CV
Artist Statement
Chan Wan Kyn (b. 1994) is an artist and engineer from Singapore. He draws inspiration from the intangible elements of his surroundings, particularly light, negative space, and human connection, as well as from the exploration of familiar and unfamiliar environments. Expressing his concepts through a variety of mediums, multidisciplinary practices, and methodologies, his works manifest themselves in myriad ways, from sculptural forms and immersive installations to digitally curated and generated works. With each iteration, he allows his pieces to evolve over time, exploring different methods and processes to propose new paradigms and perspectives that may inspire a greater sensitivity to the literal and figurative surroundings of his audience.
Wan Kyn’s works aim to alter audience’s paradigms, interpretation and concept of their environment in the hope that they will come out of his works with a greater sensitivity to their surroundings both literally and figuratively. His installations such as Tabula Rasa (2012) sought to draw out a childlike wonderment as audiences experienced the light filled space. It sought to give them an enigmatic experience developing their curiosity and sensitivity to their immediate surroundings. Performative documentation such as Lux (2021), have taken him on meditative journeys through Singapore’s Green Corridor, allowing a time of reflection where the urban meets the natural environment in Singapore and is now a continuing project.
Wan Kyn was a member of the pioneer class of the School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA), and has exhibited in shows at the Singapore Art Museum: 8Q (2009) and iLight Singapore 2012. He later pursued studies in Mechanical Engineering with the goal of melding the arts and STEM fields graduating with both a B.Sc (2019) and M.Sc (2021) in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University. He was the only student commissioned to produce two immersive installations for the Boiler Gold Rush 2022 orientation programme. He has exhibited at INSTINC Gallery (2022), SeongSu NFT Festival (2022), and Singapore Art Week's Urban Screens (2023). Wan Kyn is a winner of the Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize (2023). He has also recently exhibited in iLight Singapore 2023 alongside an interdisciplinary, cross-continent collective the Grand Lowlife Orchestra.
Overall, Wan Kyn's process of art-making is an ongoing one, adapting as his practice evolves. He hopes to inspire and influence his audience with his concepts, with each piece bringing him closer to grappling with the intangible and finding himself through them.
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2024 Public-Private, Bangkok Thonburi University, Thailand
Bring Your Own Arduino BYOA, Playpan Peace Centre, Singapore
2023 MeshMinds 3.0: ArtxTechforGood, ArtScience Museum, Singapore
Day 白| Night夜, INSTINC Gallery, Singapore
iLight Marina Bay 2023, Singapore
Matters of The Yard, Parklane Shopping Mall Level 8 Carpark, Singapore
你是特别的！You are special!, Art Porters, Singapore
Code Switch, Cosmic Market, Singapore
NFTAsia Urban Screens, Singapore Art Week 2023 , Singapore
2022 Seongsu NFT Festival CULTUR3 CR3ATORS, Seoul, South Korea
D:Art Festival ‘22: IGNITE THE FUTURE, INSTINC Gallery, Singapore
Purdue University Boiler Gold Rush 2022, Indiana, USA
Purdue University Boiler Gold Rush 2022, Indiana, USA
EyeMyth Festival, Virtual Exhibition, India
2021 DUNA Project 11th Edition, Project DUNA, Dialogue and Takeover, Brazil/Bacelona
Co-Arts Gallery, Virtual Exhibition, Zine and Artist Talk, USA
Chinatown Futures, Zine, New York City, New York, USA
2017 -97.076585 40.408170, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
2016 11th Emerging Artist Exhibition, Chicago, Illinois, USA
2012 iLight Singapore 2012, Singapore
School of The Arts - Redefining Material, Singapore
School of The Arts - Year 6 \/ / /\ (Graduation Exhibition) , Singapore
2011 Sculpture Square - 2nd Small Sculpture Show, Singapore
School of The Arts - Year 5 Works-in-Progress, Singapore
2010 School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) Early College Program, Chicago, Illinois, USA
School Of The Arts, Singapore, Inaugural Arts Festival, Singapore
2009 Singapore Art Museum (SAM) 8Q: Delicate, Singapore
Singapore Art Museum (SAM) 8Q: Abstractus, Singapore Anime Festival Asia: Harumika Design Exhibition, SingaporeTalks and Speaking Engagements
2024 An Introduction to Arduino, School Of The Arts, Singapore
NTU Art, Design and Media - Guest Critic, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Synergy: Art Tech Fringe Event, Figment Clubhouse, Singapore
2023 Data and Design for a Sustainable Future, National Design Centre, Singapore
Julius Bär B2B Asset Managers Event, ArtScience Museum, Singapore
Julius Bär Singapore Young Partners' Programme Fireside Chat, Four Seasons, Singapore
iLight Singapore 2023 Light Forum, Red Dot Design Museum, Singapore
狮城有约｜艺新艺异：生成式艺术, MediaCorp Channel 8, Singapore
2021 NFTs: Websites, Experience & Artists, Purdue University, AD334: New Media Art & Culture, IN USARecognition and Awards:
2023 Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize Winner 2023
2022 INSTINC D:Art Festival – Top 3 Artists
2021 Purdue Fusion Studio – A Warm Light for All, $2,500 Grant Awardee
Purdue Fusion Studio – Bistable Embrace, $2,500 Grant Awardee
2011 Artwork presented as token of appreciation to Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore