The best art exhibitions in Singapore

Frida Kahlo, the world-renowned Mexican artist and cultural icon, needs no introduction. Regarded as one of the most influential female artists of the 20th century, she is celebrated for her impactful self-portraits that delve into themes of identity and the human body, as well as her inherent resilience against the hardships she faced in life.

Honouring the legend herself is ArtScience Museum’s upcoming exhibition, Frida Forever. The show will open on May 4, and run till September 1, 2024. This exhibition is part of the museum’s year-long celebration, ‘Year of Extraordinary Women’. 

Art is said to have the ability to transport minds elsewhere and challenge perception, Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson undoubtedly stands on top among those who do. And for all of us right here in Singapore, you’ll be glad to know that our very own Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is now home to the Southeast Asian debut of his survey exhibition. 

At Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey, uncover 17 main works on display that provide an overview on the themes and environmental concerns explored throughout the artist’s three-decade-long practice. There will also be never-before-seen works and Singapore-exclusive installations only available at this leg of the travelling show.

Film fanatics, don’t miss out on ArtScience Museum’s upcoming exhibition Goddess: Brave. Bold. Beautiful. Curated by ACMI (Australia’s national museum of screen culture), Goddess is set to debut in Asia at the ArtScience Museum on April 6, 2024. Get ready to uncover 120 years of moving image history featuring stories, costumes, sketches, interactive experiences, as well as the pillars behind these wonderful masterpieces. 

It will also shine a spotlight on Asian film stars from Hong Kong, Japan, India, and Singapore, alongside other countries such as America, Australia and Europe. Other notable film icons to expect are, the one and only Marilyn Monroe, equal rights activist Laverne Cox, and Chinese American Hollywood star Anna May Wong. All of them are influential female figures in the film and television industry that have transcended stereotypes and influenced ideas of femininity through their representation on screen.

Explore a curated selection of 30 paintings by artist Cheong Soo Pieng, completed from the 1950s to the 1980s. Visitors can venture through the space segmented into three sections that will answer the following questions: “What makes a painting?”, “When is a painting complete?”, and “What is painting?”.

This exhibition is a special one as it is the first in Southeast Asia to utilise material analysis such as x-ray scans and infrared photography to unveil fresh insights into Cheong’s artistic processes. Visitors will be able to dive into Cheong Soo Pieng’s art journey and learn more about the ins and outs of his practice such as materials used, art approaches, and untold stories and ideas.

It’s time to zoom in and tickle your mind at Japanese artist Tatsuya Tanaka’s first ever exhibition in Singapore, small Muji exhibition – Enjoying Everyday Items, held at Muji’s flagship store in Plaza Singapura. For those that aren’t familiar with the artist, Tanaka-san is best known for his playful miniature works where he toys with everyday objects to create tiny elaborate everyday life scenes. 

For anyone that enjoys the traditional art medium of painting, you might want to check this exhibition out. Inspired by the relationship between man and nature, this group show, We Shape the World that Shapes Us, will feature 14 artworks by 11 prominent first and second generation Nanyang artists: Chen Cheng Mei, Cheong Soo Pieng, Lai Foong Moi, Lee Man Fong, Lim Mu Hue, Liu Kang, Ong Kim Seng, Tan Choh Tee, Tan Oe Pang, Tan Tee Chie, and Tay Bak Koi. 

Over 100 years ago in the year 1864, 84 pagodas were hand-carved in Shanghai at the Tushanwan Workshop by Jesuit missionaries. Many of them then went on to influence several other celebrated artists that we have come to know of today, such as watercolourist Xu Yongqing and sculptor Zhang Chongren. Today, these 84 pagodas are now being reunited in Singapore at Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM)’s exhibition Pagoda Odyssey 1915: From Shanghai to San Francisco. 

If you’ve seen the widely-discussed artwork featuring a banana taped to a wall that sold for over a hundred thousand dollars, then you would know that there are no boundaries in modern art. This inevitably leads us to the pressing question: What exactly is art? With this question in mind, take a trip to the National Gallery’s latest show, Figuring A Scene.

The exhibition is divided into six segments: ‘Shadow’, 'Fruit’, ‘Fire’, ‘Air’, ‘Wax’ and ‘City’. These different points of focus hope to further aid our understanding of the displayed works beyond its historical or societal contexts. 

For example, in the segment ‘Fruit’, the show examines the diverse portrayals of the King of Fruits, Durian, throughout several mediums of art – from sculptures to paintings and photographs. With each medium offering its own unique point of view, visitors can reflect on its status during colonial times and uncover how this fruit has evolved into an iconic symbol of Singapore's national identity.

For more information, visit their website here.
Download the e-catalogue here.