The emerging and upcoming visual artist, Ho Chung Kwang, also professionally known as ‘BODHI,’ will present his debut solo exhibition with ‘Sonic Vistas’ at Singapore’s Gallery 1819.

This limited exhibition will only be in public view until 1 August 2023. BODHI’s signature use of acrylic paint as part of his many pieces will remain on display, branching from his ‘Curating Playlists Series’. As one can possibly extrapolate from the name of the series, the range will integrate the aural blessings of music. Portraying real-life imagery and events through the vibrant perspective of the 23-year-old artist, he crafts these visual pieces combining elements of resonating electronic music tracks.

Each of Kwang’s many pieces is accompanied by a designated Electronic Dance Music (EDM) track. The creation of all his surrealist scenes takes inspiration from visual themes that are extracted through the process of assigning visual components to EDM audio. This results in a vast series of BODHI’s intense and immensely descriptive interpretation of music and the bustling sound waves emitted from life. As a visual artist with a fervent interest in music engineering, DJ-ing, and beatboxing, Electronic Dance Music yields particular significance to Kwang. His fascination in this field continues to be further motivated by music videos, the work of electronic performance visualisers, and DJ backdrop animations, instigating the astonishing blend of music into his art.

‘I listen to music and look for visual references to project that essence onto,’ says Kwang.

With a ‘versatile acquisition of collectible pieces’ embodying the culture of Southeast Asia, Gallery 1819 is deemed a predominant Fine Art gallery. From numerous esteemed artists internationally, the gallery is able to showcase artworks that provide various artistic perspectives of the real world. Over many years, BODHI has been frequently featured in Gallery 1819 as an in-house artist. His formerly showcased work in the Fine Art gallery includes his ‘Astrochemistry Series as part of his ‘Sonata Allegro’ collection in the previous year. As of now, the young artist aims to push upon major shifts to his artistic trajectory. The notions addressed in his pieces go beyond interior design and collector’s pieces.

A grand highlight that can be expected by those who witness his collection includes the 2021s ‘On Tenterhooks and Bated Breaths’, which serves as his first painting with the integration of music interest from his ‘Curating Playlists’ series. The artwork is influenced by merging a scene in Penang, Malaysia of a resting man on a trishaw, accompanied by the second drop of ‘The Feeling’, a track by Cranket and Ace Aura.

“The songs inspired for each piece doesn’t need to be listened to while I’m viewing the scene, people or place; I match the song to a scene if I feel it is suitable. But all of the songs are songs that I really like and listen to, they are also all different electronic music genres,” Kwang explains.