Tonight was great. Exposure is NJ AEP's coursework exhibition which I checked out this evening, and what can I say other than that it's awesome? At first it left me feeling rather defeated - if I could use such a word in this context - as in the midst of viewing all the art works, I realised once again how rigid, boxed-up, conservative, and suffocating NYJC AEP's environment is. I'm not even talking about the system, it's obvious in the students we have; all that apathy, superficiality, and all that "grade-mindedness" when it comes to the AEP, the system only serves to perpetuate and cultivate such mentalities. But anyways as I was saying, I came out of it feeling better than when i started.
It all struck me with the first thing I saw, and that was Yue Han's video piece (yeah the [almost] naked man) - it's all just so... different (both from what we do and what he did for his Os), not to say that the works are technically lacking, but while they're not overwhelming, they're at the same time so bold, so experimental, so awe-inspiring. I was actually discussing with William on the bus ride there about how environment matters so much, and you can see it in action, the creative atmosphere is just there when you see NJ's art block and its art studios, let alone the people. It's not because they make ground-breaking works, or that they're going to get good grades, or become famous, the thing is what they stand for: they stand for truth in visual expression and for freedom in art education.
Ah whatever, maybe for that reason I felt left out for a while, "un-artsy" and unincluded, ashamed of where I was from although it wasn't apparent, and even hateful of the way I can't speak up properly, but I'm glad I stayed on for so long because I later got a great (should I say exclusive?) tour/explanation by Benjamin - who probably doesn't even know my name yet, that's how friendly he is - and got to see their workspace and prep work. The coolest thing I think was that the teachers didn't even care if we (non-NJ people) were in there, and yes food is allowed (airconditioning doesn't seem to be a problem?). All these wouldn't have been that big a deal if I was fresh outta ACS(I), with our lounging around in the art teachers' mess and all, but I guess the rules at Nanyang have gotten to me.
Even stranger and quite surprising was to meet Cao Ye, I think we spoke more tonight than in our 2 years as classmates, he looks so different, so... cool, I guess TP design school does things to you huh. Also really great to have seen David and Kheng Siang, didn't think they'd turn up since it was already so late, we reminisced, exchanged some new experiences in art and had some good laughs, not helped in the least by Jerome's usual lameness (whose painting is great by the way). Just before I left we also met Cedric in army no. 4 uniform and all, what a small world it is, it's fascinating how so many people people previously thought unrelated could be brought and linked together by something so simple, something which I was even thinking of not attending. Well, I have no regrets, other than perhaps failing to ask more people along, especially the J1s, Veli thanks again for the invitation.
P.S. I believe the studio would be open during NJ's open house tomorrow as well, so those interested could probably still go see the works.