out of isolation: artists respond to covid-19 is a special series of creative, critical and personal responses by artists on the significance of the coronavirus to their respective contexts, written as the crisis plays out before us. During the lockdown, filmic footage of coconut palms flashed across the windows of Susie Wong's HDB flat, attracting the attention of neighbours and curious onlookers. Find out more about her work. 4 minute read, 2 minute watch.

"The dilemmas and the lived experiences which I have encountered continue to process and shape my work." In this article, artist Phaptawan Suwannakudt shares vignettes from her life that continue to shape her artistic practice, which has its foundations in traditional Thai temple mural painting. 15 minute read.

"Aswang" is a term used in the Philippines to refer to lower mythological figures; in contemporary media, it often takes the shape of a woman. In this article, artist Eisa Jocson shares insights into her ongoing research on fear, monstrosity, and the shape-shifting Filipino body, interrogating how the figure of the Aswang can be used as a tool of decolonisation. 6 minute read. TW // sexual violence.

This new season of Out of isolation invites writers, poets and members of the art ecology to reflect on our current context through perennial issues such as gender, ecology and climate change. In the first post of this series, Dương Mạnh Hùng shares how the first botanical compendium of Vietnam, which they found on an internet archive, encouraged them to reimagine the stories of botanical art in Southeast Asia through the female-queer gaze. 9 minute read.

Painted Shadows: A Queer Haunting of the National Gallery seemed like a conventional museum tour at the Gallery. But instead of guiding the audience through the prevailing narrative of the Gallery’s artworks, the 2016 mobile lecture-performance by Ng Yi-Sheng illuminated their lesser-known queer histories instead. Varsha Sivaram and Mina Choo share their highlights from Yi-Sheng's talk on the lecture-performance, held in a closed-door session for members of Kolektif. 6 minute read.

The 2016 exhibition Reframing Modernism: Painting from Southeast Asia, Europe and Beyond explored new ways of looking at the history of modernism in art, through an encounter between the collections of the Centre Pompidou, National Gallery Singapore and other Southeast Asian collections. In this essay, reproduced from the accompanying publication, curator Lisa Horikawa examines the life and works of a pioneer in the modern art of Indonesia, Emiria Sunassa. 4 minute read.

Explore our exhibitions–even after they have closed–with our audio and virtual tours. 1 minute read, 54 minute listen.

Who were the women in architectural history? Where were they working? What architectural activities were they engaged in? Why did they do the work they did? How was their work—writing, drawing, designing, managing, planning, reviewing, or building construction—perceived and valued? Asking these questions necessitates understanding the discourses, rhetoric, and circumstances—the systemic hierarchical imbalances and exclusions, constraints, and opportunities—that enframed women.

In this run of Volunteer Voices, Sim Jia Ning (Intern, Community & Access) caught up with Gallery volunteers Esther Tan, Chua Wan Yi and Fayanne Tan to find out how they bonded during their training to become bilingual docents. 6 minute read.

Youth is no object to volunteering at the Gallery. Four young volunteers—Tay Yu Qing, Jamie Ng, Samantha Rin, Samuel Sim—share their experiences with Ho Shu En (Intern, Community & Access), herself a youth with a passion for art. 7 minute read.

In this article, Choy Myn reviews Wishful Images: When Microhistories Take Form, an exhibition presented by NUS Museum. As a history student, Choy Myn has seen how Cold War history often focuses on the great men and the big players like the United States, Soviet Union and their leaders—this review delves into why she finds the highly personal, grassroots approach of this exhibition extremely refreshing. This piece was written for “Time Traveller: the Curatorial in Southeast Asia” module, offered as part of the Minor in Art History at NUS. 8 minute read.

On 24 September 2023, the sample capsule from OSIRIS-REx returned to Earth carrying NASA's first asteroid sample, taken from the surface of Bennu. The remainder of the spacecraft will continue its investigations into our solar system, carrying with it on board a chip etched with artworks, three of which are by Singapore artist Lin Hsin Hsin. Hear from the artist about how she selected these works, and how her practice is founded on science, mathematics and technology. 6 minute read.

In this dialogue with selected directors of the 2020 edition of Painting with Light: Festival of International Films on Art, Kulikar Sotho, Anysay Keola, Sai Naw Kham and Phạm Ngọc Lân discuss the genesis of the Mekong 2030 project, its relation to their artistic practices and the thinking behind their individual films. 14 minute read.

In the last of three conversations over the month of October with selected directors of the 2020 edition of Painting with Light: Festival of International Films on Art, Ismail Basbeth discusses his film Woo Woo (Or Those Silence That Kills You and Me) capturing the manifestation of social isolation, with Kolektif members Julaila Latiff and Mina Choo. 8 minute read, 6 minute watch.

