Creative Capital: The Singaporean artist drawing wild reactions for his strange illustrations

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Creative Capital: The Singaporean artist drawing wild reactions for his strange illustrations

You might have seen his commercial works for SG50 and SMRT, simply A Good Citizen's Dan Wong's personal illustrations are fifty-fifty more compelling.

23 Nov 2022 06:30AM (Updated: 04 Jul 2022 09:41AM)

The showtime time I saw 1 of Dan Wong's illustrations, I did a double-take. While the 36-year-former Nanyang Technological University (NTU) grad produces a big amount of commercial artwork and illustrations for a wide range of commercial clients, his art pieces are very graphic.

These works are usually very busy, cluttered with people, animals and sometimes even mythological creatures interacting in a specific setting – which itself could range from a classroom to Mount Olympus. Look closely and you'll run across couples having sex, screaming at or killing each other, and dozens of other things even stranger and more unique. Each work is compelling just grotesque.

A detail from Dan Wong's Haytchdeebee. (Photo: Dan Wong)

If I had to suggest a comparison, I'd say Dan's work read to me like a mash-up of Chapman Brothers, Robert Crumb and Milo Manara. The works are beautiful, while busy – and they have a very specific indicate of view. Each one is a clear commentary on a social or political issue.

Given the nature of Dan's fine art pieces, he's nerveless by a minor and discrete circle of appreciators. His other works, however, tin can be seen everywhere, and has been part of the SG50 celebrations and included in SMRT commissions. Like many working artists, in guild to be able to produce the work that means the nigh to him, he has to accept on commercial projects. Dan, who's also behind the art collective A Proficient Denizen, is obviously very adept at information technology. I thought it would exist fun to catch upwardly with this very interesting artist.

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HOW DID You lot Finish UP BEING AN ARTIST?

Actually, I wanted to be a famous actor when I was a child! However, growing up, I realised that only a very few people in the world actually become famous actors.

I entered a polytechnic that teaches Digital Media Pattern and originally thought to acquire 3D so that I could sell my piece of work online. Thanks to the influences of many talented illustrators, I started to grow a love for illustration and learnt I could tell stories through the medium, which could illicit the same reactions from audiences that I always desired through functioning.

DID YOU GET EXPOSED TO ART Early on Equally A Child?

I grew up hating authority and antisocial school, only the thought of rebelling confronting the arrangement overtly would disappoint my parents too much. Then I establish smaller, less noticeable ways to rebel. I of these ways was vandalism. I would draw small, vulgar drawings in the school toilets in barely noticeable areas. I guess that was the get-go of my artistic career. It was but during polytechnic that I would abound a love for illustration.

A particular from one of Dan Wong's artworks. (Photo: Dan Wong)

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IS ART EDUCATION SOMETHING YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT?

Aye, fervently! I absolutely enjoyed myself during university, where I was learning about art history, graphic design, and the various circles and fields that my craft could be applied towards. It was similar polytechnic, but far more conceptual and experimental, as opposed to rote learning. I also teach part-time at NAFA (Nanyang Academy Of Fine Arts). I hope that my enthusiasm for working every bit a commercial and fine art illustrator rubs off on the kids.

CAN You TALK Well-nigh A GOOD CITIZEN?

A Adept Denizen is an art collective that focuses on satirical illustrated content about problems in sunny Singapore. Nosotros seek to entertain, provoke, and perchance give vocalism to the frustrations of living in everyday Singapore through humour. We work mostly at night.

This is not to exist confused with the similarly sounding A Skillful Citizen, an illustration house that does commercial work in the day. Does that sound disruptive?

WHAT'Due south THE TOUGHEST Part ABOUT Existence AN Contained ARTIST?

I never know when my adjacent paycheck is coming. Life is a constant battle to acquire paying jobs and executing them. I'm as well my worst critic and constantly beat myself up because I oft feel my work is shoddy, terrible and sub-par.

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YOUR PERSONAL Work SEEMS TO Be LADEN WITH SOCIAL AND POLITICAL COMMENTARY. WHAT Practice Yous HOPE TO SAY THROUGH THESE WORKS?

I believe that I share many of the mutual concerns of the average Singaporean. And as a good citizen, it is my correct and entitlement to vocalisation out most what I perceive to be wrong or defective in my country. However, every bit an artist, I try to atmosphere my frustrations through the vehicle of sense of humour so that I can not but bring issues up, but can also exist entertaining while doing and so. I sometimes liken myself to a courtroom jester – the fool who makes the court laugh and is therefore immune to criticise his king and express opinions that are contrarian.

