An interview with artist-ceramicist Jason Lim

Jason Lim was born in Singapore in 1966. His practices include ceramics, installation art, video and performance art.

Lim had held several solo exhibitions internationally, including Australia, Korea and Japan. He had been invited to take up residency work period in Japan, The Netherlands, Australia and The U.S.A. In 2006, he was awarded the Freeman Fellowship for his residency work period at the Vermont Studio Center in Vermont, U.S.A.

As a performance artist, he has been invited to present performance art in many international performance festivals in Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Germany, England, Poland, Vietnam, Chile and Greenland. In 2007, Jason Lim was one of four artists representing Singapore in the 52th Venice Biennale. Lim was also invited for the 4th World Ceramics Biennale, Incheon, Korea and awarded the Juror’s prize.
Future projects include Live Art Presentation at Chinese Arts Center, Manchester, UK, Artist-in-resident work period in Alice Spring, Australia and solo shows at Post-Museum and Art Forum in Singapore and Queensland Craft Gallery in Brisbane, Australia.




Rajinder says: hello Jason

Jason says: hi

Rajinder says: I want to start with something you said in 2005 - My works are "containers" of thought and meaning…

Rajinder says: This was for your Fruit of Labour 2005 exhibition in Singapore I believe.

Jason says: yes, 'containers' refers to the objects I made.

Jason says: thoughts and meaning goes into making them.

Jason says: so they contain the thinking and meanings

Jason says: its a way to preserving the thinking process

Jason says: the object becomes a relic/recording of a process.

Jason says: I have recently installed a still life arrangement of ceramics objects in SAM.

Jason says: about a hundred pieces of these objects create a ‘Still /Life’.

Jason says: they can be re-arranged in different ways in different spaces.

Jason says: the arrangement reveals a thinking process in formal comments of sculpture and especially in pushing the boundaries of ceramics.

Jason says: so the meaning of the objects/containers changes like my thinking changes through time.

Rajinder says: Let's talk about meaning for a bit. How is it important to you in your work? How is it created for instance in relation to your present installation at Singapore Art Museum?

Jason says: the pieces now in SAM are a collection of objects made since 1995,

Jason says: some objects were packed in boxes for many years

Jason says: to have the chance to bring them out of the box and to see them with a 'fresh' eye is a delightful time to rediscover them.

Jason says: there is a lot of reflection about the situation and reasons for making them.

Jason says: there is a lot of personal history with these objects.

Jason says: the installation in SAM entitled ‘Still/Life’.

Jason says: showcase mainly fragments and test pieces rather than 'finished' work.

Jason says: these are important as they are the starting point of other series of works.

Jason says: it’s more important for me for viewer to form their own meaning in the work.

Jason says: different meanings coming from different viewers are important for the work, as it adds on layers of meaning to it.

Jason says: like when I made them, I started with an idea but the idea changed along the way and so does the meaning.

Jason says: different readings into the works enrich them.

Rajinder says: To you meaning is an active relationship, not a passive one.

Jason says: yes, different life experiences give us different ways in seeing things.

Rajinder says: Viewers come to your exhibitions expecting ceramics to be pots and bowls. You said once: “Ceramics, like any other applied art, has to quote from its past or from outside itself to gain content. But none of these quotations need matter very much to the observer; their main importance rests with the maker providing a subject matter and a theme. Many express uncomfortably [that my work is] abstract and unlovely, they want more symbolism and figuration in the works or, the absolute reverse, a pot-like pot.”

Jason says: we have very traditional art goers.

Jason says: putting things in categories makes people feel safe.

Jason says: not knowing what they are looking at is frightening.

Jason says: so going to a ceramics show and not seeing pots can be a shocking experience for some.

Rajinder says: How important is aesthetics in your work? That elusive and much maligned beauty in art which can be described in so many ways: form and function; law of the whole; friendship of parts; pleasure in the eye of the beholder etc.

Jason says: I apply my own aesthetic to my work, so some people like it and others don’t.

Jason says: but to me substance has to come first before aesthetics.

Jason says: a work has to have substance.

Jason says: meaning it has to have the power to radiate its own energy.

Rajinder says: You have probably been asked this a million times but your recent work at the Venice Biennale 2007 was an intriguing one. Your work entitled 'Just Dharma', a chandelier form composed of glowing porcelain Lotus flowers which was smashed at the launch of the pavilion. Bear with me and tell us a little about how you came across the idea, what was the process and how was it finally received at the Biennale?


Jason says: six months before the biennale, the artists had the chance to go to Venice for a site visit.

Jason says: we were there for 4 days, looking at the space and rooms that were allocated to us by the curator, Lindy Poh.

Jason says: the minute I got to the space, I knew immediately that my original proposal had to thrown out into the Grand Canal.

Jason says: the Palazzo, a 15th century gothic style building,

Jason says: the interior is restored to its original glory,

Jason says: wooden floor,

Jason says: red fabric wall,

Jason says: in each of the twelve rooms of various sizes, there is a chandelier,

Jason says: rococo styled with flowers,

Jason says: murano glass, very impressive and strong features in the rooms,

Jason says: the first large room that was given to me had two chandeliers.

