"Heart of Chinatown 2"

Collecting Art With Poh Siew Wah

With an evolving COVID-19 situation and being unable to travel, most artists are holed up in their studios painting the days away and hoping for a return to normalcy. Momentous Arts caught up with Singaporean artist Poh Siew Wah to find out what he has being doing. Read More >

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BEEJAY ESBER
Jan Calleja

Jan Calleja

Jan Calleja

Jan Calleja

Raul Jorolan

Art Talk — ReminiscinG

"Fusion Reflection" Rene Robles and Emmanuel Garibay

FUSION REFLECTION

SOLD for PHP 370,000 (including buyer's premium) at Avant Auctions Philippines

Yes, sold. Wow!

When I first came to know about this sale, I was elated, not because of the price it achieved (though it is still a record price for a fusion work by these two artists), but simply because it was sold.

You would have asked by now, “is it so difficult to sell?” Let me explain: This work was part of a groundbreaking exhibition shown at Momentous Arts Gallery in Singapore in April 2009 (shortly after the Lehman crisis”. This painting titled “Fusion Reflection” is a fusion work by two well-known painters Rene Robles and Emmanuel Garibay, each with a distinctively unique style; asserting and transforming their iconography on a shared canvas. It is not often that artists would make works together. The media were so excited and so were we at Momentous Arts. Ms. Kanitha Angela, who came to view the exhibition, wrote: “Rene Robles’ assertionism’ and Garibay’s Realistic paintings were great when fused together, especially cause they are very different from each other.”

Yet this painting was not sold during the exhibition but gone on to achieved higher prices at the auction. Bemused, I pondered “Was it ahead of its time?” possibly. “Were collectors aren’t adventurous enough?” probably as they did not take collaboration work seriously enough. So It’s an opportunity missed.

Andy Warhol did it with Jean-Michel Basquiat and most recently in February 2018, Takashi Murakami and Virgil Abloh (designer of street wear brand Off-White) took their collaborative work to London Gagosian. ◆

ABORIGINAL ART SIZZLES IN NEW YORK AUCTION

A stronger than expected sales has elevated the attractiveness of Aboriginal art in International art markets. The debut auction at Sotheby New York in fall 2019 features the work of well known names : Emily Kane Kngwarreye, Gordon Bennett, Ronnie Tjampitjinpa. Eight new artist auction records were set with 29 out of 33 lots sold.


The surprisingly good results will propel more sales and activity in this category as collectors are eager to unearth new gems with potential gains not yet fully realized. The category remain affordable and there may be room for further price appreciation..Despite Aboriginal art unshakable position in the history of Australian art, it has never been as widely collected internationally compared to categories like Old Masters, Impressionist & Modern art, Post War & Contemporary art etc. Prospects are brighter now with the success of this sale and an earlier sale by Gagosian of Indigenous Australian painting five months earlier.  ⬩

MANGA (ASTRO-NOMIC PRICES AT AUCTION)

Culturally important to the people of Japan and popular in many parts of the world, Manga is staking its position in the art world. A Paris auction has sold an original Astro Boy drawing by Osamu Tezuka for about $320,000 as reported by NHK. Only one set of drawing are created for each manga and their value are more appreciated now than before, partly due to the rise of contemporary art and the entry of street art as a genre for collecting. That many contemporary artists has appropriated celebrated characters like Astro Boy add to the allure of this much celebrated series.


Recent museums show in Japan and abroad has cast the spotlight on Manga as an art form (essentially drawings using ink and pen) and its penetrating presence in the daily lives of people. This will further enhance the appeal and value of collecting original manga drawings among niche collectors. It will be interesting to watch the growth of these two categories, Aboriginal art and Manga and whether they will be a mainstay in the art market long term. ⬩

WATCH

Rene Robles Live Painting at Momentous Arts Gallery | Singapore

Miyabi Katayama
Emotional Resonance
MIYABI KATAYAMA

Elegantly simple, Katayama’s art emanates an air of joyous serenity that is immediately felt on viewing. The artist approaches the landscape subject with remarkable freedom and focus, bringing to mind Matisse engagingly simple paper cut-outs. 

