Ancient Future Myths: Works by Chua Chon Hee and Ben Loong

AC43 Gallery is proud to present this exhibition which brings together two artists of different generations and practices who are both drawn to the sculptural potential and timelessness of ceramic. This exhibition features 30 ceramic works and prints that highlight the two artists’ distinctive reflections on some of the oldest systems of order that have informed our understanding of the world, and the powerful associations of meanings they carry.

Across centuries and civilisations, mythologies and astronomy have long held power over man’s imagination. After all, many of today’s myths were once ancient truths that shaped societies and cultures. As some dissipated with the progress of time, others inherited new roles and values that continue to scaffold the cultures of today and tomorrow.

Beyond catering to artisanal concerns of utility and craftsmanship, which are commonly associated with the appreciation of the medium, the artists have chosen to look towards ceramics as expressive vehicles for powerful ideas. Their works not only demonstrate the allure of clay, but push familiar notions of ceramic into unfamiliar territories.

For her latest series, Strange Ruminations 奇思, Chua Chon Hee (b. 1960, Singapore) looks to mythology as an anchor as well as a point of departure. She employs diverse methods and processes to transform the fantastical narratives of Chinese classic text Shan Hai Jing 山海经 (The Classic of Mountains and Seas) as well as elements of Greek mythology into bold forms and sculptural vessels. Meanwhile, Ben Loong (b. 1988, Singapore) references the vast cosmos and man’s wrestle with celestial meanings in his new mixed media series, Asterism. His series also lends a thoughtful interrogation into the history and material process of industrial ceramic and bone china, bringing into focus the complex relationship between art, craft and the labour industry.