Artist Calvin Tay: Visual Questionnaire #22

While studying Industrial Design at the National University of Singapore, Calvin Tay would get into trouble with his tutors for creating conceptually-driven products that were rich in story-telling, but held little functional value.

His keen interest in materiality led him to art, which proved to be the best outlet for Calvin's ideas. In the last three years, his artworks have explored how different media like wood, plastics, and paper could be used to uncover the unique from the uniform. However, since taking up an artist residency with the Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai in 2017, hot melt adhesive (aka hot glue) has been his preferred choice of medium.

During his time in Shanghai, he developed a technique of layering hot glue into landscape forms to create an unconventional topography. This was showcased at SPRMRKT Cluny Court in Singapore in 2018.

Calvin will be exhibiting results of his latest experimentations with hot melt adhesive at his upcoming solo exhibition, 'Glue Again', at 32 Rowell Road, from 15 to 29 November 2019.

What's your most played album on Apple Music this year?
Late Sun by Kerala Dust

If you weren't an artist, what would you be?
A gardener.

What's your favourite country to visit?
China.

What would you tell your 12-year-old self?
Get off IRC!

What's your favourite book? 
Design As Art by Bruno Munari.

What's the most memorable artwork, performance or exhibition that you've seen? 
The Taj Mahal.

What's an unrealised project that you wish to complete sometime in the future?
This thing about fingernails and timelines.

What's your proudest achievement in your career so far?
Selling my first piece of artwork. I felt validated that I might be doing something right.