Given a choice, Chung Ying-yam would have preferred to have his debut solo exhibition staged at a more conventional venue like the City Hall. However, because of 'exorbitant' rental fees, the 50-something artist will now be showing his traditional Chinese ink paintings (left) and calligraphy at the Fringe. Not the most ideal location for this particular artistic discipline but it will have to do.
'Galleries will only take on works by famous artists,' says Chung, who has been painting for the past three decades, 'while it costs tens of thousands of dollars to rent a venue like the City Hall Exhibition Hall for just three days. For artists who do not have that kind of money to spare, these [venues] are not real choices.'
The Fringe, however, only asks for a $1,000 deposit, if you are a member, which is affordable. Chung explains that he could have applied for an ADC grant but the catch is he has to secure a venue - and therefore fork out the rental fee first - before the ADC considers his application.
'I have friends who paid for all the costs first only to have their grant application turned down later,' he says. 'The Government must give visual artists more financial support. How else are we going to develop?'
Chung specialises in Chinese ink and calligraphy and has studied works by masters Chang Daichien and Shih Tao. He respects the traditions of this art form, but adopts bold splashes and washes that give his works a more contemporary feel. Nokia Gallery, Fringe Club. Noon-9pm Mon-Sat. Tel: 2521 7251. Sept 27-Oct 16.
Still on the subject of exhibition venues, here is another unusual choice: a restaurant. Brown on Robinson Road will be showcasing a series of frame prints by Japanese artist Kazutoshi Sugiura. Owner Nunu Luan, a fan of Sugiura, has no guidelines about what to display inside her restaurant as long as the works blend in with the ambience. Works by the 64-year-old Japanese artist are widely exhibited and collected around the world. You can see his brilliantly coloured flowers on gold leaf background, until October 15. Tel: 2971 0012.