Rene Robles Painting Art Of Metaphysical Stillness
Art of Metaphysical Stillness
RENE ROBLES

EXHIBITION

Beauty & Youth (B-Side)

Jan Calleja  •  Janos DelaCruz  •  Beejay Esber  •  Pete Jimenez  •  Raul JOROLAN  •  Marilou Solano  •  Stephen Taneo

TANGLIN MALL SEPTEMBER 2019

Bold, inventive and energetic, the aesthetics of urban art brings an exciting freshness to the studio practice of artists engaged in contemporary art today. An eclectic range of paintings, sculptures and collectible art toy will deck the pop up space at Tanglin mall. Grounded with a strong urban vibe, the artworks encapsulate the creative energies that flow out of the urban studios of Manila.

The vitality of youth and euphoria of freedom (tenets of urban art) reverberated through the artworks by the artists constant editing, subverting and appropriating. Beauty & Youth (B-side), seeks to entertain, to provoke and amuse with a curated line up of fresh works.

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Interviews, Reviews, Features On Artists
& Contemporary Art Practices

Poh Siew Wah – Island In The Sun

Penang Solo Exhibition - 13 Jan, 2019
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Art of Metaphysical Stillness – Rene Robles

Lifestyle Inquirer
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Enigmatic Landscapes – Tang Hong Lee

ArtHop Review – July 11, 2016
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Beauty In The Ordinary – Rene Robles

Sept 2015, Gallery & Studio
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The Transformation of the Commonplace – Rene Robles

Issue 37 Contemporary Art Philippines
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Asserting Himself – Rene Robles

Singapore Art Gallery Guide 2015
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Art historian James T. Valliere interviews artist Edwin Wilwayco

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Recalibration Edwin Wilwayco – Editor’s Visual Pick

July 2014, Singapore Art Gallery Guide
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The Big Pic – Edwin Wilwayco Recalibration

July 2014, TimeOut Singapore
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Wilwayco’s intriguing ‘Recalibration’ to open in Singapore

7th July 2014, Philippine Daily Inquirer
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Wilwayco’s Recalibration – Stock-taking of Impressive Body of Work

14 July 2014, Philippine Daily Inquirer
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Poetry In Motion – Lim Ah Cheng

November 2013 — Designer
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Private As Thought – Rene Robles

December 2012 - Contemporary Art Philippines
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Cityscapes (A new Dimension) – Poh Siew Wah

3 Sept 2011, Lianhe Zaobao
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My Weekend – Poh Siew Wah

26 Aug, 2011 – The Straits Times
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Ling Yang Chang – Lianhe Zaobao

Jan, 2010
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Ling Yang Chang – Lianhe Zaobao

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Tang Hong Lee

20 Aug 2010, Lianhe Zaobao
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Reconfiguring Domestic Space – Rene Robles

20 January 2010, Business Mirror
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Smart Assets

January 2010
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The Best Of East Meets West – Lim Ah Cheng

February 2009, Equestrio Magazine
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Lim Ah Cheng – Lianhe Zaobao

9 Aug 2008
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The Passage – Lim Ah Cheng

21 July 2008, Straits Times
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A Joyful Moment – Soon Lai Wai

26 April 2008, Lianhe Zaobao
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Making Visible – Rene Robles

March - April 2008, Asian Art News
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Boom Time For South-East Asian Art

29 February 2008, My Paper
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Art In Everyday Objects – Rene Robles

22 February 2008, 88DB.com
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No Object Too Trivial to Make a Point with Art – Rene Robles

22 February 2008, My Paper
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Wilwayco in Singapore

19 November, 2007, Philippine Daily Inquirer
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Lascano and Goh: A match in Zen in Singapore Art Exhibit

30 July 2007, Philippine Daily Inquirer
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Tang Hong Lee

21 June 2007, Sin Chew Daily
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Evoking Mood – Liz McKay

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Expressions

May 2007, The Peak Magazine
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Different Strokes Down Under

3 May 2007, Straits Times
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The Art of Making Visible – Rene Robles

Mar/Apr 2007, Asian Art News
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Ling Yang Chang – Lianhe Zaobao

February 2007
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Art Attack, by Melissa De Silva

28 January 2005, I-S Managazine
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Rhythm of Colours – Tang Hong Lee

March 2003, The Straits Times
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Rhythm of Colours – Tang Hong Lee

March 2003, Business Times
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