featuring a rich program of complimentary special events,art tours,artist demonstrations, children’s activities and more

"Persimmon Harvest" by San Zi

　　Singapore, Tuesday November 24th: The inaugural edition of Singapore Contemporary will be held from January 21st to 24th, 2016, at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. The Show’s theme is ‘A World of Art,’ with exhibitors and artworks from Singapore,most Asian countries, Australia and Europe.

　　Singapore Contemporary presents a wide selection of interesting artworks from some of the world’s most recognized and successful contemporary artists with strong track records atauction, and a presence in notable private and public collections. The focus carries through to emerging and mid-career artists who are achieving a following on the international scene, and many with investment potential for the future.

　　“As well as the Show itself, with it’s unique presentations of ‘China Encounters,’ ‘Artist Dialogues,’ an impressive Indonesian Pavilion and some exceptional installation art, we are delighted to present an enriching program of events and activities at the inaugural edition,”noted Show Director, Douwe Cramer. “Our comprehensive art tour program, live painting demonstrations and events for children, offer accessible, educational and fun activities designed to interest both adults and children, and experienced collectors through to newer art buyers.”

　　Special features at Singapore Contemporary:

　　CHINA ENCOUNTERS: Visitors are invited to browse and buy from a selection of more than 400 Chinese contemporary artworks – from emerging, mid-career, and already successful and collectable Chinese artists, including Wang Xiaosong, Su Xiaobai, Zhang Qing and Wang Min.

　　ARTIST DIALOGUES: Meet in person with 16 talented artists in the “Artist Dialogues” section,and learn what inspires their work. Among the diverse selection of artists will be painter,photographer and body-paint artist Emma Hack from Australia; Japanese exponent of contemporary wood-block works, Kan-Zan-Loc; Italian-Australian Francesca Gnagnarella,showing her abstract acrylic paintings with gold leaf; and British ink-pen artist, Jeff Murray.

　　INDONESIAN PAVILION: A unique and vibrant collection of more than 200 paintings and sculptures from leading Indonesian artists, including Nyoman Erawan, Chusin Setiadikara and Yoga Mahendra, curated by five respected art galleries.

　　VIP LOUNGE: A special presentation of the works of Ronald Ventura will hang in the VIP Lounge. Ventura is perhaps the most successful and best-known Filipino contemporary artist of recent times, with his works held in museums, and in important public and private collections.

　　INSTALLATION ART: See specially commissioned 3-D, digital and sculptural works from Singapore, Korea and China in key locations at the Show.

　　Complimentary activities for adults and children

　　Art tours：Invited guests and ticket holders are welcome to participate in a series of Show tours,which explore the artworks of various participating nations and different genres of art,plus the opportunity to meet with artists and learn what inspires their work.On a first-comefirst-served basis, visitors can select from these tour topics：

　　Meet the Artist

　　Learn what motivates and inspires six talented artists at the show

　　Hidden China

　　Discovering collectible Chinese contemporary paintings

　　Art of Southeast Asia

　　An introduction to works from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines

　　Japan and Korea Revealed

　　Inside the mysteries of Japanese and Korean contemporary art

　　Contemporary Sculpture

　　A wonderful selection of works in bronze, ceramic, glass, stone and more

　　LIVE PAINTING DEMONSTRATIONS: Four artists with very different styles of work will present live painting demonstrations, Artist Talks and take questions on Friday January 22nd.

　　Simon Wee (Singapore)

　　2pm – See acclaimed local artist Simon Wee demonstrate his technique of painting on canvas and linen, and present an Artist Talk & Q&A.

　　3.30pm – Simon Wee will again demonstrate his technique of painting on canvas and linen,and present an Artist Talk & Q&A.

　　Jeff Murray (United Kingdom)

　　3pm – Learn about the works and techniques of British ink-pen artist Jeff Murray, who will give a live demonstration, and Artist Talk & Q&A.

　　5pm – Jeff Murray continues his live ink-pen demonstration, and presents another Artist Talk & Q&A.

　　Awiki (Indonesia)

　　4.30pm — See a demonstration of Awiki’s unique hand painting, and join his Artist Talk and Q&A.

　　Madeleine Ekeblad (Australia)

　　2.30pm – Watch a demonstration by this talented Australian artist who works with enamel,acrylics and old music manuscripts, accompanied by an Artist Talk and Q&A. Madeleine will explain how she incorporates musical themes into all her vivid paintings.

　　4pm – Madeleine Ekeblad continues her live painting demonstration, and presents another Artist Talk & Q&A.

　　CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS: Children are welcome at Singapore Contemporary – we hope their experience at the Show will be the beginning of a life-long love of art! All programs are complimentary, and on a first-come, first-served basis.

