Tan Rui Rong, ‘Beyond the Mountain II’, 2018, acrylic on canvas, 121 x 161 cm. Image courtesy the artist and UOB.

United Overseas Bank (UOB) Art Gallery presents Tan Rui Rong’s ‘Evocation of Space’. Running from 28 June to 30 July, this new artist showcase explores Tan’s perceptions of Singapore’s textured diversity, where the East converges with the West, and the traditional co-exists with the modern.

Tan is the 2013 UOB Painting of the Year Silver Award winner under the Established Artist category, and holds a Master of Arts in Translation Studies from Beijing Normal University.

Tan’s signature style is characterised by the use of large format Chinese characters and visual metaphors to convey his ideas.

The new works display a vivid synthesis of both organic and abstract forms, compelling the viewer to consider the complementary nature of the mediums Tan engages with. What appears to be the use of traditional calligraphy ink brush strokes on paper is actually intricate acrylic paint on canvas, displaying a harmonious union of traditions and new techniques in an imagined landscape.

The UOB Art Gallery, located at UOB plaza, provides a platform for cultural respite in Singapore’s Central Business District. Works from the UOB Art Collection are featured, with many winning entries from the UOB Painting of the Year competition and solo exhibitions by the competition’s alumni artists.

Submissions for the Singapore UOB Painting of the Year competition will be open from 24 – 26 August. Paintings and entry forms are to be submitted at the School of the Arts Art Gallery between 11am and 5pm daily.

More information at uobpoy.com.