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Art SG | National Identity 4.0 – David Chan solo exhibition
January 17 @ 12:00 pm - January 19 @ 5:00 pm
National Identity 4.0 – David Chan
David Chan’s project National Identity 4.0 examines the shifting perspectives on nationhood among Singapore’s younger generations. His interest in national identity traces back several years, reflecting on changing attitudes towards Singapore’s history. Journalist Kwa Chong Guan’s article in The Straits Times in 2015 highlighted the limited awareness of pivotal events like Operation Cold store, with only 16.6% of surveyed citizens recognizing it. Kwa noted that younger Singaporeans are more familiar with recent, high-profile developments, revealing a generational disconnect with earlier events that shaped Singapore’s identity.
In his work, David uses realistic, layered compositions with humans, animals, and related iconography to offer critical reflections on social issues, blending humour and irony. His art rarely confronts directly, instead inviting introspection on themes like popular culture, ethics, and contemporary behaviour.
National Identity 4.0 specifically explores the attitudes of those born in the 2000s toward nation-building. Referencing the 2023 National Day Rally speech, where PM Lee Hsien Loong endorsed a new generation of leadership, David raises questions about Singapore’s evolving path under fresh leaders. With the legacy of leaders like Lee Kuan Yew and Lee Hsien Loong transitioning, David’s work probes into the “old stories” and generational nostalgia shaping Singapore’s future. Through National Identity 4.0, he invites reflection on the direction Singapore might take as it adapts to new societal dynamics and leadership.
About David Chan
David Chan is a celebrated Singaporean artist recognized for his technical skill in classical painting and sculpture. A graduate with First Class Honours in Fine Art from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, he debuted with his solo exhibition Genetic Wonderland in 2004 at just 25, garnering critical and public acclaim. That year, he also won the UOB Painting of the Year Award in the Representational Medium category.
Primarily working in oil on linen, David employs a realistic style, often featuring animals, humans, and hybrid forms. His works, initially whimsical, offer deeper insights into social issues like popular culture, ethics, and contemporary human behavior, often through a lens of irony and humour rather than confrontation. In recent years, he has ventured into lifelike sculpture, further bridging the connection between viewer and artwork.
David has held ten solo exhibitions in Singapore and five internationally, showing his work across China, the United States, Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea, and Malaysia. His significant exhibitions include the 54th Venice Biennale in 2011 and the Singapore Biennale in 2016/2017, where he presented the large-scale installation The Great East Indiaman at the National Gallery Singapore. In addition to creating art, David teaches at the National Institute of Education and Nanyang Technological University. His works are part of collections in the Singapore Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Taipei, and private collections worldwide.
