Art After Dark
For the party animals
If you’re totally new to art but are an old hand at drinking and dancing, here’s where to start.
Art After Dark (Jan 23)
Gillman Barracks’ art party is going to be a blast with multiple opening receptions, live music, pop-ups and tours.
Muse@SAM (Jan 20-21, 22-23)
Singapore Art Museum’s Art Week afterparty is quite a festival with live experimental music, performance art, film screenings, tours and an outdoor courtyard party with danceable funk music by local and international DJs.
Mintio at Prudential Singapore Eye
For those who love (or hate) SG50
These shows are all important looks at Singapore’s contemporary art scene, past heritage and culture, plus other interesting bits and bobs that make us who we are.
Collective Form (Jan 21, 24)
Curated by Objectifs, these are short films by well-known Singaporean visual artists including Ang Soo Koon, Joo Choon Lin, Brian Gothong Tan, Ho Tzu Nyen and Vertical Submarine.
Picnics are encouraged at this free screening of rare and never-before-seen films that explore Singapore’s evolution from mangroves and farming patches to its current urban metropolis.
The Unifiedfield (Jan 24-25)
Homegrown experimental artists Tania De Rozario, Loo Zihan, Zulkifle Mahmod, Bani Haykal and many others showcase live performances, experimental music and video screenings, accompanied by talks and workshops.
Along the Golden Mile (Jan 20-Feb 18)
This installation by photographer Darren Soh features images of architectural works made in the heritage-rich Golden Mile and Beach Road district. Expect enormous prints covering the ceilings and the floors of the gallery.
Imprint: New Works by Suzann Victor (Jan 18-Feb 21)
Singaporean artist Suzann Victor (you might recognize her swinging red chandeliers at the National Museum) exhibits her new body of work, the result of a recent residency at STPI. More chandeliers, movement, light and shadow, only this time challenged by the medium of paper and print in new and interesting ways.
Prudential Singapore Eye (Jan 17-Jun 28)
A collaboration between giants Saatchi Gallery, the Parallel Prize and Prudential, this big-deal group exhibition showcases the best of Singapore’s artists across diverse media and genres. Names to look out for include Donna Ong, Kumari Nahappan, Ho Tzu Nyen, Charles Lim and Jane Lee.
still from Yang Fudong’s On the Double Dragon HillsFor the political-minded
It’s not just about pretty pictures this year. If you’re interested in post-colonial critiques and contemporary political movements, here are the top shows to see.
Justin Mortimer – Sevastopol (through Feb 22)
The emerging British artist’s first Asian solo show features hyper saturated, beautifully executed paintings of contemporary scenes of ground-up political resistance, from Pussy Riot to Occupy.
Filipino artist Manuel Ocampo is a big player in the Manila arts scene and is known for his iconoclast paintings that critique colonialism. His solo show is bound to get people talking.
Incidental Scripts (through Mar 1)
Contemporary Chinese artist Yang Fudong brings his first major solo exhibition to Southeast Asia with four pieces, including An Estranged Paradise, a film that documents a new generation during the rise of China’s bamboo curtain and On the Double Dragon Hills (2012), a two-screen video recording of workers in Jiaxiang in Shandong Province.
The History of Java (Jan 16-Mar 1)
Prepare for effigy-burning installations and gigantic drawings in this post-colonial reimagination of the titular book by Stamford Raffles, by homegrown artist Jimmy Ong.
Gilbert & George
For name-droppers
Some of the art world’s biggest names are coming to town. Here’s your chance to tick them off your bucket list.
Art Stage (Jan 22-25)
If you’re looking for big names then of course Art Stage is a must-visit. Perhaps the biggest here are Turner Prize-winning London duo Gilbert & George, who also have an expanded show of 26 pieces at Arndt.
Jacques Villeglé (through Feb 1)
The titular octogenarian is one of France’s biggest names in mixed-media artists, best known for his collages of ripped-up found posters that give viewers a tantalizing glimpse into urban French life.
Hiroshi Senju (Jan 17-Mar 8)
At this solo show, famous Japanese artist Hiroshi Senju combines classical Japanese painting techniques and subjects (waterfalls, landscapes) with contemporary elements like UV-reactive fluorescent blue paint.
Carlos Rolon: Mi Casa (Jan 20-Mar 15)
Sort of a cult figure in the Kustom Kulture scene, this Chicago-based artist’s exhibition is an exploration of middle-class American homes. Expect shrine-like pieces loaded with over-the-top faux luxury and maximalist excessiveness.
Mad Love (Jan 21-Apr 26)
Artists such as Hong Kong photographer Wing Shya, Japanese street artist Madsaki, Swiss artist Natanel Gluska and many more from around the world explore and interpret love, sex and desire through their various artistic mediums.
