23 highlights of Singapore Art Week 2023

ART SG

This is the mega event every art lover is waiting for – not just in Singapore but also in the region. The debut of high-end art fair Art SG, organised by the respected impresarios of The Art Assembly, is expected to draw every single major South-east Asian art collector to these shores during its five-day run (including the VIP vernissage). The bluest of blue-chip art galleries will be bringing works by the world’s best modern and contemporary artists such as Alex Katz, Robert Rauschenberg, Louise Bourgeois, Sopheap Pich and Thomas Houseago. Its potential success could change the game for the city-state. Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Jan 11- Jan 15

JOO CHOON LIN: DANCE IN THE DESTRUCTION DANCE

There is never a dull moment in a show by Joo Choon Lin, an artist adept at turning industrial materials such as plastic, fabric and metal into the weirdest, most wondrous objects. In her new show at Singapore Art Museum, she once again transforms an entire space into a hyperactive installation-cum-performance guaranteed to overwhelm your senses. She is not so much interested in creating an artwork as a state of mind. If you care to decipher her strange logic – and there is a logic – you might be captivated. Singapore Art Museum, Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Jan 13 - Apr 16

KHAIRULDDIN WAHAB: SHAPE OF LAND

Khairulddin Wahab is one of Singapore’s most gifted young painters. His vivid canvases find inspiration from post-colonial narratives in Singapore and South-east Asia, but they’re depicted with a contemporary sensibility and cinematic scope that draw the eye. Employing an unconventional palette from sentimental pastels to lurid fluorescents, the paintings occupy a magical realist space between figuration and abstraction. His latest solo exhibition is based on extensive research conducted while he was a creative resident with the National Library Board. Cuturi Gallery, 61 Aliwal St, Jan 7 - Jan 29

BRIAN GOTHONG TAN: #METAZOMIA

Combining cutting-edge AI and old-fashioned creativity, Brian Gothong Tan has conjured a utopian fantasy filled with strange landscapes and magnificent creatures. He imagines this world as an escape from the current one and calls it “Metazomia” – a portmanteau derived from the words “metaverse” and “Zomia”, the latter being a real-life stretch of highlands in South-east Asia where 100 million minorities reportedly live divorced from any state rule. These moving images now adorn the walls of 72-13 Home Of T:>Works, a former rice warehouse turned into an arts space. 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Rd, now till Jan 20

THE PIERRE LORINET COLLECTION

Pierre Lorinet is a well-known art patron in Singapore whose art collection spans works from Western minimalism to Asian political abstraction. He is publicly showcasing pieces from his collection for this time, including some historically important works by artists such Carl Andre, Dan Flavin, Sol Lewitt, Yayoi Kusama, Nam June Paik, Haim Steinbach, Lee Ufan, Liu Wei, Ai Weiwei, Haegue Yang and Chen Zhen. Organised by Art Outreach, it offers a rare opportunity to see gems from a private collection. 9 Lock Road, #02-21, Gillman Barracks, Jan 6 – Jan 29

PROOF OF CONCEPT

Appetite – that category-defying all-in-one R&D kitchen/art gallery/record bar located above Nouri restaurant – has partnered with Co-Museum to present a large-scale digital and new media exhibition at Gillman Barracks titled Proof Of Concept. Playing off the crypto terms “proof of stake” and “proof of work”, the show features the creations of 25 artists recognised for their technological daring and innovation. They include Refik Anadol, Tyler Hobbs and Shavonne Wong. This exhibition takes off from the groundbreaking Right Click + Save exhibition at Le Freeport in Nov 2021. Gillman Barracks, 9 Lock Road, 3rd floor, 6 - 15 Jan

FOR THE HOUSE; AGAINST THE HOUSE: ___ IS DEAD

OH! Open House has been showcasing art in strangers’ homes, shopping malls and every conceivable space outside of the museum and gallery establishments in a bid to take art to the lay people. Its latest site is Tanglin Shopping Centre, an approximately 50-year-old building scheduled for en bloc redevelopment in the near future. Here, curators Adele Tan and John Tung have each transformed vacant shop spaces into several art galleries showcasing works respectively centred on the themes of physical desire and the relevance of museums. The selection of works are excellent, with artists such as Marla Bendini, Mit Jai Inn, Geraldine Javier and Kray Chen. Tanglin Shopping Centre, various shop spaces, now till Jan 15

