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But not in the ways its organiser National Arts Council (NAC) had envisioned.
American artist Jason Mortara complained to the council last Monday that one of the event's art works bore an uncanny resemblance to his 2002 performance piece.
The art work in question was X, a video installation by Singapore artist Lynn Lu, 33, in Word Of Mouth, one of the art show's exhibitions at VivoCity.
Her video shows her writing the names of former lovers, friends and colleagues in apple juice on toilet paper before holding the paper over a flame. Mortara said it was similar to his Memories Revisited, where he pens his memories on toilet paper before burning them.
Lu and exhibition curator Heman Chong, 30, decided to pull the work out and she has since replaced it with another video, which is about sneezing and its cultural connotations.
Then on Monday came another bombshell: The council dropped an essay written by artist Jason Wee for the catalogue for another art show exhibition, Raised. The essay, about foreign workers and the political role of artists, was pulled out because the council felt it 'was inappropriate in the context of the project theme and the rest of the catalogue contents'.
An NAC spokesman says: 'NAC is helping Jason Wee to explore a more suitable platform to publish his article.'
Wee, 29, says of the decision: 'It's playing out like censorship. They never said why it was not the right platform. What should I exactly be aware of? I'm not angry but I do want to find out what the no-go areas for artists are.'
As the old saying goes, no press is bad press, and these controversies seem to lend the two-month show a certain edginess.
The show, to be launched at the Singapore Art Museum tonight by Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, features over 700 art works exhibited in 47 venues islandwide.
The main event is the Singapore Art Exhibition, which is split into an open section, where works from 44 artists selected nearly 750 submissions are showcased and another section highlighting 19 Singapore artists invited to show their art. There are another 36 smaller exhibitions and programmes.
For the first time this year, the council is offering an international residency prize worth $50,000 to one outstanding artist in the open section. There is a $5,000 cash prize for the artist whose work is voted most popular by visitors.
The council is wooing the public with a mix of the alternative, like tattoo art, and the downright populist, like speed-dating events.
It hopes to draw at least 500,000 people.
This is the second time the show is being organised. It debuted in 2005 on a $700,000 budget. This time, the NAC worked with a budget of about $1 million, way lower than the $6 million to $8 million budget for last year's inaugural Singapore Biennale.
So is the Singapore Art Show merely a poor cousin of the glamorous, international Singapore Biennale? Some think so.
Miss Angeline Tan, 31, gallery manager of Artfolio Gallery at the Raffles Hotel Arcade, says: 'The Singapore Art Show is quite low-profile compared to the Biennale. We definitely need to raise more awareness for the show and local art.'
But most of the 14 artists, administrators, gallery owners and curators that Life! spoke to say the show is an important event to brand Singapore art, with the artists shouting the loudest about wanting it as a showcase for their work.
Artist Francis Ng, 30, who is presenting a large scrap metal installation work at the Singapore Art Exhibition, says: 'The history of contemporary art here is still in its infancy so it's important to show the history of art here with a range of artists at the show.'
Besides, the show has a grounds-up approach, says Mr Lim Chwee Seng, 48, NAC's director of visual arts and resource development. 'Most of the events are initiatives from curators and artists on the ground. It reflects what the masses and artists want, rather than what NAC wants,' he says.
Then there are others who say that the art show gives exposure to Singapore artists whose work do not fit in with the contemporary flavour of the Singapore Biennale.
Batik and graffiti artist Kamal Dollah, 39, says: 'A lot of artists here who don't have a contemporary position will not be in the Singapore Biennale and the art show has a more local flavour.'
Others believe the smaller art show acts as a stepping stone for emerging artists.
Master potter Iskandar Jalil, 69, a 1988 Cultural Medallion recipient, says: 'Older, more established artists have other avenues like art societies and solo shows to present their work.
'The new graduates from Lasalle or Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts deserve a good platform.'
Dr Chew Kim Liong, 49, dean (academic) of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and a member of the selection panel for this year's show, says: 'Most of the submissions for the open section came from younger artists. It's a good sign as it shows younger artists are coming up and want to be recognised.'
But for the sake of synergy, some are saying that the Singapore Art Show and the Singapore Biennale should be merged.
Pop artist Justin Lee, 43, says: 'Having two shows together makes it easier for all involved but one must plan it properly.'
Dr Chew adds: 'There will be synergy of effort. It will hype up publicity and international attention but it has to be properly curated.'
The Biennale of Sydney, which started in 1973 as the first biennale in the Asia-Pacific region, has found a workable compromise between highlighting international art trends and featuring its home-grown artists.
Aside from the showcase of international art, galleries across Sydney curate focused shows on Australian artists during the Biennale and Australian art is prominently featured in the show's exhibitions and programmes.
The Venice Biennale, the world's oldest and most prestigious international art exhibition, also showcases Italian art with an Italian Pavilion and a Venice Pavilion.
The Singapore Art Show's Mr Lim says the council is 'open to the idea' and that 'it is something we're considering'.
He adds: 'It makes sense to put them together. It's happening in other biennales. It'll save us money and achieve the same objectives.'
But many in the arts community demur, protesting that it will deflect much-needed attention and money away from local artists.
Others feel merging the two shows will be overkill, overwhelming audiences.
Mr Milenko Prvacki, dean of Faculty of Fine Arts at Lasalle College of the Arts, who was born in Serbia but has lived here for 16 years, adds: 'They have two different agendas and characters. Why mix? In Serbia we'd say you want to mix grandmothers and frogs.'
