Problem

Painting is about visualizing, how we always stand and look at paintings from the front…

Painting is 2-dimensional. In the past, it has always been regarded as a piece of important, almost sacred work that you view in temples or churches in the east or the west. We see a painting from a distance depending on the size. We do not really go close to a painting unless we want to see the details or texture, but we never touch a painting as we might destroy the color or the expressive brush strokes. Paintings that hang in a museum or national gallery are the equally well-protected, as Security will stop you or even sue you if you have damaged the works.

Solution

Interactive is the concept for my paintings, and this involves going even nearer to the painting, not just looking at the details or texture but to interact with the painting. This is to draw you one step nearer to the painting. The interaction involves touching the painting and looking for switches. When the switch is “ON”, light, sound and movement will make the painting alive. This is a way to bring forward the idea of painting by erasing the gap in the viewing of a painting by touching, talking, listening, and playing with the painting. Interactive with this communication, allows an exchange of information and ideas are created. Thus interaction becomes a form of performance as the audience reacts to the situation in the painting   as AIM Artist Investigating Monument, Bye Bye Albert, Pulau Ubin art project etc…

Achievement for the concept.

This of paintings is about interactive with paintings, and the situation you find yourself when next to a painting. There are artists that deal with this issue of interactive art by using installation and public art works. I would like to use this concept for the current series of paintings to interact with the audience, and in order to erase the gap between painting and audience by bringing audience and painting together.

Method

Using only oil paints, one of the traditional ways of painting. Paint almost like in a classical painting, for example Goya, Rembrandt Using electronic machines as a way to generate interaction with the painting. Example: install a Walkie Talkie where audience can talk to each other from a distance. Music for the audience to react in a chaotic situation with children’s music. Light to see the change of colour and form of the painting. Size of the painting to cater for a Housing Development Board flat Talk to friends or strangers to exchange information with them, record conversations to get ideas for the painting.