JANE LEE

2023 is set to be Jane Lee’s year, with several exhibitions planned for Singapore Art Week and beyond. Lee’s fascinating practice of deconstructing the painting and its materials have long attracted serious collectors, including the couple Linda Neo and Albert Lim, who have dedicated their Primz private gallery to a show of her works during Singapore Art Week. Meanwhile one of Singapore’s most established galleries, Gajah Gallery, is also opening a solo show of her sculptural works, a first for the artist. Later this year, there will be a retrospective of her practice in a museum. Primz Gallery at 21 Woodlands Close, now till Oct 31 (by appointment only). Gajah Gallery at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Jan 6- Jan 29

NGUYEN QUOC DUNG: THE LIVES OF OTHERS

Based in Vietnam, Nguyen Quoc Dung populates his paintings with low-wage labourers, migrant and immigrant workers, as well as transgender people and sex workers. Rapid urbanisation in Vietnam has led to the rise of fringe communities, mostly living hand-to-mouth in cramped and squalid spaces. Nguyen’s canvases typically brim with compassion and empathy as they depict such communities in everyday scenarios. His new series of paintings are on display at Hatch Art Project, a young gallery making waves with its adventurous programming. 7 Yong Siak St, Jan 7 - Feb 12

SEE ALSO

Art SG will finally open – and it looks splendid

Singapore Biennale 2022: Challenges abound

PEACE CENTRE: PICTURES IN THE MIND

How much do you know about Peace Centre, one of Singapore’s oldest shopping centres? Built in the 1970s, Peace Centre exists in the minds of some Baby Boomers as a youthful haunt, but seen today by younger generations as a dingy third-tier mall. A group of artists have now come together to create artworks out of archival material and interviews, telling stories both real and imagined about the building’s past. The artworks are scattered across the mall. For a schedule of its free tours, visit deck.sg. Peace Centre, from now till Jan 20

AFTER/PARTY

Looking for something off the beaten track? Two of the city’s coolest independent art spaces, Starch and Supper Lane, are situated close to each other in Tagore Lane. During Singapore Art Week, the two are running various activities including performance tours, a late night bookstore, gigs and an artist market. Starch’s exhibition is curated by well-known artist Jeremy Sharma, while Supper House’s show is led by founder Ashley Chiam. Artists includes Moses Tan, Divaagar and Farizi. Check out their full programme on the website artweek.sg. Supper House, 222 Tagore Lane, #04-03. Starch, 81 Tagore Lane, #02-11

SEA FOCUS

Boutique art fair SEA Focus continues to be one of the anchor events of Singapore Art Week. A champion of South-east Asian art, this year’s edition features works by over 50 established and up-and-coming artists from the region and beyond. There’s a terrific accompanying film programme (at The Projector) by artists such as Rirkrit Tiravanija, Khairullah Rahim, Martha Atienza, Tada Hengsapkul, Mella Jaarsma and others. There’s also a new Collaborations section featuring bolder and larger-scale works. Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Jan 6 - Jan 15

SHUBIGI RAO & UTE META BAUER: PULP III

If you didn’t manage to visit the Singapore Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2022, don’t despair: Part of the original showcase will be on display at the ArtScience Museum this month. These include multiple screenings of Shubigi Rao’s film and an exhibition of her book, Pulp III: An Intimate Inventory Of The Banished Book. Rao’s fascinating practice delves into various book collections, libraries and archives around the world, upholding the importance of the book as an eternal symbol of knowledge, power and activism. The show is curated by Ute Meta Bauer. ArtScience Museum, Jan 6 - Jan 24

TIFFANY LOY: LINES IN SPACE

Tiffany Loy’s practice involves examining centuries-old weaving traditions from around the world and adapting them to contemporary aesthetics. Her latest marvel is a large site-specific weaving installation that extends from the floor to the ceiling, shifting our perception of space, depth and material, as we navigate through webs and walls of paper and fabric. 5 Lock Road, #01-06, Gillman Barracks, now till Jan 22

CHUA SOO BIN: LIFE OF ART, ART OF LIFE

A recipient of the country’s highest arts award, the Cultural Medallion, Chua Soo Bin celebrates his 90th year as photographer, art director, gallerist and patron with a special publication of a book detailing his extraordinary life. There is also a two-venue exhibition at the PARKROYAL on Beach Road and Objectifs. The book and exhibitions give insight into his long practice from salon photography to cutting-edge fine art photography, which includes his most iconic black-and-white portraits of pioneer artists. PARKROYAL on Beach Road, 7500 Beach Road, and Objectifs, 155 Middle Road, Jan 15 - Mar 26

