The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is proud to present 24 additional works by 17 new artists; an expansion of PANORAMA: Recent Art from Contemporary Asia, the first permanent exhibition of SAM’s contemporary art collection. Conceived as a permanent platform, PANORAMA reflects and documents the changes Asian societies have undergone in the last two decades through contemporary art. The enlarged display will also give visitors access to more gems from one of the best collections of contemporary art in Southeast Asia.
Like the existing works in PANORAMA, the new artworks on display at SAM at 8Q provide varied perspectives on current world events and trends in contemporary art-making in Asia. The additional works have a greater focus on Southeast Asia and how its communities assert their local distinctiveness and identity in the face of the homogenising forces of urbanization in the past two decades. These include works by both established and emerging artists such as Cheo Chai Hiang, Jane Lee, Richard Streitmatter-Tran, Chong Siew Ying, Tiffany Chung, Syagini Ratna Wulan and Mak Remissa among others. Mr. Tan Boon Hui, Director of SAM says, “These works by artists from six Southeast Asian countries, allow Singaporeans to enjoy some of the most exciting and thought-provoking art being made today. This includes art from Cambodia, and Vietnam that were not shown previously, and are difficult to for us to come across locally. These works are fresh and confident, as befitting of art scenes that are fast rising.”
It is also a platform to showcase some of Singapore’s most interesting artists alongside big names within the region and meld them into the larger cultural landscape of Asia. Of the 17 additional artists featured, four are from Singapore.
Spanning various mediums from painting, sculpture, drawing and photography to video and installation, works presented in PANORAMA explore the issues of our time, such as consumerism and capitalism in Asia; the vibrant, rich and diverse streetscapes of Asian cities; how traditions and values clash and co-exist with the rapid urbanisation and modernisation that is inescapable in any Asian society, and the pervasive influence of mass media and celebrity culture. By centring on these artists and their works in PANORAMA, we offer audiences opportunities to learn more about our current society and the changes underway in Singapore, Southeast Asia and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