In the first of three conversations over the month of October with selected directors of the 2020 edition of Painting with Light: Festival of International Films on Art, Leon Cheo discusses his film SIN-SFO. He speaks to Kolektif members Tay Yu Qing and Tang Zi Xuan film about the film’s complex dilemmas and attendant anxieties of emigration. 7 minute read, 1 minute watch.

In the second of three conversations over the month of October with selected directors of the 2020 edition of Painting with Light: Festival of International Films on Art, Taiki Sakpisit talks about his film The Mental Traveller, a mediation on the passing of time, habitual thought patterns and sensorial realities of five men who call a psychiatric ward home, with Kolektif members Ines Toa and Joanne Ho. 6 minute read, 1 minute watch.

According to traditional beliefs, depictions of the evil eye could ward away a malevolent gaze. Curator Cheng Jia Yun explains how Philippine artist Pacita Abad’s artwork is more than meets the eye. 2 minute read.

Where did the Gallery's Rotunda Library & Archive collection come from? What does the Rotunda Library & Archive do? All these questions and more answered with a peek into the collection, history and uses of the newly renovated Rotunda Library & Archive.

The "archipelagic" is not just a geographic condition of existing among islands. In this article, art historican, critic and curator Carlos Quijon Jr. expands on his idea of "Archipelagic Futurism." As a procedure, "Archipelagic Futurisms" can be used to acknowledge Southeast Asia's complex histories of imperialism, violence and displacement, as well as provide a platform for various imaginations of the future that are based on archives, methods and practices shaped by the condition of being archipelagic. 8 minute read.

Every year, curators refresh our two long-term exhibitions, Between Declarations and Dreams: Art of Southeast Asia since the 19th Century and Siapa Nama Kamu? Art in Singapore since the 19th Century, with new artworks. In this post, three of its eight exhibition curators, Clarissa Chikiamco, Lim Qinyi and Cheng Jia Yun answer questions posed to them by docents and front-of-house staff about the ever-changing UOB Southeast Asia Gallery.

Simone Forti’s radical Dance Constructions redefined the relationship between bodies and objects when first presented in New York in 1961. Based on everyday actions, chance, and improvisation, and the use of simple materials such as plywood and rope, the pieces break with the idea that dance can only be performed by formally trained bodies. Sarah Swenson has been the principal teacher of Dance Constructions since 2012. In this article, she reflects on the intricacies of teaching, learning and performing works predicated on human effort and interaction. 10 minute read.

What can Southeast Asia be, beyond geography? Can it play the role in the collaborative building of a world culture? "Bumi-Antara: Southeast Asian Futurism Beyond the Map" is a special takeover of Perspectives Magazine challenges readers to see Southeast Asia not just as a geographic region, but also as a conceptual space. A collaboration with Artistic Director Rachael Rakes and Associate Curator Sofia Durron of the 12th Seoul Mediacity Biennale "THIS TOO, IS A MAP" this takeover introduces the idea that art and culture can be used to question systems and structures of knowledge around us, and be used as the basis create a new world culture. This editorial foreword unpacks the term “Bumi-Antara” and the value of thinking beyond rationalism. 5 minute read.

The Gallery worked with artist-researcher Dr Dawn-joy Leong to develop the Gallery Calm Room, a space for visitors that allows for and encourages self-initiated sensory rest and healing. In this article, Dr Leong shares about how her research on "Clement Space," as well as her lived-experience of disability, has informed the collaboration. 6 minute read.

Editors Qinyi Lim and Teo Hui Min share more about what readers can expect from Perspectives Magazine in the coming months.

This essay by curator Clarissa Chikiamco explores the distinction between non-objective and abstract art through the practice of Philippine artist Fernando Zóbel.

History students from Nan Chiau High School and River Valley High School had their curiosities piqued by Awakenings: Art in Society in Asia 1960s–1990s. After a tour of the exhibition, students had a chat with curators Charmaine Toh and Seng Yu Jin over the messaging platform Telegram to answer their burning questions about the exhibition.

Awakenings: Art in Society in Asia 1960s–1990s drew interest from history students as well as their teachers, three of whom sat with curators Adele Tan, Charmaine Toh and Seng Yu Jin to talk about the exhibition. Their dialogue has been condensed and edited for readers of Perspectives.

Find out how we tag and track artworks in the Gallery using our RFID-enabled artwork management system, and how it helps accountability to the collection and our stakeholders.

Koh Buck Song, the National Gallery Singapore’s Poet-in-Residence 2021-22, shares how the Rotunda Library & Archive has now become even more special to him. 6 minute read.

In her series Self-Portraits & The Tropical Gothic (2019), Wawi Navarroza allows digital-processing manipulations of the images to be visible for the first time. In the following email interview with Roger Nelson, she speaks about the work. 7 minute read.

