Exhibition Dates: March 5 – 29, 2020
It was a splendid evening spent out amongst the blooms of genres represented by various artists from around the world. There was finally a moment to feel enthralled and welcomed to a space of new energies and new conversations, as if beckoning the masses to simply allow nature to refresh our minds. Although the social isolation implementation was still maintained at hand’s distance, the event was nonetheless a heart-warming one that was well managed whilst adhering to all the rules and guidelines enforced by the Singapore government the week prior. It was indeed a delight to be among an art-appreciating crowd to experience something that is so close to my daily routine: admiring new blooms and watching the flora and fauna in Singapore.
Cuturi Gallery presented its first group exhibition of the year: In Full Bloom, presenting a varied and breath-taking selection of works by 13 contemporary artists from around the world honouring the figure of the flower in the history of art.
Throughout the history of art, flowers have been a favourite subject amongst artists. Depictions of the flora elements can be found in many of the most significant art movements. For instance, white lilies symbolise the purity and holiness of the Virgin Mary during the Renaissance period; the Dutch masters took a more delicate approach to chiaroscuro in their depictions of flower still lifes while many Impressionists and Post-Impressionists painted flowers that were personally meaningful to them – like Van Gogh and his sunflowers.
“There are always flowers for those who want to see them,” says Henri Matisse, the founder of Fauvism, whose blossoms are characterised by pure vivid colours and bold distinctive brushstrokes.
Pop Artist Andy Warhol created blocks of timeless and iconic daisies in the 1960s, which are still universally celebrated in the art and fashion world of today since the end of the 20th century.
Jeff Koons’ 43-foot-tall flower puppy still waits patiently at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao for its daily droves of visitors. The public statue was designed to create and share, in Jeff Koons’ own words, “optimism, confidence, and security”.
Very rarely do you get a curated show with defined and meaningful art from established and emerging artists under one roof. Cuturi Gallery has selected a series of floral artworks from 13 contemporary artists including industry heavyweights Darryl Westly, Gaël Davrinche, Idir Davaine, Julien des Monstiers, Lionel Sabatté, Louis Granet, Romain Bernini, Olympe Racana-Weiler, Ted Pim, and Till Rabus, along with emerging artists Aisha Rosli, Dawn Ang, and Liu Ling.
While the world trudges through uncertain times, it is only essential that galleries like Cuturi Gallery remain even more relevant in hosting exhibitions of comfort. As the flowers are In Full Bloom, so the contentment of art connoisseurs who turn to art in these dire times.
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Text by Nidhi Samani
