Singapore Art Week Returns With New Collaborations And Programmes That Will Ignite Your Senses
22 November 2024
Singapore Art Week (SAW), Southeast Asia’s ten-day pinnacle visual arts season, returns from 17 to 26 January 2025 for its 13th edition. Organised by the National Arts Council (NAC) and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Art Takes Over with more than 130 exciting arts events across the island for people from all walks of life to engage with and enjoy the arts, together.
Tay Tong, Director, Arts Ecosystem Group (Visual Arts), NAC, said, “SAW is a dynamic celebration of the thriving visual arts ecosystem in Singapore. The wide-ranging art experiences showcase both established and emerging talents in this field. SAW's ability to attract local and international artists, galleries, and art enthusiasts underscores Singapore's position as a nexus for creative expression in the region, spotlighting the richness of the country's overall arts scene.”
Lim Shoo Ling, Director, Arts and Cultural Precincts, STB said, "Now in its 13th year, the Singapore Art Week has become a mainstay of Singapore’s art calendar, featuring local, Southeast Asian and international art across events like ART SG, Light to Night Singapore, shows in our museums, and presentations in various spaces across the island. SAW is a platform where creative and artistic collaborations promise unique and memorable experiences with art at its core for both visitors and locals alike, enhancing Singapore’s appeal as an attractive arts and cultural destination.”
A visual treat for the public from diverse arts stakeholders over 10 days of creative buzz
The public can look forward to a wide range of programmes by local and international artists, partners and organisations that range from SAW open call projects, collector shows, presentations by commercial galleries and roving exhibitions across the island. Highlights include:
Familiar favourites such as ART SG, S.E.A. Focus, Light to Night Singapore 2025: Do You See Me? will return to SAW. Late night programmes including Art After Dark at Gillman Barracks and Sonic Sessions at Tanjong Pagar Distripark will complement the array of exhibitions by commercial art galleries and tenants.
Challenging the definition of an arts space, Con-Temporary Art is a travelling miniature gallery, blending both installation and performance, the diorama is built to resemble a white cube art gallery complete with internal lighting and power supply with miniature artworks created especially for the space.
The SATS Experiential Centre at The Arts House Annex unveils a unique cross-sector collaboration, fusing food and art. In partnership with multidisciplinary artist Yang Derong, private dining chef cum art consultant and filmmaker Patricia Chen @sekel_kitchen (opens in new tab) and Nouri former head chef Russell Nathan @ (opens in new tab)bricolage.sg (opens in new tab) present exclusive dining experiences inspired by Derong’s installation, DIGIkat – Our Social Fabric, connecting tradition with innovation and pushing culinary and artistic boundaries that will resonate with both local and global audiences.
Audiences will also get a glimpse into private collections by collectors including Pierre Lorinet, who will present his third exhibition The Pierre Lorinet Collection: Space at New Bahru, Singapore’s first-ever all-local creative cluster. The Private Museum will also be presenting Of Dreams and Contemplation: I am All but a Story – Selections from the Collection of Richard Koh, an exhibition showcasing Richard Koh’s personal art collection. This exhibition marks the second time Koh’s private collection will be presented at The Private Museum, offering audiences a fresh glimpse into his evolving journey as a collector and gallerist.
Marina Bay Sands is set to return with the third edition of “Where Art Takes Shape”, taking place from 16 to 26 January 2025. For the first time in Asia, Covenant ART and House of Inspiration will launch Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat, a 3-month event experience honouring the life and work of the legendary American artist at Sands Expo & Convention Centre. Visitors will also experience a specially curated edition of Marina Bay Sands’ Spectra light show by artists from The Observatory (Singapore) and Duck Unit (Thailand), blending light, sound, and water in an immersive experience. Additionally, the expanded Masterpieces Art Trail, following the STB x UOB campaign with 21 public art installations throughout Marina Bay offers art enthusiasts an enriching journey through the heart of the city.
