News Release - 20 Jul 2002

THE 21ST UOB PAINTING OF THE YEAR COMPETITION

Gong Yao Min's winning painting mixes traditional Chinese
technique with modern architectural designs

Junior Section entries impress with their maturity and execution

Singapore, 20 July 2002 - The 21st UOB Painting Of The Year Competition, organised by the United Overseas Bank (UOB) Group, celebrated its coming-of-age with the largest number of entries to date. An overwhelming 574 entries were received, including 199 from the Junior Section. This is a mark of the Competition's premier status in Singapore's art scene as a platform for promising artists to gain recognition for their work.

37-year-old Mr Gong Yao Min took home the top prize of S$20,000 in the Open Section of this year's Competition with his painting, entitled 'The Impression of Singapore, Series Three, Colour Space'. The painting is an interesting mix of tradition and modernity with its use of Chinese Ink to showcase the different architectural styles in Singapore, mixing old and new buildings together in vibrant colours.

Commented Dr Ho Kah Leong, the Chief Judge for this year's Competition, "The artist aptly chose architectural designs and patterns to form the main motif of his painting. The line works are lively drawn and the ink with rich tone. The whole painting gives the audience the feelings of elegance and magnificence."

Indeed, Mr Gong was inspired by the bright colours and cultural diversity that he sees in Singapore's buildings. Said Mr Gong, "Although I used to paint mountains and lakes in China, in Singapore, it is the variety of architectural styles and rich cultural flavours that I find interesting. Though Chinese Ink is difficult to use in painting such cityscapes, I feel it really brings out the brilliancy of the colours and the structural designs."

The judges were particularly impressed with the maturity shown in the entries submitted in the Junior Section for 18-year-olds and below, which they felt augurs well for the development of visual art in Singapore.

Seventeen-year-old Ms Angeline Au Yong was named as this year's 'UOB Most Promising Artist' with her painting, entitled 'A Picture of Innocence and Experience'. The judges noted that, "the winning entry was impeccably executed in terms of technique and colour. The subject matter is an interesting one. The panel is of the opinion that this and a few others in this category are really promising young artists. Given time and practice, they may stand high in local art arena."

New Category For 22nd Painting Of The Year Competition
In keeping with the Competition's aim of encouraging new and promising talents in Singapore, a new category in Photography will be included in next year's Competition. This, UOB hopes, will not only help more artists gain recognition for their work but also further the development of the arts in Singapore.

Response To The Competition
This year's Competition, which closed on Saturday, 13 July 2002, attracted a total of 574 entries from 387 participants. The detailed breakdown is as follows:

Number Of Entries
Open Section Comprising - Abstract Medium - Representational Medium - Traditional Chinese Medium	375 157 158 60
Junior Section Comprising - Abstract Medium - Representational Medium - Traditional Chinese Medium	199 54 120 25

Panel Of Judges
This year's panel of judges comprises one overseas and three local judges. They are:

Local Judges

The Exhibition, open to members of the public, is held on the 1st, 37th and 38th Storeys of UOB Plaza 1, 80 Raffles Place from 20 July to 2 August 2002, 9.00am to 5.00pm daily. Admission is free.

For further information, please contact:

Ms Lim Yin-Fern	UOB Corporate Affairs Tel: (65) 6539 3990 Email: Lim.YinFern@UOBgroup.com
Ms Samantha Joy Yik	UOB Corporate Affairs Tel: (65) 6539 3970 Email: SamanthaJoy.YikSY@UOBgroup.com