The winning works of the annual art competition are on display at Ngee Ann City, and available for purchase to raise funds for less-privileged children
A QUIET and tender portrayal of familial love earned 14-year-old Myra Jade Wee the top prize at the 13-19 Art Prize, organised by The Business Times and not-for-profit arts organisation TRCL.
Her painting, inspired by a memory of her grandparents caring for her when she was recovering from a leg injury, beautifully captures their gentle devotion. In the scene, her grandfather carries her school bag and her grandmother holds a bowl of homemade soup, as Wee hobbles home from school. Instead of depicting the moment head-on, Wee chose a more subtle perspective, showing her and her grandparents from behind, allowing the sincerity of their actions to speak for itself.
“I felt extremely grateful to my grandparents and wanted to express this warm feeling of familial love, through the use of strong lighting and vibrant colours. I hope this artwork evokes a sense of appreciation for family in the viewer,” Wee shares.
Her painting, alongside 22 other winning artworks, are currently being exhibited for free at Ngee Ann City Atrium (Level 1) until Oct 20. Other standout works include a striking abstract by Tan Jia Xin, 17, and a self-portrait by Zhang Enfei, also 17.
The winners were selected from over 300 works submitted by teenagers aged 13 to 19 across Singapore and neighbouring countries earlier this year.
All the winning artworks are being auctioned off to the public to raise funds for The Business Times Budding Artists Fund, a charity which helps children from low-income families pursue arts courses. The newspaper firmly believes that the arts are uniquely positioned to help nurture the creativity and self-confidence of such underserved children.
The works are priced as low as S$300 and as high as S$1,500. In order to bid for a work, log on to the TRCL website (trcl.sg/13-19-art-prize/auction/). Pick the artwork(s) you like and register your bid amount. If the opening price for a work is S$300, you can bid that amount or anything above that amount.
As this is a “silent auction”, you will not know the identity of other bidders or the amounts they have put in. At the end of November, the work goes to the highest bidder. The bidders’ names and their bid amounts will remain anonymous. TRCL will then courier the work/s to you.
The prize-giving ceremony held recently was graced by Rosa Daniel, the former CEO of National Arts Council and current dean of Culture Academy, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Takashimaya sponsored the prizes as well as the exhibition space.
Samantha Tan, senior department manager of advertising and promotions, Takashimaya Singapore, says: “We’re proud to be the prize and venue sponsor of the 13-19 Art Prize. We have long believed in the immense creative potential of our next generation, and we are committed to fostering and supporting that talent. By sponsoring the prizes and providing a platform for young artists to showcase their work, we hope to inspire these future visionaries and help them realise their full potential.”
The winning works were selected by an advisory committee of art professionals and art collectors, headed by Chong Huai Seng, co-founder of art advisory and gallery space The Culture Story. The other committee members are Audrey Yeo, founder of Yeo Workshop and president of the Art Galleries Association Singapore; Tan Kheng Lai, CEO and fund manager at North AMG; Tan See Kia, head of junior art at the School of Young Talents at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts; Audrey Zhang, owner of Prestige Art Gallery; Rosalynn Tay, a professional photographer; Nicholas Song, a lawyer; and Helmi Yusof, deputy lifestyle editor at The Business Times.
