The founder of Living with Art and Gallery 1819 is on a mission to make art accessible to everyone
American author Thomas Merton once famously said that “art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time”. So it was with Zak Lo, owner and principal art consultant at Living with Art, when life led him on his current path after he first picked up a paintbrush 17 years ago.
The former banker was involved in painting a mural commissioned by Naval Base Primary School. “That mural had an underwater scene, and I remember climbing the three-storey-high scaffolding and painting a dolphin at the top of the wall—I felt so liberated and happy with the experience,” he enthused.
His love of art would only grow from that encounter. After working with local young artists on other projects, Lo took it upon himself to find other platforms to showcase their works. “I started consigning their artworks to shops in town,” he revealed. “Later on, I established Living with Art to showcase their works ourselves.” And the rest, as they say, is history. Founded in 2003, the gallery located at Tan Boon Liat Building is an extensive showcase of works by artists from around the world.
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At Living with Art, the eye is drawn every way at once, with the vast 4,500 sqft space exhibiting an inspiring array of artworks and sculptures. A walk through the gallery reveals works by artists as diverse as Indonesia’s Hudi Alfa, Nancy Lang from South Korea, Sri Lankan P.D. Amila Jeewantha, British artist Samantha Redfern and Chen Yi Xi from Singapore.
“It is very difficult for young artists to enter the market through most other galleries here,” says Lo. “Most galleries cater to their existing customers and know what they are already collecting, so they usually work with the same artists to have more pieces for their customers to collect.”
He adds: “We have big walls to fill, and I want customers to come in and have a wide variety of art to choose from. I welcome new artists to come in with their original artworks. If I like their work, they can showcase it and if a customer buys their work, we will work out the commission later. Everybody needs a place to start.” Lo himself goes for bright and cheerful artworks that would sit well in social spaces such as the living room and dining area. “Vibrant pieces elicit a feeling of positivity. They also have a story to tell, so they would make good conversation pieces when homeowners are hosting visitors.”
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