Raymond Yap

Born 1966
Hometown Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Lives and works Singapore

About the artist
Raymond Yap completed his postgraduate studies from the Royal Academy Schools in 2001, and his undergraduate from the Wimbledon College of Art London in 1998. His practice in arts has been recognized by the Selina Cheneviere Fellowship (Major Award in Painting) from the Royal Academy Schools in 2001, Fenton Art Trust Prize & David Murray Travel Scholarship in 2000, and the Drawing Prize (Highly Commended) from the Wimbledon College of Art in 1998.

Raymond’s journey towards the arts started in 1994. Since then, he has had several solo exhibitions under his belt, namely 141 Paintings at 1961 Projects in 2021, Raymond Yap: Giant Steps at 1961 Projects, Singapore in 2019, at Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta, Indonesia in 2010; The Jendela, Esplanade, Singapore in 2009; Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2005; and The Agency Contemporary, London in 2003 and 2002.

Currently a full-time lecturer at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, he diligently uses his spare time to create experimental work. His multi-layered approach to creating a push and pull between positive and negative space, and reflecting positive and negative compositions seek to expand the visual vocabulary and to draw emphasis on the interchangeability of languages in art. He continually questions the surface and spatial relations via drawing and painting mediums, immersing them until they become a single element.

Education
2009 – 2010
Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education (PGDHE), Nanyang Technological University, National Institute of Education, Singapore

1998 – 2001
Postgraduate in Painting, Royal Academy Schools, London 1995 – 1998
BA (Hons) Fine Art (Painting), Wimbledon College of Art, London 1994 – 1995
Foundation Course in Art and Design, South Thames College, Wandsworth, London

Selected Awards
2001
Selina Cheneviere Fellowship, (Major Award in Painting) Royal Academy Schools

2000
Fenton Art Trust Prize
David Murray Travel Scholarship

1998
Drawing Prize (Highly Commended), Wimbledon School of Art The Celia Walker Art Foundation
Rio Tinto Plc
The Leverhulme Trust

Solo Exhibitions
2023
Primordial Patterns, Art Porters Gallery, Singapore

2021
141 Paintings, 1961 Projects, Singapore

2019
Raymond Yap: Giant Steps, 1961 Projects, Singapore

2010
Gloss, Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2009
Within, The Jendela, Visual Art Space, Esplanade, Singapore

2005
Crossing Borders, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2003
New Work, The Agency Contemporary, London, UK

2002
Border Crossing, Royal Academy of Art, Café Gallery, Selina Cheneviere Fellowship Exhibition, London
Border Crossing, The Agency Contemporary, London, UK

1999
Paint, Norman Rea Gallery, Langwith College Summer Exhibition, University of York, UK

Group Exhibitions
2022
Flow, Bale Banjar Sangkring, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
REDACTION, presented by The Substation in collaboration with Visual Arts Centre, Singapore
Inconsequential Irregularities, The Fluxus House, Singapore

2021
The Three of Us, Studio Janka Szabad (part of Singapore Art Week), Singapore
In Transition Between Two Worlds, artcommune x AC43, Singapore
Artist as Collector, Gillman Barracks (part of Singapore Art Week), curated by Dr Wang Ruobing, Singapore
SOAD Staff Show, Ngee Ann Kongsi Galleries 1 & 2, NAFA Campus 1, Singapore

2018
80x80cm, a fund-raising exhibition as part of the Visual Arts Programme at Esplanade Tunnel, Singapore
New Order, a NAFA Fine Art Programme staff exhibition, Zarch Space, Singapore