　　Macey and Sons Kids Art Tours

　　These fun and educational tours lead by qualified art teachers are open to children from 5yrs to 11yrs of age, and take approximately 45 minutes. Held Friday January 22 – 4/5pm;Saturday January 23 – 12/1/2/3/4pm; Sunday January 24 – 12/1/2/3/4pm. Meet at the Macey and Sons Kids Art Tours counter right inside the main entrance at 10 minutes before the hour.

　　Macey and Sons Kids Art Studio

　　Our Kids Art Studio is a fun place for children from 3yrs to 11yrs of age to engage in supervised painting, drawing and other art projects. Parents can either join in, or leave children for up to an hour while they explore the Show. Experienced art teachers will coach children in the creation of a unique artwork to either display at the Show or take home. They will also receive a Certificate.Children’s Programs kindly sponsored by Macey & Sons, Auctioneers & Valuers; thanks to Little Artists Art Studio for managing both of these programs.

　 Ticket for Singapore Contemporary are now on sale at www.singaporecontemporary.com orwww.sistic.com. Tickets purchased before the Show are S$30 for a single day, S$20 for a single day concession or S$54 for a three-day pass, and the ticket holder can bring a friend forfree. Tickets purchased at the Show door are the same price, but admit one person only.

　　Some featured artists at Singapore Contemporary

ALEAH ANGELES – THE PHILIPPINES

"Four Seasons of a Rose" by Aleah Angeles

　　Filipino art has created considerable buzz in the Asian contemporary art scene in recent years,in part due to the incredible international success of painter Ronald Ventura. Another Filipina artist making waves is Aleah Angeles, known for her works that have been described as “lyrical compositions with a warm romantic flair.” At just 26 years of age, Angeles is one of the youngest artists to have had her work included in the Christie’s auction of Asian Contemporary Art. And remarkably, her work “Lazy Daisy,” sold for more than twice the estimated value.It is not surprising the Angeles has caught the eye of local and international audiences. The depth and soulfulness of her paintings belie the artist’s young age. Others have described Angeles’ work as “Mona Lisa-inspired.” Soft-spoken, unassuming and intelligent beyond her years, Angeles counts Frida Kahlo as one of her greatest influences. She admits that she dreams of becoming a botanist in another life, hence the huge influence of wildflowers in her work.The Christie’s notes about “Lazy Daisy” state: “Angeles’ alter-ego, falling asleep under a tree with her half-read book draped over her face. Trapped in the pages of her fairytale or fantasy novella, the heroine in her slumber is sweetly unaware of the looming dream-forest behind her,as though conjured directly from her unfinished tale. With her ruffled skirt, knee-socks slipping down her legs, out-flung hand, Lazy Daisy is an archetypal rendition of corrupted girlish innocence. Inspired by the figures of young girls, which the artist herself relates to and draws from life based on her own photographs, her paintings often show then in recumbent positions,half caught in dreams and fantasy.”

　　DEDI SUFRIADI – INDONESIA

　　Dedy Sufriadi is very active in the Indonesian contemporary art scene, holding 10 solo exhibitions, and participating in numerous group exhibitions. Despite his growing success, the artist involves himself with many community projects and helps out young artists in his community. He is also a part of the “Fighting Cocks” art collective, an independent group aimed at the advancement of contemporary art in Indonesia, as well as a support group for young artists.

　　Sufriadi started painting in Yogyakarta in 1995. In 1998, he was honoured as a Finalist in the Winsor & Newton Art Competition, followed by a Nokia Art Award in 1999; and in 2000, he was presented the prestigious Philip Morris Indonesia Art Award.

"Art Theory and Religion Theory" by Dedy Sufriadi

　　Using variations of text and naïve symbolism, the artist’s works infuse both the current ubiquity and historical importance of text and symbology into intricate abstract expressionist compositions, utilizing multilayered literary excerpts, narratives and symbols to replace what would usually be the play of colors and lines. His more recent works take text to another level, beyond the literal and familiar. Embodying the concept of hypertext, borrowed from the world of information technology, he invites the viewers of his art to extrapolate and form their own contextual meanings from the visual imagery presented.

　　In some cases the text is distinct and recognizable,but quite often obscured as a result of layering and over-painting. The more we scrutinize his works, the more information materializes, in the form of text and sometimes in the form of iconography, allowing us to interpret what is presented to the viewer as visual clues. This is conceptually similar to how hyperlinks – both text and icon based – facilitate us jumping from one location to another on the Internet, revealing more information along the way.