Jason says: I was totally overwhelmed by the chandeliers.

Jason says: I came up with the concept of Just Dharma in the plane on our way back.

Jason says: I wanted to make a chandelier and let it crash to the ground.

Jason says: I wanted to make a chandelier because I wanted to add another to the thirteen existing ones.

Jason says: in the plane I was making drawings of chandeliers and I finalized the idea to use a flower as the motif.

Jason says: but I needed a specific flower and I chose the lotus.

Jason says: lotus gives meaning n context to the work.

Jason says: when the idea is in the head and on paper,

Jason says: it is only an idea,

Jason says: only when I started making the first few lotuses that I was able to concretize the look of the lotus flowers.

Jason says: I realized that it will take me a long of time to produce them.

Jason says: I enjoyed making them.

Jason says: I realize my attachment to them as I start to make them.

Jason says: and six months down the road…

Jason says: I had to mentally prepare myself for the eventual crash,


















Jason says: the destruction and wastefulness, as many referred to the act.

Jason says: but to me nothing lasts forever.

Jason says: beauty doesn’t last for ever.

Jason says: memory doesn’t last for ever.

Jason says: meaning doesn’t last forever

Jason says: the flowers were each hand made of porcelain.

Jason says: there were 1200 of them.

Jason says: I made half of them here and the other half were commissioned to artisans in Indonesia.

Jason says: they were given the original petals, and molds were made for them.

Jason says: due to the nature of firing and characteristic of porcelain,

Jason says: the petals deform at he peak temperatures.

Jason says: so, each lotus looks different.

Jason says: I went through many trials and errors in learning about how to assemble the pieces into one chandelier.

Jason says: finally the best solution is the simplest,

Jason says: tying them with cotton string,

Jason says: and cabling them to dimmers.

Jason says: but each site will require different strategies in forming the chandelier.

Jason says: the first trial piece was assembled in jalan bahar, it was a small scale piece of 2 meters.

Jason says: in Venice the piece is 4.5 m tall.

Jason says: so I had to rethink the shape that it was going to take in Venice.

Jason says: similarly, I will be installing another chandelier in SAM. Its length will be the same as the one in Venice.

Jason says: but the form will be different due to the space.

Jason says: every installation for me is a first installation.

Jason says: the works in Venice were very well received.

Jason says: I am happy with what I have done.

Rajinder says: Thanks Jason. I really enjoyed that. Persevere with me a little longer on 'Just Dharma'. What was the public's reaction to the smashing of the chandelier? What were the comments from the art community around the world?

Jason says: for those who were not there to see the crash,

Jason says: they thought that I use a hammer to smash up the work.

Jason says: because what is shown usually on photo is now a heap of broken ceramic mass.

Jason says: in fact, on site there is this heap of broken ceramics and four TVs in each corner of the room, screening the light performance I did with the chandelier and the crashing of the chandeliers.

Jason says: the chandelier came crashing down elegantly from a height of 6m from the ceiling.
Jason says: locals are always complaining that its a waste of tax payers money for destroying something and call it art.

Jason says: its an expected comment for those who are not art goers.

Jason says: even art goers would make comments like this just to stir things up a bit.

Jason says: the comments from art journalist from around the world were very good actually.

Jason says: many have pointed out that the work is outstanding amongst the pavilions outside the curated section.

Jason says: one even compared my work to that of Felix Gonzales-Torres’s light bulbs installation.

Jason says: which was in the American pavilion.

Rajinder says: wonderful..wonderful!

Rajinder says: final set of questions Jason. Tell me what is next in your schedule?

Jason says: will be going to Manchester (Chinese art center), Liverpool (performance art conference) and then to Sete (France, performance art festival) in November.

Jason says: chandelier for SAM should be up mid Nov.

Jason says: chandelier for New Majestic Hotel should be up in 2 weeks.

Jason says: my next solo ceramics show will be at Post-Museum in February 2008.

Rajinder says: Finally Jason, will you be exhibiting at the Singapore Biennale 2008. Have you thought about it? Can you give us a little sneak preview?

jason says: I don’t know if I will be involve in sb2008.

Jason says: I don’t want to apply to take part in it.

jason says: the director, Fumio Nanjo has seen my work in Venice.

Jason says: if he is interested… - will wait for the invitation.

Rajinder says: We look forward to it Jason. Thanks for agreeing to have a chat with me. I look forward to perhaps chatting again in the future.

jasonbsays: cheers.

Expressions of Interest Singapore Biennale 2008

Singapore Biennale 2008 seeks Expressions of Interest from Singaporean and Singapore based artists.

Singapore Biennale 2008 (SB2008) will be held from 11 September to 16 November 2008. Organised by Singapore’s National Arts Council, this international contemporary art event gives opportunity for further dialogue between the local scene and the international world of contemporary art. As a platform for collaboration with the global arts community, there is also potential for local visual artists to cultivate a deeper public engagement with the arts.

An expression of interest is to include:

• CV
• Artist statement
• A brief response to the concept of WONDER in relation to
your practice.
• 10 images showing your practice in digital format in one CD-ROM or hard copies limited to A4 size only and these are not returnable. Please do not submit originals.

