There are moments in life that don’t announce themselves. The quiet wait before the next bus arrives, a break between shifts, a brief pause between obligations. In Intermission, Singapore artist Esmond Loh turns his attention to these overlooked intervals, inviting viewers to reconsider the spaces between action.

Opening at Haridas Contemporary on 18 July, the exhibition presents 17 new acrylic paintings that examine the fleeting pauses embedded within everyday life. Set against landscapes that blur the line between the rural and urban, Loh’s figures occupy scenes that feel both familiar and elusive—caught between movement and stillness, performance and retreat.

Rather than depicting decisive moments, Loh lingers in states of suspension. His cinematic compositions capture individuals resting, waiting or quietly escaping the demands of modern life, suggesting that these seemingly uneventful moments can be just as revealing as the events themselves.

The exhibition continues the artist’s exploration of figuration and fiction, drawing on personal experience while weaving together themes of longing, nostalgia and existential reflection. Rich in atmosphere and emotional ambiguity, the paintings invite viewers to project their own narratives onto each scene.

Loh first came to national attention after winning the UOB Painting of the Year award at just 17 years old for Just Let Me Sleep. A graduate of the Slade School of Fine Art in London, he has since established himself as one of Singapore’s notable contemporary painters. Intermission marks his sixth solo exhibition and follows 2025’s Another Day in Paradise.

Among the featured works are Last Man Standing, Yellow Sugar, Nonchalance, Turn and the titular Intermission, each continuing Loh’s fascination with theatrical yet deeply human moments that exist just outside the spotlight.

Photos courtesy of Haridas Contemporary

Intermission runs from 18th July to 16th August 2026 at Haridas Contemporary, 37 Keppel Road, #04-01F, Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Singapore 089064. More information available here