The Emerging Artists To Look Out For At Singapore Art Week 2025

The 13th edition of Singapore Art Week (SAW) kicks off this Friday with more than 130 events and exhibitions taking place all across the island. Understandably, it's easy to get overwhelmed by the avalanche of activities - here, we speak to some of the rising Singapore artists who are helming shows that are smaller in scale but no less important than some of the marquee names around town. Here, we speak to nine emerging names on their journeys and give a sneak peek at the cool works you can look forward to at SAW 2025:

ANNA DU TOIT

An assistant curator at the Southeast Asian-focused art platform GOFY by day, Du Toit is known for her surrealist ballpoint pen drawings, which ranges from reimagined manga icons like Neon Genesis Evangelion's Rei Ayanami to otherworldly human-animal hybrids that seem straight out of noir fairytales. She describes her art as a visual diary, weaving together months of experiences, dreams, and fleeting obsessions.

Tell us more about what you’re presenting at SAW2025

I’m showing Green Pater, one of my first larger-scale oil paintings, at the group exhibition Mirror of Mind alongside other amazing artists."

Where and when can people catch it?

"Mirror of Mind is now showing at Hopsfield Art Gallery till Feb 3!"

 What do you hope visitors will take away from your work?

"I don’t often work using oil paint, and whenever I do, I make sure to go crazy with the colours. Since my usual medium of choice is ballpoint pen (aka, black and white), I hope that my paintings offer a different perspective into how I create and conceptualise my worlds. I see this painting as a gateway to something tangible from inside my mind."

What shows are you looking out for this SAW?

"I'm looking forward to the Ames Yavuz group show at Gillman Barracks titled A gesture, a room, a memory. It splices together familiar scenes of domesticity, veiled by something almost uncanny, which I always enjoy. Otherwise, I enjoy walking around at random and discovering what there is to see. I rely on my friends to yoink me to different places."

What’s your take on Singapore’s art scene today?

"I find it exciting to be an artist in Singapore today. I’ve learned so much from people across different disciplines and feel a level of openness here that I didn’t experience as much in London as a student there. However, in the context of exhibiting art, I do wish artwork was exhibited in more daring spaces, rather than the usual white cube. I love when exhibitions transform the space to suit the art, turning the experience into something more than just a sales pitch."

ARABELLE ZHUANG

Zhuang is an interdisciplinary artist who works with photography, moving image, and textiles. Her practice is rooted in a deep curiosity about human connections, the natural world, and the stories that shape us. She explores the way people and landscapes influence each other - through her work, she invites viewers into a space where reality, imagination and fiction meet, encouraging reflection on both personal and collective journeys.

Tell us more about what you’re presenting at SAW2025

"Skinfolk, Kinfolk is a contemplative exploration of my mother's life and our relationship, framed through the lens of memory, family archives, and inherited identities. Beginning in 2022 as a personal meditation on her unspoken histories, the work delves into the fragmented stories of her past, revealing the complexities of familial connections.

By 2024, the project expands to include a collaborative reflection with my mother, where we engage in a ‘Conversation on Care’ to piece together her life story and reflect on the evolution of our relationship... The work underscores the deep significance of caregiver attachment while also understanding the paradoxical effects of state policies that, despite their intent to support the family nucleus, have affected delicate dynamics within the domestic sphere and altered the way we connect."

Where and when can people catch it?

"I'm showing at the group exhibition titled Hope you are keeping well!, alongside three other amazing artists, Hu Rui, Genevieve Leong and Huijun Lu, curated by the wonderful (emerging curator) Lenette Lua. This show reflects on the impact of Singapore’s national productivity agenda on artistic labour. You can catch theshow at Objectifs from Jan 15 - Mar 2 at Objectifs, 155 Middle Road."

What do you hope visitors will take away from your work?

"(My work) is meant to encourage reflection on our own experiences of care and foster deeper conversations with loved ones. Through caring for others, we gain profound understanding on how to care for ourselves along the way."

What shows are you looking out for this SAW?

