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ART AT WORK: (from left) NAC chief executive Lee Suan Hiang, curator Matthew Ngui, artistic director Fumio Nanjo and curator Joselina Cruz have started planning for next year's biennale. -- ST PHOTO: ASHLEIGH SIM
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IF THE first Singapore Biennale last year was a sprawling, multi-site exhibition of cutting-edge contemporary art, then its second edition next year will be a leaner, sleeker animal.
First, visitors will not have to criss-cross the island to seek out multiple locations to view the art. Last year's 19 venues will be whittled down to one or two major exhibition sites plus some smaller public spaces.
The curatorial team will also be more compact, cut from last year's four to two.
The team comprises independent curator Joselina Cruz, 37, who works in Manila and Singapore, and Singaporean visual artist Matthew Ngui, 45, who works in Singapore and Australia.
A more compact show means a slimmer budget: The visual art extravaganza will cost $6 million next year, down from $8 million for the inaugural show.
But one thing remains the same: Mr Fumio Nanjo, who has been reappointed as the biennale's artistic director.
The Japanese director of Tokyo's Mori Art Museum, the two curators, National Arts Council chief executive Lee Suan Hiang and the Biennale's general manager, Mr Low Kee Hong, spoke to the media at a briefing in City Hall yesterday.
The theme of next year's biennale is 'wonder'.
Mr Nanjo, 58, said: 'Wonder is a feeling of surprise and admiration caused by something beautiful, unexpected or unfamiliar. As a verb, it is not only to feel curious, but also to feel doubt.'
Although the second Singapore Biennale starts only on Sept 11 next year, he and his curators have already started location hunting for spaces that are 'significant and unique'.
An old colonial-style building, the City Hall building and a site in the Marina Bay area are venues up for consideration.
As for the artworks that will fill these spaces, a call for 'expressions of interest' from Singaporean and Singapore-based artists has gone out.
Artists should submit a curriculum vitae, an artist statement, a brief response to the theme and 10 images showing their work.
On next year's biennale, Mr Lee said: 'The biennale is young, we hope to continue to grow with continuity and stability. With the same artistic director, we hope to reflect on what we created for the first edition and put into practice other ideas that could not be done the first time round.'
chiahta@sph.com.sg
The Singapore Biennale begins on Sept 11 next year. Singapore artists who want to participate should call the Singapore Biennale Secretariat on 6837-9270.
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