Singapore Art Museum (SAM), Agency for Cultural Affairs and CG-Arts are present Japan Media Arts Festival in Singapore 2008, a showcase of award-winning new media art, animation, manga and entertainment with a strong focus on Japanese culture. Since its inauguration in Tokyo in 1997, this annual competition-cum-exhibition has grown from strength to strength, attracting entries from amateurs and professionals alike from around the globe. The exhibition at Singapore Art Museum’s new contemporary art wing at 8 Queen Street, will make available to Southeast Asian audiences for the first time a varied and engaging showcase of digital and new media art and technologies. Cutting-edge artworks will sit alongside familiar and well-loved pop culture icons from the world of anime and manga. In addition, this exhibition will also feature an interactive section with various popular entertainment systems such as Nintendo Wii.

The exhibition presents a varied and engaging display of new media art, including digital art and computer graphics, Japanese comics and animated movies, and numerous innovative gadgets and games. The exhibition space is organised into three thematic zones. Zone 1: Sophisticated Craftsmanship) is a showcase of works selected for their technical virtuousity and sophistication; Zone 2: Interactive Trans-fusion presents a fusion of edgy art and entertainment culture; and Zone 3: Narrative Images focus on the stories and means of expression in fields as diverse as animation, manga, and games. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, public programs such as symposiums, workshops and screening events will also be held.

Says Director, Singapore Art Museum, Mr Kwok Kian Chow, “Technology, interactivity and narrative truly represent the structure of our knowledge these days. It is more relevant than the traditional disciplinary approach of arts, science, engineering, and so on. The thematic zones also make direct reference to our everyday experience of how we think, in terms of technological possibilities and sense of anticipation for technological developments. Besides highlighting the creativity and ingenuity of their creators, these works on display are also an invitation to the viewer to exercise his or her own creativity and imagination in engaging with them; as well as an invitation to discover new facets of Japanese art and culture.”