Singapore is
celebrating its 50th year as an independent nation in 2015 and this provides an
opportunity to show how far the city-state has come from its time as a
“cultural desert.”
In recent years,
the visual arts have flourished in Singapore, as an art and business with the
strong support of the government both direct and indirect; from the setting up
of Gillman Barracks as a gallery hub in 2012 to the establishment of numerous —
some even argue too many — art fairs. The artistic community is thriving as
never before with local artists increasingly invited overseas to participate in
biennales, or being represented by international galleries in major art
capitals around the world.
To join in the
celebrations, BLOUIN ARTINFO selected 50 artists, particularly
focusing on the newest generation. The list is by no means exhaustive:
1. Esmond Loh
(b. 1995)
The young artist won the UOB Painting
of the Year 2012 with his expressionist portrait, Just Let Me Sleep. His first
solo exhibition in 2014 at Chan Hampe Galleries showcased his portraiture
craftsmanship.
2. Sarah Choo
Jing (b. 1990)
Currently based in London, the young
photographer has already won the ICON De Martell Cordon Bleu 2013 and the Kwek
Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Still Photography 2013. She was also
short-listed for the Sovereign Asian Art Prize (2014). Her works have an
appealing, moody cinematographic quality.
In 2015: Her works will be shown at
Art Stage Singapore (January), as well as Photo London in Somerset House (May)
and OCBC Art Space (October).
3. Ruben Pang (b. 1990)
Pang was selected as a Singapore
Finalist for the Sovereign Asian Art Prize in 2010 and 2011. His deformed
portraits have a strong dynamic that recalls Francis Bacon’s work, and he has
quickly gained a foothold amongst collectors.
In 2015: A solo exhibition at
Chan Hampe Galleries.
4. Melissa Tan (b.1989)
The young artist had her first solo
exhibition at Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA) Singapore in 2014. Using acrylic
paint on watercolor paper, she manipulated the paper to create a layered
surface inspired by organic growth patterns, but also burned the paper to
create holes. The resulting layered ‘paper-cut’ looks like geological lace.
In 2015: Richard Koh Fine Art will
present some of her new work at Art Stage Singapore (January) and she will
participate in a group show at Grey Projects (May).
5. Geraldine Kang (b. 1988)
She received the Kwek Leng Joo Prize
of Excellence for Still Photography in 2012. After an early series of half-nude
family portraits and a collaborative project on mental health titled
"Black as waves, Half as light," she has turned her attention to space
constraints and land usage in Singapore, observing the impact of pragmatic
realities on the Singapore landscape.
In 2015: A group show in Berlin and
four group shows/events planned in Singapore next year.
6. Eugene Soh (b. 1987)
Using technology to manipulate
various forms of digital art, his latest solo show, Renaissance City, at Chan
Hampe Galleries, parodies iconic works of art while providing a tongue-in-cheek
commentary on contemporary life in Singapore.
In 2015: A group show planned in
March and a solo show planned for the end of 2015.
7. Alecia Neo (b. 1986)
Working primarily with photography,
video, and installation, Neo produces series of portraits involving a variety
of individuals or overlooked communities and the areas they occupy as she seeks
to explore the relationship between people and their living spaces.
In 2015: In March, new work based on
her series Resting on the Horizon will be part of Open House! 2015, while her
large-scale exhibition titled Unseen: Constellations, exploring sight and
sightlessness in society through the voices of youths living with visual
impairment, will be shown in October.
8.Samantha Tio, aka Mintio (b. 1986)
The fine art photographer prioritizes
process and has found a distinct style with which to capture urban landscapes
in movement.
In 2015: Her photographs have been
selected for the Prudential Singapore Eye Exhibition.
9. Joo Choon Lin (b.
1984)
Underlying Joo’s practice is her
interest in the nature of reality. The artist’s work often tricks the eye and
makes you ponder the relationship between appearance and essence. Her
investigation into these areas is also informed by her interest in
technological developments.
In 2015: Artist residency and group
exhibition in Nantes, France (Jan-March), followed by another group exhibition,
"Lunar Glide" at Gare Saint Sauveur in Lille, France (April).
10. Aiman
Hakim (b. 1984)
Using toys as the main protagonists,
the hyper-realist painter focuses his works around two principal themes:
conformity in society and the notion of individuality in an Asian culture where
communal ideologies still dominate.
