Eiffel Chong & James Seet – It’s A Male Nude Show

Advisory: Some of the works in this exhibition contain full-frontal male nudity

Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA) is pleased to announce Malaysian artists Eiffel Chong (b.1977) and James Seet’s (b.1970) first two-man exhibition with RKFA in Singapore. Titled It’s A Male Nude Show, this exhibition is scheduled to run from 29^th April – 22^nd May 2021 at Richard Koh Fine Art Singapore, Blk 47 Malan Road, #01-26 Gillman Barracks, Singapore 109444.

In this exhibition, Malaysian artists Eiffel Chong (b. 1977) and James Seet (b. 1970) offer viewers untraditional forms of viewing the male nude, which Western patriarchy has understood in conventional, male-centric ways. The depiction of the unclothed male body in art has, until the advent of the sexual revolution in the twentieth century, been framed within normative discourses. The tropes are familiar: statuesque men actively posturing, eroticized women in passive poses.

The gendered tropes of art reveal a lot about societal expectations for men to adopt roles of masculinity and invulnerability. Eiffel negates this prejudice via his photographic works of young bodies in a state of contemplation and reverie. His subjects exude a strong sense of elevated thought, beyond the drudgery of social conformity and, more importantly, the burden of mortality. The works are an extension of Eiffel’s mindfulness towards his own mortality and reverence of youth.

James positions his nude sculptures as a celebration of the human form without pretence. Elemental to him is the link between form and thought. His process explores the inner thought that balances line, curves and the intentional unfinished markings made by his hand. For him, this body of work represents a personal conversation with Rodin, through the traditions of sculpture, in hopes of forming a temporal connection with the master.

Both set of works come together to examine representations of the nude male body in art, and hopefully to confute the discomfort towards vulnerability in men.

Eiffel Chong (b.1977) graduated with an MA in International Contemporary Art and Design Practice from the University of East London and a BA (Hons) in Photography from London College of Printing. He was an award-winning photographer and has been featured in many exhibitions in Malaysia and around the world.

AugustMan Magazine in Malaysia awarded him The Man Of The Year 2016, Art Category and he had also won the 2^nd Prize in Category D for the Nikon Photo Contest 2014-2015, Japan. He was also one of the finalists for the Asia- Pacific Photobook Award 2015, Australia and Sovereign Asian Art Prize 2014, Hong Kong. The exhibitions that he was involved are After Image: Contemporary Photography From Southeast Asia, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore; Others & Me: Contemporary Photography Exhibition, Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah, UAE; and Malaysian Eye, Whitebox Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Besides his production of photographic work, Chong was highly engaged with the Malaysian photographic community; taking on the role of mentor for the Nikon Shooting Stars programme and Exposure+Workshop. In addition, he has been appointed to the panel of judges for the Kuala Lumpur Photography Awards 2013 & 2016 and 2017 Nikon Annual Photo Awards, Malaysia.

More of his work can be viewed on http://www.eiffelchong.com.

James Seet (b. 1970, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) is a pioneer in the advertising field in Malaysia with over two decades of experience. In this time, he had carved himself a niche as an advertising creative with insight for creating art within the realm of advertising design. He particularly excelled at conceptualizing 2D imaginations into 3D presentations. This served as an entry point for him into ceramics. His earliest education in ceramics came from an experienced local potter, Yeow Seng Cheah and international potter, Margaret Fenn. He also travelled to Fitzroy Falls, Australia to pot with Neil Boughton, who specializes in lustrewares.

Seet has represented Malaysia in various ceramic festivals, international conferences & exhibitions including the 2nd South East Asia Ceramic Conference, in FLICAM, Fuping, China in 2012. His works are collected by several international collections including the ceramic museums in A’lcora, Spain and Shaw International Centre for Contemporary Ceramics Canada.