"One exhibition I'm particularly excited to see is | | on paper by Hong Shu-ying and Kirti Upadhyaya. This experimental 'residency' began with just four sheets of A4 paper, replacing the traditional studio space with this simple, yet profound material. The project invites 20 artists to explore and create using only these four pieces of paper as their canvas. I’m eager to see how each artist approaches this minimalistic starting point and how they push the boundaries of what’s possible with such a simple material. Other exhibitions/programmes that caught my eye in the SAW2025 line up are The Eye and the Tiger by OH! Open House and Before and After the Unknown by Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen."

What’s your take on Singapore’s art scene today?

"Today's artists are working across a wide array of media, continuously pushing the boundaries of what art can be. I’m particularly inspired by the collaborative spirit among artists, and I hope to explore more of that in my own practice. I also admire how contemporary artists are not confined to a single medium, embracing new tools and approaches that allow them to explore multitudes of possibilities."

ARRVIN RAJ

Arrvin is an emerging artist who blends performance art, photography, painting, sculpture, and installation into a textured exploration of self-identity, human intuition, and interpersonal relationships. Drawing from a fascination with Taoist philosophy, his work reimagines forgotten histories and examines freedom, memory, and the human condition.

Tell us more about what you’re presenting at SAW2025

"My project (a joint show with fellow artist Joshua Kon) is titled Con-Temporary Art (CTA). This is a mobile exhibition which features a miniature white-cube art space that measures 80 x 60 x 40 cm
and can easily transported by two people. This project is meant to reimagine art venues within urban landscapes, offering a fresh and unconventional approach to accessibility. The name Con-Temporary Art plays on the word 'contemporary' to evoke ideas of being Conceptual, Concise, Condensed or maybe being conned hahaha. CTA provides a portable, rent-free exhibition space that brings art directly to the audience, bypassing traditional rental and visibility challenges."

Where and when can people catch it?

"The exhibition runs from January 17 to 26 , and we move it to new locations daily. Follow us on Instagram for updates!

What do you hope visitors will take away from your work?

"I hope the audience approaches this show with an open mind and embraces the intimate, scaled-down viewing experience. My aim is to offer a fresh perspective for viewers who are accustomed to traditional gallery presentations. And also maybe to (create) an ikigai experience (a Japanese term that translates to a passion that gives value and joy to life), where we approach a random viewer and get them experience our showcasing in that format."

What shows are you looking out for this SAW?

"I’m excited about Before and After the Unknown by Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen - I’m looking forward to their storytelling approach to reimagining the past. Another show I’m eagerly anticipating is | | on paper by Hong Shu Ying and Kirti Upadhyaya. They invited a group of artists to participate in a residency program, working with just a few pieces of A4-sized paper; I can’t wait to see what the artists will create and present after this unconventional residency."

What’s your take on Singapore’s art scene today?

"I truly appreciate how vibrant and diverse the visual art scene in Singapore is today. That said, I have a deep admiration for the bold and daring spirit of artists from the '80s and 90s and hope to see more of that energy in contemporary works. I’d also love to see more interactive and immersive art shows (instead of the usual collection-based exhibitions), which tend to engage audiences on a deeper level."

BENEDICT YU

Yu’s art is where the virtual meets the spiritual: using a blend of virtual reality and spiritual drawings, he creates immersive experiences that help people reconnect with their inner selves. With a family deeply rooted in spirituality—his grandfather led a Buddhist society in Taiwan, and his father is a Christian preacher—Yu’s art is influenced by diverse traditions. A life-changing encounter with a psychic during an artist residency in Europe helped him discover his true calling: using art to heal, unite, and inspire.

Tell us more about what you’re presenting at SAW2025

"My exhibition, In Reverie, is all about finding hope, joy, and resilience through sharing untold stories. I’ve gathered over 100 stories from people in 40 countries via an open call/invitation on social media. These stories take the form of A4-sized paper boats scattered throughout the exhibition space. Visitors can read them, and if they feel inspired, they can add their own story to the installation. It’s a growing, living collective journey that will be traveling to Berlin and Paris later in the year as well."

Where and where can people catch it?

You can catch In Reverie from Jan 16 - 26, 1pm - 7pm (Tues-Thurs), and 10am - 5pm (Fri-Sun) at DOMAIN603, located in this unique industrial spot called Song Lin Building. I didn’t even know there were so many cool art and design projects happening there until I was invited—it’s definitely worth checking out! For directions, hop onto my IG or DOMAIN603’s IG, or head to the Singapore Art Week website to know more."

