Page 15 - Year in Review 2018/2019

ART AND SOUL: 80 YEARS OF THE

NANYANG ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

The final instalment of NAFA’s year-long festivities was the
80 Anniversary Book Launch and Exhibition Opening on
th
10 December 2018. The exhibition Art and Soul: 80 years of
the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts showcased key works from
the NAFA Collection and archival documentation, including
videos, photographs and displays. These provided viewers with a
three-dimensional perspective of NAFA’s artistic vision through
its historical founding and the evolution of its arts education
paradigm through practice. A specially commissioned installation
from Fine Art, the flagship of NAFA, featured 80 prints created
collectively by NAFA’s lecturers, alumni and selected students from
the School of Art and Design. It demonstrated how artistic vision
moves from 2D to 3D, from an image through an idea into our
space, our existence.

Kick-starting the exhibition was the launch of the anniversary
book Art and Soul: 80 years of the Nanyang Academy of
Fine Arts. Authored by Leong Weng Kam, retired veteran culture
journalist and a NAFA Board Member, the commemorative
publication tells the fascinating stories of NAFA through its
people — former principals, students and teachers, both past
and present. Art and Soul encapsulates the illustrious journey of
NAFA since its humble beginnings in 1938.

The publication is available in 20 editions. Each edition has a
different cover artwork, created by former or current students,
showcasing the diversity of art produced at the academy. Side
stories from various alumni, students and faculty, including
renowned sculptor Han Sai Por, international fashion designer
Max Tan and actress Julie Tan, were also featured. These were
accompanied by watercolour portraits painted by NAFA’s Fine Art
student Kim Hyesu. The publication is available in two languages
— English and Chinese.

MOVING MEMORIES

Conceptualised by alumni Chuan Yeo and Deric Shen, the installation was created from narratives
capturing the unique characteristics of Singapore’s rich culture and heritage. Each showcase featured
a local artwork in dioramas, which was placed in a portable container to represent NAFA’s nomadic
past in Singapore. The installation was also displayed at 10 locations off campus, including Esplanade,
Singapore Flyer, shopping malls and other tertiary institutions.

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