PUBLISHED June 4th, 2015 03:56 am | UPDATED March 27th, 2016 03:01 pm
Earlier this May, the Substation showcased the visceral works of Allison M. Low in her most recent exhibition ‘Oddlings’, and we were left enthralled by them. We were fascinated to learn more about Allison’s curation and creative processes, her experiences as an independent artist in both Sydney and Singapore.
Tell us about the curating process for Oddlings. Did you have a hard time choosing the artworks, music, and other things for the exhibition?
‘Bed’ (2012), 57 x 77 cm, Graphite, Gouache, and Pastel on Arches Paper
The curation occurred quite organically. My partner co-curated the show with me, and his being privy to my artistic process and what each piece has come to mean to me, has made it easy for us to work together.
We felt out the flow of the work, paying close attention to content, colour, composition and size, instead of laying the work out chronologically. Pieces meant to be viewed together were kept together, and the rest fell into place.
The original music that accompanied the exhibition was composed by my friend Isa Foong, a.k.a. blankverse. I had commissioned him to write and produce an hour-long track for the show. I had my first listen only a few days before set up, and it was perfect.
Oddlings explores the feelings and dynamics behind human relationships, is there a particular feeling that you wished to convey to your audience?
Not particularly. I think that no matter what you create, and no matter what you are trying to say, that people will see something different. People make their own connections with the work, and draw from their own set of perspectives in trying to make sense of what they are looking at. That, to me, is the beauty in art making.
Much like conversing with someone who does not speak the same language as you, this is what makes art magical, and I think it’s why art excites the spirit.
Do you have a favourite artwork? Do you mind sharing the story/context behind it?
‘Pin the Tail’ (2012), 57 x 77 cm, Graphite, Gouache, and Pastel on Arches Paper
That’s a question I’ve always had trouble answering. It changes daily, really. When you spend so much time creating something with care, and trying to keep them safe (from stains and wrinkles and what not), you begin to love all of them equally – just like children.
If I did have to choose a favourite right now, it would probably be my first piece, ‘Pin the Tail’. A play on the game Pin the Tail on the Donkey, it was created in my third year of university, when I landed on the concept of the inadvertent power play that arises between children. Exploring the idea of innocent beings being portrayed as culpable individuals and capturing them before a catastrophic event, in the midst of succumbing to their struggle with their own innate desires. Trying to co-exist, and dealing with the concept of morality.
Oddlings was really about processing the dark and mysterious aspects of humanity. What drives us to do the things we do? What drives us to want these things? What makes us let go of our principles and return to a childhood state of disregard for consequence? The human condition is a strange thing and that is what makes it so wonderful. Would we know happiness without the dark side to our own existence?
Being a visual person, I naturally think in pictures. Forming my own understanding of unknown things in my mind, to understand them in my own way. Making the subject matter as ambiguous to me as possible has been a way for me to tell secrets without actually having to tell them. Obscuring them in ‘disguises’ was a way for me to be free from the fear of saying too much. Although in retrospect, I do think that I’ve probably said as much as I didn’t want to say. Gotta love the irony.
There’s a fair amount of imagery interspersed in your work, such as teratomas in ‘Girl and Teratoma’ and childhood toys in ‘Pin the Tail’ and ‘Hopscotch’. Do they have a special meaning to you?
‘Rocking Horse Girl and Teratoma’ (2012), 57 x 77 cm, Graphite, Gouache, and Pastel on Arches Paper
The tumours are a metaphor for unconscious desire, and emotional trauma. Tumours live and grow against their hosts’ will. They are hiding in all of us and start to grow under the right conditions, which is much like desire and trauma to me. I believe it is what drives us to sometimes do things that even we don’t understand. It is what I associate with being out of control.
The teratomas are a metaphor for a relationship that could have been, and emphasise a state of feeling a sense of loss.
As for the furniture and toys, I had this idea of an object’s soul being its purpose. An object is not acknowledged unless it is needed. It waits to be used, and in turn, would associate this use for love or affection. It speaks to the state of feeling lonely, or under-appreciated. It also speaks to the times we feel like we are crippled by love and longing. It makes us vulnerable, just like a piece of furniture in our lives that we abuse or like a toy that has been loved to ruin. Only looking to it to satiate our longing for security, with no regard for its wear and tear.
Who inspires you, and why?
