Singapore artists will have a strong presence in next year's edition of the Singapore Art Week - a nine-day event packed with more than 80 art shows in galleries and museums, festivals and talks that will take place islandwide.
At a press conference yesterday, the National Arts Council (NAC) announced details of the fourth edition, which will run from Jan 16 to 24. Helmed by the council in partnership with the Singapore Tourism Board and Singapore Economic Development Board, the annual event aims to reinforce Singapore as a leading arts destination.
The event, anchored by the sixth edition of the premier contemporary art fair Art Stage Singapore, gathers players in the arts sector to launch creative art and lifestyle concepts, as well as hold events that boost the visual arts industry. It is also a platform for home-grown talents to showcase their work alongside renowned international names.
Among the highlights is 50-year- old Singaporean painter Jane Lee's solo exhibition of works produced during her residency at print institute STPI. Those familiar with Lee's dramatic paintings, often made with squiggles of paint, are in for a surprise at her print and paper experiments. The show Freely, Freely, opens at STPI on Jan 17.
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SINGAPORE ART WEEK
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Freely, Freely by Jane Lee
Expect new visual metaphors as home-grown artist experiments with print and paper.
Where: STPI, 41 Robertson Quay When: Jan 17 to Feb 20. Jan 17, noon to 5pm. Opening hours: 10am to 7pm (Mondays to Fridays), 9am to 6pm (Saturdays) Admission: Free Info: www.stpi.com.sg
Joan Jonas: They Come To Us Without A Word
Showcased at the US Pavilion and awarded a prestigious Special Mention at the 56th Venice Biennale, the exhibition by pioneering video and performance artist Jonas explores the fragility of nature in a rapidly changing world.
Where: NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore, Block 43 Malan Road, Gillman Barracks When: Jan 22 to April 3 Admission: Free Info: www.ntu.ccasingapore.org
Art After Dark at Gillman Barracks
Enjoy a night of fun, food and music at this outdoor party with several new shows premiering.
Where: Gillman Barracks
When: Jan 22, 7pm till late
Admission: Free
Info: www.gillmanbarracks.com
Public Art Walking Tour
Three works commissioned by the Public Art Trust and created by four local artists are displayed along the Jubilee Walk in the Civic District.
Where: Jubilee Walk Art Trail, Civic District
Admission: Free
Info: www.artweek.sg
Art In Motion 2016
Sign up for this event and visit 18 galleries. The third edition promises joint exhibition openings and art talks in arts clusters such as Gillman Barracks, Raffles Hotel Arcade and Tanjong Pagar Distripark.
When: Jan 19 to 24
Admission: Free
Info: www.artweek.sg
My Forest Has No Name
This solo by Singapore artist Donna Ong traces the portrayal of the tropical forest from colonial times to the present.
Where: Fost Gallery, #01-02 Gillman Barracks, 1 Lock Road
When: Jan 16 to Feb 28, 11am to 7pm (Tuesday to Saturday), 11am to 6pm (Sunday). Closed on Monday and public holiday
Admission: Free
Info: www.fostgallery.com
Art Walk Little India
Explore Little India's lanes and alleyways, discover an eclectic mix of artworks and immerse yourself in the rhythmic beats of traditional Indian percussion instruments.
When: Jan 19 to 23
Admission: Free
Info: www.artweek.sg
Deepika Shetty
Also, catch 72-year-old pioneer artist Tang Da Wu's Earth Work, 1980/2015 and A Fact Has No Appearance at the National Gallery Singapore, where he will showcase the installation Earth Work, which explores the texture and character of earth marks.
It was originally exhibited by the award-winning sculptor, painter and performance artist at the National Museum Art Gallery in 1980 and has since been referenced extensively in documentation of Singapore art of the period.
Public art also takes centrestage with three commissions by the Public Art Trust, a new initiative by the National Arts Council that aims to make art a part of Singapore's urban spaces and bring it closer to Singaporeans.
The artworks can be found on the 8km Jubilee Walk Trail, which covers 25 historic and iconic sites in and around the Civic District.
Sculptor Han Sai Por, 72, and artist Kum Chee Kiong, 53, collaborate to present the colourful installation Rising Moon at the Esplanade Park.
Outside the Asian Civilisations Museum is 54-year-old sculptor Baet Yeok Kuan's audio sculpture installation titled 24 Hours In Singapore and made up of five stainless steel spheres.
Over at the waterfront area opposite the Esplanade, artist Tan Wee Lit, 37, will present Cloud Nine: Raining, an installation with a floating cloud made of perforated stainless steel and a glass-reinforced polyurethane base.
Art Week will also see the third edition of popular night event, Aliwal Urban Art Festival,to be held at the Aliwal Arts Centre in Kampong Glam on Jan 16. There is also Art After Dark, an open-house event in the Gillman Barracks arts cluster, which has been around since 2012.
With the opening of the National Gallery Singapore and the Singapore Art Museum marking its 20th anniversary, several talks and tours with artists and curators have also been lined up.
The Singapore Art Museum will extend its opening hours on a few days and hold a late night party with live music in its courtyard.
Organisers are hoping to draw around 100,000 visitors, about the same number as last year.
Writer Anastasia Ong, 25, who will be attending some of the events, says: "What strikes me about next year's offerings are the fresh local works together with the international names we can expect to see. The creative presentations of art in public spaces is something I am particularly looking forward to."
• For more information, go to www.artweek.sg
