Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Signature Art Prize 2014 Finalists Exhibition

People’s Choice Award worth $10,000 to be awarded to artwork that receives most public votes 

The Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Signature Art Prize 2014 Finalists Exhibition, featuring artworks shortlisted for the region’s premier juried contemporary art award, will open to the public on 14 November 2014. Organised by the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) with the support of presenting sponsor APB Foundation, the Signature Art Prize is a hallmark of distinction awarded to artworks from the region that represent a significant development in Asia Pacific’s contemporary art landscape in recent years. 

Spanning various genres, the Finalists Exhibition will present 15 works produced in 13 countries and territories including Australia, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. The exhibition allows visitors a chance to access and appreciate works that have emerged from diverse cultures and traditions across the Asia Pacific region, including South Asia, East Asia and Southeast Asia. 

Presented across two floors in SAM’s main building, the Finalists Exhibition allows the public to view the works in-situ. The works are installed across 12 galleries and in unique site-specific spaces in the museum. Liu Jianhua’s Trace, based on principles of Chinese calligraphy, transforms the grand central staircase and second floor landing, and was specially reconfigured for SAM’s space. Arin Rungjang’s monumental Golden Teardrop brings heavy, ancient beams from an old Ayutthaya house and iron trusses from a post-war factory into the museum gallery. Together, these structures frame a delicate sculptural object made up of almost 6,000 drops referred to in the work’s title. Meanwhile, Choe U-Ram’s fantastical metallic creature – at once robotic and chimerical – Custos Cavum (Guardian of the hole), which seems to move and breathe, lies at the heart of the museum. Elsewhere, artists use unusual materials. For instance, Robert Zhao Renhui evokes a peculiar parable with Eskimo Wolf Trap often quoted in Sermons and recreates a snowy landscape with almost 400 kilogrammes of bicarbonate of soda. Melati Suryodarmo’s performance site of her durational work I’m a Ghost in My Own House is recreated with more than 150 kg of charcoal and is situated at the central glass porch on the second floor, overlooking the front of the museum.

On top of vying for a $60,000 Grand Prize and two $15,000 Jurors’ Choice Awards, each of the 15 artworks are also in the running for a People’s Choice Award worth $10,000. Awarded to the artwork that garners the most public votes, the People’s Choice Award invites the public to engage with the prize and aims to stimulate lively public discussion and critical discourse. Following a viewing of the works at the Finalists Exhibition or virtually via a dedicated micro-site, the public can cast their votes for their favourite finalist at the Museum or via www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/signatureartprize from 14 November 2014 to 21 January 2015. Those who vote will also stand to win prizes. Exclusive SAM merchandise will be given to three winners every week until voting ends. One lucky voter will also receive an Apple 16 GB Wifi iPad Air 2 with ‘Pencil’ by Fifty-three and their award-winning application, ‘Paper’ for aspiring artists on the move. 

Dr. Susie Lingham, Director, Singapore Art Museum comments, “We’re delighted to be presenting the 15 Finalists of the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize 2014. The shortlisted works truly demonstrate creative exploration of art form and medium, and are conceptually well-wrought at the same time. Diverse social, cultural and political issues are engagingly and accessibly expressed in these extraordinary artworks, where each embody the transformative quality of art. Many of the works open up to great depths – both visually and metaphorically – at the moment of encounter. They each, in their unique way, reveal the power of contemporary art as a meaningful experience. Both culturally and aesthetically, we witness the rich diversity and imagination of the Asia Pacific region. I look forward to inviting the public to visit, engage with the artworks and vote for their favourite works to win the People’s Choice Award.”

© Arin Rungjang (Thailand) - Golden Teardrop, 2013, Sculpture: 320 × 500 × 400 cm, video duration 30:00 mins - ONE of the shortlisted finalists for People’s Choice Award, courtesy Arin Rungjang

For more information, visit www.apbfoundation.org.sg

About the Singapore Art Museum 

The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) focuses on contemporary art practice in Singapore, Southeast Asia and Asia within the global context. It advocates and makes accessible interdisciplinary contemporary art through research-led and evolving curatorial practice. Opened in January 1996, SAM has built up one of the most important collections of contemporary art from the region. It seeks to seed and nourish a stimulating and creative space in Singapore through exhibitions and public programmes. These encompass cross-disciplinary residencies and exchanges, research and publications, as well as outreach and education. SAM was the organiser of the Singapore Biennale in 2011 and 2013. The Museum's site is here.

To vote and see a full list of APB Foundation Signature Art Prize 2014 Finalists go HERE.