Through Her Eyes

Three female artists across generations explore identity, storytelling and empowerment through their distinctive artistic practices

- By Nafeesa Saini and Hashirin Nurin Hashim

SARAH CHOO JING

For Singapore Art Week 2024, Singaporean artist Sarah Choo Jing unveiled Gestures of Affection, an installation commissioned by Valentino. Presented at Soho House's Soho Residency pop-up, the work featured seven digital videos celebrating the beauty, complexity and strength of the female form. Each video aligned with the lunar cycle's seven phases, symbolising facets of the female experience. Individuality, reminiscent of Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, celebrated empowerment and motherhood through the depiction of a pregnant woman, while Sensuality challenged stereotypes by featuring a woman embracing her age and scars.

The 34-year-old describes the project as deeply personal yet universal in its exploration of identity, empowerment and transformation. “It was a by-women-and-for-women initiative. Growing up, it was challenging to tell my traditional parents that I wanted to do art, let alone as a female artist. It’s very difficult [for female artists], so I feel strongly about causes that push for support of women,” she shares.

Choo’s journey began with scrapbooking using colouring pencils, candy wrappers and pages from her mother’s magazines, which fascinated her with the “amazing layouts and creative photography”. Later, she studied oil painting in secondary school, teaching herself watercolour and acrylic painting through library books.

Two early works cemented her career aspirations. The first was a secondary school assignment themed Spiral Structures. “I approached the theme more conceptually—spiralling downward into a hole you can never get out of. After the presentation, I realised I have something to say,” she shares.