11. Genevieve Chua (b.
1984)
The multimedia
artist made her name with her hand-colored photographs of green landscapes,
investigating our often ambiguous relationship with land and our fears of the
unknown, but of late she’s explored new media, such as enamel on linen. The Los
Angeles-based Gusford gallery took her work to PULSE Miami Beach 2014 for a
solo artist booth, and she was selected by the Prudential Art Award 2015 in the
drawing category.
In 2015:
exhibition at Gallery Exit in Hong Kong to coincide with the Art Basel week.
12. Liao
Jiekai (b. 1984)
In 2012, he was
given the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council and in 2013 he won
the President's Young Talents Award. The film maker and visual artist’s works
focus on Singapore’s changing landscape from a people’s perspective. His drama,
Clouds in a Shell, depicts Singaporean youths who question the past and wonder
about their future, while Fireworks looks at a man doing National Service in
Singapore. He created Bukit Orang Salah for the Singapore Biennale 2013, a
moving single-channel video that captured images of St. John’s Island today,
while also recalling its past.
13. Jovian
Lim (b.1984)
His minimalist
approach towards image-making has evolved over recent years towards a more
abstract photography.
14. Frayn
Yong (b. 1984)
Constructing
miniature panoramas from pencil lead that blend man-made structures with
natural forms, he illustrates his preoccupation with the transience of the
human condition.
15. Dawn Ng (b.
1983)
Best known for
Walter — her giant rabbit installation that has popped up in different
locations around the country — Dawn Ng works in a range of mediums to create
large scale installations (flying paper plane, paper boat on a river) that have
a sense of wonder.
In 2015: A
series of photographed installations of small, locally sourced objects at Chan
Hampe Galleries opening in January, which will be a preview of sorts to her
solo show in March, “A Thing of Beauty” at Art Paris 2015. Walter will also be
shown in two contemporary art museums in France — Lyon and Lille.
The
multidisciplinary artist’s work addresses man’s relationship with nature, using
a false naturalization and manipulation of beliefs. In Zhao’s universe it is
impossible to tell what is real and what is fake. He received the UOB Painting
of the Year Award (2009); the National Arts Council’s Young Artist Award
(2010); and the Deutsche Bank Award in Photography (2011). He recently
completed a three-month residency at Kadist Art Foundation.
In 2015: Vying
for the Signature Art Prize, Zhao will also have a solo show at ShanghArt
Gallery in Shanghai, his first in China, and will participate in Photobook
Melbourne (12-22 Feb), exhibiting A Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the World
at the Centre for Contemporary Photography.
17. Ang
Song Nian (b. 1983)
The photographer
focuses on places that are influenced by human presence, but are
half-forgotten. His landscapes betray subtle signs of mankind’s interventions,
like a tree stump in a wooded area. In one recent series, his landscapes have
small pieces of paper dropping, which at first look like snowflakes, but are
actually made from ‘paper money’, also known as hell money, for the spirits of
the forest as the artist mourns the gradual loss of greenery in Singapore.
18. Joel
Yuen (b. 1983)
His series of
photographs, Anatomical Fantasies of Meat that showed cow, chicken, and pig
organs artfully arranged, controversially won the UOB Painting of the Year in
2008. The multidisciplinary artist’s work reflects on Singapore’s contemporary
society using photography, video, and performance practices. His most recent
exhibition, Sing City, looked at all thing Singapore, reflecting on ‘that
moment’ when the then Prime Minister shed a tear while announcing the
separation from what is now Malaysia.
19. Chun Kaifeng (born
1982)
The artist is interested in mapping
the day-to-day using ordinary elements of our urban environment (cigarette
butts, dustbins, discarded flip-flops) to create sculptural works conferring
them an iconic status.
Part of the art collective, Vertical
Submarine, the artist ventured out in 2013 for the first time on his own with a
solo show, entitled “The Seven Scenes of Barry Lyndon” where he explored the
ideas of framing and composition.
In 2015: These artworks will be shown
in the Prudential Singapore Eye Exhibition.
21. David Chan (b. 1979)
A graduate of
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, David Chan won the UOB Painting of the
Year in 2004 and is known for his humorous artworks that portray human-animal
hybrids to ponder human behaviors.
In 2015:
Currently working on a commissioned sculpture/installation to be unveiled on
the front lawn of Singapore Art Museum (SAM) in January and his work will
probably be seen later at Art Central Hong Kong, a new art fair.