What do you hope visitors will take away from your work?

"Everyone’s fighting their own inner battles, and I hope this exhibition offers a space for reflection and connection. By reading the paper boat stories or engaging with my own work, which shares parts of my traumas, I want visitors to feel the collective strength and resilience of all these shared experiences. My ultimate wish is for them to leave with renewed hope and joy."

What shows are you looking out for this SAW?

I love exploring hidden gems, so I’m all about the offbeat locations like DOMAIN603. Here are two shows I’m especially excited for: The Other Detour at Comma Space - Comma Space is a small independent art space and they're amazing at curating unique exhibitions in their limited-space venue. It’s like their name—a “comma” in the fast-paced world where you can pause and reflect. I don’t know much about this show yet, but the sneak peeks already have me intrigued.

The other show I'm excited for is SEGGS by the XSS collective (comprising artists Sarah Lin & Samantha Lee): These two are such a powerhouse duo! Their previous exhibition at the Singapore International Photography Festival last year was staged in a building under construction—it was so unconventional yet critical with their works. This time they’re taking over a car park, and I can’t wait to see what they’ve dreamed up."

What’s your take on Singapore’s art scene today?

"Having spent my first 18 years in Taiwan and the last 10 years here in Singapore, I feel like I’m still learning about the scene. What I love most is meeting creatives from all over the world and having meaningful conversations with them in Singapore. One thing I’ve noticed is that people here are very aware of the potential for deep, honest conversations, but they sometimes hold back. It’s like there’s a balance between sharing and staying reserved. I get it—circumstances don’t always allow us to open up.
But I truly believe that as we grow and face challenges, these withheld conversations will surface and help us become stronger, more resilient people.

Personally, I cherish the joy of connecting with like-minded souls, but I also wish we could talk more openly about the struggles we all face. That’s the big motivation behind my exhibition — to create a space where we can share, give, receive, and ultimately, heal together."

CHOK SI XUAN

Through her curious installations, Chok explores how people's interactions are "increasingly mediated by layers of technologies"; she’s fascinated by how devices, apps, and software can bring us closer or push us further apart, shaping the dynamics of our relationships. Inspired by cybernetics and post-human culture, her art - typically created with secondhand electronics mixed with materials like silicone, steel, and fabrics - challenges us to rethink the role of technology in our lives.

Tell us more about what you’re presenting at SAW2025

"Hello! Since October 2024, I have been an artist-in-residence at the NTU Center for Contemporary Art, as part of ‘Communities of Practice’, a shapeshifting research platform that brings forth communities at the intersection of artistic practices. As part of SAW, myself, alongside fellow artist residents Bani Haykal and Ong Kian Peng, have produced new artworks and will be showcasing it in an exhibition titled Techno Diversions. Nothing has to be the way it is. I'm showing a work called Morpho - Morpho is a fleshy kinetic installation that works with motors, custom circuitry and umbrella joints, and it's meant to continue my research within the material qualities of technology. It is also a new work that revisits some of my earliest kinetic pieces."

Where and when can people catch it?

"The group exhibition Techno Diversions. Nothing has to be the way it is is staged at NTU CCA Singapore at Gillman Barracks from Jan 17 - 27, 12pm - 7pm (till 10pm for Art After Dark on Jan 24 and 25)."

What do you hope visitors will take away from your work?

"In attempting to create a sense of organic-ness through mechanical objects, I hope that visitors feel a strange, uncanny familiarity to this strange entity, that we find closeness in the ways that these components move and react in space!"

What shows are you looking out for this SAW?

"krØmæ§piritⱫ Fyerool Darma’s solo show at Yeo Workshop - the presentation combines found industrial materials with stock photos—pre-existing, commercially available images—and generative images, which are created through algorithms or AI processes, seamlessly integrated with sonar vibrations. Before and After the Unknown, by Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen at Fort Canning Park, a multimedia exhibition by Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen, set within a speculative fiction universe of Temasek island in the 11th century. Hope you are keeping well! curated by Lenette Lua at Objectifs - this show reflects on the impact of Singapore’s national productivity agenda on artistic labour, with a particular focus on the Smart Nation plan and the 1980s Productivity Campaign.

