Status, Jane Lee, Singapore, 2009, mixed media.
Collection of Singapore Art Museum.
Born in Singapore in 1963, Jane Lee graduated from LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts and a Diploma in Fashion. Amongst other awards, she was the recipient of the inaugural Singapore Art Exhibition Art Prize in 2007. Since 2002, she has exhibited widely in the region, including at international platforms such as Singapore Biennale in 2008.
Status examines the genre of painting by means of pushing the limits of materials and techniques by highlighting the creation process. The work, which is monumental, crosses the boundaries of painting, sculpture and installation, defying traditional categorisation. With the paint seemingly escaping from its frame and pooling at the bottom of the work, it compels the viewer to examine it from several angles, and also to re-think the practice of painting in this new era of art-making. Status was the centrepiece at Lee's 2009 solo exhibition.
This is an extract from "The Singapore Story through 60 objects" written by Kennie Ting, Director, Asian Civilisations Museum and Peranakan Museum & Group Director of Museums, National Heritage Board. This article was first published in Cultural Connections Volume IV 2019 by Culture Academy Singapore.
