PROPOSAL   

 

Title: Innards

Subtitle: body ventures in the natural world

 

Artist: Dr Chng Nai Wee

 

Concept: The artist depicts the tissues of the human, animal, and plant bodies in cross-section and in a proprietary clinical histological-pathological-anatomical aesthetic style to demonstrate the wonder and beauty of the tissue construction of living things.

 

Site Context: The Biopolis is Singapore’s Life Sciences hub. The Biopolis will be the symbolic driver of Singapore’s economy and culture, and a highly visible icon of the state’s technological progress and its aspirations. The sites are the lobbies of Block 1 and Block 7.

 

Series A.

Method: The artist depicts the tissues of the human, animal and plant bodies in a clinical histological-pathological-anatomical aesthetic style using the artist’s proprietary admixture of industrial paint media on aluminium panels. The artist depicts the figures in a stylistic perspective of cross-section that is simultaneously and surprisingly visually perceptible at varying depths in contradistinction to conventional plain 2 and plain 3-dimensional perspectives.

 

These aluminium panels are placed back to back, showing two different depictions on each side, and are encased in Perspex transparent casing, anchored by a loaded base with tapering shelves to a centimetre of elevation above the floor, and are mobile by wheels built under the base. Alternately, these panels may show one depiction, the panel itself is itself wall mounted, and the panel is protected behind Perspex or glass, depending on the best fit to the interiors.

 

Materials:

Different admixtures of industrial alkyd paints, aluminium and copper based paints, and organic solvents, are prepared for single application according to the artist’s proprietary formulary.

 

Presentation #1:

Flat even aluminium panels that are matt grey sprayed painted, and are 2.7 meters long and 1.8 metres wide. These panels are screwed into either flat aluminium sheets.or flat hollow aluminium frame sheets. Both these sheets are 2.85 metres long and 1.8 metres wide. The bottom 0.15 metres of the aluminium sheets are embedded inside the loaded base for stability of the artwork. The aluminium panels are mounted protruding at all its edges on similar grey-painted aluminium strips that are 0.01 meter in thickness all around.

 

These mobile Perspex encased works are mobile on wheels that have brakes and stoppers installed and can easily be moved from site to site.

 

Presentation #2

Flat aluminium panels that are matt grey painted, and are of varying dimensions. These flat aluminium panels are protected by a Perspex casing. The entire unit is mounted on the walls of the lobby of the Biopolis building.

 

Presentation #3

The proprietary paint admixture is placed on the Perspex sheet and is protected by another Perspex sheet directed above. The two Perspex sheets are screwed directly onto the gray painted flat aluminium sheet of equal size and area and the flat aluminium sheet serves as both gray background, backing, and frame.

 

Color combinations:

Black, white, and tones of gray; with or without silver.

Red, white, and tones of pink; with or without gold.

Red, white, green; and tones of pink and green.

Others.

 

Series B

Method: The artist depicts the tissues of the human body in a clinical histological-pathological-anatomicaonl aesthetic style using the artist’s proprietary admixture of industrial paint media on layers of superimposed clear Perspex sheets. The superimposition adds a dimension of variability, as these Perspex sheets can be displayed forward and backwards in order of the Perspex sheets, and add depth to viewing of the works. These Perspex sheets can be at different distances within the casing.

 

Presentation

A Perspex encasing is constructed that houses these various Perspex sheets which are viewed end-on. There can be a final matt grey spray painted backing that provides the background for the works as well as a colorless background.



 

Working conditions:

Space: The artists requires a clean 2000 square feet studio space, installed with many windows that can be opened and closed, and that are well-ventilated by an industrial quality ventilator.

 

Equipment: The artist requires 2 industrial quality gas masks, with chemical filters.

 

Materials: Perspex sheets, proprietary paint admixture, aluminium and stainless steel panels.

 

Assistant:  1 artist assistant for a duration of half-month part-time, one-month full time, followed by half-month part-time, respectively. The artist assistant is responsible for assisting the artist to acquire the tools and media for the work, to create the works, to transport the works, to display the works, and to document the process.

 

Support Staff: Photographer.

 

 

Time Line:

6 months

 

Phases

Conception of Project

Presentation of Proposal and Approval of Project:

Preparation of materials, tool, and spaces

First Scaled-down Model Execution

Final Works Execution.

Concurrent Documentation of Project