Sotheby’s will also be presenting the exhibition and auction of Modern and Contemporary Art from 14 – 18 January 2025, during SAW, which will be opened to the public.
Art Takes Over the city, where we live, work and play
From the city centre to the heartlands and even places of commute, Singaporeans will have greater access to artworks.
NAC expands on its partnership with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to enliven more spaces in our public transport nodes as part of the Art in Transit programme. Following a successful first run during SAW 2024, eight MRT stations and a themed train will continue to spotlight nearby SAW programmes in January 2025. In addition, the public can expect more colour to our urban landscape with contemporary art wraps dressing ten viaduct pillars near Bukit Gombak MRT station during SAW 2025.
Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen will be transforming a space at Fort Canning Park into a speculative fiction experience of 11th century Temasek through their multimedia exhibition, Before and After the Unknown. Between expanded cinema, a video game and sculptural fictions, the exhibition presents pieces of a deconstructed myth, drawing from and exploring Singapore’s early history through the fantastical and the botanical.
Cabinet of Curiosities is a play-making initiative that showcases the journey of co-creation among children of diverse abilities. They follow clues about a mysterious creature lurking in the neighbourhood and dive into a vibrant world of shapes, textures, sounds and stories. Their collaborative efforts form a cabinet of curiosities, filled with a mix of gathered natural materials, visual fascinations, and imaginative tales.
Open studios by artists in the charming enclaves of Emily Hill, Telok Kurau and Wessex invites the public to better understand their inspiration and their various processes of art making.
Connecting Singapore to global art communities
From connecting the public, to enlivening our spaces through the arts, SAW also provides a platform for artistic collaborations, reinforcing Singapore’s position as a Southeast Asia arts hub for cultural exchanges, partnerships and creative growth across borders.
For the first time, visitors can look forward to “Beyond Giving, Inspiring Change” Glass Art Exhibition by Bangkok Glass Company, Thailand’s first learning centre for glass art. This exhibition will take place from 24 to 28 January 2025 and features the works of glass artists Tan Sock Fong (Singapore), Chattakan Vongsiri (Thailand), Peter Bowles (Australia), Osamu Noda (Japan) and Stephanie Trenchard (USA).
OH! Open House presents The Eye and The Tiger, featuring commissions and seminal works by Singaporean and Southeast Asian artists. Visitors are invited to Adam Park for a guided art walk through a fabled black-and-white bungalow nestled in a lush, rolling landscape.
Singapore Art Week Forum 2025 expands into a full-day line-up, gathering thought leaders from the industry to engage in panel discussions and dialogues guided by the theme, ‘Art Publics’ featuring keynote speaker, Theaster Gates. This year's forum, jointly organised by NAC, National Gallery Singapore (NGS), and Singapore Art Museum (SAM), explores the relationship between art and society. It aims to encourage industry leaders to view the public as integral partners, reinforce art's social significance, and highlight its potential to connect individuals and catalyse positive change.
In conjunction with the launch of the new Tanoto Art Foundation (TAF) in Singapore, TAF will also be hosting its inaugural symposium, Soul Song of a New Organisation on 14 January 2025. It will feature a keynote by scholar and art historian Joan Kee (USA), performances by artists Melati Suryodarmo (Indonesia) and Chang Yuchen (China), and international speakers including Joselina Cruz (the Philippines), Gala Porras-Kim (Brazil), Paulo Miyada (Brazil), Manuela Moscoso (Ecuador) and Arin Rungjang (Thailand).
Singapore artists have also placed Singapore on the global arts scene by presenting at key international platforms. SAW 2025 hosts the return of these exhibitions offering residents here the opportunity to experience their works.
Following its presentation at the Singapore Pavilion at Biennale Arte 2024 in Venice, Seeing Forest by Robert Zhao Renhui, curated by Haeju Kim, returns to Singapore and will be presented at SAM.
Motivated by its debut at Ars Electronica in Linz, Affective Architecture features work by new media artists exploring how Virtual Reality and digital immersive environments shape emotions and perceptions. While only half of the works were first presented at Ars Electronica, the exhibition expands on its themes, inviting audiences to engage deeply with the interplay between digital spaces and human experience.
