A Space Between is a firm believer of art therapy and empowerment through art. Underlining Art for Good’s philosophy and driving their mission for outreach, A Space Between shows support by hosting an art exhibition by their youths!
Art For Good is a social enterprise which provides professional art services and organises meaningful art projects for the better of the community. Volunteers mentor youth artists with disabilities who have expressed interest in art or aspire to become artists. Their team of art professionals seek to guide and build them up to their full potential. Proceeds from these projects, including the sale of this exhibition, go towards funding their efforts in helping children with special needs, disabilities and from low income families.
As an annual initiative to feature art within the space, A Space Between collaborates with Art for Good with a multi-prong intent – helping a disadvantaged community, advocating art therapy and supporting independent artists.
“Our beliefs align, and we want to use art to empower people who are different,” comments Joy Lee, Creative Director of A Space Between, on the partnership.
Amanda Chen-Lee, founder of Art for Good elaborates, “We were approached by A Space Between to do a collaboration, to support our artists with disabilities, which we appreciated. We would love to give our beneficiaries more opportunities for display and exhibition, and to find supporters and buyers for their artwork, through our platforms and initiatives. So thank you to A Space Between for hosting us and collaborating on this project.”
Art pieces from the youths have been purposely placed within the compound, and will be opening for public viewing from 23 May 2022. Designed by youths with special needs and mental health difficulties, the art ranges from adorable line drawings of animals to dreamy interpretations of reality. The wide spectrum of colours employed by the young artists tell of their youthful exuberance and vibrant personalities.
Art For Good has selected the best artworks each artist has created which are also showcased on their website. These were further shortlisted by A Space Between for this exhibition.
Artist Cindy Phua’s Fluid Fantasy reveals her fascination with the shape, form and texture of seashells while her other piece Northern Exposure is her interpretation of the Northern Lights. Jonas Teo committed his impression of the Eiffel Tower on canvas, hoping that he will be able to witness the actual landmark with his own eyes on day. Jonas shares that his inspiration for his piece Hot Air Balloon came from the movie UP. Jonas expresses his memory of the film jovially, “The movie had colourful balloons which lifted an entire house,” he laughs, “It’s hilarious!” The boy uses art as a conduit for self-expression, and finds himself enjoying it immensely.
Figure 1. Hot Air Balloon by Jonas
Figure 2. Sunflower by Lucas
Titus Teo exudes his childlike innocence and sincerity through his art. In Chinese New Year he depicts his favourite festival and painted the face of a cheery primate for Monkey signifying his own spirited nature. Sunflower was a piece he created recently in 2021. “Sunflowers are sunny and makes people happy when we see them,” the child artist comments. “I hope that when people see this, the sunflowers will make them smile.” Titus candidly adds, “I like doing at as it makes me feel happy.”
Lucas Teo on the other hand, uses art to calm himself down. Referring to his piece Elephant, he comments, “Elephants are my favourite animals and I enjoy drawing something that I love and can relate to. I hope that when people see my art, they can appreciate the gentle giant and learn about wildlife conservation.”
Inspired by the gifts of mother earth, Leslie describes his work, Nature in my Eyes. “This artwork means to me that nature is a part of life and is also a part of humanity’s existence. It plays a part in our lives as we solely depend on it. I hope that environmental enthusiasts will buy this painting as this represents the global issues in the world like global warming, air pollution and so on.” Art helps Leslie relax and allows him to express his emotions onto paper using a pencil or a paint brush. This simple act provides him with a cathartic outlet, channelling his negative energy into a positive one.
Figure 3. Nature in my Eyes by Leslie
The exhibition also showcases the winning works of the Endangered Animal Art Contest. The contest was organised to promote climate action and awareness and was sponsored together with Totally Hot Stuff and BeFantastic. Champion Escher Tan used colour pencils to draw the Bengal Tiger, the African elephant and a gorilla. He created his masterpiece with a heartfelt hope that these animals will not go extinct. Another champion Nurin Farisha Binte Abdullah used poster colour to paint the African Penguin, the Great Panda and the Tiger. The majesty of these animals captured her and similarly, she depicted her hopes that they would continue thriving in the ecosystem. Works of runners-up Ashley Yan and Philemon Hiu are also on display for the exhibition.
Figure 4. Displays of endangered species
The art pieces are available for purchase and they range from $80 to $500. The proceeds go directly to the artists and their families. Art for Good’s website also features other artists and their art that can be purchased. To view them, click here.
On 15 June 2022, a Meet and Greet event will be held from 10am-12pm. Members from the public can meet the young artists themselves while viewing the art. To RVSP for the event, simply click here.
Known as Nate, I am someone who cannot quit wielding the pen or punching the QWERTY, no matter where life brings me. Writing has always been the most effective conduit for channeling my wanted or unwanted opinions since I was an undergraduate at NUS. Naturally, I used this skill as a means of sustenance after working as a writer and editor for many years until I decided to start a business in music. That did not put a halt to my marriage with the vernacular.
In October 2016, I graduated with my Masters in Visual and Media Anthropology, which is the study of cultures through films and photography, at Freie Universität Berlin. This transitory period of residing in two cities has pushed the boundaries of my creativity and my battles with word count have not ceased.
Now a new mode of writing, the academic one, has been added to my existing smorgasbord of corporate and lifestyle collaterals, articles, advertisements, annual reports and books. At the moment, my learning curve is an uphill journey as I attempt to grasp the camera for stills and motion clips, while I juggle that with developing my love affair with my other mode of expression – electronic music.
