Namiko Chan
Encyclopedia
Namiko Chan Takahashi is a multidisciplinary Singaporean
artist
.
Born in 1975 to a Peranakan
father and a Japan
ese mother, Namiko found her strong inclination in painting
and drawing
since the age of four. It was clear to her that painting was her calling in life. After leaving her Cambridge GCE 'O' Level examinations, she went on to study at the National Junior College
, enrolling herself in the Art Elective programme.
Her parents wanted her to have a good stable career and took their advice to read law at the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law
. Though she did well in her course of study, Namiko knew that her heart was not set on becoming a lawyer. Her artistic passion continued to thrive, immersing herself in textiles and with theatrical work in the University. Using her father's electronic equipment, Namiko went into jewellery-making, and sold her designer pieces to fellow undergraduates. Upon her graduation from the University in 1997, Namiko went on her pupillage at a local law firm, only to leave her pupillage six months later. She continued to peddle her own bridal jewellery designs, and taught jewellery-making to save some money to further her studies at the Art Students League of New York
. In 1999, she received an arts grant from the National Arts Council
, which helped pay her way through the League.
In New York, though her life was exciting and filled her with much inspiration, the living standards in New York were high and she knew well she did not have the means to live it up. Namiko crammed her curriculum and took on various part-time jobs affiliated with the League. This not only helped pay for her livelihood, the work-hours earned helped to earn her free art classes in the League. To save money on rent, she also stayed with a family who took in lodgers for free. Namiko had the privilege to study painting with illustrious US artist names like Harvey Dinnerstein
, Ronnie Landfield
, Daniel Greene
and Mary Beth McKenzie
, at the League.
Despite busy schedules and tight budgets, Namiko enjoyed every bit of her life in New York, meeting artists and other creative people as well as hanging out at her favourite haunt - the Museum of Modern Art
(MoMA).
In November 2001, Namiko showcased a series of expressionist oil painting in her exhibition My Life as an Artist in Context with the Will of God at the Art Seasons Gallery. These paintings were created during her years with the Art Students’ League of New York. She had also donated her artwork titled Uma to the law faculty
in honour of her teachers in the faculty. The faculty in turn, purchased the painting titled Untitled 4, in memory of former faculty members who have passed on: the late Ricardo Almeida and the late Peter English.
Namiko graduated from the League in May 2002 and came back to Singapore. She was duly employed as an art teacher in Tanglin Secondary School
, and painted a portrait of friend and local singer Kit Chan
in the same year. This portrait was used as album cover illustration for Kit's Dreamscape music album. On September 9, 2006 Namiko and her painting Charisse won the United Overseas Bank
(UOB) Painting of the Year competition.
Charisse, a nude painting of a black woman representing 'inner strength and determination of women of substance', was that of Namiko's friend and muse when Namiko studied at the Art Students League of New York
. It took 13 hours a day, for two weeks to create the inspiring portrait of her friend, whom she had lost touch since returning to Singapore after her graduation from the art institution. Namiko received the award from President of Singapore Mr S R Nathan, at the prize presentation ceremony held at the Esplanade
in full view of the inspiring painting and admired by many who were present at the ceremony. Since then she has also explored into belly-dancing, and co-founded the Christian contemporary a cappella
group Agapella, with her husband and poet Aaron Lee
. The home-grown 14-member contemporary Christian ensemble made of young professionals infuse youthful experimentation of sound into Christian evergreens like Hark The Herald Angels Sing and I Will Follow Him. The group launched their first music album Follow That Star in November 2007.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
.
Born in 1975 to a Peranakan
Peranakan
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era....
father and a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese mother, Namiko found her strong inclination in painting
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
and drawing
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
since the age of four. It was clear to her that painting was her calling in life. After leaving her Cambridge GCE 'O' Level examinations, she went on to study at the National Junior College
National Junior College
National Junior College is the first junior college established by the Ministry Of Education, located in Bukit Timah, Singapore. It is considered as one of the top five junior colleges in Singapore. NJC offers a two-year course for pre-university students leading up to the GCE 'A' Levels...
, enrolling herself in the Art Elective programme.
Her parents wanted her to have a good stable career and took their advice to read law at the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law
National University of Singapore Faculty of Law
The National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law is the older of Singapore's two law schools. The Faculty was initially established as the Department of Law in the then University of Malaya in 1956, with the first batch of students matriculating in the following year...
. Though she did well in her course of study, Namiko knew that her heart was not set on becoming a lawyer. Her artistic passion continued to thrive, immersing herself in textiles and with theatrical work in the University. Using her father's electronic equipment, Namiko went into jewellery-making, and sold her designer pieces to fellow undergraduates. Upon her graduation from the University in 1997, Namiko went on her pupillage at a local law firm, only to leave her pupillage six months later. She continued to peddle her own bridal jewellery designs, and taught jewellery-making to save some money to further her studies at the Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
. In 1999, she received an arts grant from the National Arts Council
National Arts Council
National Arts Council is the name of a number of national bodies which oversee government funding of the arts.*Australia Council for the Arts*National Culture Fund of Bulgaria*Canada Council*Cayman National Cultural Foundation*Arts Council England...
, which helped pay her way through the League.
In New York, though her life was exciting and filled her with much inspiration, the living standards in New York were high and she knew well she did not have the means to live it up. Namiko crammed her curriculum and took on various part-time jobs affiliated with the League. This not only helped pay for her livelihood, the work-hours earned helped to earn her free art classes in the League. To save money on rent, she also stayed with a family who took in lodgers for free. Namiko had the privilege to study painting with illustrious US artist names like Harvey Dinnerstein
Harvey Dinnerstein
Harvey Dinnerstein , is a figurative artist and educator. A draftsman and painter in the realistic tradition, his work has included genre paintings, contemporary narratives, complex figurative compositions, portraits, and intimate images of his family and friends.Dinnerstein was born in Brooklyn,...
