One of Singapore’s pivotal modern art sculptors, Han Sai Por has received critical attention for the rigour of her practice over the years. Nature has been her principal source, providing motifs and metaphors of forests, plants, seeds and fruit that signify the vitality of life. Her sculptures are characterised by organic forms and understated elegance, often demonstrating a strong sense of symmetry and balance as well as intuitive understanding of material. While stone has been the material she is most associated with, Han has worked successfully with glass, metals, paper and ice, and her practice also extends to paintings and drawings.
Celebrated for her works in stone, Han is a recipient of a Singapore Cultural Medallion and her accolades include the Grand Prize at the Triennale-India 2005 and Outstanding Sculpture Award, China in 2006.
In the early phase of her development, she worked as an art educator before becoming a professional artist in 1997 and was founding President of the Singapore Sculpture Society in 2001.
BIOGRAPHY INFORMATION FROM ocula, FEBRUARY 2024.
Han Sai Por, 'Flora Series (Old Shoot)', 2016, marble (Han Bai Yu), 55 x 46 x 34 cm. Image from STPI
Han Sai Por, 'Transformation Series', 2013, granite, dimensions variable, installed at the Istana, Singapore. Image courtesy of the artist
Han Sai Por, 'Tropical Fruit 14', 2013, powder pigment, shaped cotton paper, sculpted coloured abacca paper pulp, 7 x 25.5 x 21 cm. Image from STPI
Han Sai Por, 'Nestles 3', 2013, wood block, STPI handmade cotton paper, Unique edition, 102 x 127 cm. Image from STPI