1. About People
Tang Da Wu

2. Enduring Understanding
Students will understand that artworks
serve as visual records of events and as
expressions of artists’ opinions about the
society they live in.

3. 5W1H Tang Da Wu When What Where How Why Which 1943-
Envionmental Issues
Where
Singapore
How
Performance
Sculpture
Why
Cultural Shock
Which
Contemporary

4. Essential Questions Overarching Questions What is a society ?
How is a society different
from the individual?
Topical Questions
How is ethnicity different
from society?
How does ethnicity
shape society?
How can art be an extension
of the environment?

5. Biographical Outline 1943: Born in Singapore.
: Lived in UK before returning to Singapore.
1974: Studied in Birmingham Polytechnic School of Fine Art for four years.
19xx: He attended School of Martins.
1985: He completed his Masters in Fine Arts with Goldsmiths College.
1987: Established The Artists Village with some other local artists.

6. When ( )
1980s: Chernobyl Accident.

7. Where Singapore The phasing out of villages.
The tradition of art as a commodity. UK
Art as concepts was fast gaining recognition.

8. Which
Contemporary
Art that belongs to the same period of time, as in “current”.
Refers to the present time, as in “now”.
Can also refer to being current with any “specified” time, as in the past.

9. What Subject Matter The body Animals on the verge of extinction.
Anything pertaining to the environment.
Ciment Fondu is cement. Advantages are quick and hard setting.

10. What Theme- Environmental Issues.
Animal extinction- chiefly caused by the Chinese community, due to their demand for animal parts as aphrodisiac and medicine. The lack of rationality in this community as there is no scientific proof that these animal parts have healing properties.
Deforestation- the much deforested landscape due to industrialization changed Singapore into a concrete jungle. This can be seen in his earthworks.
Ciment Fondu is cement. Advantages are quick and hard setting.

11. His Painting The scene narrates a simple story
of a dog chasing a cat up a tree.
It is direct and matter-of-fact.
It is painted quickly and intuitively.
The painting is childlike.
True Story, 1987
Oil on canvas, x 122 x 92 cm

12. His Painting
Man Walking his Dog, 1986
Oil on canvas, 122 x 92 cm

13. Woman with Snake in a Cage, 1988 Graphite on paper, 45 x 80
His Drawings
Ciment Fondu is cement. Advantages are quick and hard setting.
Woman with Snake in a Cage, Graphite on paper, 45 x 80
Woman Beating Snake, 1988
Ink on paper, 71 x 61 cm

14. His Drawings Australian Legend, 1992 Graphite on paper, 112 x 81 cm
Map of South America, 1992
Graphite on paper, 110 x 79.5 cm

15. His Drawings Moving, 2000 Jantung Pisang, 2000
Graphite on paper, x 69 cm
Jantung Pisang, 2000
Graphite on paper, x 69 cm

16. Pencil and wash on paper, 58 x 71 cm
His Mixed Media
Blue Rain, 1993
Pencil and wash on paper, 58 x 71 cm

17. Tiger’s Whip at Keong Siak
Performance, 95 x 70 cm

18. Tiger’s Whip at Keong Siak

19. Tiger’s Whip at Keong Siak

20. Tiger’s Whip at National Museum
Iron mesh, 95 x 100 x 115 cm

21. Tiger’s Whip at National Museum

22. Tiger’s Whip outside National Museum

23. His Installation

24. A Monument to Sueb Nakasatiem, 1991
His Mixed Media
A Monument to Sueb Nakasatiem, 1991
Mixed media, 43 x 69 x 37.5 cm

25. His Ready-Made
Just in Case, 1991
Found Object, 43 x 69 x 37.5 cm

26. His Ready-Made
Untitled, 1993
Found objects, 91 x 19.7 x 18 cm

27. Why
His Background
His stay in UK has opened another avenue of understanding in the issue of animal extinction.
He was constantly questioned by people in UK on the irrational need of the Chinese community in consuming animal parts.
This cultural disparity had an extensive impact on him to propel him to create art based on such issue.
Ciment Fondu is cement. Advantages are quick and hard setting.

28. Why
His Background
He is brought up with a Chinese education where he learnt Chinese calligraphy and painting.
He is the first artist in Singapore to use performance as a medium.
Ciment Fondu is cement. Advantages are quick and hard setting.

29. How Drawings and Paintings Drawings to him are words to others.
They are his thinking process.
He vary his techniques in drawings and paintings. Some examples- calligraphic brushstrokes and quick sketches.
He uses quick sketches to narrate his scenes.
He paints with a child-like candour.
His works are direct and blunt.

30. How
Installation
He recycles materials- something which he started when he was in UK.
It was his first year in Birmingham when the garbage collectors went on strike.
There were abundant items of varying materials for him to select from.
That was when he started collecting discarded items and sorting them into paper and cardboards, plastic, and so forth.

31. How Performance He uses his body as a medium.
His performances can be child-like, like telling a story.
He challenges the public with dialogue and discussion.
He improvises as he advances in his performance and responds quickly when required.
He later uses props and objects to cut down on the need to improvise.
His later performances are choreographed according to a script, although they may be just rough ideas and outlines.

32. Topical Question Society Culture Ethnicity
How is ethnicity different from society?
Society
Malays
Culture
Ethnicity
Indian

33. Reference
Karnadi, K. (Ed.) (2006). Modern Indonesian Art: From Raden Saleh to the Present Day. Koes Artbooks: Bali.