13-19 Art Prize: Teen artists find magic in Singapore’s everyday life
Supported by BT, the competition raises money for underserved communities
[SINGAPORE] Two young artists have transformed the familiar into the fantastical – one through a tender, magical realist portrait of family life, the other through a joyful explosion of childhood colour.
At this year’s 13-19 Art Prize, 16-year-old Joey Chua Wen Xin clinched the gold award for My Grandfather, Sister and the Wardrobe. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Asher Won Jun Ren, an artist on the autism spectrum, took the top prize in Art Without Limits – a new section for artists with intellectual disabilities – for his exuberant work The Little Toy Shop.
At the recent awards ceremony at Millenia Walk, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Baey Yam Keng presented the prizes to the winners. Their paintings are now being auctioned to raise funds for the Business Times Budding Artists Fund (BT BAF) and the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS).
The awards are supported by donations from CGS International Securities (S$30,000) and independent art space The Culture Story (S$10,000), with venue sponsorship by Millenia Walk, which is hosting the exhibition at its Great Hall (Level 1).
Joy and wonder in the everyday
In Chua’s painting, an elderly man and a young girl sit shoulder to shoulder in a cramped room – he with his newspaper, she with her phone. Around them hang bunches of bananas, a loaf of Gardenia bread and feather dusters, familiar symbols of daily life in Singapore.
“This is what Singapore looks like to me – hawker stalls, hanging bananas, feather dusters,” says the student at Nanyang Girls’ High School. “But there is too little time and too little space here. And we sometimes forget that Singapore actually means so much more to us.”
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Friday, 2 pm
Lifestyle
Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.
She frames the image inside a wardrobe as a nod to CS Lewis’ children’s book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, hinting that even within our smallest spaces there is room for imagination.
Her grandfather, James Chua, 76, who appears in the painting alongside her twin sister, recalls telling the girls stories from his childhood. “I told them about my kampung days in Tai Seng – the old provision shops where they sold food and household things together,” he says. “She remembered that and used it as inspiration for the painting.”
Judges described her work as “a painting that bridges generations – a scene both mundane and magical, where the intimacy of family becomes a portal to cultural memory”.
If Joey Chua’s painting evokes nostalgia, Won’s The Little Toy Shop radiates joy. His canvas teems with plush bears, robots, marionettes and candy jars, each neatly arranged yet bursting with colour and life – a child’s dream of playtime made real.
“This artwork is inspired by my love for cartoons and vibrant colours,” says Won, who is an artist with MINDS. “Every detail – from the candy machine to the shelves – shows my imagination and the happiness I find in colour, order and the magic of childhood favourites.”
The new category he represents, Art Without Limits, was launched this year and expands the competition’s reach to a wider and more inclusive creative community. Judges called his work an example of “disciplined exuberance” – joy expressed with structure and intent.
A platform for young voices
Now in its fifth edition, the 13-19 Art Prize – organised by The Rice Company Ltd and supported by The Business Times – received a record 349 submissions, the highest since its launch in 2021.
“Their works do more than win awards,” notes Chong Huai Seng, chairman of the 13-19 advisory committee. “They reflect memory, imagination and identity.” By featuring snippets of daily life, from hawker stalls and shophouses to family traditions, “these young artists remind us that every day can be transformed into stories that belong to all of us Singaporeans”, he adds.
Chong, who co-founded The Culture Story with his daughter Ning Chong, described Art Without Limits as “a powerful step forward”. “It reminds us that creativity knows no bounds – that every artist, regardless of background or ability, deserves a chance to be seen, celebrated and included in Singapore’s cultural journey.”
CGS International Securities Singapore chief executive officer Malcolm Koo presented prizes to MINDS winners, while MINDS CEO Kelvin Koh was there to lend support. The 13-19 advisory committee includes BT’s Helmi Yusof, gallerists Audrey Yeo and Audrey Zhang, finance veteran Tan Kheng Lai, art photographer Rosalynn Tay, art educator Tan See Kia and lawyer Nicholas Song.
All winning artworks are on view at Millenia Walk from now till Oct 30, while the online auction is open for bids. The proceeds of the auction go to BT BAF and MINDS, both devoted to nurturing confidence and creativity in underserved communities.
Each of the other works up for sale captures a different slice of Singapore life. But like the two top winners, they all have the power to make us see the ordinary in a different light.
The exhibition runs at the Great Hall (Level 1) in Millenia Walk, 9 Raffles Boulevard. Bid for an artwork and support a good cause via https://trcl.sg/13-19-art-prize/auction-2025/
Copyright SPH Media. All rights reserved.
