Presenting Portraiture Series | The Portrait Speaks

Alvin Ong, Philamae Sim, 2012, 80 x 140cm, acrylic on canvas
Image courtesy of sitter and artist

Date: 6 March 2013
Time: 6.30 - 8pm
Venue: NUS Baba House

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What makes a portrait fascinating? Perhaps it's because the work often tells a story of an encounter - when artist meets sitter. Beyond the likeness, do portraits accurately reflect the subjects they represent? This talk explores the making of portraits through the eyes of both the artist and sitter.

Portrait artist Alvin Ong will touch on his practice, the thoughts and techniques behind the pieces he has painted, and his interactions with the sitters. We also get a glimpse of why sitters choose to immortalise themselves in a work of art, and what runs through their minds as they pose for the portrait.

About the speaker
Alvin Ong was born in Singapore and started dabbling in art at a very young age. While attending secondary school, he won the prestigious UOB Painting of the Year competition. In 2006, he staged his first solo exhibition, The Hours at Jendela, Esplanade's Visual Art Space. Alvin has recently earned a place at the Rushkin School of Fine Art in the University of Oxford to do a Bachelors of Fine Art degree. Stumbling upon extraordinary real-life subjects going about their everyday activities, he is inspired to capture the essence of their lives in portraits. Most of his commissioned artworks are in private collections.

About Presenting Portraiture
Presenting Portraiture is a talk series conceived in conjunction with a two-part exhibition featuring portraits of Peranakan Chinese. The first part Dressing the Baba was held at NUS Baba House till 31 July 2013, whilst the exhibition, Inherited and Salvaged: Family Portraits from the Straits Chinese Collection runs till 6 July 2014 at NUS Museum. Peranakan portraits represent an emerging area of collecting interest and this talk series explores a range of themes, concepts and ideas surrounding the making, collecting and functions of such artworks, including artistic practice and studio processes; pictorial conventions; collecting patterns; technical conservation; iconography and artefacts; and reflections on the social milieu.

Event Photos