Written by: Tang Kai Xian

About the artist: Joy Liu

Starting young, Joy found oil paintings to be an apt art form for creating works that are intense and powerful. She was a student at the Art Elective Program at Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore. Apart from participating in the UOB Painting of the Year competition, she has also taken part in other competitions, such as the Sovereign Art Foundation Students’ Prizes. 

Featured Artwork: Self by Joy Liu

I visited the UOB Art Gallery at UOB Plaza 1 featuring the award winning works of 2022 UOB Painting of the Year. I was particularly inspired by the works of 19 year old Joy Liu which won the Highly Commended Award, Emerging Artist Category. Her painting hit me close to home as I myself have faced a similar dilemma at her age too. 

Due to the connectivity and digitalisation of our presence brought about by the revolution of the Internet and Metaverse, we are now exposed to a global audience; a global audience who gives instantaneous feedback on the adjustments to our identity, through Likes, Comments, etc. This distorts our surrounding reality. For the majority of us who do not have a massive social media following, we may identify with the person and put on a facade, trying to mimic him/her. This begs the question: If we are stripped of everything (belongings, internet, communities), who are we?

Many teenagers find themselves caught in an identity crisis. This may be because they are caught in the crosswinds when transiting from childhood security to adulthood uncertainty. They may contemplate their role in the larger society and a thousand other intrusive thoughts. In this artwork, Joy illustrates her dreams and mindscape in her own search for identity at the age of 19. 

The artist imagines herself as a character in her painting. She is almost crouching and hugs the side of the building as she creeps forward; wary of her surroundings. On the right hand side of the painting, she cautiously peeks out from behind the building. The diverging roads and paths drawn in the painting symbolises the multitude of possibilities as she tries to define her individuality in this vast world. It does not help that all of us, who have access to the internet, live in 2 worlds - Physical and Virtual.

As for myself, I have found some ways to uncover the jigsaw pieces to the puzzle of my identity. To begin, consider what your core values are. These personal ethics and ideals are key in problem-solving as well as building and maintaining relationships. You can reference past events to consider not only the outcome of the decision but to reflect on the process of making the decision, as well as your future aspirations. Moreover when browsing through social media in the virtual world, it is imperative to take everything with a pinch of salt. People usually only exhibit, sometimes even exaggerate, the angle of themselves that the online audience appreciates. So be your authentic self.

41st UOB Painting of the Year Exhibition

You can appreciate Joy’s art as well as the other winners, both local and regional, of the 2022 UOB Painting Of The Year competition at the UOB Art Gallery, 80 Raffles Place, UOB Plaza 1, Ground Floor from 5 November 2022 to 19 February 2023. The winning artworks are made available in the metaverse too. More info here: https://www.uobgroup.com/uobandart/profiling-artist/uob-art-gallery-singapore.html

References: 

How disconnecting the internet could help our identity - BBC News

How the Internet Effects Personal Identity | Applied Social Psychology (ASP) (psu.edu)

Identity Crisis | Challenges,,School,Teen Behaviour,Peer Pressure, | Blog Post by Dr. Rachna Khanna Singh | Momspresso

https://www.uobgroup.com/uobandart/uncovering-talent/painting-of-the-year/winners-showcase.html