All of these exhibitions excite me, with some asking urgent questions around care and the ways that we live, and others exploring our histories and contemporary visual culture. Knowing some of the artists, I’m excited to see what they produce and look forward to experiencing them!"

What’s your take on Singapore’s art scene today?

"My take is that Singapore’s art scene is quickly growing, with growing groups of people seeing the importance of nurturing and participating in the local creative scene. I hope that we will continue to do so to build up momentum and hope to see more independently curated projects, art in less-conventional sites and long duration projects. What I’d like to see less of is rushing (of art-seeing and art production). Singapore Art Week is a massive endeavour on our artists and cultural workers, and there is so much to see. As art goers and artists, I hope we can also slow down, and be more intentional in our time spent with art, some way, somehow!"

HONG SHU-YING

Working with found materials and collected stories, Hong creates books, videos, and prints that invite viewers to reflect on the world around them. Growing up in Chinese instrumental orchestras, Hong learned the value of collaboration and community, which continues to inform her work today. She’s fascinated by alternative knowledge systems, often using informal archives—like handwritten scores, annotations, and amateur videos—to create time capsules that reflect the world’s repetitions and contradictions.

Tell us more about what you’re presenting at SAW2025

My collaborator Kirti Upadhyaya and I are presenting an exhibition called |      | on paper. It's a project that is close to our hearts. This was an idea I had brewing for over two years, thinking about the charm of working with paper as an art material, but also the possibilities when someone works with paper, a deceptively simple material...

Since September, we’ve reached out to artists—friends and artists we admire—inviting them to participate in this unconventional ‘residency’ using four sheets of paper (as a kicking off point). The format of the ‘residency’ intrigues us as creatives ourselves. The idea of a residency has come to be trendy in recent years, with more art spaces and the affordability of travel or online connectivity. What are the most precious gifts for artists during residencies? Space and conversations. But is this something that could be done on a more intimate, portable scale? Our version of a residency meets the artist wherever they are. Rather than providing them with four white walls, we provide them with four sheets of paper. We deliver this paper, a sort of ‘space’ to create on/within, to artists, so the residency finds them wherever they are.

The premise is simple: get paper, use it, and return it. Yet, the possibilities are endless—writing, sketching, sculpting, or integrating the paper into larger works. This open-ended format excites us as it invites exploration and diverse processes."

Where and when can people catch it?

"The project culminates in an open studio at FARM design studio (at Waterloo Centre, 261 Waterloo Street, #04-20) and an online repository at our website or @______onpaper on Instagram. The show opens Jan 17 - 28, and Feb 5 – 9, 12pm - 7pm, daily."

What do you hope visitors will take away from your work?

"I hope people get more curious about the possibilities of paper, books, or just everyday materials. I also wish that by focusing on process, audiences can unlock more ways to access and appreciate art, and developed empathy with the creative process."

What shows are you looking out for this SAW?

"I’m super excited to reunite with friends and artists whom I’ve been working with flying in to Singapore! It’s always exhilarating (and exhausting) to host everyone, I love how we can gather and talk about everything over food, and be reminded of how we are so similar and different at the same time. There are also shows I am looking forward to, including Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen’s Before and After the Unknown over at Fort Canning Park."

What’s your take on Singapore’s art scene today?

"I find (the lack of) space to be both a pain and joy of being in Singapore as a creative soul. We don’t have enough space to make mistakes and create experiments. Yet, we have a lot of generous people with space that are so happy to share them if you knock on doors— FARM design agency is one of these places and it’s been such a joy to work with them to shape the visitors’ experience of our exhibition |      | on paper.

We are so small that everyone is taking turns to show at the same spaces, almost like playing musical chairs. But the same smallness means everyone knows each other, and our community is close and porous. I hope the closeness becomes a way for us to learn and draw strength from each other easily, rather than something that makes resources feel scarce. 

Another thing I’ve begun thinking about is funding in Singapore. We’re very lucky to have so many funding opportunities provided by the state, yet there is a danger of becoming complacent and dependent on that. Recently, a small group of us have been thinking about micro-funding that’s pooled by creatives as a way to counter rigid funding timelines and the way state-funding shapes the format of different programmes we do."

LAI YU TONG

Through the acts of recording, arranging, and storytelling, Singapore artist Lai's art is his attempt to make sense of the world around him, exploring how art can spark empathy in a world that feels increasingly fractured. Inspired by children’s art, cave paintings, folk art, and outsider art, Lai’s work reflects on the complexities of living—and sometimes dying—in the city he calls home.

