The Guitarist (2026)

Pamela Ong explores the power of music to transport us to another time and place and its ability to evoke vivid memories, emotions and a sense of being fully alive and present. Inspired by Pablo Picasso's The Old Guitarist and the street musicians Ong encountered while travelling through Europe and Latin America, the work reflects her interest in music as a source of connection and emotional expression. Through vibrant colour, dynamic forms and expressive brushwork, Ong captures the feeling of being swept up in a melody, where the present moment gives way to memory and imagination. The painting celebrates music's ability to bring life to everyday moments and connect us to places we've been, feelings we've known and experiences that are difficult to put into words.