Call for the Dead
Screenprint & acrylic on Belgium linen canvas
18.2 x 24.2 inches
March 2023
HEMAN CHONG
I should explain that this story will emerge from a gradual vision — for the past two and a half years I have slowly started discovering the whys and the wherefores, 2018
Acrylic on unprimed linen
78.7 x 51 x 1.5 inches
HEMAN CHONG
ABOUT THE ARTWORK
Heman Chong’s work engages with ideas of evolving and unfinished narratives, reflecting the artist’s intrigue with the interplay between the process and the final form. Herein, the choice of medium is crucial to one’s understanding of the work. Unprimed linen interacts with paint unpredictably and fluidly, with the fabric’s texture influencing the outcome. The pain flows at its own will, seeping into the fibres to create a unique surface quality that adds depth and complexity to the work. It is as if Heman has breathed life and agency into the artwork. Moreover, the substantial scale of the work allows for an immersive experience, drawing the viewer in and encouraging a more contemplative interaction.
The title substantiates the message and practice of the artist, suggesting an ever-changing and slowly evolving narrative. The work is a product of the prolonged reflection on human memory and its nuances. Heman’s reference to ‘gradual vision’ can be understood as his invitation to interpret this work gradually and not to look for an immediate meaning. The poignancy of the work lies in its ability to show the impact of materiality on artistic expression and engage with the balance between intuition and control.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Heman Chong is a Singapore-based artist, curator and writer who did his Master’s in Communication Art and Design from the Royal College of Art, London in 2002. Heman’s practice introspects the everyday infrastructure as a political medium, by utilising different mediums such as performance, text and visuals. Fascinated with the meaning-making of memories from the future, he breaks down science fiction into its elements, formulating strategies for dealing with the baggage of time and history. Considered to be ‘archetypally conceptual’, Heman’s artworks recall frameworks of the 1960s in their ability to address visions of futuristic utopias. His experience of living in Singapore is reflected in parts of his œuvre, as he investigates the city-state's role in building public infrastructure as a method to regulate behaviour.
Heman’s artworks have been exhibited in solo and group shows across the world, including at Wilkinson Gallery, London (2015); the National University of Singapore Museum, Singapore (2011), and Tate Modern, London (2015). His ethos of cooperation and experimentation extends to his international participation, having had works displayed at the 10th Gwangju Biennale (2014) and the 50th Venice Biennale (2003).