Names of popular restaurants and food outlets probably come to your mind when you hear the place Holland Village. However, are you aware that it is also a cozy spot for art galleries? In any case, one art gallery that is worthy of note is Sunjin Gallery, a contemporary art gallery that specializes in Southeast Asian artworks, that is located at Workloft@Chip Bee Gardens.

Green Wind Series no.3 by artist, Ren Jian Hui

When I visited Sunjin Gallery, Jennifer, the founder and director of the gallery, informed me that I was just in time for this Talents Unlimited exhibition where it showcases works of arts that are created by Chinese artists who grew up amongst the period of Cultural Revolution and were students during the 1989 democratic protests. Hence, the gallery speaks a strong highlight on art pieces by up-and-coming Chinese artists involving Liu Feng Hua, Ren Jian Hui and Jin Yu.

Green Wind Series – Ren Jianhui – b. 1956 (Chengdu)
The very first painting presented earlier on this post is one of the many art works in the ‘Green Wind’ series of oil paintings by Ren Jian Hui. The ‘Green Wind’ series paintings embrace the portraits of self-imaginary persons and the intentional blurring of the faces in the paintings reveal the idea that trends of any period will be carried away in fast pace as though the swiftness of the wind.

Terracotta Warriors: Liu Fenghua – b. 1956 (Hebei, China)
Also on display at the gallery are two interesting modern replicas of Terracotta Warrior sculptures by Liu Fenghua. The following ceramic warrior on the left is named ‘Dreams of Terracotta Warrior- Reflecting on Medicine’ while the other is ‘Dreams of Terracotta Warrior- Lu Xun’. His sculptures over here are in fact, cynical and creative perspective at his country’s history as well as future Post-Cultural Revolution direction. The amalgamation between the use of terracotta warriors and modern concepts can be seen as an artistic statement of the controversial legacy of China’s two rulers- Emperor Qin Shi Huang and Chairman Mao Zedong.





Apart from the sculptures, the gallery also features another series of work by Liu Fenghua-‘The Simple Life’ collection of paintings portraying the simple life of the artist himself. I was told that the following painting shows how the artist is ‘forcing’ his companion- his dog, to read.


‘The Simple Life’ Series No.2

‘The Simple Life’ Series No.4



Touch Point: Jin Yu – b. 1963 (China)
Another highlight at the gallery is this series of paintings called, ‘Touch Points’ by Jin Yu.

On the surface, the characters in the ‘Touch Point’ series are viewed as elegant and vibrant. However, there is more to this perspective. The personalities in the paintings reflect the living style and mental status of the contemporary people. The contrasting colours of pure black, white and ‘China red’, matched with the use of cheong sum, further disclose the striking differences of individuals, reminding people of the distinct mental status quo of Chinese with different life styles.


‘Touch Point’ Series No. 2

‘Touch Point’ Series No. 7



Having made this trip down, I felt a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction on seeing these art works by some of the leading and most sought after artists in Southeast Asia. The works featured here were showcased at the 11th Beijing International Art Exhibition which was held at China World Trade Center, in early May. In fact, Sunjin Gallery was awarded the honour of being “Top 10th most influential galleries of 2008”.



So art lovers out there, if you would like to check out these beautiful art works at Sunjin Gallery,here are the details for this ongoing exhibition.

Sunjin Galleries
Talents Unlimited
August to September 2008

Address: 43 Jalan Merah Saga, #03-62, Work Loft @ Chip Bee S’pore 278115
Tel: +65 6738-2317
Website: www.sunjingalleries.com.sg
Opening Hours:
11 am – 7 pm (Weekdays)
11 am – 6 pm (Saturdays)
1 pm – 6 pm (Sundays)
Closed on Mondays and Public Holidays

Tags: Sunjin Galleries