Wong Shih Yaw’s painted narratives of the modern times are driven by his pressing need to convey a message. His work features intricate details and rich colour as well as symbolism. Many of his allegorical pieces delve deep into his own personal religious beliefs and are expressions and commentaries of his daily life. His subjects are mostly inspired by familiar everyday objects and living things, imbuing his works with a distinctive local character. Armed with strong foundation and skillful mastery of his techniques, his paintings and drawings are often executed with a modernist edge and feature subjects that are almost futuristic but also strangely rooted in this era.
Wong graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1989 with a Diploma in Fine Art and is one of the key founding members of The Artists Village, a pioneering contemporary art group that advocated rethinking and regeneration of art in Singapore. This exhibition showcases over 50 works and includes large-scale, highly-coloured compositions as well as drawings.