About Yam Chew

Baltimore City

Yam Chew Oh is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, and writer working in Baltimore and New York. His practice includes drawing, painting, sculpture, assemblage, and photography. His works and writings have been exhibited and published in the United States and Asia, and featured in Commotion, Lumina Journal, Studio Visit, and Velocity. Yam Chew has moved across the world 15 times — his works often reflect the places he has been, both physically and… more

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The primacy of the line

I have been gripped by the primacy of the line, whether drawn, painted, sewn into, clamped on, or simply inherent in the substrate.  They are imbued with meaning beyond its own materiality.
  • Dumb compositions: elemental
    Dumb compositions: elemental
    Acrylic, charcoal and graphite on panel | 12 panels, 12 x 12 inches each
  • Us & Rai
    Us & Rai
    Acrylic and graphite on panel | 12 x 12 inches
  • Us
    Us
    Acrylic, graphite and pastel on canvas | 36 x 24 inches
  • Homebound
    Homebound
    Acrylic, pen and rayon on linen | 5 x 5 inches
  • Equanimity
    Equanimity
    Acrylic and rayon on canvas | 36 x 36 inches
  • Threnody
    Threnody
    Acrylic, graphite, flower, broomstick, copper and rayon on canvas | 60 x 48 inches
  • Penitence
    Penitence
    Acrylic, flower and rayon on canvas | 36 x 36 inches
  • Hope
    Hope
    Acrylic and rayon on canvas | 36 x 36 inches
  • And that has made all the difference
    And that has made all the difference
    Acrylic on panel | 12 x 9 inches
  • We'll cross the bridge when we get there
    We'll cross the bridge when we get there
    Acrylic on board | 48 x 32 inches

Contiguity

This body of work was made in a state of psychological contiguity – the sequential occurrence or proximity of stimulus and response causing their association in the mind.  Lines were frequently drawn to music in a free, continuous, unbroken fashion, with immediacy and speed.  My mark-making has evolved into a process akin to Automatism.
  • Anomie
    Anomie
    Acrylic and graphite on canvas | 60 x 48 inches
  • Contiguity (Major)
    Contiguity (Major)
    Acrylic on canvas | 60 x 60 inches
  • Contiguity
    Contiguity
    Acrylic, charcoal and graphite on canvas | 60 x 60 inches
  • Contiguity (Minor)
    Contiguity (Minor)
    Acrylic and charcoal on canvas | 36 x 12 inches
  • Ensconced
    Ensconced
    Pen on paper | 5 x 7 inches
  • Restive
    Restive
    Pen on paper | 7 x 5 inches
  • Contiguity (Music)
    Contiguity (Music)
    Charcoal on paper | 23 x 16.5 inches
  • Contiguity (Laminous)
    Contiguity (Laminous)
    Acrylic and pastel on canvas | 40 x 30 inches
  • Contiguity (Cacophony)
    Contiguity (Cacophony)
    Acrylic, pastel and collage on canvas | 48 x 48 inches
  • Contiguity (Venereal)
    Contiguity (Venereal)
    Acrylic and pastel on panel | 36 x 36 inches