Being

Ota Fine Arts Singapore is delighted to present "Being", a group exhibition featuring Akira the Hustler, BuBu de la Madeleine, Tomoko Kashiki, Nobuaki Takekawa and Ming Wong. These artists, in their own ways, defy societal expectations by exploring different concepts of identity and self-expression. Their works challenge heteronormative frameworks and celebrate all forms of gender, sexuality and identity as essential aspects of the human experience.

BuBu de la Madeleine' s (b. 1961, Japan) work Gender Queer Dance (2023) confronts deeply entrenched ideas about identity, reproduction and gender. Part of her ongoing series of 'pollination' drawings, this piece depicts two mermaids undergoing pollination, with the white grains representing sperms and eggs. BuBu theorised that mermaids are "gender queer" and that they possess similar reproductive processes as plants – pollination by pistils and stamens. Imagining the mermaid as a living organism, BuBu assumes them to be hermaphroditic, moving away from its female stereotype as represented in media. Challenging our traditional understanding and representation of body and gender, viewers are encouraged to reconsider and embrace the nuances surrounding gender roles and procreation.

Tomoko Kashiki 's (b. 1982, Japan) unique painting style is reminiscent of Heian Buddhist paintings and Bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women), focusing on intricate details such as fingers, clothes' wrinkles and textured wooden floorboards. Kashiki is aware that the figures she draws, whose slender bodies and elongated limbs embody a fragile beauty, are idealized imaginary representations that do not exist in real life. According to her, beauty and fear are inextricably linked and painting is about representing unobtainable objects or sceneries that do not exist. Drawing from her personal memories and daily encounters, along with her rich imagination, Kashiki expresses human feelings such as longing, desire, and admiration in her works. While not explicitly male or female, Kashiki' s figures transcend gender labels altogether, presenting beauty in a fluid and non-binary manner. Depicting a universal form of beauty untethered from gendered physicality, Kashiki challenges viewers' expectations and gendered stereotypes of the human body.

Likewise, Biji Diva! (2011/2014) by Ming Wong (b. 1971, Singapore) challenges the audience to reimagine societal structures and gender identity. This is an artistic documentation of a multimedia performance inspired by the multifaceted life of Turkish transsexual pop diva Bülent Ersoy. During Wong' s research on Turkish cinema, he discovered the life and work of this controversial figure: in a unique occurrence of cinematic history, Ersoy portrayed herself in her own gender-crossing autobiographical film. In Biji Diva!, the artist and his mother May Wong pay tribute to Ersoy in a live concert, portraying 4 stages of her life: Boy Bülent, Trans Bülent, Woman Bülent, and Mother Bülent. Whilst pushing the possibilities of cinematic language, Biji Diva! also opens a dialogue about the assumptions of gender, identity and culture, and how these notions are continuously being negotiated, shaped and reshaped.

At the heart of Akira the Hustler 's (b. 1969, Tokyo, Japan) practice is a commitment to anti-discrimination activities related to marginalized groups. Tools of Hope: No Hate Under The Rainbow (2018) employs a visual language that is both playful and politically charged. Stylistically, it contains motifs inspired by protest signs from LGBTQ+ pride demonstrations in Japan during the time of the work' s creation. The slogan "No Hate Under The Rainbow" is a direct call to action—an invitation for viewers to be more inclusive and to create a world where everyone, regardless of their gender, sexuality, or lifestyle, is treated with dignity and respect.

Similarly, the works of Nobuaki Takekawa (b. 1977, Tokyo, Japan) engage deeply with themes of societal discrimination and marginalisation, engaging viewers to resist and challenge these social norms and political structures. As the title suggests, F**K OFF TRANSPHOBES (2023) is an unapologetic work in response to the increasing waves of transphobia in Japan. Painted live at the "Galaxy to Galaxy The Final Bash" event in Tokyo in 2023, the work features two "Heart" characters in light blue and pink (colours from the transgender flag). The heart, seen as a universal symbol of love and compassion, becomes an emblem of radical inclusivity. Regardless of how we look, behave, or identify, we all have one thing in common - a heart. It beats loudly for all to hear, declaring its existence and inviting viewers to reject and rebel against societal structures that seek to ostracise individual expression.

Through a diverse expression of works, Ota Fine Arts Singapore hopes to encourage viewers to embrace the differences that all human beings have to offer. In a contemporary world where many struggle for acceptance, these works present a powerful and imaginative vision of what it means to be human, to desire, and to be free.