School of Creative
Industries
Wenhao Wang
Equipped with a degree in fine arts, experience as an artist and arts educator, Wenhao immersed himself in others’ stories, emotions and trauma through art. This sparked an interest in exploring professional art therapy.
Wenhao is keen to implement art therapy in Singapore’s mainstream schools, advocating for a more holistic education in an effort to highlight the significance of mental health, self-affirmation and positive relationship building among youth.
He has worked with children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with his artistic practicing focused on the theme of 'silence' – drawing inspiration from collective trauma and offering a creative lens to explore suppressed emotional needs on a societal scale.
Work
Sinking - Chén Mò - Silenced
Clay, acrylic paint, canvas
25 x 60 x 90 cm
2024
The words 'sinking' and 'silenced' are both pronounced as 'chén mò' in Chinese.
Drawing inspiration from his clinical practice in a mainstream Singaporean school, the artist delved into his own experiences as an East Asian student.
He recalled the feeling of powerlessness and disorientation, as though he was navigating a four-dimensional swamp. He struggled to grasp the connection between his body and emotions, losing track of time, space and relationships in pursuit of empty success. This sculpture contextualises and visualises his social and cultural experiences.
Thesis abstract
Bonding through narratives: Art therapy using play with a preadolescent boy diagnosed with ADHD in a Singaporean primary school
This qualitative, practitioner-based thesis aims to provide a window into the observations and discussions around the applications of art practice with the inclusion of play in a mainstream school in Singapore with a preadolescent boy diagnosed with ADHD.