Singapore Art Week 2023

Art takes over this January at the 11th edition of Singapore Art Week (SAW) which will keep art lovers busy chasing art experiences all over the island.

From 6 to 15 January 2023, SAW 2023 will present an array of over 130 art events featuring new works and transnational collaborations across the island and online. 

 

SAW’s distinctive art precincts

During SAW 2023’s official ten-day run, multiple vibrant art events will take place in the following art hotspots.

 

The arts and heritage district of Bras Basah-Bugis will host site-specific exhibits that embrace the neighbourhood’s old and new sights, including around Waterloo Street.

 

The historic Civic District will host the brilliant Light to Night Festival: Here and Now, with key events to take place at the open spaces around the National Gallery Singapore, Asian Civilisations Museum, Capitol Singapore, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, and Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.

 

Marina Bay will be a scenic backdrop for the art fair, ART SG, and the Singapore debut of the nation’s contribution to 2022’s Venice Biennale at ArtScience Museum.

 

A N T I D O T E S at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, as part of Singapore Art Week 2022.

Image Courtesy of the National Arts Council.

 

The alternative arts hub Tanjong Pagar Distripark will host events anchored by arts platform S.E.A. Focus, Singapore Art Museum and the Singapore Biennale 2022 named Natasha.

 

Contemporary arts precinct Gillman Barracks will also see the launch of special exhibitions at its tenant galleries, comprising Singapore and international galleries. There will also be special pop-up exhibitions during Singapore Art Week.

 

Finally, SAW will be collaborating with the People’s Association to present the inaugural SAW x PAssionarts programme across five neighbourhoods as part of #ArtsInYourNeighbourhood.

 

The UOB Art Gallery at UOB Plaza 1, Ground. Image Courtesy of UOB

 

 Key experiences to look out for

SAW promises to be an occasion where art is celebrated in myriad forms. Highlights include two dynamic art fairs, S.E.A. Focus and the inaugural ART SG; the Singapore presentation of Pulp III: A Short Biography of the Banished Book, which was first shown at the 59th Venice Biennale; Singapore Biennale 2022; and the vibrant Light to Night Festival in the Civic District. 

 

S.E.A. Focus art fair at Tanjong Pagar Distripark. Image Courtesy of S.E.A Focus

 

Below are some of the other choice events to fit in your calendar when SAW 2023 comes our way.

 

Experience art by the river

Take a self-guided art tour along the Singapore River, presented by UOB, and get to appreciate a wide-ranging collection of Southeast Asian art.

 

Start your walk from the UOB Art Gallery at UOB Plaza 1, Ground Floor. Here, you’ll find two art exhibitions: the 2022 UOB Painting of the Year Regional Winners’ Showcase, and the Singapore Emerging Artists’ Showcase. Take selfies with sculptures along the way: Vitalità by Anna Chiara Spellini, Bird by Fernando Botero and Homage to Newton by Salvador Dali.

 

Afterwards, head over to the National Gallery Singapore and visit the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery – home to the world’s largest collection of modern Southeast Asian art.

 

Visit uobgroup.com/UOBandArt for more information.

Light to Night Festival at the National Gallery. Image Courtesy of National Gallery Singapore

 

Play and reflect at Light to Night Festival 2023: Here and Now

Light to Night Festival 2023 will feature newly commissioned works and multidisciplinary programmes that invite visitors to reflect on contemporary topics and explore the true meaning of living in the present.

 

The popular festival village, Art x Social, also makes a comeback in 2023 with an array of food and beverage options, live performances, and workshops.

 

Light to Night takes place at various locations in Civic District, from 6 to 26 January 2023. For more information, visit nationalgallery.sg/lighttonight.

 

Pictures in the Mind . Image Courtesy of DECK

 

Check out Pictures in the Mind by DECK

Over the course of eight months, DECK, a photography gallery in Singapore, has had charmed encounters with Peace Centre’s tenants, reflecting variant histories and lived experiences. Pictures in the Mind is a portrayal of that, a final act of activation by seven Singaporean artists attempting to, among various intentions, capture the relationship between space and time, and to contextualise pictures in social and personal domains. 

 

Pictures in the Mind takes place from 4 to 20th January 2023. For more information, visit: deck.sg

Alternating art with other amazing experiences

With over a hundred compelling art exhibits, make the most out of your trip by visiting as many events and precincts to get a better picture of Singapore’s flourishing art scene.

 

Don’t forget to use your UOB Card for a variety of privileges – from tantalising dining deals at various SAW precincts to gifts and promotions at the National Gallery Singapore – to cap off a fulfilling SAW 2023 experience. Visit artweek.sg to plan your visit!

 

Cover image credit: Joseph Nair, Memphis West Pictures