People tend to underestimate the diminutive, but in the case of artist Oh Chai Hoo’s latest solo exhibition at iPreciation Gallery, this would be a grave mistake.
At Marks on Earth, the artist brings to fore his combined talents in ceramics, calligraphy and Chinese seal carving, to present a whopping 120 ceramic seals that he has hand-carved between 2003 and 2021. Oh approaches the carving of each seal with emotion and intuition, such that each piece inevitably takes on the characteristic of a time capsule, encapsulating how the artist had felt at the moment of the seal’s creation.
Indeed, at their small scale, it can be all too easy to overlook the intricate beauty of each palm-sized ‘micro-sculpture’ (as the artist calls it). But what’s more likely to happen, if you’re anything like us, is that you dally a little too long, scrutinising the unique marks, shapes, and firing techniques that this skilful artist has imbued every seal with.
Marks on Earth runs from now until 27 November. For more information, visit the iPreciation Gallery website: http://www.ipreciation.com/marks-on-earth/
