Romanticisation of the Tropics
Batik paintings are at the centre of Artcommune Gallery’s latest exhibition, Romanticisation of the Tropics. It showcases the works of three major artists – Chuah Thean Teng, Choo Keng Kwang and Seah Kim Joo – who have each helped develop, shape and refine the art form in Singapore and Malaysia between the 1950s and 1970s. The exhibition also explores how batik has since evolved, from a traditional dyeing technique to being used as a cultural motif to represent the two Southeast Asian countries.
One of the must-see pieces is Tropical Charms I to V by Choo. It’s a massive, 5-panel batik mural painted in a distinct ochre-yellow colour. The artwork was commissioned for Hotel Negara, now known as Pan Pacific Orchard, Singapore, during a period when businesses and organisations started to push for the integration of local art into public spaces.