Known for his fantastical realistic artworks in ink, Singaporean-born Koh Liang Jiang was trained at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and graduated with a Diploma in Western Painting in 2014. Koh’s body of works reflects the rigorous draughtsman training at the Academy, executed with a contemporary interpretation of the traditional medium. Influenced by legends, stories from ancient mythology and modern science fiction, Koh’s focus resides in the fantasy realm, albeit with varying connections to real life. His preferred choice of medium is papyrus, which allows him to render intricate and complex ink lines.
In this compelling drawing, Koh employs the iconic Dragon Playground, a local and familiar landmark, to portray the relationship between the past and present of Singapore. For Koh, the playground represented his childhood, a gathering site within the public housing estates in the 1980s. Koh finds it apt to include this nostalgic landmark as many early playgrounds have been torn down. The father figure in the drawing brings the child to the ruins of his adolescent shrine, and as he reminisces, the young boy stares in wonder and bewilderment.
