K-pop stars' favourite artist Woo Kukwon in town for first solo show
South Korean artist Woo Kukwon with a painting from his Hokusai series.
SINGAPORE – In paintings that recall mediaeval tapestries, a rebellious unicorn leaps across a stream, dodging hunting spears.
It pierces a dog with its long horn, splitting the mystified canine open. Eyewitnesses to the gory scene, presented in the in-vogue cute art way, are a diapered little girl with a bob haircut and a white mini schnauzer – time travellers to this foliaged world blending history and fantasy.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Rare pristine first edition of The Hobbit found during home clean-out, up for auction
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Caitlin Riley, a rare books specialist, poses with one of the first editions of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. LONDON – Caitlin Riley, a rare books specialist, was flicking through photographs of tattered volumes from a routine house clean-out in Bristol in 2025 when she stopped, shocked, at a familiar green cover. There, between the pictures of faded 20th-century reference books and crumbling veterinary tomes, was The Hobbit, proud and nearly pristine. 'I literally couldn't believe my eyes,' said Riley, a books and works on paper specialist at Auctioneum, an auction house in the English cities of Bath and Bristol. 'How could it possibly be in and amongst all of this rubbish?' The first edition, first impression of The Hobbit – the literature-reshaping, generation-defining epic by English writer J.R.R. Tolkien that has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide – is up for auction on Auctioneum's website. It quickly passed a presale estimate of 10,000 pounds (S$17,000) to 12,000 pounds, and was up to 19,000 pounds on Aug 4, with bidding set to close Aug 6 evening. Such a copy is remarkably rare: Only about 1,500 were printed in September 1937. The way the book was found – after decades tucked away in a home library – may have been even more unusual. 'The idea that one sat untouched on a shelf for so many years without anyone realising its value is not just unusual,' Pieter Collier, a Tolkien specialist and bookseller, wrote in an email. 'It's astonishing.' First editions of The Hobbit have surfaced before, and can prove very valuable at auction. One copy, given by Tolkien to a student, sold for 137,000 pounds in an auction in 2015. Another sold for 60,000 pounds. But few are in as good condition as the one in Bristol, said Oliver Bayliss, the owner of Bayliss Rare Books in London, who thinks it could fetch more than 50,000 pounds. Riley knows little about the person who owned the book most recently: The clean-out was overseen by an executor, she said, and she does not know any family members of the person who died. She does know that the book came from the library of the Priestley family, who had ties to the University of Oxford, where Tolkien was a professor, and who had corresponded with Tolkien's friend, English writer C.S. Lewis, who also taught at Oxford. It is possible, she said, that the original owners knew Tolkien, perhaps 'through C.S. Lewis and through them running in the same circles'. NYTIMES
Vogue Singapore
6 hours ago
- Vogue Singapore
Meet Jimin Chae, the artist behind Hermès's latest window displays
At Hermès Liat Towers in Singapore, the windows look a little different this season. 'Three Columns', a new installation by South Korean artist Jimin Chae, features greek columns slicing through a whimsical landscape; deserts, lakes and fields nestled within sharply defined tiles; and pair of peep-toe Mary Janes stepping through a barely open door, while Pegasus hovers overhead and various Hermès objects traverse freely within the space. Chae, who lives in Seoul, is known for work exploring the spatial dimensions of the everyday, inserting seemingly incongruous objects into natural landscapes to spark dissonance and, just as often, delight. Chae's collaboration with Hermès, which fits seamlessly into the house's long-standing dialogue with the artistic community, sees his practice jumping from the page into the real world. In line with its tradition of inviting artists to reimagine its visual universe, the brand offers Chae a different type of canvas alongside a storied history, layered visual language and distinct motifs to serve as inspiration. 'Three Columns' by Jimin Chae, an installation at Hermès Liat Towers in Singapore. Courtesy of Hermès During a presentation on how Hermès reinterprets its heritage in a contemporary context, Chae recalls: 'What struck me most was how Robert Dumas found inspiration from an anchor chain he happened upon by the shore, which became the design motif for the Chaîne d'ancre. Remarkably, even after more than 80 years, this motif has undergone countless reinterpretations and variations, being recreated in diverse materials and forms.' 'This ability to recognise design value in something seemingly trivial, to create from it, and to keep that legacy alive through constant modern reinterpretation—that, to me, defines the identity of this brand,' he says. Here, the artist opens up about the evolution of his practice, the process of working with Hermès, and the message behind his arresting work. You've said your paintings explore space, even though they're two-dimensional. What does 'space' mean to you in your work? For me, the space in painting is literally a realm of imagination. More specifically, it is the process of giving a virtual sense of spatiality to a physically flat canvas surface. For many representational painters, this is almost an unspoken agreement—a given. However, in constructing this imagined space, I focus more intently on the visually striking flatness that never fully disappears. I aim to create compositions where spatiality and flatness coexist—not to produce illusions or tricks, but to embrace the blending of these two qualities. 