Bronze Award (Established Artist) - Singapore
Artist: Hannah Tan Cheng Hoon, (b.1972)
Title: Enshrouded in Myopia
Medium: Oil on Linen
Size (cm): 142.0 x 142.0 cm
This still life painting of an open pomegranate wrapped in a crinkled plastic sheet is an observation of the myopic views of identity and citizenship within Singapore society. The plastic covering signifies the artificial nature of nation building activities. Ms Tan has left part of the painting unfinished to depict the young nation’s ongoing development, while the dark mass of seeds represents the issues that threaten its security. The deformed animal head in the centre of the painting illustrates the emergence of new perspectives and differing views.
Trained as a teacher, Ms Tan decided to follow her dreams and became a professional artist in 2010. Selling her first work that year emboldened her to develop her craft and she has continued to sell her works to galleries and individual collectors. Ms Tan currently marries her skills as an educator with her love of art by teaching art classes. She is also a member of the International Guild of Realism and the Portrait Society of America.