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Straits Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Rediscover Singapore artist Solamalay Namasivayam, who pioneered nude art, in book and exhibition
S. Namasivayam, Points Of Articulation: Repose at Yeo Workshop showcases some of the artist's sketches. PHOTO: YEO WORKSHOP SINGAPORE – In 1980s Singapore, when nude life drawing was taboo, a little-known pioneer artist insisted on its practice at the then-four-year-old Lasalle College of the Arts. Few locals dared to pose unclothed, so he looked to backpackers staying in hostels willing to disrobe for some petty cash. His deep, booming voice, along with his way of talking to a person like he or she was the only one that mattered, would more often than not successfully persuade models of his pure intentions. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Business Times
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Times
How one man made nude art possible in Singapore
[SINGAPORE] At Yeo Workshop in Gillman Barracks, the human body takes centre stage – reclining, twisting, stretching across the walls in bold, instinctive strokes. But this isn't just an exhibition of beautiful figure drawings. It's a long overdue tribute to the man who made them possible: Solamalay Namasivayam (1926 - 2013). Better known as 'Nama' to those who knew him, he was the quiet force behind Singapore's life-drawing movement. A Colombo Plan scholar, art teacher and founding member of the art collective Group 90, he fought to make figure study – then considered 'indecent' because it involved nude models – a fundamental part of the local art syllabus. Thanks to his efforts, life drawing found its way into Lasalle College of the Arts in 1987, shaping generations of young Singapore artists who now take it for granted. Yet for all this, Nama remained largely unrecognised in his lifetime. He didn't mount shows widely, rarely did self promotion, and hardly sought gallery representation. He simply believed that drawing the nude figure was essential for artists to truly understand anatomy, proportion, weight, gesture and emotion. A drawing by Solamalay Namasivayam, also known as Nama, who often looked for backpackers to pose for his classes because the locals were too shy to do so. PHOTO: YEO WORKSHOP Audrey Yeo, founder of Yeo Workshop, says: 'Namasivayam is deeply commendable and deserves our utmost respect. He dedicated his life to advancing artistic skills and creativity, fuelled by an unshakable belief in its importance. His efforts have borne fruit. Today, life drawing is a mainstream part of Singapore's art education. It is bittersweet that he did not live to see the full impact of his work, nor to benefit from it personally.' The exhibition titled Points of Articulation is presented alongside a new 280-page monograph of the same name. On display are Nama's figure studies in charcoal, pastel, and ink – anatomically precise, yet alive with the messy, dynamic energy of real life. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Locals were too shy then to pose nude, so his models were often foreign backpackers – their bodies imperfect, unidealised, and all the more human because of it. The accompanying monograph of Solamalay Namasivayam. PHOTO: YEO WORKSHOP Yeo adds: 'Through the exhibition and the monograph, and with the generous investment of our patrons and researchers, I hope we have honoured his legacy. As an art professional, I wish for us to carry forward this spirit and contribute to an even richer cultural future.' Points of Articulation stands as a powerful reminder that some of Singapore's most important cultural work happens offstage, away from the limelight. The exhibition runs at Yeo Workshop from now till May 7. The book may be purchased from the gallery. Visit
