With mesmerising bold strokes, Michelle Yap puts ink onto paper in a way that is almost magical. Viewing her pieces, one thing can be determined – when she sets her mind to creating something, she bears no hesitancy but instead is empowered by a daring resolve to create meaningful art. It’s easy to look at abstract or conceptual art sometimes and wonder, what’s so special about it? But when you pay attention – really pay attention – to artists of Michelle’s calibre, you start to notice their genius and genuinity. Often, there is an intention to every brushstroke and a meaning that might not make itself apparent from the get go, but instead slowly unfolds and manifests upon closer inspection.

Indeed, sometimes it is the abstract and the intangible that reaches us in ways we cannot fathom. Abstract art also often means something different to different individuals. “My work can only be seen by the heart,” Michelle finds. To reach beneath the superficial, though, is a skill that has to be cultivated. As Michelle recounts fondly, when she first started her curriculum at London’s Central St Martins College of Arts, she was set in her ways and did not have an art style that she could call her own. It was only when her tutor Clive Challis snapped her out of that mindset that she started to develop her own unique voice and art.

After studying in the West, Michelle also had her very first show in Brooklyn, New York. Despite being new to the art scene, all her works were sold out, which surprised even the curators. Michelle credits her success and popularity in the West to Challis’ guidance, but she also refers to her Malaysian Chinese roots in her art through the inclusion of Chinese calligraphy, found in some of her most recognisable works. Chinese calligraphy actually symbolizes nature in many ways – every stroke is meant to evoke or depict elements of our natural world. In this way, Michelle’s brushstrokes, too, have a life of their own, even if the materials used to create the art, namely the canvas and the brush, is non-living. Similarly, Michelle, through painting, has breathed a unique energy into these non-living things and brought them to life.

Perhaps it is her ability to blend and emulate different cultures through her pieces that has brought her her international acclaim. After all, her most recent fair was in the Shanghai International Art Fair last November, alongside the well-known Jeff Koons, where her works once again sold out.

One of the iconic features of Michelle’s artwork is its size. She often works with large formats, which takes a lot of skill and practice. As an abstract artist who applies expressionism and minimalism, she found that she enjoyed showcasing the momentum and energy that goes behind a large-scale piece and watching as her audience soak in all the details.

These aforementioned large-scale art pieces will be on display at The Crescent, Pavilion Hotel on 24 to 27 June. The solo exhibition entitled Altitude is organized by Aureo Gallery. The name Altitude is reminiscent of one of Michelle’s mottos: “Your attitude determines your altitude.” With her ever-passionate attitude and her constant desire to improve, Michelle is sure to soar at even greater heights than before at this upcoming exhibition.