19 Art Prize for teens aged 13 to 19 recently concluded with 222 entries. Organised by non-profit TRCL, the contest selected 23 paintings and 11 digital artworks as prizewinners.
The works are now being auctioned online at www.trcl.sg/13-19-art-prize/auction. They can also be viewed in the flesh at the Gallery at 10 Square @ Orchard Central.
The works depict a broad range of visions, from fantasy-based images to evocations of life amid the pandemic. Employing techniques from oil to papercut, the best works are breathtaking in their concept and execution.
A range of art professionals formed the judging panel. In the Canvas Artwork category, the judges were Cultural Medallion-winning watercolourist Ong Kim Seng, acclaimed painter Yeo Tze Yang, Red Sea Gallery owner Chris Churcher, independent curator Tan Siuli, and established multimedia artist David Chan.
In the Digital Artwork category, the judges were Art Seasons Gallery owner Terry Lee, filmmaker and educator Tan Siang Yu, curator and writer Tulika Ahuja, and Arts House Limited senior director of programming and producing Ken Tan.
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The judges spent several hours looking at the submissions before shortlisting the winners. Renowned watercolourist Ong said he was impressed by the quality of the canvas work: "The award-winning entries generally showed mastery of medium used, were well-designed compositions, creative in delivery, displayed judicious use of colours, and demonstrated an ability to balance all the elements necessary for a complete work of art."
Ong singled out Lee Shimin's The Day The Sun Fell, whose "blend of impressionism together with a surrealist concept took me into a transcendental state".
Meanwhile in the Digital Artwork category, judge Tan Siang Yu said: "Most of the artists are proficient in the use of the digital medium, with some reaching a level of professionalism that is very highly commendable. This bodes well for the future of our next generation of young talents."
All the digital artworks will be auctioned as NFTs, making it the first time in Singapore that digital art by youths are being auctioned off as NFTs in a fundraiser. WottleNFT, the NFT marketplace that uses the more sustainable cryptocurrency Cardano, came on board as 13-19 Art Prize digital partner.
Elton Tay, founder of WottleNFT, said, "We are honoured to help transform the lives of young aspiring artists by exposing their talents to the world through blockchain technology by converting their artworks into NFTs. This process immortalises their works on the blockchain. For us, it important to give back to society, especially with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic."
The contest was steered by an advisory committee that was headed by TRCL board member Genii Koh and included art collector and advocate Chong Huai Seng, artist Seah Kam Chuan, art educators Grace Wan, Tan See Kia and Lai Siew Yong, and journalist Helmi Yusof.
Visit www.trcl.sg/13-19-art-prize/auction to view the works on auction from now till Jan 17. All net proceeds go towards The Business Times Budding Artists Fund.
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