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 Young french artist Philippe Laleu has been coming intermittently to Asia -- namely Japan, Bangkok and Singapore -- for the last seven years or so. It started with a six month residency in the Japanese city of Kyoto at a time when the artist worked mostly in paint. But after his first encounter with Asia, photography became a central element in his new work, a fresh perspective that he brings to Ordinary Fictions, his upcoming exhibition to be held at Plastique Kinetic Worms. Ordinary Fictions is the third solo exhibition of Laleu's work to be held in Singapore. Although he uses photography in his work, Laleu doesn't pretend to be a photographer per se. His use of photography proves to be as sensitive as his use of other materials in his work. It's not difficult to decipher Laleu's own personal iconography amongst the varied materials and images which appear in the polytychs. Laleu is able to subside them into calmness by with his use of space and complementing, adjourning images. The exhibition features works made in Detroit and France, were especially made for this particular show. Ordinary Fictions attempts to link people to places with a keen awareness of history in the midst of modernity. He uses old "found" photographs which he's appropriated and now juxtaposes with the new ones he's made himself. This isn't out of nostalgia but is a search for continuity between the past and present. In Bangkok where he last exhibited in September, Laleu has grouped together pictures he reframed, diverted, linked up or superimposed. These are the pictures of yesteryear, of present times. Ashes from the past mingle with today's shadows. It all emerges into works pregnant with History ( Chinese Diaspora, globalisation... ). Faces in close-up stare at us. Witnesses, guides or narrators : the characters reminds us that cities have been built for us, by us. Solo Exhibition by french artist Philippe Laleu 20 November 1998 - 6 December 1998 Plastique Kinetic Worms 68 Pagoda Street Opening hours : noon to 7pm daily except Mondays and public holidays For more information on the exhibition or the artist, please contact Yvonne Lee or Haslinda at Tel / Fax : 324 3221. |
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