A Round Up of Singapore Art Week 2020

The second edition of S.E.A. Focus and several noteworthy satellite events made Singapore Art Week 2020 a resounding success. We round up some of the highlights, including standout works at the fair and exhibitions in a converted substation and former ship repairs workshop

Bok choy. Baby shit. Pandan cake. Phlegm. These words were part of a graphic list carved into a glistening black marble plinth at the boutique art fair S.E.A. Focus in Singapore. It sat between other colourful pillars engraved with evocative statements like ‘Panic is a button’ and ‘Shame is a stain’ in a booth filled with works by Singaporean artist Dawn Ng. Part of a series of text-based pieces inspired by the artist’s conversations with an Israeli psychologist, the sculptures were among the many impressive works at the fair.

The second edition of S.E.A. Focus attracted a stronger roster of exhibitors than the previous year, including bold young galleries such as Bangkok’s Nova Contemporary and Jakarta’s ROH Projects. Held in a tent at Gillman Barracks, the event was at the core of Singapore Art Week (SAW). Unlike most art fairs, which feature several international participants, the small venture (launched by STPI Creative Workshop & Gallery) featured just 20 galleries from across Southeast Asia. ‘What sets S.E.A. Focus apart is that it’s really a ground-up initiative,’ explains the fair’s project director Emi Eu. ‘To raise interest in Southeast Asia, everybody has to play a part.’

The fair boasted a mix of experimental works and safer commercial wares. Among the most striking were Indonesian artist Jumaadi’s figurative paintings on intricately pierced buffalo hides, emerging Singaporean artist Mahalakshmi Kannappan’s dense eruptions of jagged charcoal on canvas, and Vietnamese-born Danish artist Danh Võ’s conceptual work: an emotive letter transcribed by his father but originally penned by Catholic Saint Théophane Vénard in Vietnam before he was beheaded in 1861.

While these works were on sale and S.E.A Focus was run like a regular fair, Eu explains that they’re reluctant to use that word and prefer calling it a ‘platform’, as they aren’t trying to compete with the likes of Taipei Dangdai or Art Basel. Eu added that S.E.A Focus is part of a larger ecosystem. ‘We’re not alone in trying to bring attention to Southeast Asia,’ she says, explaining that the fair is part of a city-wide collaboration.

This year, independent art spaces, private galleries, individual collectors and various other institutions in Singapore rallied together to put on more than 100 events. While Singapore’s art scene has been better known for its museums, the eighth edition of SAW proves that the city is finally blossoming into a multi-faceted arts hub.

One of the most compelling shows featured a group of Southeast Asian artists whose work was exhibited in The Substation, a former electrical substation now converted into a gallery. Highlights included Dutch-Filipino artist Martha Atienza’s video projection of a surreal underwater procession that explores issues of forced migration and climate change, and a collective of underground artists in Yogyakarta called Taring Padi, who showed raw woodcuts covered in imagery advocating social justice.

Meanwhile, in another pop-up exhibition held in a former 1930s ship repairs workshop, Thai artist Santi Wangchuan’s technicoloured woven wall hangings titled My Local Way of Life took centre stage. Spilling down from the high ceilings, the exuberant installation is inspired by traditional dance, calligraphy and botanical species in the artist’s native province of Isan in Thailand. It was shows like this that made the week a success. By giving under-recognised artists a more visible platform, SAW was more than just a celebration of local culture — it offered visitors a chance to experience the vibrancy, variety and drama of art from the broader Southeast Asia region.

Text / Payal Uttam