SEA Focus
Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Singapore
06 to 15 January 2023

S.E.A. Focus is a leading showcase and art market hub dedicated to Southeast Asian contemporary art. It aims to bring together a fine curation of established and emerging artistic talents to foster a deeper appreciation of contemporary art and artists in the region.

As the anchor event of the Singapore Art Week, it offers an exciting and complementary blend of art experiences for collectors, artists, galleries and the public. The initiative celebrates the best of contemporary art in Southeast Asia and is led by STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, commissioned by the National Arts Council, Singapore.

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After navigating the unchartered waters of COVID-19 over the last two editions, S.E.A. Focus emerged to stand tall for its fifth edition and welcomed 2023 with the presentation of over 170 artworks by 25 galleries and 50 over artists from around the world.

 

With the region ready for renewed opportunities, S.E.A. Focus returned refreshed from 6 to 15 January 2023 to present some of the most exciting and creative works dedicated to Southeast Asian contemporary art. This was encapsulated in its curatorial theme “a world, anew”, which explored the idea of new beginnings and how vast potential can be found in minuscule or humble sources, with much to be discovered from the region’s rich cultural history and talents.

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For S.E.A. Focus, Liquified (2021-2022) is showcased with Art Porters Gallery. This long paper tapestry is made of modular pieces of chromatico paper that are fashioned out of repeating a simple origami square. Using gradient gold paper, Hazel assembles each modular unit to form the large scale malleable piece of sculpture that use the properties of the coloured paper to diffuse and reflect the light and shadows in space. The conjoining of the modular pieces for her is a type of weave, a metaphor of the individual parts coming together to form something larger and more powerful in scale and form. This is reminiscent of her observation of women’s work of quilt or tapestry, where smaller parts are made and then interlocked together through care, dedication and time, to create larger and functional pieces of work that are used in and around the house as ornamentation and protection. To highlight the sensuous quality of the paper, Liquified is installed against the wall and draped onto a raised platform to suggest the sensation of a wrap or hug.

 

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