Tell us more about what you’re presenting at SAW2025

"I will be showing for the first time with Shanghart Gallery as part of S.E.A. Focus 2025 (Jan 18 – 26) and also in a group show called |      | on paper (Jan 17 Jan – Feb 9) curated by Hong Shu-ying and Kirti Upadhyaya at FARM Waterloo Centre. Throughout the month of January, I will also be the resident artist at the independent art space dblspce over at Peninsula Shopping Centre."

What do you hope visitors will take away from your work?

"The new works I am presenting reflect on my relationship with animals in Singapore. I hope the works will allow visitors to question their own relationship to other living beings that we share the city with."

What shows are you looking out for this SAW?

"I am looking forward to the return of Robert Zhao's Seeing Forest installation from the Venice Biennale. His practice always lets me see Singapore and the natural world in ways that are foreign and new to me."

What’s your take on Singapore’s art scene today?

"I acknowledge the strength of Singapore's art workers—artists, curators, administrators, art handlers—fighting to keep their belief in art and culture alive despite the challenges of doing so in a country like this. I hope one day there will be more independent art spaces and artist-run spaces like we had pre-Covid19 and before championing the experimental and the alternative.

LAM LI SHUEN

Most would know Lam as one-half of the artist-filmmaker duo together with her partner Mark Chua. Their work spans film, expanded cinema performance, and installations, with a focus on exploring the connections between materials, histories, and surrealistic fiction. Lately, they've been fascinated by the intersection of botanical traces and biological impulses, creating imaginative worlds that bring these elements together in unexpected ways.

Tell us more about what you’re presenting at SAW2025

My collaborator and partner Mark Chua and I are putting on a multimedia exhibition at Fort Canning Park called Before and After the Unknown, presenting a speculative fiction universe of 11 th century Temasek island! The works presented will span expanded cinema, sculpture and a video game. Between lost fragments, reconstructions, simulations, we wanted to consider how we might find ourselves in a state of being suspended free. As if both before and after the unknown at once – like islands in time."

Where and when can people catch it?

"From Jan 17 - 26, we will be taking over a 96-year-old heritage building, Lewin Terrace, at Fort Canning Park. More details here."

What do you hope visitors will take away from your work?

"A sense that the past is very interconnected to our present state of being, and not just the recorded past, but the traces and figments in the realm of fiction... I hope people will feel these resonances between the exhibition’s speculative histories and the ancient hill of Fort Canning."

What shows are you looking out for this SAW?

"I am looking forward in particular to Auction For The Afterlife by Yang Vicki, Wu Jun Han and Teo Xiao Ting, Cabinet of Curiosities by Jessica Heng, Quek See Yee, Lynette Quek, and Bambby Cheuk, and |      | on paper by Hong Shu-ying and Kirti Upadhyaya. For me, these artists have practices that are really exciting in how they speak from the Singaporean soul."

What’s your take on Singapore’s art scene today?

"There is some electric feeling in the people, to bring practices together, to think about our condition. The diversity of experimentation has been great. And yet I am cautious of small and large entities, corporations, industries who might try to monopolise the expressions of something that should be free."

QUEK JIA QI

With a socially-engaged practice, Quek creates art experiences that connect communities, learning, and creativity. Fascinated by how public spaces can become hubs for collective storytelling and discovery, she focuses on transforming everyday environments into platforms for dialogue and exchange, helping people see the world around them in fresh, new ways.

Tell us more about what you’re presenting at SAW2025

"I'm presenting two public artworks that invite everyone to see familiar spaces in new ways! A Living Museum for Bukit Gombak is happening under the Bukit Gombak MRT viaduct, where this transit space will be transformed into a community cabinet of curiosities. By reimagining urban infrastructure as vessels for storytelling, the artwork invites residents to elevate everyday objects and personal memories into cultural artefacts that inspire exploration. Inspired by the meaning of 'gombak' in Malay, which translates to "a collection of something," each cabinet intertwines the narratives of Bukit Gombak's community life through shared everyday experiences, facilitating the exchange of new discoveries in the neighborhood through its material culture. You can discover and contribute more stories at www.alivingmuseumforbukitgombak.com.