Phenomenology Of Light And Rhythms Of The Earth is a collaborative exhibition and workshop series held at Objectifs by artists Zen Teh (Singapore) and SueKi Yee (Malaysia) that extends on their first presentation in Berlin as part of Zen Teh’s research at the Künstlerhaus Bethanien Residency organised in partnership with NAC.
Celebrating our shared arts and culture
In line with the upcoming celebration of SG60, there will be a series of programmes that reflects on our progress as a nation and her people.
SAW x PAssionArts presents five community projects by artists and arts groups in collaboration with Community Arts and Culture Clubs (CACCs) across five neighbourhoods in Singapore: Bukit Batok East, Canberra, Kampong Glam, Mountbatten and Tampines North. This includes National Antiquities Parade by Temporal Displacement Agency in collaboration with Mountbatten CACC commemorating the SG60 celebrations by paying homage to one of Singapore’s most iconic and endearing national events, the National Day Parade.
In celebration of Singapore’s 60th year of independence, Art Outreach presents Singkarpor REMIXED, a photography exhibition of works by acclaimed photographer AikBeng Chia and curated by John Tung. Chia’s works document the streets and everyday scenes of Singapore. His photograph collages will be presented as large-scale, interactive installations that touch on themes of local pop culture, diversity and our heartlands, offering a vivid exploration of Singapore’s evolving identity.
Visit the SAW website (www.artweek.sg (opens in new tab)) and follow @sgartweek on Facebook (opens in new tab) and Instagram (opens in new tab) to learn more about the full programme line-up and participating artists.
More information can be found in the annex and in our Digital Media Kit: bit.ly/SAW2025 (opens in new tab).
Details
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Singapore Art Week |
National Arts Council |
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For media enquiries, kindly contact:
Natalie Tan | Faith Leong |
About Singapore Art Week
As Singapore’s pinnacle visual arts season, Singapore Art Week (SAW) represents the vibrant and diverse visual arts ecosystem.
The ten-day event will see more than 100 events by the local and international visual arts community. Audiences can look forward to a dynamic line-up of programmes and arts experiences at our museums, galleries, independent art spaces and public spaces, and participate in enriching discussions, talks, walks and tours across the island and online.
SAW, a celebration of Singapore’s visual arts landscape, is an annual event organised by NAC.
About the National Arts Council, Singapore
The National Arts Council (NAC) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth that champions the arts in Singapore. The Council promotes artistic excellence by providing diverse opportunities for artists and arts organisations while expanding access for audiences to appreciate the impact of the arts in enriching lives. By working closely with the arts community and partners, the Council seeks to build a connected society, creative economy and distinctive city through the arts. For more information, visit www.nac.gov.sg.
ANNEX SAW 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
For more details, please refer to the artweek.sg (opens in new tab) for a full list of programmes and artists involved.
Notes:
● This is not an exhaustive list and serves as a first look at the line-up of programmes to be expected at SAW 2025.
