The sophomore edition of Art SG—one of the highlights of Singapore Art Week—is well underway. Held at Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Expo and Convention Centre from 19 to 21 January 2024, the contemporary art fair has roped in a stellar line-up of artists and some of them are our homegrown talents. Here are nine Malaysian artists to check out at Art SG 2024.
Chok Yue Zan
As above, so below. Chok Yue Zan, in collaboration with Indonesia’s Bestrizal Besta, investigates the profound interplay between nature and humanity through Dual Realities: Unraveling the Upside Down World. The award-winning artist draws inspiration from his memories of Borneo’s heavenly landscapes and channels them through his singular, dynamic brushstrokes.
Justin Lim
The subjects of longing and solitude are no strangers to Justin Lim’s artistic repertoire and they’re once again reflected in his works at Art SG. The Open University UK alum explores the meanings of interconnectedness and divisions within society through his intricate and lush landscapes, imploring his audience to ponder about their place in this ever-changing world.
Marcos Kueh
Graphic and textile artist Marcos Kueh is bringing a piece of his acclaimed Kenyalang Circus series to Art SG. Titled Woven Billboards: Nenek Moyang, the multi-work woven installation explores the themes of identity and independence, which mirrors Kueh’s own experience as a Chinese-Malaysian from Borneo who lives among Europeans in The Netherlands.
Paul Nickson Atia
Going back to his roots, Paul Nickson Atia is presenting a collection of paintings from his Torun Tana? (There Is Something About Home) series. Here, the 32-year-old examines his relationship with Sarawak and his Bidayuh heritage, echoing his penchant for converging theories and conceptual frameworks of geopolitics and identities in contemporary art practice and narratives.
Red Hong Yi
This celebrated artist needs no introduction. Distinguished for her clever combination of traditional craftsmanship and digital technology, Red Hong Yi elevates the burnt red calligraphy paper—prominently featured in her My Alleyway Memories installation at the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur last year—in her investigations into womanhood.
Saiful Razman
Known for his dexterity in turning mundane, everyday objects into works of art, Perak-born Saiful Razman brings the same vision to Art SG 2024 with his mixed media collage works made of medical gauze and rolled tissue paper. Extracted from his Pangsa (Apartment) series, the artworks bring to mind the unique designs of those low-cost apartments in 1990s Kuala Lumpur.
Umibaizurah
Johor-born contemporary artist Umibaizurah has revolutionised our local ceramic art scene in more ways than one. Her figures are often playful yet rich in symbolism, and they are certainly the standouts in the Time and Change collective presentation. Look further into the bright-coloured sculptures and one shall find an important subject matter at the heart of it all.
Wong Chee Meng
Juxtaposing traditional painting with the cutting-edge realm of Augmented Reality (AR), Wong Chee Meng’s Journey to the South encapsulates the reality of life in the modern world to perfection. The series, which narrates the experiences of Malaysian immigrants in Singapore, not only reveals the beauty in nostalgia but also challenges the integrity of cross-cultural interactions.
Yeoh Choo Kuan
Embracing the natural landscapes and all of their contradictions, Yeoh Choo Kuan dives into the theme of shan shui (mountain-water) and delivers the What Makes A Mountain series. Here, the prolific artist uses his ‘paint streaming’ technique to illustrate the element of water and places the paintings at varying heights to evoke the illusion of a mountain.