Born in Singapore in 1995, Ong received his Diploma in Fine Art in 2015. Trained predominantly in painting, Ong’s practice has manifested into exploring perceptions of two- and three-dimensional space through a formal experimentation with paint and light.
Driven by an interest in the filmic language and textures of cinematic tableaus, Ong positions waveforms of panelled neon lights, on and around his canvases, so as to manipulate the sensations and perceptions of his surfaces.
In 2019, he participated in an artist residency programme with the Balai Seni Negara (National Art Gallery Malaysia) and exhibited work during the Inaugural Triennial Singapore Malaysia Bilateral Cultural Showcase during Urban Malaysia.
For their 2022 SEA Focus presentation, Singapore-based Yavuz Gallery included Ong’s 2021 work, Primary Focus–a work spotlighted by Ocula Advisory.
Introducing the artist, Ocula Advisory remarked, ‘Shifting between two and three dimensions, Singaporean artist Nicholas Ong’s practice blends neon with painting elements to formulate his take on filmic language’.