'For me, the space in painting is literally a realm of imagination. More specifically, it is the process of giving a virtual sense of spatiality to a physically flat canvas surface.' You often bring together images that don't usually belong together—like a door in the middle of nowhere. What draws you to these kinds of scenes? In my own working notes, I often describe the subjects appearing on the canvas as a combination of 'fragments' of images, reflecting the fact that there is no experiential relationship between them. I find the tension that arises when objects—each unlikely to coexist in a single scene—collide and interact to be particularly compelling. Although these combinations might not realistically exist, precisely because of that, they provoke viewers to actively seek connections and engage in a kind of struggle to make sense of the relationships. This effort draws them deeper into the work, increasing their immersion in the visual experience. You live and work in Seoul. How does the city find its way into your imagination, even when your landscapes feel almost otherworldly? I was born in the city, live in the city and create my work here. Especially in a bustling metropolis like Seoul, I am deeply accustomed to the fast-paced and chaotic rhythm of everyday life. Yet, at the same time, I am always ready to escape it. For instance, one of my regular hobbies is going camping. In this way, even though I live at the heart of a major city, I have always genuinely longed for nature. This yearning might not be entirely conscious, but I suspect it could be the reason why I frequently incorporate natural elements—mountains, fields, trees, animals—into my work. Returning to your question about how the city of Seoul find its way into my imagination, I would say that it is actually this desire to break away from familiarity that drives me to construct new worlds on the flat canvas surface. The artist reinterprets Hermès's storied legacy and visual language. Courtesy of Hermès What was it like working with Hermès on this project? From the moment the project was proposed, through the first presentation meeting and all the way until the installation was completed, the Hermès Singapore team showed genuine respect toward me as an artist. They were truly curious about my artistic language and approach, engaging with the project not simply as a display but as a collaborative artistic endeavour. Honestly, how often does a collaboration with an artist from a completely different cultural background proceed so smoothly without any discord? I believe it was thanks to Hermès's thoughtful consideration and genuine respect for the artist that this was possible. Where does the balance between structure and looseness come from in your practice? Artistic freedom takes many forms. When it comes to my own creative process, I feel that words like freedom or looseness don't quite fit. From the stage of conceptualising a work—selecting subjects and using 3D programs to precisely draft compositions based on accurate vanishing points—to the painting process where every layer is carefully calculated, my work is filled with meticulous planning. For this reason, I see myself as someone who finds freedom and comfort within a perfectly constructed framework. Even scenes within my work that may appear relaxed or leisurely are, of course, the result of deliberate direction. So, to me, what might look like looseness is anything but loose. There's a dreamlike quality to 'Three Columns'. What story were you trying to tell with this installation? Ultimately, like all of my previous works, this piece was meant not to convey a specific narrative but to remain an open space filled with diverse meanings shaped by each viewer's interpretation and experience. I hope that when people see 'Three Columns', they bring their own stories to mind, pause for a moment to reflect, or feel emotions. I don't believe a clear, definitive answer from the artist is necessary in this process. Rather, I hope the work becomes a place where multiple interpretations and responses coexist, allowing each person to discover their own unique meaning within it.
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
Beyonce has great jeans, too, and she's about to drop a new album
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The Denim Cowboy – a new 90-second ad for Levi's – opens with Beyonce on horseback. Beyonce and Levi's are teaming up for another rodeo – and possibly a new album. Parkwood Entertainment, the superstar singer's company, and Levi's dropped on Aug 5 a video that combined her three previous Levi's ads into a snazzy, 90-second commercial with a twist at the end that has the 'Beyhive' – Beyonce's massive fan base – buzzing loudly. The video, titled The Denim Cowboy, opens with Beyonce on horseback wearing a cropped white tee, Levi's jeans and a denim cowboy hat, with Levii's Jeans from her 2024 album Cowboy Carter as the soundtrack. It then threads together three previous Levi's ads – Launderette, Refrigerator and Pool Hall. Launderette had Beyonce slipping out of her jeans to have it washed with ice cubes at a laundromat. The camera then pans to a diner where Beyonce – in Daisy dukes and a mid-wash button-down – checks out after work and heads to a pool hall. Fans thought Pool Hall would close out this denim-heavy recap. But with 10 seconds to spare, Beyonce delivered another Easter egg-filled clip. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 'She had a whole life ahead of her': Boyfriend mourns Yishun fatal crash victim Singapore 60 lactation pods to be set up in public spaces by Q1 2026 for breastfeeding mothers Singapore Beauty industry consumers hit by 464% rise in prepayment losses in first half of 2025 Singapore 13 taken to hospital after accident involving SBS buses, car in Tampines Singapore Singapore-made bot matchmakes strangers virtually – without profile photos Life Urinary issues: Enlarged prostate affects half of men in their 50s and up Singapore Elderly man charged after he allegedly molested, performed sex act on 'vulnerable' man She ditched the horse, straddled a motorcycle, and sped off in her Levi's. The internet immediately lit up with frenzied speculations. Was this the curtain call for Cowboy Carter – and the first spark of her elusive Act III? Fans are convinced the bike swop hints at a pivot to rock 'n' roll. 'She comes in on a horse, leaves on a motorcycle… it's rock,' one fan wrote on X, summing up the collective thrill. 'Riding away on a motorcycle. C'mon Act 3!' another said. 'We ready to get off the horse and ride that bike.' 'The font. The horse. The diamonds. The bucket. The twins. The motorcycle,' wrote another fan. Beyonce released her eighth studio album Cowboy Carter on March 29, 2024. The country album put a spotlight on Black country artists and, in the process, broke records and made history on multiple fronts. Beyonce's Levi's campaign, meanwhile, was earlier compared with a controversial ad rolled out recently by another clothing company, American Eagle, that stirred up a debate over race and became fodder for a deeply divisive culture war between US conservatives and liberals. Starring the actress Sydney Sweeney, the ad featured a play on the homophones 'jeans' and 'genes'. Critics say because Sweeney is white, blonde and has blue eyes, and the tagline declares, 'Sydney Sweeney has great jeans', the ad is a sideways promotion of eugenics – which generally argues that the white race is superior to other races. Defenders insist that interpreting it this way smacks of 'woke' overreach, and that the ad is only trying to sell jeans that will look good on anyone. One post on X, seen more than 14 million times, has photos of Beyonce and Sweeney in the same pose and wearing jeans, with the caption: 'So Beyonce can pose in Levi's jeans and it's art… But when a white woman does it, it's a national crisis?'
