The NAFA Graduation Show (Fine Art) 2008

This is Marie's Work at the Show

Marie invited me to her Graduation Show at NAFA on 28th May 2008. As her former art teacher, I have no reason to say NO. So even on the day I had another function with SSC, I still made my way to NAFA to give her the support.

When I reached there, she met me at the entrance and brought me to her exhibition hall. The hall was full of works from the Fine Art graduates. It was a feast of colors for the eyes. Marie is the only person major in pottery. Her series of work was displayed at the centre of the exhibition area. Her work is something related to transformation, evolution and merging of life form. Raku fired, but with very unique forms and textures.

This is the first time I attending my own art student Art Show, no doubt I have more than a dozen of them graduated from NAFA and LaSalle. I am really pleased to see the fruit of Art Education provided harvested by them. As a teacher, the most rewarding moment should be at this time frame.

I hope Marie would continue to scatter the love of Art around her, especially to the younger generations. So that the beauty of Art could be flourished in this small island.

The Daily Travel Experience


After reached the age of 60, lots of my perception changed. I have given up the habit of riding on the 200cc motorcycle and travel at 100km per hour in the nights when I am moody. In fact, I already sold the bike for just $150.00. It was only 5 years old.

These days, I travel with public transports. It may be the bus, the MRT or Taxi. If I am not in a hurry, I used to take bus to the MRT station and use the train to continue my journey. I learned to take note of the timing of the bus. If I missed the designated time of that particular bus stop, I may have to wait for 10 to 20 minutes. These days, taking bus to me is an enjoyment. I take the opportunity to observe all sort of personality in the bus. Some are typical 'Kia Su' Singaporeans, once they aboard the bus, you could see their pairs of vulture eyes, searching for seats! Some are enlightened; even the bus is quite empty and have many empty seats, they choose to stand all the way to their designation. Some takes the journey for their afternoon nap or recovery time.

The services of the bus has improved a lot, comparing with the older days. But in terms of bus frequency, I think the company should further improve it.

Life is all about living

Life is really very unpredictable. Today I went to China Town to book traveling tickets; on the way walking to another building, suddenly noticed a commotion. I went to investigate, and found someone lying on the floor of the five foot way, motionless. The Ambulance medical staff was there to provide help. They were doing CPR on the poor soul. The man was in his mid thirties, slight plump. His face was greenish yellow in color then. The paramedics rushed him to the ambulance and headed straight to the nearest hospital.

Very often, we used to think we could live up to our ripe old age. But we always forgotten there is such thing called: Uncertainty. Look at the Cyclone in Myama, the Big Quake in Sichuan. People who live there, I do not believe that they had thought of those disasters will fall upon them. It did, and lots of lives were terminated in a very short moment. Therefore, to live in full with every minute of your life would be the best revenge to these types of misfortune.

By the way, there are more and more people getting cardiac arrest these days. By doing more physical exercises, such as brisk walk or jogging, taking healthy food with balance diets would cut down the possibilities of such attacks. In fact, do regulation medical check ups to understand your own health condition would be the wise way too.

四川，令人落泪的名字
谢 清诗



睡着的山
突然醒來，飞石似骤雨般扑下
屋子都摊了
轰轰然的天號
石泣鬼哭的时辰
孩子们猶握着筆听書
老师还以为是旱天雷发威
瞬间，一切都塌陷成灰
人間瞬变成煉獄
四川的名字
遂成世界各地的首条大字
高齡的爺爺
忘了年岁与劳苦
拎了一腔的爱意与关怀
澈夜飞撲灾黎
提一腔颤抖且真情的話语
含满眶难以把持的热泪：
孩子，同胞们
国家一直守护着你
你们且熬住片刻
我们燃起奥运圣火
我们绝不会放棄
生命之火

後记：从报章及电视上，看到中国总理温家宝，於四川大地震隔日，便亲臨亲臨灾区，慰间灾黎
，数度热泪盈眶。慰问语气感人肺腑，听畢令人心酸。央央大国，有此君子領袖，实在是福。反观寮国領袖，视其子民如粪土。救援物资送到他们门前，却迟迟无法送到自己的挨餓子民手上。真有天淵之别！温君一派大将之风，不管他是不是总理与否，他有得是一顆有血有肉的心。恐怕其他的領袖看了也多少要脸红！





(注：此詩己刊登在早報五月三十日，文艺版。)

The Two Worlds
两个世界
Chameleon， The creature that would change it color according to the surroundings. In the human world, don't you think there are people who behave the same as this creature?
变色龙，一种随着环境而改变体色的动物。在人类世界里，何尝不见这一类的人呢？见风转舵，東风吹来西邊摆，可大有人在！
I used to see our senior citizens walking around my block with silvery hair on their tops. These senior citizens sometime just walk around without any special objectives. May be they have lost their target in life. Look at this pelican, don't you think it also have the same problem?
常见白发蒼蒼老翁，在自己住所楼下，漫无目的的游蕩。終日无所事事，难矣哉。放眼看去，这隻塘鵝，是否类似那些蒼髮老翁？

