ABOUT MI KI’S ARTWORK
“There’s nothing more interesting than the landscape of the human face“
Irvin Kershner
Chan Mi Ki is a Singaporean artist whose practice explores themes of identity, emotion, and the quiet beauty of daily life. A graduate of Nanyang Technological University with a Bachelor of Business Studies, she balances her role as a Regional Communication Manager with a growing portfolio in oil and charcoal.
While she has long nurtured a passion for art, her time living in London marked a turning point. The cultural contrast deepened her appreciation for Singapore’s stability and shaped how she viewed the rituals of daily life, not as routine, but as meaningful moments often overlooked. It was during this period that she began working seriously in oil painting, drawn to its ability to convey presence, atmosphere, and stillness.
Her recent works shift beyond portraiture to reflect on public life and shared space. Paintings such as “Transit of Hope” and “Last Light, Singapore Bound” observe the emotional texture of Singapore’s everyday life — the small, unnoticed pauses between places and people. Through light, gesture, and composition, she explores how stillness can exist within movement, and how quiet dignity can be found in ordinary lives.
Her painting, “Transit of Hope”, won the Bronze Award in the Emerging Artist Category at the 43rd UOB Painting of the Year in Singapore.
ARTWORK
Summer
A3, Charcoal on paper
Lehmann
A3, Charcoal on paper
Wind in the hair
A3, Charcoal on paper
Head in the clouds
24″ x 18″, Oil on canvas
A3, Charcoal on paper
“Through the Looking-Glass” is a poignant charcoal rendering capturing the essence of lifelong curiosity and perpetual wonderment. In this compelling piece, an elderly man adorned with a crown of white hair gazes intently through a magnifying glass with one eye. Despite the passage of time and the weight of years reflected in his visage, his insatiable curiosity is evident. The man’s enduring thirst for knowledge suggests that even in the twilight of life, he remains engaged with the world, seeking to unravel its mysteries until his last breath. Through the subtle interplay of light and shadow, the drawing conveys a sense of depth and complexity, inviting viewers to contemplate the timeless pursuit of understanding and the boundless capacity of the human spirit for exploration. “Through the Looking-Glass” is a powerful reminder that curiosity knows no age limits, inspiring us to embrace a lifelong journey of discovery and enlightenment.
18″ x 24″, Oil on canvas
The sense of unfulfillment in life often fills one with despair, an emptiness of dreams unachieved, actions unfinished and hopes unaccomplished. This painting, a reflection of the anguish felt, depicts the subject half-submerged in water, drawn in an emotional vortex that pulls the viewer in, swirling their minds around and giving little reprieve for any breathing space. Caught in the deep end of the subject’s mental and emotional state, the painting invites the viewer to draw deeper and deeper in with him, almost to the point of surrender.
18″ x 24″, Oil on canvas
What we do in shadows is hidden in secrets and facades, revealing only half-truths and veneers, never the full picture. With one half of his face covered and the other half exposed, the subject’s features and expression are only partially revealed here, the other parts concealed in shadows and his own hand in an attempt to keep a distance from the viewer. Yet, the viewer is invited to stare directly into the subject’s eye that is caught in the light, an invitation to directly engage and connect with him but at the same time, revealing nothing. If one’s eyes can tell the truth, then perhaps the subject’s eye can reveal what the subject chooses to show, or what the viewer chooses to see.
18″ x 24″, Oil on canvas
18″ x 24″, Oil on canvas
A3, Charcoal on paper
A3, Charcoal on paper
This portraiture captures a moment of serene introspection and inner freedom. At its centre is a young woman, her head tilted back with closed eyes, lost in a world of her creation. Her expression is pure bliss, suggesting a detachment from the constraints of the external world. Charcoal adds depth and texture to the image, enhancing the sense of contemplation and tranquillity. Through this portrayal, the viewer is invited to reflect on the beauty of solitude and the liberation within one’s thoughts and dreams. “Soul free” serves as a poignant reminder of the profound peace that can be discovered when we allow ourselves to disconnect from the chaos of the outside world and journey inward.
30cm x 34.5cm, Mix media on Bristol paper
5″ x 7″, Charcoal on Yupo paper
Commission work
24″ x 18″, Oil on canvas
12″ x 16″, Oil on DiBond board
Reference picture from Philippe Maezelle
12″ x 16″, Oil on DiBond board
Reference pictures are taken from Unsplash.com
Mi Ki's studio 