Sara ChongSara Chong (c.1986) is a realist-figurative painter from Singapore, now based in Melbourne. Her work has been exhibited in group-shows in Florence, London, and Singapore, and owned by several private collectors. She is also a commissioned portrait panter. Sara was trained predominantly at the Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy, from which she graduated in 2015, with an award for the Best Painting of the Year, and Best Figure Painting of the Advanced Painting Programme. Before immersing herself in classical training, she had a background in illustration, and puppet animation after the Czech masters.Empathy for the Monster / Beast is the main narrative feature of Sara's work, be it in painting, animation or illustration. Her inspirations are coloured by the affectionate monsters of Odilon Redon, set in the acidic, ominous blue, of the skies of Giorgio de Chirico, and expressed in the hands of Rodin. She paints characters and situations that reflect on the idea of the awkward Beast in the land of beauty. She is ever curious about the concept of the Monster / Beast in myth and daily life, especially where the Beast, most often a cultural or social construct, has its own story and its own rejected version of humanity. Read More Read Less