Whitestone Gallery Singapore is pleased to present “Happy Together: Visions of Gladness from Southeast Asia”, an exhibition that explores how happiness is expressed, shared, and celebrated across cultures. From immersive installation to bold visual expression, it captures the rich emotional landscape of Southeast Asia — where laughter, tradition, and togetherness converge. It reveals happiness not as a fleeting emotion, but as something intentionally nurtured, shaped by the strength found in unity, even in adversity.

Known for her large-scale chili pepper sculptures, artist Kumari Nahappan reconciles a new language of “international contemporary art” with her cultural roots and beliefs in Hindu and Indian heritage. In this conversation, we explore how the artist transforms a humble natural form into vibrant and monumental art to emphasise the concept of how something seemingly simple can hold great force and meaning. This idea ties into her broader themes of transformation, power, and potential, all of which are fundamental to her practice.

Kumari Nahappan “Spring Two” 2017, 77.0 x 243.0 x 79.0 cm, Bronze

- Your Chilli sculptures have become iconic and widely recognized for their symbolic resonance. Could you walk us through your creative process behind the symbol? How do you see the interplay between organic forms and monumental scale in your work?

Nahappan: The chilli first entered my practice through ritual, as it is used in Hindu ceremonies to dispel negative energy. Over time, I became fascinated by its potential. This tiny fruit carries an intensity that’s not immediately visible, it is what I call “contained energy.” It can make you laugh, cry, wince. It touches something primal. I began casting them in bronze first by drawing from their natural form, and later reimagining their scale. When I enlarged them into monumental sculptures, it wasn’t just for impact. I wanted them to feel like part of the environment. Like a giant form resting on space. Something magical, yet grounded by gravity. Scale changes perception. I’m interested in how organic forms hold energy and power. Transforming the ordinary to something extraordinary was my goal.

Kumari Nahappan “Conductor” 2013, 130.0 x 63.0 x 61.0 cm, Bronze

- Your work spans painting, sculpture and installation. How do you decide which medium to use for a particular idea?

Nahappan: It always begins with, how many senses do I want to engage? What is the story here? Some ideas stay within the realm of the visual and there are times I want the audience to go beyond looking. To feel, to listen, to move through space with the work. That’s when installations or sculptures take over. Some works ask to be touched. Some forms live in silence, whilst others consume the space. Each medium has its own language, but I’m not bound by it. I think about who will encounter the work. Children, for instance, are always eager to touch, to get close. With adults, it may resonate with experience. The audience, regardless of age and all walks of life, will peel layers from the form and composition. Bound by colour, space, and time, the installation becomes the doorway for the experience. 

(Left to right)
Kumari Nahappan “Hooter” 2012, 110.0 x 47.0 x 28.0 cm, Bronze
“I Am A Fan” 2012, 110.0 x 33.0 x 34.0 cm, Bronze
“Spring Two” 2012, 96.0 x 42.0 x 42.0 cm, Bronze

- Your large-scale public sculptures engage a wide audience, for example "Pedas-Pedas (Spicy-Spicy)". How do you think public art can shape the way people experience and interact with their environment?

Nahappan: Public art has the power to make one pause. It is a marker. It can shift how we navigate space and connect to our surroundings. With "Pedas-Pedas", I wasn’t just placing a sculpture on the lawn of the museum. It is about location and history. Fort Canning was our first spice garden. The chilli was commissioned to mark this association on the grounds of the museum.

- You have prepared a substantial selection of work for this show. What influenced your selection process? Is there a central message or core experience you hope visitors will take with them?

Nahappan: The selection for this show was shaped by the spirit of the title, "Happy Together". I wanted to bring in works that reflect joy not just as surface feeling, but as movement, rhythm, and relationship. Many of the sculptures here, especially from the Song and Dance series, carry within them a certain playfulness. It’s inspired by the imagination, where stems intertwine, limbs grow from chillies, and dance becomes sculpture. You’ll see forms that sway and twirl like jazz, tango, or even hiphop—captured in a movement. At the same time, the paintings anchor the space with a more internal pulse. Red here is not just a colour. It is a connection to all; like a bond among men. Together, the works are about a celebration of nature. My hope for visitors is to have an uplifting experience as they view “Happy Together”.

Happy Together: Visions of Gladness from Southeast Asia