Over at Jurong Lake Gardens Pavilion, I'm collaborating with fellow artist Aaron Lim on Field Notes for Encountering Nature, a public installation which explores different ways of experiencing nature, using collage as the primary language of visual storytelling and knowledge-making. Inspired by the intricate networks of fungi and their collective knowledge sharing, the installation reimagines the Entrance Pavilion as a space with multiple entry points for encountering the garden. Like mycelium spreading underground, the artwork creates a rhizomatic network of perspectives, inviting visitors to explore new ways of seeing nature and our relationship with nature. You can participate in co-creating the artwork with us by joining in our collage workshops happening on the morning of 18 and 19 Jan 2025. 

What do you hope visitors will take away from your work?

"More than just experiencing the installations, I hope visitors will feel empowered to be equipped with new lenses to see their everyday surroundings. It would be amazing if people walk away realising that art doesn't have to be a solitary experience – it can be collaborative, happen anywhere, and involve everyone! Through these encounters, I hope participants discover the richness of stories and perspectives that exist within their communities, and feel inspired to continue engaging with their environment in more imaginative ways. Whether it's noticing the subtle details of nature at Jurong Lake Gardens or uncovering new discoveries in Bukit Gombak, these works invite everyone to become more attuned to the spaces we often take for granted."

What shows are you looking out for this SAW?

"I’m looking forward to exploring the range of works happening around Singapore during SAW 2025! I'm particularly drawn to projects that challenge traditional art presentation formats and create unexpected encounters, such as Light to Night Singapore, |      | on paper, Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear, Path. 15, Cosmic Strangers, The Eye and The Tiger, Hope You Are Keeping Well!, Seggs, and Cabinet of Curiosities.

What’s your take on Singapore’s art scene today?

"We’re seeing more artists working beyond conventional gallery spaces and connecting directly with communities. I'd love to see even more experimental approaches to art-making and presenting, especially projects that make art more accessible and meaningful to everyday folks. The key is to keep pushing boundaries while building genuine connections with our audiences!"

ESMOND LOH

Loh is a painter who brings theatricality to life through bold, dramatic scenes. Drawing from his memories and imagination, he creates ambiguous worlds where abstract and figurative elements collide. His paintings feature characters—human and non-human alike—set in natural, and occasionally urban, environments, often charged with tension and mystery.

Tell us more about what you’re presenting at SAW2025

"I have two projects during Singapore Art Week. The first is a solo exhibition titled Another Day in Paradise at Haridas Contemporary, where I’m showing 10 paintings made in 2024. That’s on from January 11 to February 16. Additionally, I am showing three paintings at Haridas Contemporary’s booth at ART SG (January 16-19). This would be my first time participating in an art fair as an artist."

What do you hope visitors will take away from your work?

"The ideal scenario would be this: Visitors would first be captivated by the visual drama of my work. Some would feel a sense of nostalgia as they recognise familiar events or places in the paintings, while others would be perplexed and unnerved by the subtle anticipation in what might seem like ordinary scenes. Finally, the visitors would be sucked into each painting and brought on an adventure, discovering multiple interesting details and Easter eggs."

What shows are you looking out for this SAW?

"To be honest, I’m not really sure! It’s been a dizzying period with so many art events going on and preparing for my own exhibitions. I guess I am definitely looking forward to ART SG and S.E.A Focus; they have got the advantage of presenting a large array of works by both local and international artists all in one place. Another show on the Singapore Art Week website that caught my eye is Seeing Forest by Robert Zhao, naturally since I am a huge fan of nature and wildlife, as evidenced in my paintings."

What’s your take on Singapore’s art scene today?

"The Singapore art scene has come a long way. There is increased appreciation for art across all segments: institutions, private collectors, and regular art viewers. Artists enjoy huge support and numerous opportunities to produce and showcase their work. There are also multiple platforms and events throughout the year for people to enjoy art.

However, the challenge remains that Singapore is a small country with a limited patron base. I think we should continue strengthening art education and art outreach efforts to cultivate a deeper appreciation for art. This would contribute to the vibrancy of the art scene. Additionally, institutions should continue to deepen regional and global engagement to enable Singapore-based artists to seek out opportunities beyond our shores."