ISLANDS TIME-BASED ART FESTIVAL

Challenging the idea of art as something to be bought and sold, a group of artists is mounting a time-based art festival in which every work is transitory and ephemeral. There are performance art, dance, music, theatre and live improvisation pieces, all meant to be experienced once and never again. All together, they urge us to reconsider the purpose of art. Well-known artists involved in it include Pat Toh, Lina Adam, Ezzam Rahman, Ang Song Ming and Marla Bendini. 42 Waterloo St, Jan 7 - Jan 15, 7 - 10 pm nightly

LET’S PLAY BALL

Looking for tiny art that can fit in the palm of your hand? Printing and publishing company Knuckles & Notch has taken the concept of “gachapon” – those capsule vending machines that dispense toy figurines – and have them dispense art collectibles instead. The ten artists include highnunchicken, bunglejym, hellovanlim, seedoubleyouuu and sandyplayig, all of whose artworks can be seen on Instagram with those handles. 261 Waterloo St, #02-25, Jan 6 - Jan 22.

SHOEBOX SCULPTURE BIENNALE 2023

Singapore Art Week’s first Shoebox Sculpture Biennale is exactly what you think it is – a showcase of sculptures each small enough to fit in a shoebox. More than 150 of these sculptures made from various materials (wood, metal, clay, paper, plastic and others) by various artists are on display in rows and rows of shelves. The belief that small is beautiful isn’t misguided when you remember that most Singaporeans live in apartments not big enough to place a life-size marble statue. Besides these small sculptures, there are also a larger-than-life installation by Artist Caravan. Sculpture 2052, 21 Woodlands Close, #03-16, Jan 6 - Jan 15

“THIRD WHEELING” DINING EXPERIENCE

Here’s an interactive dinner experience unlike anything you’ve ever had: Diners are presented with a floor-to-ceiling art installation made out of ordinary dining objects such as cutlery and table cloths. They then have to work through the installation in order to get their food. Let’s just say there are plenty of TikTok and Instagram Stories opportunities here. The dining experience runs for two-nights only with limited slots. It is presented by Awkward Party, an artist duo comprising Sheryll Goh and Rachael Cheong, who thrive on taking art to the most unlikely places. Visit awkwardparty.club to book a seat. Artichoke restaurant, 161 Middle Road, Jan 10 - Jan 11

LIGHT TO NIGHT

One of the main anchors of Singapore Art Week, National Gallery Singapore’s much-beloved Light To Night festival features the usual array of large-scale installations, immersive art experiences and projection mapping on buildings in the Civc District. The festival market is making a welcome post-pandemic return with over 50 booths selling F&B, arts and craft, books and clothing at the Padang. The installations are also impressive this year, with works by Dawn Ng, Sai and Atelier Sisu. Various locations in the Civic District, Jan 6- Jan 26

THE ARTISTS VILLAGE: S23

The Artists Village is one of the most important artist collectives in Singapore’s history. In this site-specific work, members of the collective come together to shoot the breeze, befriend strangers, discuss art and revive the famous coffeeshop culture that once thrived at the S23 kopitiam located between The Substation and The National Library (Stamford Road) – all three of which no longer exist in their original forms. Set in Lasalle’s amphitheatre, the work is an act of mourning and remembering, an elegy for how quickly things change in this city. Visit artweek.sg for the programme. Lasalle College of the Arts, various timings, Jan 6 - Jan 15

MELATI SURYODARMO: UNPACKED

The sensational Indonesian performance artist Melati Suryodarmo is revisiting her earlier performance works in her solo exhibition at ShanghArt in Gillman Barracks. She is delivering two sessions of performance lectures within a week, with the opening performance from 3 to 4 pm on Jan 7, and the second one from 5 to 6 pm on Jan 13. She has many fans in this part of the world, so come early in anticipation of a full house. 9 Lock Road, #02-22, Gillman Barracks.

ARTY FARTY AFTER PARTY

Here’s one of the best ways to unwind after a full-day of art activities: Go to the Arty Party After Party organised by The Glass Hut Singapore, that unpretentious creative greenhouse co-founded by several musicians and artists such as Nathan Hartono to support fellow creatives. From Jan 12 to Jan 15, there will be a party every night at its new location on Cecil Street, featuring the coolest local musicians you’ve probably never heard of. It has a drinks menu with affectionately satirical names such as Art Collector, Curator and Struggling Artist (no prizes for guessing which is the cheapest). And there is even an auction of works by artists such as Sarah Ninjawhee, Samuel Xun and Mojoko to raise funds for the space. Tickets from Eventbrite. 140 Cecil St, #14-03, Jan 12 - Jan 15