"Mind" by Dedy Sufriadi

　　KWON KISOO – KOREA

　　With a background in classical Korean painting from Hongik University, Kwon Kisoo creates graphic fantasies comprising technicolor wands of bamboo,popping plum blossoms, and expanses of brilliant monochrome. Most of these works are inhabited by a modern icon of his own creation – an alter ego,named Dongguri.

　　A simplified line-drawn figure with an invariable expression, Dongguri has neither gender nor identity,and often appears with an 'emoticon' army of similarly ambivalent smiley-faced clones. The artist frequently places this cartoon-like protagonist within

　　scenes that are discernible to the viewer as traditional Korean landscapes. In creating this temporal confusion, Kwon instigates a dialogue between tradition and modernity.

　　Born in 1972, Kwon Kisoo lives and works in Seoul.He has participated in exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai; The Mori Art Museum,Tokyo; the Busan Biennale; and the 5th Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art.

　　“Tangled Blue" by Kwon Kisoo

　　"Arcadia" by Kwon Kisoo

　　YAYOI KUSAMA – JAPAN

　　Yayoi Kusama is acknowledged as one of the most important living artists in Japan. She has held successful solo exhibitions at the Tate Modern, the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum New York. In 2008,Christies New York sold her “Infinity Net No. 8” for USD $5.8 million, an all-time high auction record for a living female artist.Kusama’s work with psychedelic colors, repetition and pattern reflect her lifelong hallucinations,panic attacks and compulsive obsessions. The artist has lived in a psychiatric hospital in Tokyo since the 1970s, and continues to immerse herself in creating paintings, sculptures and other magnificent works of art at a studio nearby.

　　At age 86, Kusama continues to paint and travel for shows wearing lively polka-dot dresses and a spunky red wig. To top it off, her collaborative collection with Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton launched in 2012, has spread the Kusama magic to leather goods, ready-to-wear,accessories, shoes, watches and jewelry.

"Dancing Pumpkin"by Yayoi Kusama

　　Left : "Butterfly" by Yayoi Kusama

　　Right: "Flower C" by Yayoi Kusama

　　"Snowing Sakura" by San Zi

　　SAN ZI – CHINA

　　San Zi, born in 1965 in Yangzhou, Jiangsu, with the name Wang Xiaolong, is a widely recognized contemporary Chinese painter and designer.The artist is known for his mastery of deploying a combination of techniques, including Western painting, traditional Chinese ink painting, metalwork and woodwork.

　　Heavily influenced by Taoism, the artist often signs his works with “Sanzi”, which has the metaphysical meaning of “floating”, “freedom” and “humility.” Many of the subjects of his paintings reflect concepts of humanity, cosmos and “wu wei” – action through inaction. He also depicts Taoist view of sexuality: valuing the body and mind as positive assets, which generate harmony and balance.

　　In 1983, San Zi enrolled in the Fine Arts Institute of Hunan Normal University in Changsha where he studied traditional Chinese ink painting and calligraphy, as well as European oil painting and sculpture. After graduation, he was granted a post-graduate research scholarship and was also assigned to teach newly enrolled students. Soon after, he also gained entry to the Hunan Academy of Art.

　　San Zi started to gain recognition from 2005, and is now one of the best-known figures in contemporary Chinese art. With his rising popularity, he was commissioned to create a background painting for the China Pavilion at the Shanghai Expo in 2010. The artist has lived in several different cities in China, and in 2010 he also set up his first "Sanzi Studio" abroad, in Belleville, Paris.

　　MINNIE PWERLE – AUSTRALIA

　　Minnie Pwerle's is an artist of undeniable significance to the Aboriginal Art movement,and indeed Australian Art. She began painting on canvas late in life, lasting from 1999 until her death in 2006. Whilst her period of painting was somewhat short, the work produced was unique and rich, seeing her named as one of Australia's top 50 most collectible artists in 2004.

　　Pwerle did not know when she was born(likely around 1910 to 1920). She was one of eight children who grew up in the Utopia Region of the Northern Territory. Her upbringing was traditional, with art an ingrained part of her society.

　　As a teenager Pwerle had a daughter,Barbara, with Irish pastoral owner Jack Weir.

　　Barbara was taken away from her by native welfare officers at age nine, and thus became one of the “stolen generation.” Many years later, mother and daughter were reunited, and it was Barbara Weir (by then an esteemed artist herself), who introduced Pwerle to painting on canvas in the late 1990s.

　　After a life spent painting ceremonial designs onto the body, Pwerle transferred these designs onto canvas with great success.Evolving her style, Minnie began also paint her inherited dreaming, the 'Bush Melon'. Her choice of bold colours and the evident lucid freedom of her brush stroke inevitably attracted much attention. The bush melon paintings often consisted of linear circular movements or splashes of colour strewn across the canvas. What is often mesmerizing by Minnie's work is the spiritual connection with the land exuded on the canvas with touches of modern technique.