SAW 2025 Programmes and Write-up
Programmes | Write-Up |
SAW 2025 Open Call Projects | |
| | on paper | | | on paper is an experimental ‘residency’ that begins with four sheets of A4 paper. Instead of a studio with four walls, the project provides 20 artists with four pieces of paper, a simple material that serves as the site for artistic exploration and creation. |
Affective Architecture | Affective Architecture is a group exhibition showcasing Singaporean and international new media artists working with immersive environments, including Virtual Reality, Expanded Cinema, and Games. |
Before and After the Unknown | Before and After the Unknown is a multimedia exhibition by Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen, set within a speculative fiction universe of Temasek island in the 11th century. |
Cabinet of Curiosities | Cabinet of Curiosities is a play-making initiative that showcases the journey of co-creation among children of diverse abilities. As they follow clues about a mysterious creature lurking in the neighbourhood, these young explorers dive into a vibrant world of shapes, textures, sounds, and stories. Their collaborative efforts form a cabinet of curiosities, filled with a delightful mix of gathered natural materials, visual fascinations, and imaginative tales. |
Con-Temporary Art | This project challenges the perception of space by introducing guests to a nomadic, compact gallery. Unconventional spaces can expand, rather than limit one’s understanding of art. By engaging with these themes, Con-Temporary Art Gallery invites viewers to rethink their relationship with art and encourages them to embrace the evolving nature of artistic expression. As the works travel to new locations, they bring art to audiences, transforming everyday spaces into platforms for creative dialogue and exploration. |
DIGikat | DIGIkat is an artistic project inspired by the traditional craft of ikat weaving and the dynamic energy of sound waves, exploring how diverse voices, cultures, and narratives intertwine to create a unified social fabric, reflecting the delicate balance of harmony and diversity within a multicultural society. |
Of Dreams and Contemplation: I am All but a Story – Selections from the Collection of Richard Koh | The Private Museum is proud to announce Of Dreams and Contemplation: I am All but a Story – Selections from the Collection of Richard Koh, an exhibition showcasing Richard Koh’s personal art collection at The Private Museum, Singapore, from 10 January to 9 March 2025. This exhibition, coinciding with SAW 2025, marks the second time Koh’s private collection will be presented at The Private Museum, offering audiences a fresh glimpse into his evolving journey as a collector and gallerist. |
Path. 15, Cosmic Strangers | Path. 15, Cosmic Strangers is a public artwork by Boedi Widjaja that builds on his multi-year research into cosmic ray muons*. Intersecting the disciplines of particle physics, photography, poetry and sound art, the installation—in the subterranean Orchard MRT Station Exit 10—meditates on the invisible traces of distance, movement and borders in the spaces of encounter with the other. Cosmic Strangers presents a live tracker that senses muons in real-time, alongside photographs of the invisible particles—described by eminent physicist Prof. Hiroyuki Tanaka of the University of Tokyo as the "first fine art muography" he has seen. Featuring poetry by Tse Hao Guang and sound by Jonathan Yip of Paper Divers, the art-science project is produced by Audrey Koh. |
Phenomenology Of Light And Rhythms Of The Earth | Zen Teh and SueKi Yee as visual art and dance collaborators first collaborated in Berlin for Zen Teh’s multi-city research on light and darkness in urban spaces. They are interested in opening up a space where people can take time to process and discuss their embodied perspectives on light and darkness, and how these ever co-existing elements are inextricably linked to life rhythms, memories, pollution, urban development, safety and surveillance, environmental changes, accessibility of energy, and volatile global political states. |
SAW IN 10 DAYS | Since its inception, Post-Museum has led three editions of SAW IN 10 DAYS, visiting over 260 events over 3 years on a guided bus tour. SAW IN 10 DAYS maps out the art week's diverse and varied art events through an exciting island-wide adventure, visiting different exhibitions and shows. |
Singkarpor REMIXED | Drawing on this Singaporean extensive archive, Singkarpor REMIXED is an immersive art installation. It employs the spirited scenes AikBeng Chia has captured to develop large-scale photographic collages. Blended with the artist’s own humorous style, the new works embody a country bustling with life and activity in each individual piece. |