Philippine artist Constancio Bernardo left for Yale University a figurative painter and returned to Manila three years later with a practice centering around geometric abstraction. Curator Clarissa Chikiamco takes a closer look at Bernardo's work Bernadian Synthesis No. 1, a triptych from an exhibition that marked this new stage in his practice. 4 minute read.

Artist Lim Tzay Chuen has stated that an artist's need to create should not be influenced by a desire to present something concrete, be it an exhibition or publication. In this article, Dana Chan introduces the idea of a non-artist to explore Lim's practice. 6 minute read.

The "Virgen de Cerro Rico" is an anonymous painting from the 1600s commemorating the Spanish Crown's discovery of this silver-rich mountain in 1545. This discovery not only established a new form of mining, but also made human and non-human exploitation the organising principle of the new world. Sofia Dourron (Associate Curator, 12th Seoul Mediacity Biennale) interrogates how this work, and other contemporary ones featured in the Biennale, can help us go beyond the "extractive view" of territoriality. 13 minute read.

On first appearances, Village Scene is a lively and cheerful depiction of rural life. Yet, this harmonious-looking work is also a poignant reminder of a tumultuous time in Southeast Asia that ultimately led to a period of unimaginable tragedy in Cambodia. Roger Nelson looks into the painting's subject matter, style, and exhibition and publishing history to explore how it intersects with the Cold War and related conflicts. 17 minute read.

Take a walk with us through 7 highlights in the exhibition Lim Cheng Hoe: Painting Singapore to discover Lim's journey and deep relationship with the changing landscpae of Singapore.

Join this tour of 7 highlights in the exhibition Suddenly Turning Visible: Art and Architecture in Southeast Asia (1969–1989), a selection that traces the new approaches toward art and architecture that emerged in Bangkok, Manila and Singapore during a period of rapid modernization.
1 minute read, 14 minute listen.

While the Minimalism exhibition has closed, continue to learn about the works in the show with two audio tours now available on our newly-launched Soundcloud––including an alternative version featuring musings by 7 local creatives.

On 25 May 2019, Professor Edwin Thumboo explored the rich relationship between art and poetry in a roundtable with National Gallery Singapore staff Elaine Ee (Deputy Director, Content Publishing) and Daryl Yam (Assistant Manager, Programmes). Although the conversation ranged from Singapore’s history to the purpose of art, much discussion centred around two poems in this volume, “Ayatana” and “Dancing Mutants,” which were analysed at length. Extracts of their conversation are presented here.

Susanne wanted to get to know her Nai Nai (grandmother) better. Find out how she did so with a trip to the Gallery. 6 minute read.

In early May, the Gallery piloted its Art + Live series of programmes, shifting offline experiences online. Nurdiana Rahmat, Daryl Yam and Lim Sin Hui from the Programmes team share their experience producing Art + Live’s trio of programmes, technical glitches and all. 5 minute read.

Three participants from 2023's External Assessment Summer School share about how the programmes, which took place across the Indonesian cities of Bali, Majalengka and Bandung, showcased how art and design can bring communities together to imagine, embody and create sustainable futures. 5 minute read.

Zai Tang was the Resident Artist for Resonates With from July to September 2023. During his residency, Tang presented a series of performances created in response to "See Me See You: Early Video Installation of Southeast Asia," focusing a on different piece of music technology for each artist. In this article, he shares the inspiration for each of his performances, illuminating how they came to be. 12 minute read.

Measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have prompted institutions worldwide to explore new ways of providing access to their collections. The Gallery's Information Management and Library & Archives teams explain how the Gallery’s Collections Search Portal functions as a window into our vast artwork, library, and archival databases.
9 minute read.

Nurdiana Rahmat (Manager, Programmes) reflects on her experience working with Indonesian artist Eko Nugroho on an artwork for the Gallery Children’s Biennale 2019 that introduces complex ideas such as identity and democracy to kids with the help of some colourful fireflies.

In 1973, the Indonesian polymath and intellectual Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana (STA) presented his paper “The Place of Art in the Psychological, Social and Cultural Reconstruction of the Future. Calling for “a new avant-garde,” he positioned the artist as playing a critical part in building a post-Cold War future. He believed that the aesthetic experience was foundational to societies and culture was a representation of a value system, and that artmaking and appreciation created a a feedback loop between the individual and society. This article features select artworks from Singapore's National Collection that capture the cultural and regional zeitgeist from which STA’s ideas emerged, spotlighting other important artists and futurists. 10 minute read.

Although schools are closed and the Gallery’s doors are temporarily shut, art education continues to be a priority for the Gallery. Shaun Soh (Manager, Education) and Joyce Choong (Senior Executive, Content Publishing) unpack the pros and cons of taking art education online. 4 minute read.

