- Namiko Chan Takahashi
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Namiko Chan Takahashi
陈高桥洋子Born 1974[citation needed]
SingaporeNationality Singapore Field Oil painting Training Art Students League of New York, USA Movement Realism Works Charisse
Size: 172 x 73cm
Medium: Oil on linen
(Winning entry for 2006 UOB Award)Awards 2006: Winner, UOB Painting of the Year Award.
1999: Winner, UOB Painting of the Year Award.
1998: Philip Morris ASEAN Art Awards.Namiko Chan Takahashi (Chinese: 陈高桥洋子; pinyin: Chén GāoQiáoYángZǐ) is a multidisciplinary Singaporean artist. Born in 1975[citation needed] to a Peranakan father and a Japanese mother, Namiko found her strong inclination in painting and drawing since the age of four. It was clear to her that painting was her calling in life.[1] After leaving her Cambridge GCE 'O' Level examinations, she went on to study at the National Junior College, enrolling herself in the Art Elective programme.[2] Her parents wanted her to have a good stable career and took their advice to read law at the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law. Though she did well in her course of study, Namiko knew that her heart was not set on becoming a lawyer. Her artistic passion continued to thrive, immersing herself in textiles and with theatrical work in the University. Using her father's electronic equipment, Namiko went into jewellery-making, and sold her designer pieces to fellow undergraduates. Upon her graduation from the University in 1997, Namiko went on her pupillage at a local law firm, only to leave her pupillage six months later. She continued to peddle her own bridal jewellery designs, and taught jewellery-making to save some money to further her studies at the Art Students League of New York. In 1999, she received an arts grant from the National Arts Council, which helped pay her way through the League.[3]
In New York, though her life was exciting and filled her with much inspiration, the living standards in New York were high and she knew well she did not have the means to live it up. Namiko crammed her curriculum and took on various part-time jobs affiliated with the League. This not only helped pay for her livelihood, the work-hours earned helped to earn her free art classes in the League. To save money on rent, she also stayed with a family who took in lodgers for free.[3] Namiko had the privilege to study painting with illustrious US artist names like Harvey Dinnerstein, Ronnie Landfield, Daniel Greene and Mary Beth McKenzie, at the League. Despite busy schedules and tight budgets, Namiko enjoyed every bit of her life in New York, meeting artists and other creative people as well as hanging out at her favourite haunt - the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
In November 2001, Namiko showcased a series of expressionist oil painting in her exhibition My Life as an Artist in Context with the Will of God at the Art Seasons Gallery. These paintings were created during her years with the Art Students’ League of New York. She had also donated her artwork titled Uma to the law faculty in honour of her teachers in the faculty. The faculty in turn, purchased the painting titled Untitled 4, in memory of former faculty members who have passed on: the late Ricardo Almeida and the late Peter English.[2]
Namiko graduated from the League in May 2002 and came back to Singapore. She was duly employed as an art teacher in Tanglin Secondary School, and painted a portrait of friend and local singer Kit Chan in the same year. This portrait was used as album cover illustration for Kit's Dreamscape music album.[4] On September 9, 2006 Namiko and her painting Charisse won the United Overseas Bank (UOB) Painting of the Year competition.[5]
Charisse, a nude painting of a black woman representing 'inner strength and determination of women of substance', was that of Namiko's friend and muse when Namiko studied at the Art Students League of New York. It took 13 hours a day, for two weeks to create the inspiring portrait of her friend, whom she had lost touch since returning to Singapore after her graduation from the art institution. Namiko received the award from President of Singapore Mr S R Nathan, at the prize presentation ceremony held at the Esplanade in full view of the inspiring painting and admired by many who were present at the ceremony.[6] Since then she has also explored into belly-dancing, and co-founded the Christian contemporary a cappella group Agapella, with her husband and poet Aaron Lee. The home-grown 14-member contemporary Christian ensemble made of young professionals infuse youthful experimentation of sound into Christian evergreens like Hark The Herald Angels Sing and I Will Follow Him. The group launched their first music album Follow That Star in November 2007.[7]
Contents
Major Exhibitions
Dates Title Location 2001 My Life in Context with the Will of God Art Seasons Gallery
SingaporeNovember 20 - December 18, 2003 F R I E N D S / P H A S E S : Portraits and Nudes
The second solo exhibition by Namiko Chan TakahashiThe Art Gallery,
National Institute of Education (NIE)
Singapore2007 Meeting (July 23 - July 29) Jendela, Esplanade
SingaporeParables (August 2 - September 2) Art Seasons Gallery
SingaporeGallery
References
- ^ Chettiar, Rajan (February 2003). "Namiko: Child of the South Sea". Singapore: Law Gazette. http://www.lawgazette.com.sg/2003-2/Feb03-lifestyle.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-26.
- ^ a b Bell, Gary (Jan-Jun 2002). "Chan Namiko Takahashi ’97". Lawlink (Singapore: NUS Faculty of Law) 1 (1): 12–13. Archived from the original on 2008-05-21. http://web.archive.org/web/20080521184430/http://law.nus.edu.sg/alumni/lawlink/LAWLINK_Pg1-24.pdf. Retrieved 2008-07-26
- ^ a b Yong, Siew Fern (2002-09-08). "They dared to dream". Singapore: The New Paper.
- ^ Chow, Clara (2006-09-25). "Portrait of an artist; UOB Painting of the Year winner Namiko Chan Takahashi admires her mother's strength, and that of ordinary women". Singapore: Straits Times Life!.
- ^ "Art teacher's nude painting bags top prize". Singapore: Straits Times. 2006-09-10.
- ^ Leong, Su-Lin (2006-09-11). "Portrait of long lost friend strikes gold". Singapore: Straits Times Life!.
- ^ Yeo, Kew Chai (2007-11-16). "Soundbites". Singapore: Straits Times Life! Music.
External links
Categories:- 1974 births
- Living people
- Singaporean people of Chinese descent
- Singaporean people of Japanese descent
- Singaporean painters
- Art Students League of New York alumni
- National University of Singapore alumni
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