If you're around the Robertson Quay area, check out this solo exhibition by prolific Los Angeles-based artist Pae White. The exhibition is the birthchild of the artist's STPI residency in 2018, where she allowed herself to be guided by the space, people, food, presented opportunities and Singapore itself.
The title, Friendship is Magic, is an ode to the chance occurrences and creative collaborations that Pae experienced during her residency. In times of social distancing and a lesser degree of human interaction, the final artworks remind us of the unexpected yet especially rewarding – and for the artist, magical – outcomes that can occur when we are given the space to connect and find inspiration from one another.
Pae White's name is synonymous with large-scale three-dimensional thread installations that spell out words. Her flocked alphabet and numerical works are an exercise in exploring space in the two-dimensional realm. Her flocked work UNLOST (2018) speaks to her time spent wandering around Singapore. It was the artist's first time here, but there was hardly any sense of being lost – instead, she felt right at home.
Keep wandering and you'll find the GRAYSCAPES series (2018), which, similarly examines space. The artist used threads to create space on a two-dimensional plane. It was expertly, almost surgically, sewed onto paper with the support of the workshop team. This created the same prismatic effect seen in her flocking words. Put together side by side, the undulating landscapes of floating letters and numbers impart a sense of lyricism, rhythm and movement. The work heavily utilises the embossing technique on bronze, cream and silver papers for her Hearing Things series (2018).
Pae White: Friendship is Magic provide some meaning, connection and colour, exactly what we all need during these dull times. Entry to STPI is free, so go ahead and experience it for yourself.