A detail from Emmartee, an artwork past Dan Wong. (Photo: Dan Wong)

ASIDE FROM SOCIAL Problems AND POLITICS, WHAT INSPIRES YOUR WORK?

Pop civilization. I consume large amounts of fantasy, sci-fi and horror content from both the Western and Asian spheres. This includes mediums like comics, anime, and definitely video games. I oftentimes fall deeply in honey with something only to exist coldly indifferent to it quite soon afterward. Just to name a few things I'm in dear with now: An incredibly talented Korean creative person named Kim Jung-gi; an intellectual property called Warhammer 40k, an eclectic, grim dark mix of fantasy and science fiction; and a comic called Oh Joy Sex activity Toy that reviews sex toys.

WHERE CAN PEOPLE SEE YOUR WORK AND HOW CAN COLLECTORS Detect YOU?

I have displayed my works at various galleries for onetime exhibitions but nearly of my work tin be found on Facebook. Liking the Facebook page will likewise keep collectors and audiences abreast of the exhibitions I sometimes curate or take role in. Alternatively, one can just google "Dan Wong"; about of the results should brandish different facets of my work.

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IS SINGAPORE A GOOD PLACE TO Exist A WORKING CREATIVE?

I've not worked in many countries before so I won't be able to compare if the creative industry is meliorate here compared to other countries. I'thou quite certain that the issues that plague our manufacture, like long working hours, low pay, atrocious clients, and the full general lack of respect for creatives, is common all around the globe.

A detail from Dan Wong's The Train Goddess. (Photo: Dan Wong)

What I can say is that the typical Asian parent will tend not to corroborate of a career in the creative industry. With the sole exception of compages, because that tin pay actually well and is respectable.

You SEEM TO TAKE ON MANY KINDS OF PROJECTS. WHAT DO You Bask THE MOST?

Despite the variety of illustrative content that I do, I really do enjoy entertaining audiences and provoking reactions from them. Equally long as I'm working in the medium of illustration and entertaining people, as long as the work that I'm involved in has that potential to exercise that, then I'm enjoying myself.

WHAT'S THE COMMERCIAL PROJECT TO DATE THAT Yous ARE PROUDEST OF?

During the SG50 heyday, a close friend and I did an exhibition for the National Library Board which involved making fun beanbag depictions of Singaporean stereotypes. We worked with unlike local artists to put their illustrations on these giant fluffy beanbag shapes that kids and adults could kick and bounce on. I felt that the exhibition fabricated fun of Singaporeans in witty, lite-hearted and cheeky manner. And virtually importantly, it was entertaining to the people who interacted with them.

A public mural at Marina South Pier by Dan Wong and the Singapore Contemporary Young Artists commonage featuring EZ Link cards. (Photograph: Dan Wong)

Alternatively, nosotros could talk a chip about the artwork I did with my friends at SCYA (Singapore Gimmicky Young Artists) at Marina South Pier. These are giant, somewhat abstruse, murals made upwardly of thousands and thousands of old EZ-link cards. While not the near hitting or provocative, the practiced thing virtually creating artwork for SMRT is that the artwork will be at that place to stay, from now till even after the apocalypse.

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ARE THERE CERTAIN KINDS OF PROJECTS YOU Merely WON'T Practice?

When I first started, I would take everything regardless of the timeline or the price negotiated. Content didn't really matter then. I was a cartoon mercenary and would draw whatever for money. When I became slightly more established, I started to choice and choose, rejecting work that weighed too heavily on the timeline or that would only bring in peanuts. Now, I have a couple of apprentices and I have started accepting everything again. I guess I've come up full circle.

IF YOU HAD THE LUXURY OF ONLY PRODUCING Fine art, WOULD YOU WALK AWAY FROM COMMERCIAL WORK Birthday?

This is a hard question. While I would initially say yes, I have worked with some lovely clients and the piece of work from those projects ended up existence so much greater than the sum of our parts. I think I would do mostly fine art, and so cherry option the best clients for commercial work.

An art installation featuring beanbag works during SG50 at the National Library. (Photo: Dan Wong)

WHAT'Southward Adjacent? WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?

There's a heavy focus on comics for me this year. Ane of them involves an online comic as part of the Singapore Bicentennial Movement about how the port of Singapura, and so office of the Johor Sultanate, was razed to the ground by an Acehnese armada. Plenty of fighting, cannons and politicking. There may some blackness magic as well. I'thousand very excited about this one, and then keep a lookout for information technology at year's end!

Creative Capital: The Singaporean artist drawing wild reactions for his strange illustrations

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