2017
80×80, a fundraising exhibition, Esplanade Tunnel, Singapore
For Now It’s 23:60, Group Exhibition at Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta, Indonesia The Calm Before the Storm, Element Art Space, Gillman Barracks, Singapore Effusion, Abstract Painting Exhibition, Visual Arts Centre, Singapore
JUST SHIFT_ A SB16: Parallel Showcase, collaboration with Nhawfal Juma’at, Nafa Campus 1, Singapore
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2016
Abstraction in Three Mediums, Elements Art Space, Raffles Hotel Arcade, Singapore
Singapore Contemporary Art Show, Suntec City, Singapore
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2015
Confluence, Galerie Belvedere, Singapore (2 person show) NAFA SG
50 Fine Art Celebration, Lim Hak Tai Gallery, Singapore Neiland’s Choice, GX Gallery, London, UK
Tondo Time, AVA Gallery, University of East London, UK
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2014
Eyes to Think, Sangkring Art Space, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
…6767… Draw Bridge, Collaboration with Loughborough University, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Do You Believe in Angels?, MO_Space, Philippines and Equator Art Project, Singapore (Curated by Tony Godfrey)
Nothing in Common, ION Art Gallery, Singapore
Practice and Perfection, works by NAFA Fine Art Staff and Alumni, Galleries 1 & 2, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Fresh Air Fine Arts Festival, The Luxe Art Museum, Singapore

2013
Eyes to Think, Light & Space Contemporary, Philippines
Explore, Examine, Reflect, Examine, Lim Hak Tai Gallery, Singapore
(Dis) Continuities, Lim Hak Tai Gallery, Singapore

2012
2 Man Show, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
“From here…..to where” Sangkring Art Project, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

2011
Vision of Lightness, ION Art Gallery, Singapore
Vision of lightness, Pipal Gallery, Kuala Lumpur. Malaysia
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2010
Lasalle/NAFA Fine Art Staff Show, Lasalle College of Arts, The Institute of Contemporary Arts, Singapore and Lim Hak Tai Gallery, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2009
After Hours, Lim Hak Tai Gallery, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore
Inside Out, The Fire Station Arts Centre, Windsor, UK
20/21 International Art Fair, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2008
Uniquely Chinese, Foyles Gallery, Charing Cross, London, UK
20/21 International Art Fair, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2007
Selected Works, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Journey East/Art Chinese, Lauderdale House, Highgate, London, UK
10, Deutsche Bank, London, UK
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2006
Signed & Dated, Valentine Willie Fine Art, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Royal Academy of Art Summer Exhibition, London, UK
Art 2006, Islington, London, UK
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2005
When in Rome V, Portsmouth Arts Centre, UK
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK
When in Rome IV, Midlands Art Centre, Birmingham, UK
First Step, Chinese Arts Centre, Manchester, UK
Lekka, APT Gallery, London, UK

2004
Royal Academy of Art Summer Exhibition, London, UK
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK When in Rome III, Castlefield Gallery, Manchester, UK
Surface, The New Academy Gallery London, UK
Homeland, Organised by Space x Gallery, Exeter, UK
In Between, The British Red Cross, London, UK

2003
Vanitas, Raid Projects, Los Angeles, US
Momentum, Keller & Greene Gallery, Los Angeles, US
Leave To Remain, Central Space Gallery, London, UK Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London, UK
What Happened Next, Sarah Myerscough Fine Art, London, UK
When in Rome, Lewisham Art House, London, UK Cologne Art Fair, Cologne, Germany
Absolutely Secret, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Leave To Remain, BBC Broadcasting House, London, UK

2002
Art Fair 2002, Islington London, UK
Hot off the press II, Curwen Gallery, London, UK
Art Future, Contemporary Art Society, London, UK
RA Flash, Alternative Space Exhibition, Belfast, Ireland Royal Academy of Art Summer Exhibition, London, UK 20/21 Art Fair, Royal College of Art, London, UK Cologne Art Fair, Cologne, Germany

2001
Royal Academy of Art Summer Exhibition, London, UK Royal Academy Schools Show, London, UK
Rising to the Surface, Gallery Westland Place, London, UK
PROCESSion, The Blue Gallery, London, UK
Inside Space, Selfridges, Oxford Street, London, UK

2000
Hunting Art Prizes Exhibition, Royal College of Art, London, UK
Premium Show, Royal Academy of Art, London, UK
Royal Academy of Art Summer Exhibition, London, UK
International Student Print Exhibition, Falmouth College of Art, Cornwall and touring UK and Brussels, Belgium

1998
Twin Images, Multiple Birth Foundation Charity Auction, Fine Art Society, Bond Street, London, UK
Drawings, Wimbledon College of Art, Touring National Gallery of Mongolia, Ulan Bator
Degree Show, Wimbledon College of Art, London, UK
Hunting Art Prizes, Royal College of Art, London and Touring Hunterian Museum, Glasgow, UK