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Indepth Arts News:
"Reflection: Solo Exhibition By Tan Bee Him"
2006-02-15 until 2006-03-04
Pelita Hati
Kuala Lumpur, ,
MY Malaysia
Tan Bee Him graduated from the Malaysian Institute of Art in 1992 with a Diploma in Ceramic Art. Since her graduation, Bee Him has participated in many art exhibitions. Her career as a ceramic artist won her a Ceramic Award in 1997. In her first debut exhibition entitled “Reflection”, Bee Him shows 56 pieces of her latest ceramic sculptures and acrylic paintings. Her ceramic pieces are finely crafted.. Here Bee Him experiments with the use of different throwing and firing techniques. Paying close attention to details, each piece is uniquely designed. They vary in shape, size, shade and texture.
The ceramic “Reflection series” is an evolution of her earlier works. Unlike her earlier pieces, these pieces are more daringly styled and cleverly shaped to give an impression of delicate beauty. The faceless figures with their expressive gestures that is so characteristic of her works are incorporated into some of the pieces. The use of colors give the works a richer look and adds different moods Her use of colorful broken glass effectively creates the illusion of water
A few years ago Bee Him decided to also take up painting. Although, ceramics gives her the satisfaction of working and molding clay into a 3-D form, paintings give her the satisfaction of working and experimenting with colors. Bee Him’s Reflection paintings are a translation of her ceramics into 2-D images. Despite the rather naïve approach, her paintings are contemplative . The incorporation of nature and far horizons in these pieces give the works an air of serenity, harmony, solace and peace. Her gingerbread figures appear again in this series of paintings. In the paintings they are depicted in sevens , each representing a day in a week. Says Bee Him “The Reflection series is my interpretation of what people wish for in life. As we journey on, we wish that our life is peaceful and harmonious. In reality however, life is not always that simple or easy and as we live each day we walk into the future, not knowing what is in store for us”. The Reflection series also invite viewers to reflect on nature, its beauty and what it provides us.
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In her “Waiting for Sunrise” series, Bee Him symbolizes the sun’s rays as the ray of happiness and hope Her other series entitled “Woman art” and “Freedom” are symbolic of a woman’s wish to be free in life. Bee Him’s “Lost Angel” ceramics and paintings again touches the issue of women. To Bee Him every girl or woman wants to be perfect, like an angel.
Bee Him’s ceramic pieces and acrylic paintings are indeed not only unique in style but are contemplative and philosophical. The message she wish to convey are subtly yet effectively portrayed through her 2-D and 3-D pieces.
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