22. Zul
Othman, aka Zero (b. 1979)
One of
Singapore’s leading street-art style artists, he received the NAC’s Young
Artist Award 2013.
23. Grace
Tan (b. 1979)
Formally trained
in fashion design, Tan began her art and design practice in 2003 under the
kwodrent studio, presenting a series of works based on the study of rectangles,
materials, and construction methods. Since then she primarily works with
textiles and structures that relate to the surroundings.
24. Jason Wee (b.
1978)
The established
artist may be best known for his powerful No More Tears Mr Lee installation
using bottle caps (now studied by local school children) and is the founder of
Grey Projects, a non-profit artists’ space in Singapore supporting curatorial,
exchange, and publication work. He received the NAC’s Young Artist Award 2008 for
visual arts in Singapore. His latest works, an exploration of grief and
mourning, are on view until January 10 at Galerie Michael Janssen at Gillman
Barracks.
25. Donna Ong (b. 1978)
The established
artist is known for her immersive installations which transform found objects,
such as nail, glass, etc. into dream-like narratives. Ong was the recipient of
the NAC’s Young Artist Award 2009 and the People’s Choice Award at the 2009
President’s Young Talents Exhibition, and her work has appeared at several
international biennales including the Venice Biennale in 2008.
In 2015: Ong is
part of the Prudential Singapore Eye Awards and Prudential Singapore Eye
Exhibition and her work can also be seen in the "Da Vinci: Shaping the
Future" exhibition at the Art Science Museum. In March, she will be
showing a work at SAM and exhibiting at the inToAsia Festival in New York’s
Queens Museum. She’s also planning a solo show for the year’s end in Milan at
Primo Marella Gallery.
26. Heman Chong (b. 1977)
The artist and
curator represented Singapore at the Venice Biennale in 2008. He has been
working on his Cover (Versions) series since 2009, painting imagined book
covers, mostly of books he hopes to read.
In 2015: It will
be a busy year for the artist with a solo show at Art Sonje, a private museum
in Seoul in February, followed by group shows at Hessel Museum of Art and Graz
Kunstverein in March, National Museum of Art in Osaka in July, and another
major solo show at Wilkinson Gallery in London in September.
27. Andre
Tan (b. 1978)
Following in the
footsteps of Justin Lee, Andre Tan has established himself as a Pop Art Artist
whose works pack a strong dose of cynicism against consumerism and brands.
In 2015: Working
on a new solo show for August with a new series based on Singapore history.
28. Sufian
Hamri, aka TraceOne (b. 1980)
The established
street-art style artist is best known for his stenciled skaters balancing on
shadows, but has also had his work exhibited in numerous commissioned projects,
for example at Facebook Singapore’s office, and exhibitions both locally and
internationally. His works are also humorous but often with an acerbic take on
society.
29. Safaruddin
Bin Abdul Hamid, aka Dyn (b. 1977)
Dyn’s practice
looks at the coexistence of old and new in Singapore, re-interpreting old
photographs in candy-colors to give a sense of displacement and longing.
30. Ang
Sookoon (b. 1977)
Ang majored in
sculpture at the School of Visual Arts, New York, but works across multiple
media. She has created helium word installations, intriguing crystallized
sculptures using bread (with phosphate), and her photograph series “Exorcise
Me,” dealt with teen anxiety, as part of the Singapore Biennale 2013.
In 2015: To
exhibit as part of “These Sacred Things” (16 January‑1 March) at the Esplanade
and solo exhibition planned in Utrecht, NL.
31. Ho Tzu Nyen (b. 1976)
One of the most
established Singaporean artists internationally, his more recent works have
focused on immersive multimedia installations. His films characteristically
comprise elaborate tableaus that refer back to well-known artworks (such as
works by Caravaggio, Gericault, etc).
In 2015: In the
running for the triennial APB Foundation Signature Art Prize and will also
appear at the Prudential Singapore Eye exhibition. Also participating in the
Forum Expanded section of the Berlinale/Berlin Film Festival with a work called
"The Nameless" which is a found-footage-style film re-assembled to
tell the story of Lai Teck, a Sino-Vietnamese with 50 aliases, no one knows his
true name he was the Secretary General of the Malayan Communist Party from 1939
to 1947, and who was also a triple agent. The footage is gleaned from films
featuring Tony Leung Chiu Wai, recast as Lai Teck. Also working on a related
project, called "The Name," which will open at the DAADgalerie in
Berlin on Feb 13. This is also a found-footage-style film re-assembled to tell
the story of an author known as Gene Z. Hanrahan, who wrote one of the earliest
and most authoritative accounts of Malayan Communism: The Communist Struggle in
Malaya. Hanrakan was likely a pseudonym and the front for a research
organization with ties to military intelligence.
