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Han Sai Por

Sculptor Han Sai Por (b. 19 July 1943, Singapore - ) is well-known for her sculptures carved in stone, bringing to life figurative forms and organic shapes to hefty granite blocks. She has exhibited her works internationally in Southeast Asia, China, South Korea, North America and Europe. Some of her works are on permanent displays in Singapore's hotels, libraries and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations as well as in parks of Malaysia, Japan, United States and England. Han was awarded the 1995 Cultural Medallion for her contribution to art.

Early life
Han came from a poor family. One of six children, she was born on 19 July 1943 during the Japanese Occupation. Unable to afford proper housing, her family lived as illegal squatters in a house constructed of cardboard boxes and coconut leaves in Changi. Han's uneducated mother had to scavenge at the nearby Changi beach to support her family, as her father was often sickly. However, poverty did not stop Han from having a childhood that was 'happy and free'. An active girl who loved the outdoors, Han enjoyed going to the nearby beach where she would make sand figurines of animals. Her childhood experiences made her appreciative of nature and instilled in her a sense of adventure and exploration. At the age of 10, Han was first introduced to the enthralling work of Michelangelo's sculptures, gleaned from a book Han's mother had bought for her.

In the 1970s, Han worked as a full-time teacher after graduating from the Teachers' Training College in 1968. Art was considered a luxury for Han. For two years, she took up part time courses at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). Only after saving enough money did she venture abroad to the United Kingdom in 1979 to pursue a degree in fine arts. To make ends meet as an undergraduate, Han took up jobs as a waitress, hotel maid and even a cook. Upon her return in 1983, Han became one of two teachers to start off the Arts Elective Programme at Nanyang Girls' High School. She was picked because she had the necessary art education and was herself a practising artist. In 1987, Han went into part-time teaching at NAFA and LaSalle- SIA College of Arts in order to support her work as an artist. Thus, her art career bloomed in the midst of a constant juggle between family life and work, with continual tension between time and money.

Achievements
Han has come a long way since her first sculpture - that of a bust of herself. Since then, she has exhibited locally and internationally. Her commissioned works can be found, for instance, in The Esplanade, Suntec City, Capital Towers in the Central Business District and Woodlands Regional Library. Her work is also on permanent display internationally in places such as the Portland Sculpture Park in England, the Kuala Lumpur Lake Garden in Malaysia and Uchinomi-cho Town Hall Garden in Japan.

Han's favourite medium for her sculptures are marble and granite. Using her own money, she often buys granite from quarries in Singapore or from neighbouring countries like Malaysia. She has also looked for stone as far away as the quarries of China, Italy and Japan. Solo exhibition works can cost Han up to S$20,000 in material expenses alone. Although this sets her back financially, Han is not perturbed. What is important for her is how her work would be received by the public. Han is motivated by the encouragement, recognition and acknowledgement of her art from others.

Han's main sculptural expression is through figurative works. These can command a minimum of S$1,000 for a small table-top sculpture. Han's works have been said to depict a sense of contrast between the hard surface of stone and the softness of organic shapes. Despite being of slight built, her ability in carving massive tonnes of granite to produce works that are 'sentimental and emotional' has been a source of wonder to those who appreciate her work.

Han, who is single and lives in a rented two-storey house within the compounds of Seletar Airbase, spends hours creating personal or commissioned works. Life, for Han, is a matter of working hard, living simply, and doing what she chooses to do as a sculptor.

Quote
"A sculpture is not a cold piece of stone, clay or metal. It has a life of its own. It's the sculptor's way of expression and it's his companion. " - Lim, Richard (1998). Singapore artists speak. Singapore: Raffles Edition

"All my discoveries will go into my art." - Weighty issue. (2002, March 13). The Straits Times.

Education
Yuying Secondary School (Yock Eng High School)
1965 - 1968 : Singapore Teachers' Training College, Singapore
1975 - 1977 : Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore
1979 - 1980 : East Ham College of Art, United Kingdom
1980 - 1983 : Wolverhampton College of Art, United Kingdom

Career
1968 - 1978 : Primary school teacher
: Teacher at Temasek Secondary
1984 : Chosen to teach at in Nanyang Girls' High School in the newly developed Art Elective Programme, part of the Special Assistance Plan (SAP) for gifted students.
: Part-time teacher at National Institute of Education (NIE),
1987 : Began part-time teaching at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and LaSalle- SIA College of Arts

Achievements
Selected awards/ honours
1990 : Scholarship for Portland Sculpture Park, awarded by British Arts Council, UK and National Arts Council, Singapore
1993 : Sponsored for International Painting and Sculpture Symposium, India awarded by
Singapore International Foundation
1995 : Cultural Medallion Award
2002 : Finalist, Women Inspire 2002 Awards

Solo Exhibitions
Feb 1993 : First solo exhibition, FourDimensions at the National Museum, Singapore
1999 : Solo exhibition Rainforest held at Plastique Kinetic Worms, Singapore.
2002 : Solo exhibition, 20 Tonnes - Physical Consequences at the MITA Atrium, Singapore



Author
Nureza Ahmad



References
Lim, Richard (1998). Singapore artists speak. Singapore: Raffles Edition.
(Call no. : RSING 709.5957 SIN)

Aw Yong, B. Y. (1993, February 18). Art of geometry. The Straits Times, Life, p. 6. 

Chin, S. F. (1995, October 13). Vision of abundance, zodiac medallions for Suntec City. The Straits Times.

Ida Bachtiar (1995, September 1). Never say die- childhood poverty made life richer. The Straits Times, Life, p. 1-2.

Leong, W. K. (1998, November 20). Beginning- with 30 students. The Straits Times.

Ong, S. F. (2001, April 29). Out of the Woodlands. The Straits Times.

Oon, C. (1998, May 20). Giant fruits and gourds "grow" in Fort Canning. The Straits Times.

Pereira, B. (1983, October 6). Two overseas-trained art teachers kick off classes for budding artists. The Singapore Monitor.

Top Cultural Medallion awards go to two women. (1995, September 1). The Straits Times. 

Tong, M. C. (1996, October 9). Sowing seeds of creativity at SAC. The Straits Times. 


Further Readings
Han, S. P. (1993). Four dimensions : a sculptural installation. Singapore : Sheen's Gallery.
(Call no.: RSING 730.95957 HAN)

Han, S. P. (2002). Sculpture. Singapore : Art-2 Gallery.
(Call no.: RSING 730.95957 HAN)

Lim, R. (1998). Singapore artists speak. Singapore : Raffles Editions.
(Call no.: SING 709.5957 SIN)

Sabapathy T. K. (1991). Sculpture in Singapore. Singapore : National Museum
(Call no.: SING 730.95957 SAB)

Sim, A. (2002, March 15). Living Stones. The Straits Times.

Tee, H. C. (2002, October 22). Three women who inspire. The Straits Times.

Weighty issue. (2002, March 13). The Straits Times.

Women in the arts. (2004). Han Sai Por. Retrieved 2 August, 2004, from www.witas.org/artists/hansaipo/

The information in this article is valid as at 2004 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Personalities>>Biographies>>Artists
Artists--Singapore
Women sculptors--Singapore
Women artists--Singapore
Sculpture--Singapore
Art--Singapore
Arts>>Sculpture



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