Dance through the art gallery! - Body of Work by Tan Ngiap Heng

“The feeling of being alive, of freedom and of empowerment that comes from dancing. The act of dancing freely in the fields of Tuscany was not really an act, it was a moment of my life, and the photography was simply a by-product.” - Tan Ngiap Heng, performing arts photographer

Dance through the art gallery!

That was my first thought as the poetic texts about dance and photographs of dancers in movement led me through Body of Work. 

Though Body of Work is a photography exhibition, I was charged with energy and the impulse to dance as I moved through the still images as well as the multiple-screen installation of dance video compilations. The powerful images of dancers and artists which unveiled the histories and emotions behind the faces and bodies drew me into a series of movements, memories, sensorial experiences and self-discoveries. 

"Getting Lost Along The Way" (from the series "Dancing with Light")

Ngiap Heng, a dancer himself, captured the essence of dance and bodies in action, with energy of each body/person/expression emitted strongly through each photograph. The essence of dance was creatively captured through lines, curves, shadows and shades in the photographs. “Dancing with Light” series captured the energy of the dancer and the momentum of dance through the use of LED lights attached to dancers. Traces of the dancers’ movements through space were thus depicted through strokes that resembled calligraphy rendered in glowing white ink. “Moonlight Sonata” showcased a series of self-portrait of the body interacting with nature. Both the movement of the body and flow of nature were captured.  Through this, Ngiap Heng explored and expressed what dance meant to him. 

from the series "Moonlight Sonata"

“I contemplate the histories that are stored in our bodies, the accumulations in time for us to be who we are.” - Tan Ngiap Heng

from the series “Portraits as History”

from the series “Portraits as History”

In the “Portraits as History” series, images of personal history were projected onto the body form to create captivating image of each individual. By doing so, each portrait tells a story which carries with it complexities of background and history. While going through the series, I started to ponder about what I am constituted of, and who I am at the core of my being. “ARTiculate” series featured visual artists, writers, dancers, theatre practitioners, musicians, photographers and animators with their art works projected on them to illustrate who they are.

from the series“ARTiculate”

Among all the wonderful series, my favorite is “Stealing Breath, Stopping Time”, a dance video montage projected onto three screens. Viewers are free to move through the screens, and to be part of the dance or to experience the dance at close proximity. I especially liked how the subtlety and energy of dance were depicted in silence, with just the impulses, muscular and joint movements, and deep rhythmic breaths of each dancer portrayed from different angles and presented on three different screens. The different perspectives of movement, dance and body in motion thus unfolded right in front of the viewers. 

“Stealing Breath, Stopping Time”

This is a rare opportunity to catch a photography exhibition that is highly charged with power, movement, vitality and life. Do drop by at ION, level 4 to experience what it is like to feel energized in a gallery. The exhibition is on at ION Art Gallery from 10am to 10pm daily, till 2 Nov. Admission Free.