The Scented Haven
Solo painting exhibition by Soh Boon Kiong
presented by Sunjin Galleries
1 - 30 Nov 2020
In 1990, in between his studies at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts de Paris, Soh Boon Kiong held his first solo exhibition at the Empress Place Museum in Singapore (present Asian Civilisation Museum). Three decades later, he is returning with works that have evolved from sombre abstracts to vibrantly coloured abstract landscape paintings.
Soh graduated in 1993 and is now a master abstract colourist who infuses Western influences into his Asian soul. He draws inspiration from austere Chinese “san-sui’’ (landscape) ink paintings but renders his works contemporary and joyous with a harmonious myriad of luxuriant colours. His zeal for life is depicted by his embrace of colour & generously broad brushstrokes.
Married to a Japanese woman in 1998, Soh speaks five languages fluently – Chinese, Japanese, Malay, English & French. Soh traverses between Japan and Malaysia for his family and art creation. He bridges cultures using art as the universal language.
The Scented Haven is an exhibition expressing the artist’s fantasy dream of creating works with an illusionary invocation to our sense of smell; tempting us to follow a haunting perfume trail into the inner sanctum of memory to dwell on the sweetness of life. The artworks in this online exhibition are smaller than his usual large-format paintings to reflect this intimacy. “Each painting is an embodied universe within itself, captured in a transient moment, with all the elements breathing and echoing each other peacefully” - Soh Boon Kiong.
Soh Boon Kiong
I am delighted to be invited by Sunjin Galleries Singapore to exhibit my artworks online. This exhibition also happens to coincide with the 30th anniversary of my first solo exhibition in 1990 at the former Empress Place Museum. It brings back all my old fond memories when I was in Singapore.
In this exhibition, the works are slightly smaller in comparison to my past paintings which have been synonymous with large canvases in big spaces, whereby I attempted to evoke the vastness of the soul and greatness of our physical world.