PINKLOSOPHY

Throw Up - Our Lab
*scape Gallery,
National Youth Council, Singapore
2007

Apart from being associated with the graffiti jargon, the term throw up invites negative perceptions as an act of disgust, seemingly due to its taboo aspects. Biologically, the process of throwing up, or known as vomiting, is the forceful expulsion of the contents of one’s stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose. How it is stimulated or coordinated is merely through mediation between the ‘contents’ in the stomach and the brain. Parallel to the context of throw-up; our lab, it is also an expulsion of the possibilities in redefining graffiti. The selected graffiti practitioners will discover, experiment and project out ideological views in an attempt to stretch its possibilities rather than celebrating its glossy aestheticism.

Throw up; Our lab will be a space or facility to deter the audience or viewers from just gawking at the artwork. But rather, it is to provide observations and provoke queries from the progress of experimentation by the selected artists who have reacted or answered to the given theme. Still, it is not a template to be practiced or an answer to be consumed. To borrow an excerpt from Masanobu Fukuoka’s book:

A modern experiment separates nature in small pieces and experiment it.
It resembles neither natural rule nor practical experience.
The result is based more on the convenience of a researcher than a peasant’s needs.
The belief that the conclusion is perfectly used in the field is the big mistake.

The selected artists namely Shieko (Malaysia), Traseone (Singapore) and SprayTwoGeorge (Singapore), respectively, will be toying with the theme given, exploring with movements/gestures and redefining graffiti with a digital touch.

It is quite common when one person vomits, others nearby will become nauseated, particularly when smelling the vomit of others, often to the point of vomiting themselves. Similarly, the intent of this exhibition is to infect the minds of the audience in creating bubbles of questions rather than abruption of full stops.

Thank you for your criticism.

Regards,
LilPinkDevil,
Curator

Shieko
Sweet Revolt
Wall Mural

A graffiti-practitioner since 2003, Malaccan-born Shieko started with stencils and throw-ups before delving into characterization. With two other artists, they formed the art collective Sembur With Style (SWS) in 2004. Now living in Kuala Lumpur, Shieko once worked full-time at an international advertising agency as a visualiser. But she soon grew jaded of the industry, promptly choosing to freelance fulltime in various agencies with her illustration and graphic design skills, thus allowing her to devote equal time to work and her passion. Popularly known for her quirky doodles that transcends through contemporary Malaysia, Shieko garnered 1st place in Panos Street Sign at Lyon City of France, exhibited at Notthatbalai Exhibition, and did graffiti for Malaysia’s 49th Merdeka Mural at the National Art Gallery in Malaysia.

TraseOne
Litewrite
4mins Video Projection

TraseOne has been actively involved in grooming Singapore's young graffiti/street art scene since he started graffiti writing in 1998 and is regarded as one of the leading young artists responsible for pushing boundaries and over-seeing the progression of the local graffiti art movement. Trase’s specialty in handling the spray paint as his primary medium has won him several awards and competitions, including the annual Hip Hop Fest Graffiti Competition in which he won 1st place consecutively since 2003. He has also exhibited numerous works in several international exhibitions, mainly in the United States and Asia. Trase’s art practice continues to pursue his quest in redefining graffiti through performative gestures.

SprayTwoGeorge (Locase)
A.W.I.S
9mins Animation

SprayTwoGeorge (Tech)
Tag in Tag out
Light Emitting Diode (LED)

Despite their inaugural showcase in a gallery space, SprayTwoGeorge (STG) who consist of brothers; Tech and Locase have been prolific in showcasing their graffiti oeuvres through local commissioned projects and competitions since 2002. Being undisputedly dubbed as the only ‘graffiti bros’ in Singapore, STG relentlessly stretch their own limits in exploring notions in graffiti art; evident when they bagged 1st place in the Singapore Street Festival Graffiti Competition in 2005. In accordance to STG’s manifesto; they will impassionately develop and experiment possibilities in graffiti, selectively exploiting technological tools as their preferred medium.