Gallery 1819 welcomes you to A Nanyang Reverie, the latest series by Teresa Rao – an artist whose practice continues to evolve at the intersection of cultural memory and chromatic intensity. Central to Rao’s oeuvre is the profound impact of her relocation from Beijing to Singapore, which significantly expanded her artistic influences. This body of work draws from textural elements of Nonya culture – porcelain, fabric design, and cuisine – rendered in a palette of dopamine-inspired hues, or 多巴胺色彩 (duō bā àn sè cǎi). These colours, bright and psychologically charged, borrow from contemporary aesthetic culture in China, where vibrant tones are believed to elevate mood and convey emotional vitality. At the heart of the series are portraits of domestic animals, quietly situated within the home as emotional carriers. Rao captures their unique capacity to soothe and comfort, reflecting on the emotional scaffolding of everyday life. Conceived during the pandemic, these works are particularly poignant. Rao’s cross-cultural refractions unveil a world where colours comfort, symbols speak and quotation is a site for celebration! Born into an artistic family in Beijing, Teresa Rao demonstrated an early affinity for visual expression, later honing her practice through formal training at the Central Academy of Arts and Design. Her foundation in classical techniques has since evolved into a practice deeply attuned to the interplay between visual culture and socio-cultural identity. Since relocating to Singapore in 2017, Rao has immersed herself in the textures of local life, reshaping her artistic voice through a distinctly cross-cultural lens. This transformative period has given rise to her signature style, New Nanyang Realism – a painterly language that blends ecological motifs, domestic symbolism, and the visual traditions of the Nanyang region. Her work reflects a dynamic negotiation of place, memory, and cultural convergence.