2 S’pore artists share what keeps them going despite ‘stigma of instability’

Do you remember being excited for art class back in school?

Picking up that brush or crayon to mess around on a vanguard sheet and then happily bringing your "masterpiece" home for your parents to help you finish it to frame it up on a wall?

Years down the road, you might have traded that art tool for the likes of a biology or economics textbook (as did I), because those same parents told us that art isn't a sustainable career in Singapore.

But is that really the case?

Mothership spoke to two local artists on why they chose to make a living with art in Singapore despite the stigma of it being unprofitable, and what keeps them going.

David Chan

You might have seen one of local sculptor and painter David Chan's recent paintings, featuring two of Singapore's founding fathers from different eras.

It was one of the most talked about paintings from the recently concluded Art SG exhibition in January.

Chan, who scored his first solo exhibition at the age of 25, has had his work featured internationally in places like America, China and Korea, and serves as an adjunct arts lecturer at the National Institute of Education (NIE) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

Yet the 45-year-old father of two still doesn't consider what he does "a career".

Chan told me:

"I simply love to make art. I don’t have a benchmark for success, so I never knew what that meant. Have a certain amount of money or fame? Have exhibitions all over the world? Works in the museum? I have a straightforward approach. I am very grateful to be able to be an artist.”

He added that he is content if he is able to make enough for the next year or exhibition.

Yet it wasn't easy to stick to this path.

Chan's mother passed away when he was in his teens and his father wasn't supportive of art as a career choice.

It didn't help that he came from a family of high-achievers -- senior accountants, top lawyers and auditors -- so Chan’s decision to enrol in an arts and design course at Lasalle College of the Arts was unheard of.

However, Chan, having "tinkered" in his childhood with making his own toys and vehicles, liked the freedom of expression art gave him.

Became salesperson, gave out pamphlets to keep making art

Desperate to pursue his passion, Chan would take on odd jobs like illustrations for book companies, renders for interior design firms, and even became a salesperson and a pamphlet-pusher at points to make ends meet.

The first piece of art Chan sold was a watercolour painting for S$10 to a book publisher that he did as a Lasalle student.

"I felt I should paint faster to get more S$10 [payouts]," Chan recalled wistfully upon getting the cash.

Starting out, Chan didn't even dare call himself an artist for a good eight years, owing to the inconsistency of his pay.

But he persevered, and even coined an adage "fate favours the working" to remind himself to keep pushing himself forward.

"I didn't give myself a plan B," he added.

Chan's fortunes improved as he got more substantial commissions from local and international companies.

And seeing that he could actually survive as an artist, his father gradually came around to his career choice too.

"I only know I will keep tinkering"

Fast forward to today, and Chan has become a mainstay in the local art scene, having won awards in the 23rd and 41st UOB Painting of the Year art competitions and having his sculptures displayed in front of the Singapore Art Museum and National Museum of Singapore in 2015 and 2016.

His winning painting in 2022, "The Grand History", featured a sprawling tableau of people jostling with animals, a nod to the cycles of conflict and peace in world history.

His winning artwork was also turned into edible ‘food art’ in a collaboration with UOB for the art competition’s launch this year.

After taking home the bronze award for established artists, Chan said that the win "had boosted morale".

Yet, he is not resting on his laurels and is already looking to his next set of ideas in his sketchbook.

"I am not sure [how my art will evolve next]. I only know I will keep tinkering," he said.

Tobyato

Another local artist, Toby Tan, better known as Tobyato, does art that's a bit different.

For instance, a mural in Tanjong Pagar, depicting a local legend of villagers fighting off a swordfish invasion in pre-colonial Singapore, is his brainchild.

Rarely does 30-year-old Tan, a full-time artist for five years and counting, do gallery shows, exhibitions or what Singaporeans "traditionally" think an artist does.

Instead, you'd find his trademark plastered over designer Nike, Asics, Samsung or Levi's products, or other commercial projects like wall murals in Singapore or Jakarta.

But despite it not being a "safe" career, Tan says art was the "practical" choice for him to get the bills paid, and that his family was supportive of that decision.

A "practical choice"

Tan's projects started with drawing Pokemon for his classmates in primary school.

As Tan explored his interest in visual art, it would lead him to study the subject in university, and also take on bigger and more lucrative projects.

"I think [my family] all just understood, [and] acknowledged that [these projects] made practical sense, and this is what I’m going to be working towards," Tan said.

One of Tan's fondest projects was his first -- and the reason why he frequently sports a G-shock watch on his wrist.

Tan shared:

"One of the first commercial brands that threw me a bone was G-shock. I got a chance to work with them [designing a watch] and it made me feel like I had a place as an artist in the commercial realm.”

Tan says his career was sort of a "constant climb from one project to the next". He credited social media for helping make his work more visible but admitted that "a sprinkle of luck was involved" along with the hard work he put in.

Yet it wasn't without its challenges.

Things can be lonely as an artist in a bubble, Tan notes.

And as a one-man-show, he handles finance, project management, marketing, social media and other admin duties, which he says constitutes roughly 70 per cent of his work.

"Like this interview", he quipped. Ha ha.

Nevertheless, the "non-art work" is something Tan's grown to accept as a necessity, in order for him to do what he loves.

And to combat creative blocks, he tries to take on multiple projects, so he can switch it up if he's stuck with a particular one.

"My erratic sleep schedule and wife will not recommend this method," Tan admits.

So sometimes, he'll try to go for runs, or work from cafes to shake things up a little.

As for whether he can do this sustainably -- Tan plans to take it one project at a time, saying:

"I try to remind myself that doing art as a career sustainably is nothing short of a dream come true. And if every project I do can help make a dent in the stigma of the instability of an art career in Singapore, then I try to keep going.”

Submissions open for the 2024 UOB Painting of the Year

For aspiring and established artists, you can pursue your passion by joining the 43rd UOB Painting of the Year competition, which offers a top cash prize of S$33,000.

It is the longest-running annual art contest in Singapore. Unlike other competitions, no entry fee is required for submissions.

The submission period runs from now to Jul. 31, 2024.

The top prize winner will also get to compete for the UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year regional award, which comes with an additional cash prize of S$13,000, and a chance for an overseas residency programme.

Other winning artists would receive cash prizes, features on media and social media as well as other opportunities that would help kickstart their artistic pursuits.

Those interested can submit their work electronically here.

For more details, you can visit this link.

This sponsored piece by UOB encouraged this writer that he didn't make a mistake in following his passion.

Top image from UOB, courtesy of David Chan / Tobyato