Announcement of Selected Artists for Künstlerhaus Bethanien Residency
The National Arts Council Singapore (NAC) has partnered Künstlerhaus Bethanien(KB) to offer two (2) six-month residency opportunities in 2023/2024. KB is an international cultural centre located in Berlin, Germany. The centre provides residency studios and exhibition spaces for artists-in-residence, which includes dedicated individual support as well as opportunities to establish connections between these artists with the wider artistic community and regional context in Berlin and across Europe.
NAC’s partnership with KB started in 2009/2010 with Mr Chua Chye Teck selected as the first artist-in-residence. The most recent artist selected was Ms Shubigi Rao in 2016/2017. Ms Shubigi Rao has since gone on to represent the Singapore Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale in 2022.
The NAC-KB residency programme has always been highly regarded and well-received by our artists, with previous participants sharing that the strong networking and research opportunities provided by KB’s stellar infrastructure and support which has helped to develop their artistic practice and professional networks. NAC recognises the strong value of the KB residency for the capability development of our artists, and have renewed the partnership to provide more opportunities for Singapore artists.
After a vigorous evaluation and selection process, NAC and KB are excited to announce the selection of Ms Ang Soo Koon and Ms Zen Teh as the artists-in-residence for 2023/2024.
As part of NAC’s next iteration of Our SG Arts Plan (2023-2027), there will be an increased focus on the creative economy, powered by artistic talent, excellence and innovation. In this vein, NAC hopes to enable our artists and practitioners to develop more sustainable and viable careers in the arts locally, regionally and internationally. NAC sees international residency programmes as critical to the capability development of our artists, and one of the ways for our artists to further develop their professional careers and artistic practice through networking with their regional and international counterparts. Furthermore, it also allows our artists to fly the Singapore flag amongst the global artistic community. Other residency opportunities that NAC has previously offered includes Metropolitan Museum of Manila (Philippines) in 2019 and Cemeti – Institute for Art and Society (Indonesia) in 2020.
SELECTED ARTISTS FOR 2023/2024 NAC x KB RESIDENCY PROGRAMME
Ms Ang Sookoon is an artist living and working in Singapore and Paris. Her work rooted in the philosophy of impermanence and the transformative nature of life. Through her practice, Ang seeks to capture the ephemeral nature of existence and the interplay between the physical and metaphysical.
Her work has been shown in Palais de Tokyo, Beijing Biennale, Art Basel Hong Kong, International Film Festival Rotterdam, International Short Film Festival, Oberhausen, and Fribourg International Film Festival. Ang has also been awarded several international fellowships including the Freeman Fellowship and Asia-Pacific fellowship. The residencies she has participated are the Rijksakademie, MASS MoCA and ISCP to name a few.
Ms Ang Sookoon will undertake the residency programme from April 2023 to October 2023.
Ms Zen Teh is an artist and educator interested in the interdisciplinary studies of nature and human behaviour. Her art practice spans across photography, sculpture and installation art. In 2021, Zen was conferred the Young Artist Award by NAC, Singapore’s highest accolade for artists under the age of 35.
Zen initiated numerous collaborative projects with artists, art professionals and scientists over the years: A Familiar Forest is a long-term ongoing collaboration with environmental biologist, Dr Ching Jianhong from DUKE-NUS. Her residency at Selasar Sunaryo Art Space (2019) and Sa Sa Art Projects (2022) involved collaboration and research with geologist, urban planner and architect, investigating the impact of rapid urban development on Indonesia and Cambodia. She has been consistently showcased in numerous group and solo exhibitions in Singapore and the region, including National Museum of Singapore, Singapore Art Museum (SAM) and ArtScience Museum, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Korea, Taiwan and China and invited as a guest speaker at regional and international environmental conferences such as UNESCO-UNITWIN 2021, ASEAN Powershift 2015 and Hanoi Innovation Week 2016 on Sustainability. Her works have been acquired by the SAM collection and numerous private collections in Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Singapore.
Ms Zen Teh will undertake the residency programme from October 2023 to April 2024.
ABOUT THE KÜNSTLERHAUS BETHANIEN RESIDENCY PROGRAMME
Künstlerhaus Bethanien (KB) is an international cultural centre located in Berlin, Germany. The centre provides residency studios and exhibition spaces for artists-in-residence that includes dedicated individual support as well as opportunities to establish connections between these artists with the wider artistic community and regional context in Berlin and across Europe.
As part of the residency programme, selected artist(s) will be provided with a studio and living space, along with equipment and amenities for their day-to-day life and work.
Selected artist(s) are also supported with administrative, technical and artistic support from KB, and will be provided with an opportunity to host open studios, as well as to present an exhibition at the centre.
PAST NAC x KB PARTNERSHIPS AND ARTISTS SUPPORTED
| Residency Cycle | Artist |
|---|---|
| 2009 – 2010 | Chua Chye Teck |
| 2011 – 2012 | Song-Ming Ang |
| 2012 – 2013 | Michael Lee |
| 2013 – 2014 | Donna Ong |
| 2014 – 2015 | Choy Ka Fai |
| 2015 – 2016 | Chen Sai Hua Kuan |
| 2016 – 2017 | Shubigi Rao |