叶健一, 点。线。圈 @ Wisma Kebudayaan SGM

"Dots.Lines.Circles" presents father-daughter artists Yap Hong Ngee and Jane Yap, where I was drawn mostly to Jane's works amid the many on display.  Vertical space is exploited in the "Comfort In Shade" and "Window" series, both exhibited on the ground floor.  In the former series, emerging tree shadows span the entire length of paper scroll, the artist skilfully projecting depth via a liquid medium.  Grid-like birdcages in the latter series evince a balanced sense of space, where one expects the sparrows rendered in a few brush strokes, to begin chirping aloud at any time.

Jane Yap - Comfort in Shade 背靠大树好乘凉 series (2010)

The same birds linger upstairs on other vertical structures, in the modern "Dots.Lines.Circles" series.  Drips of ink form volumetric circles in 'VI', where every blotch contributes a solidity to the illustrated beams.  A remarkable rendition of brick texture is seen in 'IV', where I suspect scrubbing and/or dissolving actions were employed, to create this concrete impression.  Jane's Chinese calligraphic works are unconventional, where brown paper is stained to create an impactful background, akin to the bitumen eruptions seen in Hamir Soib's works.

Jane Yap - Dots.Lines.Circles 点。线。圈 IV (2012)

Also exhibited are many drawings of cats and flowers, seeming favourite subjects of the artist.  Negative space is cleverly juxtaposed in these black and white ink paintings, each line and dot sufficient to depict familiar shapes.  While Hong Ngee's works consist of large decorative panels overladen with flowers, Jane incorporates Chinese ink and Eastern characteristics into her charming paintings, where a modern perspective complements wonderfully with a traditional art form.

Jane Yap - Calligraphy 书法 V (2000)

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