As you might already know, the Singapore Biennale is returning this Nov 22-Mar 22 2020, for its sixth edition that promises over 150 artworks of various mediums across 11 different venues in our city. Organised by the Singapore Art Museum, the theme of this year’s festival, “Every Step in the Right Direction” is set to present artworks that advocate social responsibility.
During the opening weekend, the public can look forward to unique artist performances like Taiwanese creator Chang En-Man’s special production at the Telok Ayer Arts Club, or take guided tours with curators and creatives, not unlike the Nature Walk, which will be conducted by Singaporean visual artist Robert Zhao Renhui at arts precinct Gillman Barracks.
Plus, during the entirety of Singapore Biennale 2019, collateral events, hands-on experiences and even interesting installations will be held and showcased, so if you’re a fan of the arts, this is the best time to keep an eye out for those. With so much to see and do ’till next year, check out some of the museums (and locations) you should visit to get a glimpse of the cool new artworks.
Asian Civilisations Museum
Confront and consider ideas as well as values that have come to reflect the Asian identity at the Asian Civilisations Museum. Enter a game space created by artist Lawrence Lek that presents an imagined future through a parafiction of an all-new video game, the 2065 (Singapore Centennial Edition); be enthralled by a suite of live performances that investigates topics like engineering and the consumption of gold with Pink Slime Caesar Shift: Gold Edition, then find a discussion about vernacular and colonial languages which affects the development of language policy planning in Malaysia at National Language Class: Our Language Proficiency.
Gillman Barracks
Busui Ajaw, Ayaw Jaw Bah, 2019 (gate). Image courtesy of Singapore Art Museum
Go on a self-guided walking tour across the various blocks of galleries at this arts precinct to find plenty of fascinating and intriguing art installations. One half of the Social Organism by Hafiz Rancajale which articulates Indonesia’s post-Reformasi struggles with modernity can be found here, alongside Vanghoua Anthony Vue’s site-specific Present-past-patterns about the Hmong heritage and culture, as well as Chang En-Man’s Snail Paradise that spotlights snails as a good source of food despite it being regarded as a pest.
Lasalle College of the Arts
Here, engage and participate in multiple works by several artists and art collectives. The Mamitua Saber Project celebrates the artistic custodianship of the late people in Mindanao, Philippines; and Hard Black on Cotton by Tracey Rose reflects on Africa’s history and historiography while being an ode to the artist’s background. Also, decipher what it means to preserve memories and cultures in times of struggle with Birth (of a Nation) by Centre Audiovisual Max Stahl Timor-Leste.
National Gallery Singapore
Sharon Chin, In the Skin of a Tiger: Monument to What We Want (Tugu Kita), 2019. Image courtesy of Singapore Art Museum
Nearly 25 art pieces lie at the National Gallery Singapore, discussing the experiences of everyday life and ecology. Renewing the awareness of traditions and customs that have shaped a possible future, artworks include Thailand artist Paphonsak La-or’s Far from Home (Meeting Place) that is inspired by “Kraibaan”, a journal written by King Chulalongkorn of Siam in 1907, as well as Never real historians, always near poets by Vong Phaophanit and Claire Oboussier which explores collective memories in Southeast Asia.
Singapore Art Museum and SAM at 8Q
Well-known local artist and this year’s finalist for the 12th Benesse Prize Amanda Heng offers a multidisciplinary project while revisiting her “Let’s Walk” series at SAM with her workshop and text work, Every Step Counts. And over at SAM at 8Q, poet and Singapore Writers Festival festival director Pooja Nansi (together with Kult Studio) highlights the little joys and triumphs through a (literal) conversational piece named Coping Mechanisms that comprises text responses from a group chat conversation.
The Singapore Biennale 2019 runs from Nov 22-Mar 22 2020. More information available here.