I think the inspiration to create comes from a wild thing inside myself that needs to be fed every so often. It needs no reason to exist. It exists, and therefore my practice exists. I fell in love with something and now I can’t get enough of it. It’s a pretty serious condition.
In terms of who inspires me to keep going, I would have to say it’s the people are are still keeping at it that give me a little push when times get really rough – considering the creative climate here in Singapore and the sustainability of our individual creative endeavours, be it art, music, writing, performing arts.
I know people who have full-time jobs and are in more than one band. They make time to write music, practice, show up for shows, record albums, tour, and still maintain a full-time career. I know others who have risked a steady paycheck to chase their dream, working two or three part time jobs to get by while they make their art. It is the path that I have chosen as well, and while it is a challenging one that comes with a lot of financial instability, it’s possible to make it work, so that’s what I’m going to do. Make it work.
I have an incredible support system in terms of family and friends, and am so happy to be part of my collective, DUNCE. I have never witnessed such creative genius this close to me. And above all, I have never witnessed such selflessness in the way that they rise to support anyone who needs help making it to where they want to be in whatever creative undertaking.
As a group, we have made it one of our priorities to support the creative scene, within our means.
What’s your artistic process like?
Sometimes, it starts with an itch to create something; at others, it starts with seeing an image in my mind and the creation follows.
It’s not always about being ‘inspired’ to create though. Like most things, it takes a fair amount of discipline to see things through to completion.
Anja Garbarek used to keep me going for hours on end, and is the inspiration behind the music written for my promo videos, which was produced by Isa Ong, and the gallery soundtrack for the show that then went on to be produced by Isa Foong, a.k.a. blankverse. Other times, I put on a TV series in the background so my mind doesn’t wander too far from me while I work.
With the artwork itself though, I collected lots of photographs of children from the Victorian era, and cut them up to create the narrative I want to draw. I use different bits of different children just to create the one.
That’s really cool! I remember looking at lots of your work, and thinking that the faces of the creepy children looked like those from old horror movies.
‘Round and Round’ (2014), 57 x 77cm, Graphite, Gouache, and Pastel on Arches Paper
Yeah, lots of people get that vibe because of the Victorian era and the association to gothic horror. It’s interesting that I’ve always met creepy imagery with curiosity and awe, and am a complete pansy with horror films.
Did you know you always wanted to be an artist?
I had actually never considered it at all! I was so bad at art growing up – then I went to polytechnic and majored in illustration (but it was still pretty bad).
In my last year at design school though, my current partner, Marc, brought me a book: The Complete works of Egon Schiele. It changed my life. After that, I got my Fine Arts degree at College of Fine Arts and the rest is history.
Egon Schiele’s ‘Sitting Woman with Legs Drawn Up’, Image courtesy of Ego Schiele.Net.
You’ve mentioned studying in Sydney, and also been exhibited there. There’s probably a great difference between working there and here, do you mind telling us a bit more about that?
Well, it’s difficult to say. The standards of living are pretty similar, however, it did seem less difficult to work part time and earn a decent living in Sydney. Lots of artists in Australia are surviving that way.
The art scene in Sydney is, of course, much more cultivated. Singapore is a very young country and the arts culture is still maturing. Making a living off art alone is still a mystery to me – there’s not just one way to get there. So maybe it doesn’t matter where you are, but how hard you are willing to work for it.
What do you think of the local art scene at the current moment?
I think Singapore’s art scene is still pretty embryonic. It has grown in the last few years and I’m happy to be here to witness that. There are more and more creative events going on now, and a lot of support from the local community, which is heartening. A lot of bright and talented artists are emerging and opportunities are abounding if you make an effort to put yourself out there. It is the perfect time to fight for it.
What I love most about Singapore’s current creative scene is that it feels like family, and extended family. There is so much support and so much love, and it is a wonderful thing to be a part of.
How do you see the local arts scene evolving in the next 5 years?
It’s hard to say, because things are evolving very quickly. I await the answer as much as you!
So do you have any words/advice to anyone considering a creative path in Singapore?
‘Powerpuff Girls’ (2014), 29.7 x 42 cm, Graphite, Gouache, and Pastel on Arches Paper
If you’ve found something that makes you feel like you’ve stumbled upon your own little place in the universe, protect it. If you want something, go get it. Trust your gut and don’t give up. Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid.
All other images courtesy of Allison M. Low. Check out her website here.