32. Ng
Joon Kiat (b. 1976)
The artist’s
paintings explore the materiality of paint as a material as well as the
representation of geographical territories, real or imaginary.
33. Francis
Ng (b. 1975)
The multidisciplinary artist
represented Singapore at the prestigious 50th Venice Biennale and participated
in the 5th Gwangju Biennale in South Korea.
The graphic
designers turned visual artist collective comprises Alvin Tan (b. 1974), Melvin
Chee (b. 1974), Jackson Tan (b. 1974) and William Chan (b. 1973) who all met at
LASALLE College of the Arts, and came together in 1994 to form their
collective. Their graphic visual style, which incorporates diverse Asian
influences from Chinese craft and folklore to Japanese manga and Wuxia fiction,
is instantly recognizable and is particularly popular in Japan. They have been
roped in by numerous brands such as Nike, Comme des Garcons, and Levis, and
were awarded "Designer of the Year" in 2007 by the President's Design
Award, the highest accolade for designers in Singapore.
35. Verticale
Submarine
The art
collective comprises Joshua Yang (b. 1974), Justin Loke (b. 1979) and Fiona Koh
(b. 1983) and is known for their witty tongue-in-cheek, mixed-media works that
often incorporate word play. Vertical Submarine received the President’s Young
Talents 2009 Award. The trio landed in hot water at the Singapore Night
Festival in September with their exhibition Eville where flyers urged people to
“kill stray cats” as part of a satirical performance-exhibition against evil
acts, commissioned by the Singapore Kindness Movement but which did not amuse
animal welfare groups.
In 2015:
Planning an installation this January as part of Singapore Art week, while
one of their works will be shown at the Musee Orsay in Lyon, The collective is
also planning to launch a curatorial platform, named Dialogic, with Randy Chan
of Zarch Collaboratives. One of its key spaces will be located at Golden Mile
Tower.
36. John Clang (b. 1973)
The established New York-based
photographer’s latest series “The Land of My Heart” is an ode to Singapore
ahead of the nation’s 50th birthday. The new series re-appropriates the iconic
Singapore Girl to reflect on identity and personal memories encapsulated in
nostalgic spaces of his rapidly evolving homeland.
This former
national sailor, who represented Singapore in the 1996 Olympics, is the founder
of collective art group tsunamii.net, which exhibited at Documenta 11. His film
practice documents waterways and how they represent issues of mobility,
migration, and ecological concerns. An edited version of All Lines Flow Out,
commissioned for the 2011 Singapore Biennale, received a Special Mention Award
at the 68th Venice Film Festival, a first for a Singapore film.
In 2015: Lim is
representing Singapore at the Venice Biennale and his artworks will be shown at
the Prudential Singapore Eye Exhibition.
38. Michael Lee (b. 1972)
The artist’s practice
explores the representation of the built environment in the contexts of its
lost elements, transforming his observations into objects, diagrams, or essays.
In 2005 he received the Young Artist Award (Visual Arts) by the NAC and in 2011
he received the Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize 2011
(People’s Choice Award).
In 2015:
planning ‘Hookup #1: Professional Speed-Dating for Artists & Curators,’ at
Art Stage Singapore, professional networking events held in the Latent Spaces
booth.
39. Green
Zeng (b. 1972)
A multidisciplinary artist whose
practice encompasses visual art, film, and theater, Zeng’s works explore
concerns related to Singapore’s history and national identity. Inspired by the
notion of constructed history, he has put the faces of pro-communist figures
and ex-political detainees from the 1950s‑60s on fictional Singaporean bank
notes asking the viewer “What if?”; he has also shown photographic works
imagining an exile who returns to Singapore after a long absence. He was also
shortlisted as a Finalist for the Sovereign Asian Art Prize 2012.
In 2015: He’s
been commissioned by the Singapore Land Transport Authority to create the
artwork for one of the train stations in the Thomson Line Art Program.
