About Myself

CHIOK’S COLLECTION OF CHINESE FINE ARTS

Contact Details

For further enquires, feel free to contact me through email or mobile.

Tel: (+65) 8128 2689

Email: chiokbs@yahoo.com

My Background

My name is Chiok Boon Seng. I am a Singaporean and am a father of two, a daughter and a son.

Currently, I am a retired banker; having worked with two local banks. My banking career spanning 35 years stopped in mid 2010 when I decided to go for my early retirement. Upon retirement, I have a lot more time to discover and pursue my other avenues of interests such as going to the gym and attend upgrading courses so that I could contribute back to the society through community services.

My Opportunity & Interest With Arts Collection

Working in the Bank has provided me with countless opportunities to meet Arts/Antiques dealers and people, many whom are my customers, who love arts. ‘Guanxi’ meaning connection or relationship formed with my customers have progressed into long lasting friendships. My networking with the right contacts have fostered strong and trusted mutual interest with customers/friends. This facilitated my collection of fine arts in the last three decades.

My Collection Profile 

Chinese arts form the predominant of my collection. Besides that, I do have a handful of art pieces from Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam and European. My fascination with Chinese arts began when I was a teenager. My art collection is diverse and varied. They encompass Chinese ceramic, jade and stone, metal (bronze & silver wares) hard wood and bamboo carving, painting, ‘liu li’ glass ware and inkstone.

My Collection Philosophy & Perspective

My collection philosophy is to focus on the art’s fine and intricate drawing & sculpting, its positive symbolic meaning rather than its period or age. As China’s arts revolutionises with time, the trends of art collection also rides on the waves of changes. For the last two decades, my interest has also expanded to collect contemporary arts bearing famous old and budding young artist in Jingdezen (China).

In my opinion, arts represent the soul of our human race. Arts are means where artists using their individual medium such as painting and sculpting to express their innermost feeling, imagination and aspiration to accomplish their creation. Unlike normal consumer commodities, arts cannot be valued in real financial terms. Ultimately, the value of an art piece is only as valuable as the person who appreciates it. Many arts become priceless when the artists are passed on and when the public suddenly realises their intrinsic richness and bestowed it with good ‘value’. In my opinion, it is also impossible to attest that ‘Art A’ is more superior than ‘Art B’. The terms ‘superior’ and ‘inferior’ are also qualitative measurements that can never be validated.

Chinese arts are products of culture of the Chinese people. Folktales, myths, beliefs and legends of great stories in arts provide invaluable orientation, solace, harmony and blissful joy to people living and revolving with rapid technologies changes . In certain aspects, the arts created have religious function which can impart values such as knowledge and teaching to the collectors.

My Opinion On What Is Fine Art ?

The terms fine arts embody many qualities synonymous with unique design, style, superior material and vibrant attractive colours with added features of good symbols and rebuses.

The symbols and rebuses in Chinese arts also have rich and positive vibes that are closely associated with fundamental Chinese cultures and beliefs. Symbolism in Chinese arts is prevalent since time immemorial. Arts with positive symbols universally command better value in the arts market.

Chinese arts style is most often associated with ornate cravings, complex patterns and an astonishing palette of rich colour like red, yellow, blue, green and glitzy gold.

My Objective

Essentially, my intention in running the arts trade is to attract like-minded people who love arts like I do. I will be most happy to expand my circle of friends that will allow us to share freely our knowledge and exposure in this niche field.

I sincerely wish my collection can be of interest to all my friends; old and new to explore further. It forms very good networking platform to communicate and enjoy our arts collection.