new books:
Quinn Lum
Quinn Lum
Robert Zhao
Robert Zhao
To inaugurate THEBOOKSHOW's new studio, we are hosting a book launch of two new books; The Abeyant Nursery by Quinn Lum and New Forest 1: A History of Cows by Robert Zhao Renhui. Join us for a night of gathering and discussions together with the artists!
Come by
Launch night
THURS, 19 Mar
7 — 9pm
refreshments on launch night!
​
Studio opens
TUES to SAT, 12 — 6pm
closed on Sundays and Mondays
​
ATTENTION:
Due to the Covid-19 situation, please refrain from attending the book launch if you are feeling unwell or have any flu-like symptoms such as sore throat, running nose, fever, etc. Any visitors found with such symptoms will be denied access to the event. Temperature taking will take place before entering and visitors will have to fill up a declaration form. Food refreshments provided are also individually wrapped in single portions to prevent any risks of transmission.
Not to worry, if you miss this event, our studio will be open till 27 Mar, after which do visit us by making an appointment. Stay healthy everyone (:
WHAT
Book Launch
WHERE
THEBOOKSHOW Studio
#10-06a
63 Hillview Ave
Lam Soon Ind. Building
S 669569
WHEN
19 — 27 Mar 2020
The Abeyant Nursery
(re)orders a history of trauma and creative identity. Painting a picture of the child and the artist who are made and remade over the course of the book, associations are juxtaposed between images of mixed media and are played provocatively with repetition. Control and ownership of the artist’s past and present are orchestrated through corrections, edits, gaps, intentional overexposure, and plaintive text, casting his self-image through a processual exploration of image-making. The weight of evaluation by parents and by the self looms large as a concern and visual conceit in The Abeyant Nursery, and the question of freedom and liberation from its hold lingers for both the artist and his readers.
This book is jointly published by Quinn Lum and THEBOOKSHOW with the support of the National Arts Council, Singapore. It won the inaugural SIPF Photobook Printing Prize, 2019 sponsored by Dominie Press. Designed by DoNotDesign.
New Forest 1: A History Of Cows
is self-published by the Institute of Critical Zoologists (ICZ), founded by Robert Zhao Renhui.
In 1935, a herd of feral cattle was spotted roaming Singapore. Since then, alleged sightings have been rare. Reports came mainly from Japanese soldiers in World War II and occasionally from local residents. If these reports are true, these cows were confined to the areas of Tampines, Punggol, Sembawang and Pulau Ubin. In 2016, a cow was discovered on Coney Island but died shortly after.
Some believe that wild cows still roam Singapore.
Designed by H55.
about the artists
Quinn Lum Fu Loong (b.1993, Singapore) graduated from the School of Art, Design and Media in 2018 with a BFA (Hons) in Photography and Digital imaging. His works explore his personal identity and social environment by the use of auto ethnography. From which, he investigates the control and expectations imposed upon him by society and questions their relevance in today’s context. Raised in a result-oriented family, his works express his desire for freedom and to be one with himself.
He has recently exhibited in various shows which include, Singapore International Photography Festival 2018 & Undescribed 2019. Quinn’s works have been awarded the Dominie Book Prize for SIPF Photobook Open Call 2018, Student Single - Second Prize in the NTU International Photography Awards 2017, the Gold with Honours in the Singapore Youth Festival, Arts and Crafts Exhibition 2012 and the Most Promising Young Artist Award in the UOB Painting of the Year 2010.
Robert Zhao Renhui (b. 1983, Singapore) is a multi-disciplinary artist and the founder of the Institute of Critical Zoologists. His artistic practice addresses the human relationship with nature challenging accepted parameters of objectivity and scientific modes of classifications.
Zhao received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Photography from Camberwell College of Arts and London College of Communication respectively. His work has been exhibited in international group shows such as Jiwa: Jakarta Biennale, Indonesia, 2017; 7th Moscow Biennale, Russia, 2017; 20th Sydney Biennale, Australia 2016; Les Recontres d’Arles, France, 2015. Amongst his more recent solo exhibitions in Singapore are The Nature Museum, commissioned by Singapore International Festival of Art (SIFA) and The Bizarre Honour, realized for OH! Open House, both in 2017. Zhao has undertaken residencies at the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris, France, and Kadist Art Foundation, San Francisco, United States, and the Fukuoka Art Museum, Japan. He was awarded Young Artist Award by National Arts Council in 2010 and was a finalist of Hugo Boss Asia Art Award 2017.