[VENICE] Singapore has achieved record representation at the Venice Biennale 2024, with works not just by Singaporean artists, but also South-east Asian ones. Drawing from its vast collection of over 8,000 modern artworks from the region, National Gallery Singapore is showing eight iconic portrait paintings executed by important artists from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam, at what is widely regarded as the greatest art show on earth, visited by half a million people.

The eight established artists are Chua Mia Tee (China/Singapore, reflecting birthplace and chosen home), Georgette Chen (China/Singapore), Affandi (Indonesia), Hendra Gunawan (Indonesia), Lai Foong Moi (Malaysia/Singapore), Le Pho (Vietnam/France), Emiria Sunassa (Indonesia) and Lim Mu Hue (Singapore).

But that’s not all. Three younger Singaporeans have also been included in the main exhibition. Robert Zhao Renhui, a 41-year-old artist investigating the relationship between humans and nature, has been chosen by Singapore as its representative in the “art world Olympics”, where some 87 countries are vying for prestigious prizes.