Singapore art week is helping bridge connections

Around 600 artists, curators, creatives and partners from Singapore, Bangkok, China, Australia, Turkey, the UK and the US have joined a diverse range of arts programmes for “Singapore Art Week”, which kicked off late last week and continues until Sunday.

Held under the theme “Art Takes Over” to spotlight the rich artistic practices of Singapore’s modern and contemporary artists, the 10th edition of what has been a pinnacle event in Asia’s arts calendar has over 130 programmes taking place beyond the white cube across the island and into shophouses, industrial spaces, parks, stores, cinemas and landmarks.

For art aficionados outside Singapore, the festival comes with a blockbuster line-up of international programmes bridging connections and conversations across Singapore with its global partners and artists.

They are presented on digital platforms, across time zones with exciting voices in the arts providing rich food for thoughts. Here are some of the highlights.

“SAW Dialogues” features a series of talks and panels where artists and experts are invited to share insights into pertinent topics that have embroiled the art world today. Among the nine panels so far is “Conversation With Korakrit Arunanondchai: The Membrane Connecting All Things Visible”, which will be livestreamed tomorrow at 6pm (Bangkok time).

“Proximities” is a hybrid project featuring a solo exhibition by Singaporean artist-curator Zulkhairi Zulkiflee and an online microsite of talks, videos and essays by contributors. The exhibition features a new video surrounding Malay masculinities and their plural representation — intersecting wide-ranging sources from art history to personal meditations.

“In Suspension” is a three-day mini-symposium that will shed light on the quintessential conditions of art and life during a pandemic, daily from 1-10pm from Friday to Sunday (Bangkok time). Each day, invited panellists are given the opportunity to ruminate and share their life experiences in catalysing conversations about art and life that are often kept private.

“Horizons” is a virtual programme that allows for a long-haul trip from Singapore to Guatemala, Istanbul to Dhaka, Seoul to London, and beyond in 24 hours from 8am on Saturday to Sunday 8am (Bangkok time). Tuning in with global experts across art, business, technology, creative ventures, wellness and more, the journey is interactive, collaborative and nurturing.

There is no admission fee to all online programmes. Visit artweek.sg.