Big names at National Gallery

FOUR GIANTS OF the art world - two Asians, two Europeans - are set to be marquee names headlining new exhibitions at National Gallery Singapore in 2020. The four - Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Georgette Chen and Latiff Mohidin - are all expected to draw strong visitor numbers. But it remains to be seen if any can match the buzz and long, snaking queues that Yayoi Kusama generated in 2017.

The biggest of the 2020 shows is Matisse & Picasso: Friends, Rivals. Set to open on May 15, it will be the first major Southeast Asian presentation of works by the two iconic European artists.

Matisse (1869 - 1954), a Frenchman, is best known for expanding the expressive possibilities of colour, while Picasso (1881 - 1973), a Spaniard, completely revolutionised the way the world sees form and structure. Their influence continues to be felt in many fields of art and design, from painting and sculpture to fashion and architecture.