SINGAPOREAN artist Yeo Chee Kiong has snagged the biggest art prize in the Southeast Asian region, the inaugural Asia-Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Signature Art Prize.

The sculptor, 38, was awarded the top prize of $45,000 for his conceptual art work, A Day Without A Tree.

Yeo, who received the National Arts Council's Young Artist Award in 2006, said: 'Winning this prize is certainly the highlight of my career. It's a great honour and encouragement for me to continue with my art.'

The winning work, which was commissioned by and displayed at the National Museum of Singapore from last November to January, showed the museum's white colonial pillars 'melting' into a large milky puddle at the entry lobby.

At the side of the atrium, there was also a shallow pool of liquid which looked like a glossy bench. Yeo said there were several visitors who dropped their handphones or bags into the water, thinking it was a solid surface.

The work can be interpreted as a commentary on various issues, including the impact of global warming and climate change and the cultural significance of the National Museum.

Mr Wonil Rhee, curator and one of the six international jury members said of the work: 'It combined several complex ideas into a very profound, poetic and aesthetic level.'

Added Dr Apinan Poshyanada, director-general of the office of contemporary art and culture in the Thai Ministry of Culture: 'The 10 shortlisted artworks were each impressive in their own right and it was difficult deciding which to award the Grand Prize.'

'In the end, The jury felt that Yeo Chee Kiong's A Day Without A Tree represented the best original artistic interpretation of concept combined with a creative use of media and material.'

Four other artists were also presented with awards.

Ten finalists' works, which were shortlisted out of 34 nominated for the prize, will be exhibited at SAM until Nov 16. The five winning pieces will become part of SAM's permanant collection.

The APB Foundation Singapore Art Prize is given out once every three years to artists whose works represent a significant development in contemporary art.

It is open to artists from 12 countries in which APB has breweries: Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam.