Celebrate legacies, new frontiers at SAW 2022
As a pinnacle event in Asia’s arts calendar, Singapore Art Week (SAW) is set to take over the island and beyond with a diverse range of visual arts experiences and sensibilities for its 10th edition.
Happening from 14 to 23 January 2022, SAW 2022 will see Singapore and its global arts community together once again in full strength with joint initiative by the National Arts Council (NAC) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB).
The event will present over 130 programs across physical and digital platforms.
The 10th edition has over 35 Singapore-based projects from its open call and offerings from close to 600 artists and creatives, curators and partners from Singapore and countries such as Bangkok, China, Australia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and United States of America.
SAW 2022 takes its theme “Art Takes Over” even further with programs that spotlight the rich artistic practices of Singapore’s modern and contemporary artists; raise awareness on the infinite possibilities across art mediums such as the creative use of technology; go beyond the white cube to offer new experiences in unexpected spaces; and present new perspectives from inside out.
Tay Tong, director of Sector Development (Visual Arts) at NAC, said, “The world is opening up, literally, and figuratively in spirit, and we see SAW as a catalyst for the discovery of art from Singapore and the region. It is an annual platform that presents the diversity in the Singapore visual arts ecosystem. SAW 2022 is energized by the exciting propositions that our artists, curators and presenters have created. Many step outside of their comfort zone to create work that responds to the times, while remaining connected to our audiences here and abroad. The works are delivered through enhanced arts experiences or through digital technology.”
To mark their 60th anniversary, non-profit Singapore-based art association Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD translates to Association of Artists of Various Resources) will present the Bridging Through the Age: An Intergenerational Collaborative Exhibition that will showcase nine pairs of artists’ efforts in addressing and overcoming marginalized issues of age-segregation through the spirit of collaborative art-making.
SAW 2022 will also launch the Critical Craft Collective Singapore, an initiative started by artists Adeline Kueh and Hazel Lim. It aims to investigate the relationships between craft and contemporary art, design and new technologies.
Festival goers can reflect on the variety of perspectives presented by the Critical Craft Collective Singapore at The Story of Calico, from the lens of veteran artists Homa Shojaie and Sam I-Shan, and up-and-coming artists Alysha Rahmat Shah, as they reclaim themes of intimacy through the materiality of calico, a plain-woven textile made from cotton.
Fans of SAW signature events can also look forward to the return of marquee event Light to Night Festival 2022 at the Civic District by National Gallery Singapore, with artistic interventions and phygital programs under the theme “New Ways of Seeing, Thinking and Being.”
The visual art festival will bring even more engaging and multi-sensory experiences in partnership with world-renowned artists and creatives to champion fresh perspectives and dialogues around art and objects from the National collection, the heritage of the Civic District and relevant social issues.
Through a specially commissioned fictional tiger narrative, newfound collaborations between artists and brands will find resonance with adventurous shoppers as they explore aspects of conservation, science, habitats and pop culture in this monthlong activation.
SAW 2022 is set to be at the center of important arts conversations with its blockbuster line-up of international programmes. In partnership with Singapore art discourse publication sofar, UK digital museum AORA Space, and Metis Art, SAW will present Horizons, where artists from Singapore and around the world will participate in a virtual interdisciplinary program across three time zones over 24 hours. Audiences will be able to enjoy studio visits, live performances, panel talks and workshops, with artists and thought leaders such as Samson Young (Hong Kong), Zoe Whiteley (the United States of America) and Gonzalo Herrero (the United Kingdom).
Festival goers can access the refreshed SAW Digital platform for a teaser of SAW 2022, as well as the most up-to-date details on the full programme line-up and participating artists. For more information on SAW 2022 programs, visit artweek.sg.
In partnership with Singapore art discourse publication so-far, UK digital museum AORA Space, and Metis Art, SAW will present Horizons, where artists from Singapore and around the world will participate in a virtual interdisciplinary programme across three time zones over 24 hours.