Tan Kwank Liang

A MEDITATIVE SOURCE

Tan Kwank Liang met Alain Ellouz during a meditative journey, a pivotal encounter that led to an artist residency—and another profound discovery: alabaster. Born in Malaysia and holding a Master’s degree in Applied Arts, the Singaporean artist draws from the rich tradition of Chinese painting, deeply influenced by Japanese printmaking. For his alabaster canvases, he developed a technique blending painting and “shodo”, the Japanese Zen calligraphy art, with acrylic and sumi-e, the black ink painting tradition. At the heart of his approach lies the spontaneity of the gesture, an embrace of the “letting be” philosophy, which reflects the non-anthropocentric nature of Asian culture. In deep resonance with his connection to meditation, his exhibition unfolds like a mystical journey, carried by the rhythm of breath and stillness.