40. Ming Wong (b. 1971)
The Berlin-based
artist has represented Singapore at the Venice Biennale and has been
internationally recognized for his performance and video works that engage with
world cinema history while dealing with issues of identity. He casts himself in
various roles, female and male, re-enacting well-known films.
41.
Yeo Chee
Kiong (b. 1970)
The sculptor is
known for creating playful and surprising juxtapositions in his pieces that
pull in everyday objects and make the viewer rethink them. He received the 2006
Young Artist Award and won the inaugural Grand Prize at the Asia Pacific
Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize in 2008.
In 2015: His
works will be seen at the Prudential Singapore Eye Exhibition. He expects to be
involved in an outdoor sculpture project in Bangkok in Feb/March and sculpture
group shows in China (April), Taiwan (July), Singapore (July), and Japan
(September).
42. Foo
Kwee Horng (b. 1969)
Moving away from
the shophouse and river scenes, the watercolorist turns his gaze to document
daily local scenes and contemporary Singapore, be it a durian seller or the Art
Science Museum.
43. Jason Lim (b.
1966)
The performance
and visual artist won the Juror’s Prize at the 4thWorld Ceramics Biennale in
Korea in 2007 and that same year presented “Just Dharma” and “Light Weight” at
the Singapore Pavilion of the 50th Venice Biennale.
In 2015: The
artist will be involved with a performance art piece at Latent Space
during Art Stage and will also present performances in Beijing, London, and New
York as part of the Singapore Tourism Board celebration of SG50. He’s also
planning a collaboration with an Australian artist at Chan Hampe Galleries in
December.
44. Ian Woo (b.
1967)
One of the most
prominent painters in Singapore, Ian Woo is known for his scope of abstract
experimentation, ranging from minimalist washes to exuberant, colored surfaces
that suggest movement, rhythm, and geographical formations. He won the UOB
Painting of the year in 1999.
In 2015: A solo
exhibition at Tomio Koyama Gallery in Singapore in April.
Considered one
of the pioneering experimental artists in Singapore, the roving
multidisciplinarian is equally adept at the traditional mediums of painting,
drawing, and sculpture as he is with experimental music and sound
installations. His works, at times deemed controversial, reflect on his unique
heritage, cultural background, and life experiences and mixed race upbringing
with his father, a Malay-Muslim, and his mother who is Chinese.
46. Jane Lee (b. 1963)
Known for her
highly texturized paintings she seeks to explore the meaning of a painting and
paint itself.
In 2015: Her
works will be seen at the Prudential Singapore Eye exhibition.
47. Justin
Lee (b. 1963)
With his brand
of East-meet-West Pop Art juxtaposing traditional Chinese paper-cut motifs with
well-known Asian and American icons he popularized modern Pop Art in Singapore.
The established artist won the Philip Morris Singapore Art Award in 2005 and the
Prestigious Mont Blanc Artists World Patronage Project in 2007. His warrior
wearing headphones has found its way on mugs and carrier bags, making his work
very familiar.
In 2015: The
artist is studying for a Master of Fine Art with LASALLE-Goldsmith and he has
just finish a design for the Maxwell subway station, due to open in 2020.
48. Vincent
Leow (b. 1961)
Once one of the enfants terrible of
the local art community in the 1990s (he once urinated into a cup and drank it
in front of an audience), Leow is now an established artist and represented
Singapore at the 2007 Venice Biennale. He is best known for his series of
hybrid creatures, such as Andy, a man-dog character based on his black mongrel
pet named after Andy Warhol, which he has used to comment on crossbreeding of
identities and cultures that Singaporeans have experienced.
In 2015: The
artist is working on a solo show tentatively planned in August.
The Sydney-based
artist represented Singapore in the 49th Venice Biennale and has had numerous
public art commissions, while also most recently participating in the Singapore
Biennale.
In 2015: The
artist will be unveiling a new body of work which was created during her
residency at STPI, Imprint: New Works by Suzann Victor (18 January‑21
February). Her swinging chandelier installation can be seen at Art Stage
Singapore 2015.
One of
Singapore’s foremost performance art practitioners, the artist is best known
for his Yellow Man series that explores issues of identity.
In 2015: His
works will be seen at the Prudential Singapore Eye Exhibition.
This story was first published for BLOUIN ARTINFO. To see all the artworks for these artists go here;