Singapore's Leonardo da Vinci: Keane Tan
by Kenneth Lyen
Introduction
Today I visited the UOB Art Gallery at Raffles Place to see the new winners of the annual United Overseas Bank (UOB) Painting of the Year. We congratulate this year Singapore’s Established Artist winner, 22-year-old Keane Tan Jin Howe.
Keane Tan Jin Howe, UOB Painting of the Year triple prize-winner
His winning painting is titled “A Dramatic Cinematic for Our Century”. There is a digital generated underlay, and it is then overpainted with oil paint.
A Dramatic Cinematic for Our Century by Keane Tan (UOB Established Artist Winner for Singapore 2021)
Set in the iconic Merlion Park at Marina Bay, the painting depicts turbulent waves reminiscent of Hokusai’s Great Wave.
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Closer view of what is inside the waves
Carried by the wave are multiple smaller “objects” that look like humans struggling to survive the storm. In the current context, the storm is the result of climate change, and looks like an inevitable phenomenon that must occur before humanity is spurred into action . It is a very “moving” picture in both the visual and the emotional meanings of the word.
From Early Settlers, to a Newly Envisioned World by Keane Tan (UOB Established Artist Gold Award Winner 2019)
This is another of Keane Tan’s UOB Painting Award in 2019, where he won the Gold award for Established Artist with his painting “From Early Settlers, to a Newly Envisioned World”. Set in a tropical landscape with trees, flowers, birds, with some dominant structures and icons, it echoes the past and present of Singapore. You can recognise Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, and in the centre is a lion.
Unexpected Results by Keane Tan (UOB Emerging Artist Winner 2018)
Keane Tan won his first UOB Emerging Artist award in 2018 with his painting “Unexpected Results”. It is a humorous playful depiction of what looks like a creature (human?) made of seductive sweets, ice cream, lollies, doughnuts, croissant, etc. Children’s diets are composed largely of these items, and until they reach adulthood, they can enjoy life.
All three winning paintings are brilliant in their artistry as well as the subtle meanings embedded in the art. They deserve to win.
What is also quite fascinating is the ability of Keane Tan to take famous paintings by Vincent Van Gogh, Picasso, Seurat and others and transform into creative variations on the original. This is especially interesting with the several manifestations of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
Variations on the Mona Lisa by Keane Tan
Well, the enigmatic smile may have gone, but the new versions breathe a different lifeform into Mona Lisa.
Will Keane Tan become as famous and talented as Leonardo da Vinci? Only time will tell. We wish him all the very best.
Good luck!
Reference
Keane Tan Official Website: https://www.keaneofficial.com/bio
Written by Kenneth Lyen
30 November 2021
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