Writers Fortnight:
Today, I recently listened to a Singaporean artist called Danny Raven Tan. I have gathered 4 images from the noun project and I will explain how these represent the ideas that came up in the presentation as well as the questions I would have liked to ask:
Tiffin:
I have used the Tiffin icon because it represents the art form and approach that Dany Raven Tan uniquely has. He owns a home gallery just like my grandmother in Sweden and has decided to call his gallery “Tiffin”. This is because he wants to bring art to the community and he felt that since Singapore has this unique attachment to food and a Tiffin is where you bring your food in, it was the perfect symbol to symbolize this. Furthermore, it is also a symbol of the love of community. I would like to ask you: What activity do you have a special cultural attachment to such as listening to music, eating (food) and playing sports, and why?
Faith:
During this presentation, I learned that Tan is a devoted Christian. Faith has been a huge source of influence and inspiration in his work. He believes that he needs faith, strength and wisdom to survive and cares deeply about God. When he was under chemotherapy, he said that he survived by believing in God, and having his friends and dog nearby. However, I do not hold any religion but it seems to be that Danny Raven Tan thinks deeply about religion and even his middle name Raven, comes from the biblical term for wisdom. In other words, Danny Raven Tan has effectively translated these big ideas into his artwork. Furthermore, I have realized that some individuals need faith to base their actions and opinions and also as a guide. This is possibly why many hold a religion. Finally, I would like to have asked him: what benefits do you think you have acquired from being religious? Also, why has religion played a huge role in your artwork?
Skull:
In terms of this image, it is not meant in the way of the question: what is the meaning of life/death, but rather the regrets we have. When listening to the presentation, Danny Raven Tan talked a lot about the regrets you, him and I have. Since he experienced the traumas of cancer and his mother having dementia, he must have had many bad experiences in his life. However, not only has it made him more accepting of life, but also made him think about taking more chances in life too. He believes that we live to die and he wants to leave good memories behind. Therefore, he tries as much as he can to do the things he wants to do because we never know when we die. This made me think of all the things I want to do and how I can achieve them. Finally, I want to ask you readers: what is the thing you want to achieve most in your life?
Timing:
Tan had many experiences where he felt that timing was important. Similar to the icon before this one, everything we do is all about timing. This made me think not only about all the experiences and actions that I want to do but also when I should do it. According to Tan, I should do them as fast as possible but maybe that is not always the case. I would have liked to ask him a little bit more about timing: why is timing so important to you?
Quick Reference:
- Tiffin by I Like Bears from the Noun Project
- faith by Michelle Fosse from the Noun Project
- Skull by Imogen Oh from the Noun Project
- timing by Gan Khoon Lay from the Noun Project
During the presentation, I also asked a question about his unique approach to art however, I was embarrassed once again because as I was too quiet and had to repeat the question several times. Speak Louder and Clearer!
DANNY RAVEN TAN : CANCER SURVIVOR TURNED ARTIST ADDS ECLECTIC FLAVOUR TO LOCAL ART SCENE
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-raven-tan-587a5a3b/
