Chen
Chong Swee, a critic of mine once said that art should be created with another
person in mind and that "meaningless paintings are a waste of time and
effort". He then criticized my work for its lack of relevance to the real
world and said that it will be "eliminated and destroyed by time."
In
response to Chen, I would like to point out that although my works are indeed
self referential in nature, they contain elements that are universally
understood by anyone regardless of culture or ethnicity- Lines, colour, and
form are all rudimentary pictorial elements that even a young child can
comprehend. My work therefore speaks a sort of
"universal language" that can cater to an international audience.
Its appeal is timeless and universal, and I therefore fail to see why it would
be " eliminated and destroyed" as he claimed.
In
fact, it is somewhat ironic that Chen would criticize my work for being
ephemeral in its appeal.
Returning From The Sea. Chen Chong Swee.
Watercolor on paper. 90.7 x 128.2 cm.
Looking
at work above, I would like to question Chen on how his works are now relevant
in today's context. Can anyone understand/relate to this picture? I believe the
answer is no.