, Ronnie Landfield
Ronnie Landfield
Ronnie Landfield is an American abstract painter. During his early career from the mid-1960s through the 1970s his paintings were associated with Lyrical Abstraction, , and he was represented by the David Whitney Gallery and the André Emmerich Gallery.Landfield is...
, Daniel Greene
Daniel Greene (artist)
Daniel Greene PSA, NA, AWS is an American artist who works in the media of pastels and oil painting. The winner of a dozen or so awards throughout his career, Greene has painted portraits of several well-known individuals, including Mayor Robert F. Wagner, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Ayn Rand.On May...
and Mary Beth McKenzie
Mary Beth McKenzie
Mary Beth McKenzie, N.A. ; is an American painter of contemporary figures in the realism style. She was born in Cleveland, Ohio and currently resides in New York City where she teaches art at National Academy of Design and the Art Students League of New York.Her works of art are currently in the...
, at the League.
Despite busy schedules and tight budgets, Namiko enjoyed every bit of her life in New York, meeting artists and other creative people as well as hanging out at her favourite haunt - the Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
(MoMA).
In November 2001, Namiko showcased a series of expressionist oil painting in her exhibition My Life as an Artist in Context with the Will of God at the Art Seasons Gallery. These paintings were created during her years with the Art Students’ League of New York. She had also donated her artwork titled Uma to the law faculty
National University of Singapore Faculty of Law
The National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law is the older of Singapore's two law schools. The Faculty was initially established as the Department of Law in the then University of Malaya in 1956, with the first batch of students matriculating in the following year...
in honour of her teachers in the faculty. The faculty in turn, purchased the painting titled Untitled 4, in memory of former faculty members who have passed on: the late Ricardo Almeida and the late Peter English.
Namiko graduated from the League in May 2002 and came back to Singapore. She was duly employed as an art teacher in Tanglin Secondary School
Tanglin Secondary School
Tanglin Secondary School is a Government Secondary School in Singapore.-History:Tanglin Secondary School, which was lcoated at Commonwelath Avenue in the area called Tanglin Halt, was officially opened on 16 October 1964 by Mr Ong Pang Boon, Minister of Education and MLA for Telok Ayer...
, and painted a portrait of friend and local singer Kit Chan
Kit Chan
Kit Chan is a Singaporean singer.-Music:She was a member of the pioneer generation of Singaporean singers to successfully break into the international market, marked in particular by her breakthrough into the competitive and highly critical Taiwanese market with her hit Mandarin album Heartache ...
in the same year. This portrait was used as album cover illustration for Kit's Dreamscape music album. On September 9, 2006 Namiko and her painting Charisse won the United Overseas Bank
United Overseas Bank
United Overseas Bank Limited , abbreviated as UOB is a bank incorporated in Singapore. It was founded 6 August 1935 by Kuching-born Datuk Wee Kheng Chiang, father of the present United Overseas Bank Group Chairman, Mr...
(UOB) Painting of the Year competition.
Charisse, a nude painting of a black woman representing 'inner strength and determination of women of substance', was that of Namiko's friend and muse when Namiko studied at the Art Students League of New York
Art Students League of New York
The Art Students League of New York is an art school located on West 57th Street in New York City. The League has historically been known for its broad appeal to both amateurs and professional artists, and has maintained for over 130 years a tradition of offering reasonably priced classes on a...
. It took 13 hours a day, for two weeks to create the inspiring portrait of her friend, whom she had lost touch since returning to Singapore after her graduation from the art institution. Namiko received the award from President of Singapore Mr S R Nathan, at the prize presentation ceremony held at the Esplanade
Esplanade, Singapore
The Esplanade is a waterfront location just north of the mouth of the Singapore River in downtown Singapore. It is primarily occupied by the Esplanade Park, and was the venue where one of Singapore's largest congregation of satay outlets until their relocation to Clarke Quay as a result of the...
in full view of the inspiring painting and admired by many who were present at the ceremony. Since then she has also explored into belly-dancing, and co-founded the Christian contemporary a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group Agapella, with her husband and poet Aaron Lee
Aaron Lee
Aaron Lee Soon Yong is a Singaporean prize-winning poet who writes in English.Aaron began writing poetry during his days at Raffles Institution, a secondary school in Singapore where he befriended other students who would also eventually go on to become published Singaporean writers...
. The home-grown 14-member contemporary Christian ensemble made of young professionals infuse youthful experimentation of sound into Christian evergreens like Hark The Herald Angels Sing and I Will Follow Him. The group launched their first music album Follow That Star in November 2007.
Major Exhibitions
| Dates | Title | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2001 | My Life in Context with the Will of God | Art Seasons Gallery Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
| November 20 - December 18, 2003 | F R I E N D S / P H A S E S : Portraits and Nudes The second solo exhibition by Namiko Chan Takahashi |
The Art Gallery, National Institute of Education National Institute of Education The is an institute of the , Singapore.NIE, Singapore, provides all levels of teacher education, from programmes to for in-service teachers and executive for Principals, Departmental Heads and other school leaders. NIE also administers postgraduate programmes that lead to the award of in... (NIE) Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
| 2007 | Meeting (July 23 - July 29) | Jendela, Esplanade Esplanade An esplanade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The original meaning of esplanade was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide clear fields of fire for the fortress' guns... Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
| Parables (August 2 - September 2) | Art Seasons Gallery Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
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