Milenko Prvacki is (b. 1951 Yugoslavia) is one of Singapore’s most prominent painters. A graduate from the Institute of Fine Arts in Bucharest, Romania, the artist moved to Singapore in 1992. He later became the Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at LaSalle College of the Arts, and Senior Fellow in 2012. The artist recently received the Cultural Medallion for Visual Arts in 2012. Known primarily for his abstract works, the artist had exhibited extensively in Singapore and internationally. “Building” is a representative work from the “Construction Site” series developed by him since the 2000s. It was was exhibited at the Sydney Biennale 2006. With reference to the physical acts of construction associated with architecture, the artist seeks to articulate his creation, not just as a result of representation, but as a creative process which involves conceptual, methodological and material construction. This notion of construction also involves the artist’s dealing with his personal memories and experiences. Quintessentially an abstract painting, this work is a result of the artist’s insightful investigation of material reality and proficient deployment of painterly language. On the linen surface, the physical appearance of a building structure is transformed into an abstract space which embodies energy and tensions generated by the visual elements. In today’s art scene which often sidelines painting, this work convincingly proves the relevance of the painting medium in contemporary art discourse.
