Riot Green

When a talented young artist captures the attention of the art world, forces beyond her control align. Power plays pit money, ideals and families against the inner workings of a competitive and closed art world. In his debut fiction, Woon Tai Ho gives us an insider's look into the creative world he knows well. Set in modern-day Singapore, and drifting between worlds, Riot Green tells a gripping tale that draws on rich Chinese traditions and beliefs. It puts the spotlight on the institution of family, the jade of green that is supposed to protect us, but can prove to be a riot of heartaches and secrets. It is a story of ties that bind and those that divide. Like an abstract painting that buffers the obvious, the story unravels deftly to show love and conspiracies, harmony and conflict, chaos and order.

When a talented young artist captures the attention of the art world, forces beyond her control align. Power plays pit money, ideals and families against the inner workings of a competitive and closed art world. In his debut fiction, Woon Tai Ho gives us an insider's look into the creative world he knows well. Set in modern-day Singapore, and drifting between worlds, Riot Green tells a gripping tale that draws on rich Chinese traditions and beliefs. It puts the spotlight on the institution of family, the jade of green that is supposed to protect us, but can prove to be a riot of heartaches and secrets. It is a story of ties that bind and those that divide. Like an abstract painting that buffers the obvious, the story unravels deftly to show love and conspiracies, harmony and conflict, chaos and order.

Woon Tai Ho has been a media person most of his career. He is best known in Asia for starting the Asian-wide news channel, Channel NewsAsia. In the course of more than 20 years, he launched channels, like Arts Central, and wrote, produced and directed current affairs programmes and documentaries; some have won regional and international awards. Tai Ho wrote his first book, To Paint a Smile in November 2008, in part a response to a world that witnessed new and different financial crises and political developments. The genre-defying book weaved political, economic and social events into the art and philosophy of Singapore’s renowned artist, Tan Swie Hian. The book’s success launched Tai Ho’s writing career. He has been commissioned to write books by government agencies and international organisations. His knowledge about countries around the world, especially Asia, and his love and insights about art and artists in the region make him a valued features contributor to newspapers and magazines. Riot Green is Tai Ho’s first fiction. Using his illustrious knowledge of the art world, Tai Ho crafts a story around an art prodigy, and creates a compelling page-turner as true to the realities of the art landscape as the narrative is to the wondrous colours of a canvas.