Do you know that this self-portrait was the first artwork to be accessioned into our art collection? Find out more about the National Collection and how it started. 4 minute read.

Hear from the Gallery’s Community Hosts! These volunteers conduct special tours for underserved community groups. By paying special attention to their access needs and interests and facilitating conversations, our Community Hosts ensure that the Gallery is a welcoming space for all. Wuai Mun, Sok Oon, Moe Yin and Chan Pong tells us just what it takes. 5 minute read.

Have you heard of the #hotgirltotebag? In our first ever Gallery Youth Social, participants got to make their very own! Kolektfi alumni Aida and Siobahn share more about the programme. 10 minute read.

In this essay, Yeo Mang Thong questions the overarching frameworks of the “Malayan school” and “Nanyang school” that have been used as broad descriptors of art produced in Singapore during the 1950s and 1960s. 19 minute read.

With photographs, sketches and writings, archival materials contain valuable first-hand information on artists’ professional practices. Michelle Tay introduces us to the Gallery's Georgette Chen Archive, which includes her beloved Hermes Baby typewriter as well as hand-drawn menu cards, providing us with a rare and intimate look into Chen's thoughts, observations and life. 17 minute read.

Career Day saw nearly 200 tertiary and pre-tertiary students attend introductory sessions by different departments working together in the National Gallery Singapore. The very first event of its kind was organized by Shaun Soh (Manager, Education) who wrote about the experience.

For many artists in the 19th and 20th centuries, Paris was a place of pilgrimage. In this curatorial insight, trace the journeys of and connections between Southeast Asian artists who made a stop in city, through curators Lisa Horikawa and Phoebe Scott's methodological report. 15 minute read.

Sopheap Pich’s Cargo is one of the largest artworks in the National Collection. How does a work the size of two 20-foot shipping containers make its way from the artist’s studio in Cambodia to its new home at National Gallery Singapore? Farisya Farid (Senior Executive, Collections Development) details the journey. 5 minute read.

Written to accompany the 2017 exhibition Radiant Material: A Dialogue in Vietnamese Lacquer Painting, this essay discusses conceptual shifts in Vietnamese lacquer painting, as seen in the work of Nguyễn Gia Trí and Phi Phi Oanh, the two artists featured in the exhibition.

For our 2022 special exhibition "Wu Guanzhong: Travelling with the Master, the Gallery invited four of our docents to co-create the show. In this article, Sim Mei-Ann speaks to the docents Tina Nixon, Gertrude Tan, Queenie Chow and Stella Rong to find out more about their experience of developing an exhibition—from choosing the artworks, uncovering a documentary about Wu's 1990 trip to Singapore, and finally leading tours for the show that they put together! 7 minute read.

How can we bring art to our audiences, wherever they may be? Community & Access intern Katelyn Wong speaks to Gallery volunteers Pooi San and Gopal about the training programme for the Gallery’s new initiative: livestreamed tours. 5 minute read.

In this article, we chat with our docents Constance Ong, Mae Chong, Jacqueline Lim, and Eric Liu, about how they have grown with the Best Friends of the Gallery (BFG) programme. Through volunteering at the Gallery, they have picked up new skills which they have gone on to apply beyond the Gallery, as well as discovered new areas of interest.

This essay shares life with an art book, installation, and a series of workshops, all part of a larger project realised during my time as the inaugural artist for the National Gallery Singapore’s Calm Room Creative Residency.

Andrea, a member of the Gallery's experimental programme Kolektif, reflects on how and artists can contribute to discussions on race, inclusion and diversity. 6 minute read.

In collaboration with the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME), the Gallery launched Sister Guides, a special tour programme for the domestic worker community in Singapore. Jo Ann A. Dumlao (Sister Guide) expands on her experience in the programme. Scroll through for translations of her article in Tagalog, Bahasa Indonesia and Burmese. 5 minute read.

There are exciting and remarkably varied examples of art made by women in 19th century Southeast Asia, but research has largely overlooked these artists in favour of their male counterparts. Curator Roger Nelson spotlights some of the paintings, photographs, textiles and other media created by female artists of the time, offering an introduction into this significant area of art history. 12 minute read.

This essay, written to accompany the 2017 retrospective exhibition YAYOI KUSAMA: LIFE IS THE HEART OF A RAINBOW, considers the meaning of Kusama's art in today's world, as an artist who resists easy categorisation, balancing positions of self-obliteration and self-promotion.

In this article, Rachael Rakes (Artistic Director, 12th Seoulmedia City Biennale) explores maps and the different ideas of mapping. More specifically, the article presents different visual forms that perhaps serve as necessary parallels to maps, rather than serving as direct refusals or alterations. In doing so, Rakes outlines how maps capture the incongruence between indigenous (or non-Western) and Western perspectives on territory and the meaning of space. 10 minute read.