Singapore Biennale 2008

Have you been to the Biennale site lately? Go to http://www.singaporebiennale.org/

It says that Singapore Biennale 2008 will be held next year between 11th of Sept and 16th of Nov 2008.

Here is the press release published 7th of June 2007.

Fumio Nanjo Appointed Artistic Director of Singapore Biennale 2008
11 September to 16November 2008

The second edition of Singapore’s premier international contemporary art event, Singapore Biennale 2008 (SB2008) will be held from 11 September to 16 November 2008.

Organized by the National Arts Council, the Biennale aims to position Singapore
prominently as an international centre and regional thought leader in the field of visual art.

It allows Singapore artists and Singapore to engage with the international art world, through the invitation of regional and international artists to exhibit with Singapore artists, and for Singapore to join the international community of art biennales whose language is mainly conducted through the medium of contemporary art.

As a platform for collaborations with the global arts community, the Biennale provides new opportunities for local visual artists and arts businesses, and is a significant opportunity to cultivate deeper public engagement with the arts.

It complements the achievements of other areas of the arts and cultural scene, collectively enhancing Singapore’s international image as a vibrant city to live, work, play.

Highly accomplished curator and art critic, Fumio Nanjo has been re-appointed the
Artistic Director for SB2008.

Internationally reputed for having headed the programming and adjudication of major art events throughout the world, the Director of Tokyo’s Mori Art Museum helmed Singapore’s inaugural biennale in 2006. Once again, Nanjo will chart the direction and programming for Singapore’s visual arts biennale, continuing to boost Singapore’s position as a distinctive global city for the arts.

“We are glad to appoint Fumio Nanjo as Artistic Director SB2008. The opportunity to
work with the same artistic director for the sophomore edition allows for greater
continuity for an event that is still new and for the project to deepen in its reach and engagement with the city and audiences. In addition, it also presents the unique
opportunity for the artistic director to reflect on what was created for the first edition and together with a new team of curators, respond to the process and methodology of exhibition making. We had a very good working relationship with Nanjo for SB2006 and are pleased that he has agreed to work with us again to build on the foundation of our successful first Biennale." says Lee Suan Hiang, Chairman of the Singapore Biennale 2008 Steering Committee, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the National Arts Council.

“I have great interest in this region and Singapore is one of the best bases to work in the region. It provides a good opportunity to research artists in and around Singapore, as well as the Middle East. Through this, we as curators have the occasion of learning the complex cultures and societies present in the region. In addition, Singapore now has proper museums and arts infrastructure that makes it a stable and reliable environment to establish new projects. With the organization of just one biennale under its belt, there is still a lot more room for growth and advancement. The people of Singapore still have a lot to learn about contemporary art and I believe that working on the biennale only once, is not enough. I feel a sense of responsibility to continue to nurture arts appreciation among the local audiences and to further deepen the experiences that the local community can gain through the biennale.” says Fumio Nanjo, Artistic Director, Singapore Biennale 2008.

For SB2008, Nanjo has chosen to work with two emerging curators from Singapore and
the region. Formerly a curator at the Singapore Art Museum and the Lopez Museum in
Manila, Joselina Cruz is an independent curator currently working on projects in Manila and Singapore.

Matthew Ngui is one of Singapore’s leading artists in contemporary art.

The first Singaporean to exhibit at Documenta in 1997, Ngui was also one of four artists who represented Singapore at its first participation at the 49th Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition in 2001.

The duo makes an interesting combination of an independent contemporary curator familiar with the museum context and an artist playing the role of a curator.
SB2008 promises to be a visual arts extravaganza that will be fresh and surprising for audiences.

Together with the two curators, Nanjo will be researching on artists and art practices from various parts of the world with a special focus on Asia and its region; further establishing Singapore as the hotbed for research, documentation and presentation of Asian contemporary artforms.

They will provide for accessibility of programming to multiple levels of audiences – local, regional and international and pay special attention to outreach and education, allowing for a deeper engagement with contemporary art by the people of Singapore.