Note that this is an expression of interest only and does not constitute selection.

For research purposes, please note that your submission will be archived. Otherwise, you may indicate in your entry that you do not wish your submission to be archived. The Singapore Biennale Secretariat recognizes that copyright of the submission shall belong to the artist.

Please submit the above by 15 Oct 2007 to:

Singapore Biennale Secretariat
1 Coleman Street,
#05-06, The Adelphi
Singapore 179803
Tel: (65) 6837 9270
Fax: (65) 6837 3654
www.singaporebiennale.org

For enquiries, please email info@singaporebiennale.org

Painted into a corner by forgers. Malaysian artists are no longer starving, but now they have to contend with a problem worse than obscurity — forgery

Painted into a corner by forgers
By : Sim Bak Heng

JOHOR BARU: Malaysian artists are no longer starving, but now they have to contend with a problem worse than obscurity — forgery.

After decades of struggling to get their works appreciated, their paintings are now being snapped up by galleries here and abroad.

In fact, their fame has spread so far that forgers are faking their works for sale to unsuspecting collectors.

The boom is said to be due to the bullish economy and a heightened interest in Malay- sian art, which has pushed up the value of their work.

Industry sources said works by well-known Malaysian painters ranged from RM100,000 to RM120,000 per painting.
The demand is so great that some art galleries overseas have purchased their works in advance for future shows.

For instance, contemporary artist Yusof Ghani of Pontian has been engaged by a foreign gallery to produce 25 paintings for a show in Hong Kong next year.

The price of the paintings — RM1.2 million — was settled in advance even before Yusof put paint to canvas.

The huge demand from individual and institutional buyers, coupled with the irresistible prices and packages they offer, are a morale booster for painters who have long laboured unappreciated by Malaysians.

Art collector Farouk Khan said Malaysian paintings had achieved world-class standards.

"In the field of fine art, the Malay painters are more outstanding, just like squash and badminton are world stage games for Malaysian sportsmen," said Farouk, an art collector who owns some 600 paintings of local artists.

One of them is Shushylawati Suleiman, who has just returned after displaying her works at the Documenta Exhibition in Kassel, Germany.

She was the first Malaysian artist to be extended the honour for the event, the Oscars of the art industry.

Farouk is impressed with the growing art industry and the mushrooming number of young artists.

They include Shushi Suleiman, Choy Chun Wei, Yau Bee Ling, Chan Kok Hooi, Ivan Lam, Daud Rahim and Aswad Ameir.

Also influential are members of the Matahati group comprising Hamir Soib, Ahmad Fuad, Ahmad Shukri, Masnor Ramli and Bayu Utomo, all in their 30s.

"They are the ‘rock’ group of the art world. They are young talents who should become the model for new painters," Farouk said.

Like CDs and VCDs, huge demand always breeds jealousy in the business world and encourages piracy.

Farouk and post-modernist artist Jailaini Abu Hassan were recently surprised when they saw a work, painted by the latter, in a photograph of a show apartment in Jakarta. Farouk owns the painting.

They are investigating whether the work was illegally loaned by a gallery or forged.

Farouk said the popularity of Malaysian paintings, both at home and abroad, had attracted pirates in the industry.

"The dilemma of work protection is currently the concern of the local art industry.

"People buy paintings because they have extra money. With the extra money, they want to develop their appreciation for culture and heritage, as reflected in the works of artists."

There is a fear that forgeries would hamper the development of painters, who often take several months to come up with an idea before they start painting.

However, Jailaini has a different view about forgery.

"I would not worry that much because we are not even close to critical level. In other countries, forgery has a longer history and tradition and has become a major industry that is professionally run.

"Sure, we have petty thieves here and there and bad replicas of originals but they are not even close to the originals."

Lim Wei Ling, the founder and director of Wei Ling Gallery, the biggest private gallery in the country, located in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, shares the same view.

She said Jailaini’s case was probably the first involving a Malaysian painter whose work had been forged overseas.

"Luckily, forgery does not occur in Malaysia. However, copycat activities among some young artists, or fresh graduates, are on the rise. I classify this as a form of cheating."

The works of Yusof, known for his ?Tari?, ?Wayang? and ?Topeng? series are not spared from forgery either. Three years ago, a local artist forged a piece from his ?Tari? series.

"The buyer of that forged painting thought that the work belonged to me and was desperately trying to get me to sign it.

"He was disappointed when I refused to sign it as it was not my work, although it was almost 90 per cent similar," said Yusof.

"He bought that small piece for RM15,000, when my original piece was sold at less than RM1,000. I could only feel sorry for him."

Yusof said art forgery was a recent phenomena in the industry which had caught many collectors by surprise.

He did not know if the works of artists had any legal protection.

Another form of forgery, said Farouk, was perpetrated by unscrupulous galleries.

"These galleries commission young artists to forge certain paintings for them. The gallery owners want something cheap out of art. The young artists don’t mind doing it as they need the money."

Farouk said local artists needed to know their rights and what to do to prevent forgeries of their works.

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