CHIJ ST JOSEPH’S CONVENT ART SOVA SAMPLE QUESTIONS AND ANS

Section A: Structured Questions Answer all of the parts (a-c) of each question. 1 National Language Class, 1959 by Chua Mia Tee [Fig. 1] Oil on canvas, 112 x 153 cm. (a) Describe the visual appearance of the work. [10] (b) Discuss the use of colour and brushwork in this work. [10] (c) How did the artist bring out his intentions with the use of artistic devices? [10]

Figure 1 National Language Class, 1959 by Chua Mia Tee, Oil on canvas, 112 x 153 cm

3 My Dress Hangs There, 1933 by Frida Kahlo [Fig. 3a] Oil and collage on Masonite, 45 x 50 cm. The Human condition, 1933 by Rene Magritte [Fig. 3b] Oil on canvas, 80 x 100 cm. Fig. 3a My Dress Hangs There, 1933 by Frida Kahlo, Oil and collage on masonite, 45 x 50 cm. Fig. 3b The Human Condition, 1933 by Rene Magritte, Oil on canvas, 100 x 81 cm. (a) Describe the subject matter of both works. [10] (b) Compare the use of colour and medium in both works. [10] (c) Discuss which of these works you find more engaging as a Surreal work of art. [10]

Suggested answer scheme 1 National Language Class, 1959 by Chua Mia Tee Oil on canvas, 112 x 153 cm. (a) Describe the visual appearance of the work. Begin the answer with an introduction of the work. National Language Class is an oil painting by Chua Mia Tee depicting a group of adults learning the National language – Malay. This painting is set in the 1950s where Singapore was gaining independence. Continue with other descriptions: -this is an oil painting depicting a classroom setting, there are 8 students as well as their teacher -from the blackboard and the writing materials, we can infer that the human figures depicted are having a lesson -from the clothes they are wearing, we can tell that they are adults and are probably attending the lesson after work as all of them were not wearing uniform -we can also tell that the figures are from the 1950s which was when the painting was created -from the title, we can tell that the students are learning the National language which is Malay -from their skin tone, we can tell that the students were all Chinese and the teacher was on Malay ethnicity -the room looks rather cramped and the students are seated very closely together, the students are also sitting on stools instead of chairs which would take up more space in the small room -the figures are gathered around a circular table, the teacher standing on the left is balanced by the student standing on the right, creating a balanced composition -the 2 standing figures are near the one third point, creating a golden section -the man in light blue shirt, with his back facing the audience is closest to the audience and is depicted as the largest, suggesting a one point perspective -the lines on the wall also denote a space and the vanishing point -the classroom is seen at an angle, with dynamic diagonal lines cutting across the canvas -the human forms are all looking at different directions, with some students looking at the standing figure and others looking at their books, this brings the viewer’s gaze across the work in a few directions 10m 2m 8m (b) Discuss the use of colour and brushwork in this work. Begin the answer by commenting on the style the artist works with. -Chua Mia Tee works in a realistic painting style with rather naturalistic colours and a coherent composition, resulting in works that are realistic so that viewers can recognize and relate to them -influenced by the realist movement to depict everyday conditions of the working class Continue with supporting points: Colour -a warm palette suggesting a nostalgic atmosphere - colour palette has lightened from his previous work, a lot of warm tones such as yellow ochre and browns are used to depict a cosy setting, the darker browns and greys also highlight the seriousness of the subject matter -the lighter tones tend to stand out from the warm tones, creating a focal point with the white table and the three figures wearing white – the teacher, the man in light blue with back facing the audience and the lady in white top and skirt 10m 2m 4m

-cast shadows are very dark, suggesting a night lesson where the light source is probably from a ceiling light -high contrast in tones, making the scene look rather dramatic despite it being a casual scene Brushwork - brushstrokes are livelier and quite visible but still retaining a realistic depiction with the portrayal of light and tone -larger brushstrokes in the background to add texture in an otherwise plain wall -linear brushstrokes on the shirts accentuate the folds of the shirts, especially for the man in the middle in the light blue shirt and the girl at the back in white skirt -these brushstrokes help to portray a single light source in the room and in turn show a cosy atmosphere -the faces are rendered more smoothly than the clothes to show difference in texture 4m (c) How did the artist bring out his intentions with the use of artistic devices? Begin the answer with his intentions. Painted in an important period in Singapore History where self-governance was announced, Chua attempts to document the unity of the people. In preparation for self-government, the Ministry of Culture had promoted Bahasa Melayu as the national language of Singapore. Learning Malay became the thing to do. This was the inspiration for Chua to create National Language Class. Continue with supporting points: 1. Painting shows what was happening in society at that time using an effective composition. - Composition is made up of various photographs to show what he hopes to portray and not merely by chance -This painting, depicting a group of Chinese students learning Malay enthusiastically in a village hut, is based on Chua’s own experience. The portrait above the blackboard was intended to be of Yusof Ishak, appointed as Singapore’s first president, adding on to the nationalist sentiment of the painting -words on chalkboard which means ‘What is your name?’ and ‘Where do you live?’ in Malay depict political and social awareness of that time, questioning our cultural and national identity in a multicultural society - they sit around a round table, a symbol of equality, which also signifies a public sphere, being reminiscent of the marble-top coffeeshop tables one find in the older coffee shops -artist had the belief that unity in the quest for national progress would eradicate the divisions of race, class and gender was at its peak 2. Painting uses a realistic technique to show a slice of life effect. -he believes that works must reflect life, so he blends reality with art -the work looks like a moment captured in a photograph, the lighting, expressions of the figures are all naturalistic, creating a ‘slice-of-life’ effect -he was highly skilled in painting to make the elements in the painting look realistic with the high contrast in tones -this allows the viewers to relate to the work better and for later generations to see this as a historical painting 3. Artist chose relevant subject matter to depict his intentions. 10m 2m 3m 2m 2 3m

-Chua’s painting shows young women and men, the future of the nation, of different linguistic habits and different classes learning Malay from the teacher: the bespectacled middle-class man of pressed pants and shoes, the working-class man in white cotton shirt tucked out of khaki slacks in loafers, the woman in white Chinese school uniform dress, the smiling woman in capped-sleeve cheongsam - the varied depiction of students show how all are welcomed to learn the language for unity -The happy faces on the lady on the left and the cosy setting of the class help to portray its intention to encourage the people to study Malay which was then Singapore’s national language.

(a) Describe the subject matter of both works.