On offer at Henry Butcher Art Auctioneers for the first time is a painting by art collective Vertical Submarine illustrating a lifebuoy on a ship overlooking the vast ocean. Conceived for an antithetical exhibition titled Analogic in 2009, its title with prefix ANA- means “against”, suggests a frivolity, nonsensical exercise of wit. To fully understand the work, the exhibition text reads: “Vertical Submarine’s ANALOGIC features a series of paintings inspired by the concept of analogy and its proximity to the past as expounded in Umberto Eco’s novel, Foucault’s Pendulum. In the exhibition, the paintings are presented as image sequences of related words, concepts and objects. Based on Eco’s concept of tying things up and linking seemingly diverse and unrelated concepts into one work, Vertical Submarine delves into an exploration of ‘analogy’ and ‘analogue’, creating in the process a nostalgic act of journeying back to the analogue era.” Formed in 2003, Vertical Submarine has made a name by pushing boundaries to create compelling new artistic narratives. Their creations often involve not just painting, but also drawing and performance art. Their installation works are infused with their trademark textual wit. The art collective is described on their website as “an independent art collective based in Singapore with three members - Joshua Yang, Justin Loke and Fiona Koh (in the order of seniority) who paint a bit, write a bit, draw a bit, but eat, drink and sleep a lot.” Their projects include Flirting Point at Singapore Art Museum, Singapore (2010), A View with a Room for ‘President’s Young Talents 2009’, 8Q SAM, Singapore (2009), Decomposition II: Publications is Prostitution (Vertical Submarine’s inaugural solo show) part of ‘Substation’s Open Call’, Substation Gallery, Singapore (2008), Shut for ‘Autobiobliophiles’ (co-organized by the Department of Fine Arts, Chinese University of Hong Kong), Studio Bibliothèque, Hong Kong (2007), and Non_Sands, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore (2003) among others. The group won the Singapore President’s Young Talents Award in 2009 and the Celeste Prize for installation in 2011.