The Utopia of Rules | Bureaucracy is a defining feature of contemporary life, embodying the social contracts and financialised logics that permeate time, labour, relationships, and even the afterlife. |
SAW 2025 Programmes Highlights by Key Partners | |
ART SG | Hailed by many as the beginning of a new chapter for the art scene in Singapore and Southeast Asia, the highly anticipated third edition of ART SG will feature an outstanding line-up of 106 of the world's leading galleries, showcasing the best in contemporary art practice from across Asia and around the world. |
Becoming Lim Tze Peng | Trace the artistic evolution of the 103 year-old artist Lim Tze Peng at Becoming Lim Tze Peng, with artworks dating back to 1946 and as recent as 2023. Marvel at the picturesque and nostalgic depictions of well-loved scenes of everyday Singapore and magnificent landscapes from around the world. Delve into the compelling stories behind Lim’s bold and expressive ink works, including the invention of his own distinct style of calligraphy, , also known as ‘muddled calligraphy’ or ‘muddled characters’. |
Kim Lim: The Space Between. A Retrospective. | NGS celebrates the life and work of Singapore-born sculptor and printmaker Kim Lim (1936 – 1997) with Kim Lim: The Space Between. A Retrospective. Running from 27 September 2024 to 2 February 2025, this landmark exhibition presents over 150 works, marking Lim’s most comprehensive major museum exhibition to date. |
Light to Night Singapore 2025, “Do You See Me?” | Light to Night Singapore makes its annual return as a marquee event of SAW, illuminating the Civic District area where key events that bookmarked Singapore's history took place. With this year’s thought-provoking theme “Do You See Me?”, Light to Night Singapore 2025 features mesmerising light projections, art installations and engaging programmes that invite audiences of all ages to uncover unexpected ways of seeing ourselves and others, and to be inspired for the future – a timely call for a year of milestones as Singapore celebrates its 60th birthday and the Gallery celebrates its 10th anniversary. |
Singapore Art Week Forum 2025 | The NAC is partnering with NGS and SAM to deliver the third iteration of the NAC SAW Forum 2025. |
NAC x LTA Partnership | The NAC and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) are working together to bring facets of local arts closer to the community, while improving the overall commuting experience on public transport. Themed trains, stations and viaduct columns are part of LTA’s Art in Transit programme, which aims to bring artworks closer to commuters and transform transport nodes into lively places. |
SAW x PAssionArts | In its 3rd edition, SAW x PAssionArts celebrates SG60 by bringing the arts to the heartlands under the key message of “Building Our SG Together”. This joint initiative by SAW and PAssionArts pairs artists with Community Arts & Culture Clubs (CACCs) in five neighbourhoods across Singapore in the meaningful co-creation of visual art installation distinct to each neighbourhood. |
S.E.A. Focus | S.E.A. Focus is a leading showcase and art market hub dedicated to Southeast Asian contemporary art. A meeting point for artistic vision and vigour, it brings together a fine curation of established and emerging artistic talents from the region and provides a platform that propels diverse cultural exchanges and dialogue about Southeast Asian art. In this seventh edition, S.E.A. Focus 2025 explores the dynamic changes during the shift between Modern and Contemporary Art in Southeast Asia, bringing into question the role of cultural relativism in a multi-layered understanding. |
Seeing Forest | Following its presentation at the Singapore Pavilion at Biennale Arte 2024 in Venice, Seeing Forest by Robert Zhao Renhui returns to Singapore. |
Pratchaya Phinthong: No Patents on Ideas | No Patents on Ideas, the first solo exhibition of Bangkok-based artist Pratchaya Phinthong in Singapore considers ideas of self-determination and objects as avatars of chance. The works of Pratchaya Phinthong marks a critical strand of conceptual practices in Thai contemporary art. Much of the artist’s conceptually driven practice is premised on collaborative processes, modes of exchange and the transference of artistic agency that redefine the value and significance of art. |
Yee I-Lann: Mansau-Ansau | Mansau-Ansau in Dusun – the language of the Dusun and Kadazan of Sabah – means to walk without a predetermined destination. It evokes a wandering path that welcomes chance and possibilities. Translated into a weave, it manifests as a pattern without pattern, a pattern that follows its own rhythm. The exhibition Mansau-Ansau attends to Yee I-Lann’s journey of discovery and creation over two decades, navigating domains of knowledge old and new, and reimagining the forms and dynamics of power. Travel across a range of media, from photocollage, silk and batik, to bamboo pus and pandanus, to encounter a horizon that teases, where the kerbau stand their ground and mats ‘eat’ tables, to experience karaoke beyond language and meet the turtles as they return home. |
