Singapore Art Week (SAW), Southeast Asia’s premier visual arts celebration, is back for its 13th edition from January 17 to 26, 2025. Organized by the National Arts Council (NAC) and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), SAW 2025 promises an immersive, ten-day experience of creativity and collaboration, featuring over 130 events that span exhibitions, performances, and workshops.
Art Takes Over the City
This year’s SAW embraces its theme of “Art Takes Over,” with activities spanning Singapore’s city center, heartlands, and even places of commute. Highlights include:
- Major Returns: Familiar events such as ART SG, S.E.A. Focus, and Light to Night Singapore 2025: Do You See Me? make a comeback.
- Late-Night Culture: Events like Art After Dark at Gillman Barracks and Sonic Sessions at Tanjong Pagar Distripark offer vibrant nocturnal experiences.
- Roving Exhibitions: Con-Temporary Art, a travelling miniature gallery complete with internal lighting, offers unique installations and performances in a cube-like setting.
- Culinary Meets Art: At The Arts House Annex, DIGIkat – Our Social Fabric blends food and art in an exclusive dining experience curated by multidisciplinary artist Yang Derong.
Immersive and Global Art Experiences
SAW 2025 connects Singapore’s art ecosystem to the international stage, featuring collaborations and exhibitions by renowned global artists:
- Jean-Michel Basquiat Tribute: Behind the Canvas Series 1 will be held at Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Expo & Convention Centre. This three-month tribute marks the iconic American artist’s first showcase in Asia.
- International Collaborations: Glass artists from Singapore, Thailand, Japan, and the USA come together for the Beyond Giving, Inspiring Change exhibition by Bangkok Glass Company.
- OH! Open House: The Eye and The Tiger invites visitors to a guided art walk in Adam Park, showcasing works by Southeast Asian artists.
Celebrating Singapore’s Rich Arts Ecosystem
Director of NAC’s Arts Ecosystem Group, Tay Tong, highlights SAW’s role in Singapore’s arts scene:
“SAW is a dynamic celebration of the thriving visual arts ecosystem in Singapore. Its wide-ranging experiences spotlight both emerging and established talents, positioning Singapore as a nexus for creative expression in the region.”
STB’s Arts and Cultural Precincts Director Lim Shoo Ling echoes this sentiment:
“SAW has become a cornerstone of Singapore’s arts calendar, presenting art in ways that engage and inspire locals and visitors alike, enhancing our appeal as a cultural destination.”
Public Engagement
SAW 2025 aims to bring art to everyone, with initiatives like:
- Art in Transit: MRT stations spotlight nearby SAW programmes and showcase viaduct pillars wrapped in contemporary art near Bukit Gombak.
- Fort Canning Park Installation: Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen transform Fort Canning into a speculative fiction experience of 11th-century Temasek through Before and After the Unknown.
- Community Projects: Collaborations with Community Arts and Culture Clubs (CACCs) celebrate SG60 through events like the National Antiquities Parade.
A Look Back, and Forward
Several notable exhibitions return home to Singapore after global showcases:
- Seeing Forest: Robert Zhao Renhui’s Singapore Pavilion work from the Venice Biennale 2024.
- Affective Architecture: Expanding on themes from its debut at Ars Electronica in Austria.
- Phenomenology of Light and Rhythms of the Earth: Zen Teh and SueKi Yee’s collaborative exhibition at Objectifs, after a presentation in Berlin.
Looking to the Future
To celebrate SG60, Singkarpor REMIXED by photographer AikBeng Chia explores Singapore’s evolving identity through large-scale installations. Meanwhile, the Singapore Art Week Forum 2025 will feature Theaster Gates as keynote speaker, delving into art’s role in societal transformation.
Plan Your Visit
Explore art where we live, work, and play with Singapore Art Week 2025, a platform for creative collaboration and cultural exchange. For the full program and details, visit the SAW website and follow @sgartweek on Facebook and Instagram.
Let SAW 2025 captivate you with a celebration of the transformative power of art.
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