CollectionSouth & Southeast Asian Collection
Object numberS1999-0010-001-0
TitleVenus Rising with the Moon
CreatorJimmy Ong
DescriptionVenus Rising with the Moon belongs to the later category in Ong’s practice. The drawing may well be interpreted as an allegory of narcissistic self-absorption as the female figure turns her gaze onto herself and appears to admire her reflection. But it is equally plausible that her inward gaze proceeds from a longing for self-knowledge and self-affirmation. Her robust form defies contemporary notions of beauty, and while this may add to the narrative issues of the impact of social conventions on women’s sense of identity, it is also true that Ong’s figures are generally robustly built in the manner of Rembrandt’s style to which Ong acknowledges influence.
“Jimmy Ong’s ‘Venus Rising Over the Moon’, 1988, is a powerful rendering of the figure; it demonstrates drawing as a creative, constructive process, as we behold it, we are able to simulate action entailed in the formation of the image. The mirror is employed not as a device for reflecting states of absorption, but to register alarming transformations of appearance and identity.” (Past, Present , Beyond: Re-nascence of an Art Collection, Page 69)Back view of a squatting female nude holding a mirror. There are some distortions of forms to achieve visual impact, especially in the pose, the turn of the head and hands. The sensuous feel of muscles and bones in the powerful torso and the weight of the body pressing on the bended knees are well articulated. Despite the distortions, accuracy in drawing has not been sacrificed. Jimmy Ong is a powerful and creative draughtsman. He draws wall-sized pictures and his figures are always related to a human condition. In Venus Rising with the Moon, it is the unconventional pose that captures immediate attention.“While Jimmy Ong’s practice extends to painting in oil, drawing in the medium of charcoal has been for Ong the favoured mode of art making. In this regard, he has sustained a practice in still-life and figure drawing over two decades. For Ong, still-life drawing is a meditative and skill-honing practice that opens up possibilities for expressions of poetic sensibilities. Conversely, he regards his figure drawings as visual “prose” to which he appends allegorical narratives and reflections on personal memory, the human condition and interpersonal relationships.
Venus Ascending with The Moon belongs to the later category in Ong’s practice. The drawing can be interpreted as an allegory of narcissistic self-absorption as the female figure turns her gaze onto herself and appears to admire her reflection. But it is equally plausible that her inward gaze proceeds from a longing for self-knowledge and self-affirmation. Her robust form defies contemporary notions of beauty, and while this may invite issues pertaining to the impact of social conventions on women’s sense of identity, Ong’s figures, male and female, are built after Rembrandt’s own robust forms.” (Highlights of Southeast Asian Collections)
Production placeSingapore
Production date 1998
Object categoryPainting
MaterialCharcoal on paper
Dimensions
H: 150 cm
L: 150 cm
L: 150 cm