Everyday Practices | “My art is doing time, so it’s not different from doing life or doing art or doing time. No matter whether I stay in ‘art-time’ or ‘life-time,’ I am passing time.”—the artist Tehching Hsieh thus describes his durational performances, which turn the banality of life and the passage of time into medium and subject for his art. |
Teo Eng Seng: We’re Happy. Are You Happy? | Immerse yourself in highly emotive creative expressions by Cultural Medallion recipient and pioneer artist Teo Eng Seng at NGS’s Teo Eng Seng: We’re Happy. Are You Happy? – the largest and most in-depth survey on the multidisciplinary artist to date. Featuring close to 70 artworks that respond to global social-political events of the mid-20th century, visitors can peek into Teo’s own lived experiences and his contributions to the local visual arts scene. |
Other SAW 2025 Programme Highlights | |
Art After Dark | Experience the vibrant fusion of visual arts, music, and film, as Art After Dark at Gillman Barracks (GB) returns for SAW over two electrifying evenings. On 24 – 25 January 2025, discover emerging musicians in two nights of entertainment. |
Beyond Giving, Inspiring Change | Beyond Giving, Inspiring Change, this exhibition invites reflection on how small acts of kindness can create a ripple effect, leading to a broader societal impact. Even the simplest gestures can inspire others, uplift communities, and generate lasting, positive change. |
Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat | Behind the Canvas Series 1: Jean-Michel Basquiat, celebrates the life and work of this iconic American artist. The inaugural exhibition from the Behind the Canvas series will debut at Marina Bay Sands from December 2024 through March 2025. Through his captivating sketches and illustrations and the use of innovative art, fashion, literature, and technology, the narrative aims to foster a deeper appreciation for art and inspire a new generation of local artists. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity for the public to have a deeper understanding of the life and inspirations of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The interactive exhibition will give attendees an opportunity to delve into the artist’s private life, his younger days as a budding artist, and the thoughts that paved the way to make him one of the world's most recognized artists. |
Monet Inside | Monet Inside is a media art exhibition that reinterprets the cherished masterpieces of Claude Monet, the painter of light, through a modern lens, accompanied by music. From his beginnings as an Impressionist in Paris to the grand saga of his Water Lilies series in Giverny, the exhibition showcases the radiant and passionate journey of Claude Monet, who found glimmers of light even in the most challenging moments of his life. |
Sonic Sessions | Sonic Sessions returns for another exciting edition of SAW at SAM! Visit The Spine - the vibrant heart of Tanjong Pagar Distripark, located between Blocks 37 and 39 for an electric lineup of performances by both local and international artists. Enjoy a range of genres with acts like Subsonic Eye, Bakers In Space, Pleasantry, and many more. |
SATs x Derong | SATS Experiential Centre at The Arts House Annex is proud to present an exclusive food and art experience in a private kitchen on level two in response to Yang Derong’s DIGikat, a digital art project on level one. |
The Pierre Lorinet Collection: Space | This third exhibition from The Pierre Lorinet Collection explores the theme of "space," referencing the 8,000 sq. ft. warehouse at New Bahru, the vibrant venue for this year’s showcase. Featuring works by artists such as Ugo Rondinone, Liz Deschenes, Theaster Gates, and Tracey Emin, the exhibition reflects diverse interpretations of space—cosmic, earthly, emotional, and structural. |
Tanoto Foundation One-Day Symposium: Soul Song of a New Organisation | The Tanoto Art Foundation (TAF) will be launching during SAW with the inaugural edition of the TAF Symposium taking place on 14 January 2025. TAF is a Singapore-based not-for-profit foundation dedicated to nurturing dialogues around the experience of contemporary art in Southeast Asia. |
The Eye and The Tiger | Walk up to a fabled black and white bungalow nestled in a lush rolling landscape. While the black-and-white is about exclusivity, the story is far bloodier and infinitely blacker. |
The World of Studio Ghibli | Explore The World of Studio Ghibli at ArtScience Museum, where imagination begins! |