Sylvia Ong

Born in Kuala Lumpur in 1980, Sylvia Ong is a contemporary artist currently living and working in Dubai, UAE.
She first received a diploma in cinematography at a performing arts school and before beginning her career in visual art. Ong has not only directed multiple TV and radio programs, but has also produced various commercial and fashion photography shoots for numerous high profile clients and brands.

Additionally, several of her short films have been nominated for film awards; including at the 16th Malaysia Film Festival (2004). Ong received the Best Jury Award at the Freedom Film Festival (2004) and her work has been selected for the longest running piece at the 27th Asian American International Film Festival in New York, (2004). Her work has also been screened at film festivals in Rotterdam, Bangkok, Jakarta, Singapore, in addition to featuring at the International Screening of the Golden Screen Cinemas, Malaysia.

Her interests go far beyond film and theater. For Ong, every place she has called home has been a source of deep inspiration. This connection to her surroundings is reflected in her work as a visual artist, where sound, music, and color come together to express an understanding of nature’s healing power. She frequently collaborates with musicians and composers from around the world, forming a unique synergy that inspires her paintings. This collaboration embodies 'lyrical abstraction'—a kind of synesthesia mirroring the nature's rhythms.

As with much of her work, Ong strives to inspire meaningful conversations between viewer and canvas. She renounces upon creating too much structure, but instead prefers a more fluid form of storytelling. This kind of storytelling has become part of Ong's identity as an artist and is especially evident in her latest collection. Over time, she has continuously invited viewers to clear their minds and to allow her pieces to take them on a journey - not so much to arrive at a certain destination, but simply to let themselves take off.