September 30, 2011
Artists-in-Residence Emily Eldridge, Gabe Ostley, Haruka Ashida Ostley, Ashley Terpstra, and Wesley Terpstra not only work collaboratively with Yew Chung students, but also seek to beautify the school surroundings through their personal artistic contributions–murals, sculptures, graphic design, interior design, and more.
“Brightness/Contrast”, held in last June, was the fourth annual Artist-in-Residence Exhibition at YCIS Hong Kong. This year, works displayed range from Gabe Ostley’s comic books to Wesley Terpstra’s oil and watercolour paintings inspired by ephemeral objects. Ashley Terpstra showcased her series of repetitive patterns; while Haruka Ostley shared her theatre and performance work through video. Emily Eldridge explored the fine line between illustration and fine art.
The title of Brightness/Contrast is inspired by a shortcut often employed by Photoshop users to increase the intensity of a lackluster photo or image. With a click of the mouse, the Brightness/Contrast tool transforms dull hues into colours with punch; and muted tones instantly pop! Images gain depth, saturation, and heightened clarity. In this exhibition, five artists from diverse backgrounds, each with their own specialised focus in the field of art, pursued a similar feat; contrasting and complementing one another, they shared artwork that seeks to brighten the imagination.