Sometimes, at a glance, thing may not look pretty. But if you look more intensely, you would see the beauty in it. The maker of this world is very fair to everything he makes.
美不只藏在悦目的事物中，它也隱藏在一些不甚起眼的生命里。上蒼对这事可是最公平的。

The graceful appearance of this swan, makes me think of the ballet 'Swan Lake'.
看到这幅作品时，就想到芭蕾舞：天鵝湖。
This Mandarin Duck is a born beauty, just look at it color on the feathers, you could agree with me.
这隻鴛鴦，羽色斑爛，令人憐爱。

The Deep Blue Sky
尉蓝的天空

These few days, the weather was extremely hot. But if you look out of your window, you will find the sky would be extremely clear and blue. As a photographer, I sensed that the color temperature was very suitable for scenery shots. I took my camera bag and headed to city for shots.
这几天，天气特别干爽，而且酷热。但若你能看看窗外景色，你不难发现，那天空是如許的蓝！我的摄影知识告訴我，如此天气的色温，最适合拍照。於是便拎了摄影器材，往市区出发。

After the trip, I was extremely pleased with the results. I have captured the rich blue sky, and the crystal clear greeneries. I think with all the price hike, the cheapest and most rewarding entertainment now is digital photography. By looking at the photos you have captured, you could spend the whole afternoon to daydream with them!
拍摄回来后，看到成果，自己倒十分满意。我把当天尉蓝的天，碧緑的樹，都一一捕获。心愉之际，煞時想到，在这百物高漲的時節，数碼摄影可不是一种最省钱的娱乐？你大可神游于自己拍摄的影像中，一个心扩神怡的下午，就此而过。何乐而不为？

At the side of Esplanade I captured this shot. It looks like the Oasis in the desert. Who would imagine this is part of Singapore scenery?
这張有如緑洲似的影像，有谁能想像是我们这个热带国家的一个景点？

The skyline of city is really attractive from a distance. But the lamp post is an eye sore!
我们的城市风景线，從远处看去，真得是一个十分迷人的卖点。


Personally, I like this shot. Especially the dynamic composition of light and shades. This shot is really an accident catch; as I was trying to capture a trishaw operator catching his nap, I noticed the striking visual effect above me, instead of shooting the man, I took this shot. No regret!
个人十分喜欢这張像片。因为它强有力的光影構图摄人。这是一張無心之作。本想在桥下偷拍三轮车夫的午睡图，不料仰头一看，竟被这龐然景象摄去！

The Artificial WorldSometimes, I really pity the younger generations of Singaporean. Since young, they will face all sorts of artificial things. The river is man-made, the gardens are man-made, even certain sceneries also man-made. What is natural and what is artificial, sometimes, I do not think these people really know about it.

Personally, I have a joke to share. This was happened forty odd years ago. That time, Chai Chee was still a rural area. I said rural that means no electricity, no tap water and so on. One day, a group of us went there for hiking. One boy was born and stayed in the city area since young. That day, one the course of the hike, suddenly a Berkshire boar dashed out from the side of the road. The boy got scared out of his dear life. He scream and run as fast as he could. After the boar has disappeared into the village, and the boy calmed down. We asked him actually what was in his mind when he saw that creature. He told us that he thought that was a huge wild animal that could harm him. We laughed and laughed after that. As a city boy, he would not have seen a boar (A male pig) that is almost 300kg and 1.45m tall. In his mind, pig is always cute to hug and play with. That is all from the books. When we told him that was a pig, he could not believe it for awhile.

It was the same that in one of the trip travel towards Johor River mouth in a vessel, some Singaporean screamed that we had reached the open sea. The boatman laughed and said, that was only the river mouth of Johor River. How could we blame our countrymen with this type of behavior? Our Singapore River to others is only a drain!

When you have climbed the Kinabahru Mountain, you will not name Bukit Timah Hill as Hill. Right?

When a frog stand in front of a light, he would said he is almighty, as he sees his own shadow on the wall is huge. But is this the real fact?

夕阳之恋

The Tree Art

One day, as I walked along Elizabeth Walk, I saw this tree stood right in front of me, it gave me great visual shock. The formation of its branches and the color on its trunk reminded me paintings from the great artist such as Van Gogh and Piet Mondrian. But this is a real life tree, not a painting! I stood there for quite a while, just to admire its beauty. I was amazed by the twinning and curling of its branches, they were so intricate and complex. Nature really has all the beauty in it.

Could you see the similarity between the tree above and this piece of great work by Van Gogh?

What about comparing it with Piet Mondrian's works here?



Amazing right?