John Leong CK

Innocence Lost: Boy with Monkey, Oil on Canvas, 60cm x 70cm, 2023 Singapore

Innocence Lost: Boy with Friend, 60cm x 70cm, Oil on Canvas, 2023 Singapore

Flow in Motion, Acrylic on Paper, 150cm x 250cm, 2024 Singapore

Mapping Memories, Multimedia, 19cm x 19cm triptych, 2024 Singapore

Sifting Ties and Grading Connections, assemblage of stainless steel objects, 40cm x 40cm x 80cm, 2024 Singapore

Everyday objects become metaphors, questioning what is real or imagined, organic or industrial, transient or enduring. By transforming the mundane into forms inspired by nature, the work challenges traditional expectations of art and materiality, while exploring identity and existence.

This piece invites viewers to reflect on the intersection of the physical and spiritual, finding beauty in the unexpected and pondering where boundaries truly lie—or whether they exist at all.

Paradox of Progress, Acrylic, 40cm x 80cm x 40cm, 2024 Singapore

The paradox of progress refers to the idea that as society advances technologically and economically, it also faces new challenges and dilemmas that arise as a result of that progress. This paradox highlights the notion that while advancements bring benefits, they also come with unintended consequences and new problems that need to be addressed. It underscores the complex relationship between progress and its implications for society. (Exhibited at the Sculpture Society Singapore 2024 Annual Show “Made in Singapore” at the Gardens by the Bay)

Something Queer Happening, Found Objects and Video Installation, Variable, 2024 Singapore

Exploring my neighbourhood unveils a trove of found objects, creatures, and individuals, each bearing unique tales and viewpoints within this simultaneously familiar and foreign landscape. This body of work disrupts heteronormative narratives, challenging beliefs, pathways, and norms to offer a fresh perspective. It invites viewers to pause, contemplate, and reflect on the fluidity of identity, gender, and sexuality, prompting a reevaluation of what it means to be deemed ‘normal’ or ‘abnormal’. (Exhibited at the BFA Open Studio at LaSalle McNally 2024)

Where is Pulau Ular, Found Objects, Size Variable, 2024 Singapore

From a natural tropical island, Pulau Ular was transformed and subsumed into Pulau Bukom. It’s indenting, along with those of the inhabitants of Pulau Bukom is lost forever, making way for the storage and distribution of fossil fuels.

Series of works entitled Beyond Spaces was exhibited in the Beyond group show at Art Commune in 2023

Artist Statement

Throughout my life, I have experienced countless relocations, constantly moving from one home, school, job, city, and country to another. These repeated transitions have necessitated my adaptation to shifting social norms, cultures, languages, and communities. Movement and change have emerged as the enduring constants in my life, fostering within me a deep yearning for stability, balance, and purpose. I am compelled to seek points of reference, principles of life and sources of strength that transcend physical spaces and geographical boundaries, enabling me to derive clarity amidst the cacophony and disorder. 

In this body of work, I endeavor to encapsulate the essence of uncertainty that accompanies change and perpetual motion, juxtaposing it with moments of centeredness and grounding. My chosen medium, clay, possesses a transformative nature—pliant and receptive in its raw form, yet solid and unyielding once fired. Composed of elements shaped by the earth’s ceaseless shifts, clay becomes an embodiment of movement and change. In addition, I employ metal rods, simultaneously sturdy and flexible, symbolizing the ceaseless rhythm and resonance of the ever-passing time.

Through the interplay of these materials, I strive to evoke a sense of timelessness, transcending physical space and borders. By molding clay and manipulating metal, I seek to convey the intricate dance between permanence and transience, and to explore the harmonious convergence of movement and change, with inner equilibrium. My artistic exploration becomes an avenue through which I navigate the complexities of existence, striving to utilize a visual language that resonates with the human experience.

Wishing Pipes, Ceramic, metal and wood, Variable, 2023 Singapore

Since the days of the caveman, humans have been in search of a connection to a higher being. As an artist, I’m fascinated by how this innate human need continues to our present day, expressed through prayer or other forms of worship. The Wishing Pipe serves as a tangible connection to these aspirations and  longing. It seeks to honour diverse ways of connecting with one’s higher being or aspiration for a brighter future. Through this artwork, I invite viewers to engage in dialogue about their dreams and reflect on their purpose, and embrace their own path towards their quest for fulfilment. (Exhibited at the Sculpture Society Singapore 2023 Annual Show Seek at the Chinese Cultural Centre Singapore)

Selected photos from the Faces of Places series. In this series I focus on capturing the emotions of the faces of the people I am observing, especially moments of awareness and authentic expressions which are filled with sincerity and joy.