ALUMNI | LUMEN
21 on his work . When I asked him about his most meaningful and memorable experience as an art student , he gave no mention of meeting famous artists or seeing famous paintings . For Jon , his most meaningful experiences have been being a part of a community – classes at LaSalle when he was a young child , later at SJI and Parson ’ s School of Design , and now within New York ’ s community of designers . This serves as a timely reminder for me and all art students that though art may be examinable , it should still be a mode of expression that we engage in wholeheartedly , with spirit and out of interest .
SJI has had a long history of supporting and educating young artists , some of whom having gone on to successful careers . Jon Max Goh is an outstanding example of this . As the SJI community prepares to move into their new campus in 2017 , it is hoped that the nurturing and creative ethos that has always been a part of SJI will continue .
Additional reporting by Jonathan Soong :
The JC1 International Baccalaureate Art students had the privilege of listening to the presentations by four Josephians from the Class of 2006 , as part of their art lessons . Jon Max Goh was the first speaker to start the series .
Flo Yeow shared his portfolio of photography projects that he did in his own time , for himself or private clients , under his business
Flotography . He is an artist not by profession ( he works in Google ) but by pure passion and determination .
While many would consider his full-time job a privilege , Ruben Pang , a full time painter , says that “ being an artist is a privilege ”. Ruben who has had five sell-out shows in his five years of work , told us about the brutal truths of the art industry .
Michael Ee , on the other hand , was an upbeat character . As a recipient of the MOE Teaching Scholarship , he continues to create art
even though he works full time as an art teacher . His art is not bound by one medium but is always socially challenging and relevant .
The four of them landed themselves in four different paths , with only one becoming a fulltime artist . Yet , the one thing that they all have in common is that they never stopped ; art did not end when they graduated with their O Level certificates or after university but rather became a lifelong pursuit that they sustained . To someone who has held being an artist as a vocation for the longest time , it was more than refreshing to hear the stories of those who succeeded , it was reassuring : I had never opened myself to the thousand ways one could . The artists of the present do not live in cramp and obscure studios , painting pictures that may only sell after their deaths . They are designers , engineers , teachers and businesspeople . They simply live art .
Facing page : Jonathan with the JC 1 Art students during his visit to SJI
Ths page ( top ): Ruben enthralling the IB students with his tales
Ths page ( centre ): Flo ( in orange ) always keen to strike a unique pose
Ths page ( bottom ): Michael assuming the role of teacher