　　Top: "Body Paint" by Minnie Pwerle

　　Middle: "Awelye Atnwengerrp #14998" by Minnie Pwerle

　　Bottom: "Awelye Atnwengerrp" by Minnie Pwerle

　　SIMON WEE – SINGAPORE

　　Simon Wee was born in Singapore in 1946 and graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in 1967. The renowned first-generation Master Painter Chen Wen Hsi was his first teacher, and the person who introduced him to the basics of painting.

　　Most of Wee’s works are painted on rice paper with white, black and gold, which are his main,

　　“primary colours.” The strokes are simple yet profound, as if they were derived from the inner recess of his feelings. Each of his artworks is full of energy and strength.

　　Simon’s one-breath-one-stroke and unique acrylic style have impressed many art collectors,such as the National Art Gallery, several banks, property developers, private collectors and organisations. Just recently, British Airways added his work to their collection, and now showcases it in a permanent installation at Changi International Airport in Singapore.

　　Wee’s works have been exhibited across Asia, as well as in Abu Dhabi, Italy, Paris, Seoul,Shanghai and Zhongshan. The artist is a Committee Member and Treasurer of Club Nafa and The Society of Chinese Artists, and a member of the Modern Art Society and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts Alumni.

　　Left top: "Inner Wisdom" by Simon Wee Right top: "Future" by Simon Wee

　　Left bottom: "Move" by Simon Wee Right bottom: "Conscious" by Simon Wee

　　EDITORS’ NOTES:

　　Singapore Contemporary Dates:

　　January 21 – 24, 2016

　　Venue:

　　Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre

　　Opening Hours:

　　VIP Program:

　　Private View (by invitation only)

　　Thursday January 21, 3.30pm – 5.30pm

　　Vernissage (by invitation only)

　　Thursday January 21, 5.30pm – 9pm

　　General Admission

　　Friday January 22, 12noon – 9pm

　　Saturday January 23, 11am – 7pm

　　Sunday January 24, 11am – 6pm

　　Ticket Sales:

　　www.singaporecontemporary.com

　　www.sistic.com

　　Parking, MRT, Taxis:

　　There is abundant parking at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre. The venue is easily accessible by MRT (Esplanade Station or Promenade Station via the Circle Line), and there are several conveniently located taxi ranks.

　　Complimentary Buses:

　　Complimentary buses are provided from outside Art Stage Singapore at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre; check our website for the schedule.

　　Latest Information:

　　For the latest updates on Singapore Contemporary and programming information, please visit www.singaporecontemporary.com, find us on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/singapore.contemporary.art.show or follow us on Twitter atsg_contemporary.

　　High-res images and information are downloadable from:

　　https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t87qqpkev86sa4p/AABQt7l3OzQZwVkEX7aKZJtoa?dl=0

　　About Singapore Contemporary

　　The Founders and Directors of Singapore Contemporary are three art enthusiasts with more than 25 years’ experience in the region. Viewed as pioneers in the art space, they consider the interest of artists, galleries and buyers are best served by providing vibrant fairs and online content which stimulate discovery, exploration and conversations about art. The popular Asia Contemporary Art Show, in its 8th edition in Spring 2016, is Hong Kong’s only art fair that takes place twice a year. And when the art fairs close, collectors and art lovers can continue to browse 24/7 and buy on Asia Contemporary Art Buyer (www.asiacontemporaryart.com).  

   Singapore Contemporary Advisory Board

　　The Show Directors are guided by an Advisory Board comprising five influential leaders in Singapore’s art ecology: T.K Quek, Michael Lee, Chiara Rosenblum, Arnaud Champenois and Jason Wee. “We are delighted to have the valuable input of such influential and qualified arts specialists on our Advisory Board, which we expect will make a very strong contribution in guiding the direction of Singapore Contemporary in 2016, and as we grow and develop in the years ahead,” said Show Director Douwe Cramer. “The Board will provide insights into the character of art and artists we should be curating, collector and buyer engagement, the genres preferred by Singaporean and Southeast Asia collectors to produce a really engaging show,and special projects and installation art.”

　　For media enquiries, please contact:

　　Singapore Contemporary Press Office

　　Singapore office:

　　Fiona Vogel fiona@vogelgoodwin.com | +65 8133 1706

　　Tula Goodwin tula@vogelgoodwin.com | +65 8189 1720

　　Hong Kong office:

　　Anne Wu anne@pr-ime-asia.com | +852 2973 0171

　　Natasha Li natasha@pr-ime-asia.com | +852 2973 0778