Carmen Ceniga Prado returns to Singapore with an inspired body of paintings, recently developed during the days before the birth of her first child and her postpartum. Rite of Passage is more than an homage to Prado’s newborn Sol; it is an intimate unfolding of her own body – charting its radical changes through the fecund seasons of pregnancy. With meditative scents, the Sullivan+Strumpf showroom is transformed into the same studio setting that allowed for these emotional landscapes to emerge.
This exhibition expands abstract painting beyond its gestural, overly romanticised surface, to plumb the visceral depths of the labouring maternal body – in search for the truth of who a woman is, who she is becoming, and the new life she is carrying within her.
The paintings of Carmen Ceniga Prado have always been charged with the emotional states, sensations and fluctuations within her body. Freeing herself from the weight and didacticism of art history, she looks to abstraction as a conduit for an authentic, vital connection to the essence of who we are – from our flesh and bones to our soul and spirit.
The showcase also includes a series of thoughtful programmes curated by Christina J. Chua and Metis Art in collaboration with the Art Galleries Association of Singapore (AGAS) on the occasion of Singapore Gallery Month 2024.
Rite of Passage
14 September – 1 October 2024
Opening Reception
14 September 2024, 4-7PM, by invitation or RSVP only
Sullivan+Strumpf 114 Lavender St, CT Hub 2, Floor 7, Unit 56 Singapore 338729
Contact team@metisart.co for to schedule a viewing or request the price list.
14 September, 4-5PM
Join artist Carmen Ceniga Prado and curator Christina J. Chua in an open-hearted dialogue on the seasons of change through motherhood and postpartum that inspired Prado’s new series of embodied abstract painting.
18 September, 7:30-8:30PM
This embodiment practice combines breathwork, mindful movement, and stillness that captures the Cycle of Life we all endure. We will start with a breathing exercise for the purposes of grounding, where we will plant our seed of intention. We will then grow this seed by moving our bodies in a mindful manner, eventually sprouting into a beautiful flower, before returning to the ground where we will end with a body scan. A moment of witness.
21 September, 2-3:30PM
The world of Southeast Asian art in the twenty-first century is a vibrant tapestry that reflects the region – a melting pot of diverse indigenous traditions, colonial encounters, and spiritual and cultural practices. Join Christina J. Chua for a talk on why Southeast Asian art is so compelling to collectors and enthusiasts alike in the 21st century. This talk is geared towards budding art collectors and observers keen to learn more about the art of Southeast Asia.
28 September, 2-3:30PM
Professional standards for the art industry are indispensable in a growing ecosystem. Christina J. Chua, shares her knowledge of the art industry in this lecture and workshop that looks at how best practices may be cultivated. The business of building and sustaining relationships with artists and collectors involves a wide variety of skills, from client management, to familiarity with inventory systems, to legal know-how in the crafting of contracts and agreements. This talk is geared towards industry professionals and observers, and collectors.
