S.E.A. Focus 2024 Opens Today

Serial and Massively Parallel
By A&M

Entrance facade of S.E.A. Focus 2024. Photo by Darren Soh. Image courtesy of S.E.A. Focus.

S.E.A. Focus 2024 opens to the public today, and will run until 28 January 2024. Commissioned by the National Arts Council, and led by STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, S.E.A. Focus has been running since 2019. For the first time, Bank of Singapore comes on board as Main Sponsor. 

This sixth edition is curated by John Tung, titled ‘Serial and Massively Parallel’ and reflects upon the consequences technological advancements, such as artificial intelligence, has on our daily lives, and questions what is left of our human distinctiveness. It further ponders the resultant impact of these new realities on art-making practices.  

Exhibition view of S.E.A. Focus 2024. Photo by Darren Soh. Image courtesy of S.E.A. Focus.

Emi Eu, Executive Director, STPI - Creative Workshop & Gallery, and Project Director, S.E.A. Focus, says “With a curator on board in every edition, there is always something exciting to look forward to as we are able to produce a tighter show that contemplates on very pertinent issues and opens up new ways of experiencing works.” Altogether, visitors can expect to see works by over 40 artists from the region presented by 22 galleries. An intentional assembly of works in both traditional and new media are shown, with more large-scale and off-the-wall works. Eu adds, “This, I feel, genuinely reflects the essence of what our region can offer with that rich diversity and creativity.”

Davion Alston, ‘Untitled (Flowers, March, Ahmaud)’, 2022, archival pigment print, 80 x 106.7cm, edition of 4 and 2 artist’s proofs. Photo by Darren Soh. Image courtesy of S.E.A. Focus.

MONO8, based in Manila, is a returning exhibitor, and will be showing works by Goldie Poblador, Clarence Chun, Faye Pamintuan, as well as Davion Alston. “MONO8's return to S.E.A. Focus shows our commitment and persistence to the progress of contemporary art in the region,” Gwen Bautista, Director, MONO8 says. “Our country has waited far too long to be part of the global dialogue in the arts, and our addition to this increasing presence is an opportunity to present a sustainable framework anchored on artistic integrity while hoping that the market has room to support smaller platforms with big dreams for the community."

Choy Chun Wei, ‘Crowd: Busy Bodies’, 2023, wood, found packaging box (hard paper), printed typo, plastic (Lego) and cast resin, 91.5 x 183cm (diptych). Photo by Darren Soh. Image courtesy of S.E.A. Focus.

Wei-Ling Gallery from Kuala Lumpur will showcase the works of Malaysian contemporary artist Choy Chun Wei, featuring his latest series entitled ‘Human Spectacles Unfurl’ that investigates the dynamics of the urban landscape, and the place of human beings living within it. The gallery will also show ‘The Buddhist Bug: Into the Night’ (2015) by multidisciplinary Cambodian-born artist Anida Yoeu Ali, in collaboration with Studio Revolt and filmmaker Masahiro Sugano. 

Lavender Chang, ‘Silent Heart | Dune’, 2023, fine art archival print, 100 x 120.9cm, edition of 1 of 3 and 2 artist's proof. Photo by Darren Soh. Image courtesy of S.E.A. Focus.

One of the exhibiting artists with Singapore-based FOST Gallery is Lavender Chang. “Responding closely to the curatorial theme of 'Serial and Massively Parallel', we have selected works by artists whose practices are heavily process-based and labour intensive”, says Director Stephanie Fong. “Lavender's new series ‘Silent Heart’, which is making its debut at S.E.A. Focus involves first selecting an appropriate book title which resonates with her, then finding an opportune time to photograph it outdoors in natural moonlight.”

Saroot Supasuthivech. Photo by Kit Bencharongkul. Image courtesy of the artist and Nova Contemporary.

Nawin Nuthong. Photo by Kanrapee Chockpaiboon. Image courtesy of the artist and BANGKOK CITYCITY GALLERY.

Phi Phi Oanh. Image courtesy of the artist and FOST Gallery.

Yesterday, it was announced that the works of Saroot Supasuthivech, Nawin Nuthong and Phi Phi Oanh would be acquired for the SAM collection through the SAM S.E.A. Focus Art Fund. The SAM S.E.A. Focus Art Fund, now in its second edition, is made possible with the support of the founding sponsor, the Yenn and Alan Lo Foundation, established by arts patrons Yenn Wong and Alan Lo. It will provide USD25,000 for each edition of S.E.A. Focus to facilitate the acquisition of representative works of contemporary Southeast Asian art for the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) collection. The selection was made by Eugene Tan, Director, SAM, Khim Ong, Deputy Director, Collections, Public Art and Head, Biennale Office, Singapore Art Museum and guest juror, Mami Kataoka, Director, Mori Art Museum.

Nawin Nuthong, ‘2 seconds before revolution in a leaf’, 2023, single channel video, silent 1:12 min, 2160 x 3840 pixel, edition of 1 plus 1 artist’s proof. Photo by Darren Soh. Image courtesy of S.E.A. Focus.

For Saroot Supasuthivech, the artist’s the ‘River Kwai’ series is a memorial for the prisoners-of-war who lost their lives as labourers building the Burma Railway in World War II, questioning the performative futility of building such commemorative constructions, and reimagining loss as an ultimately spiritual, unifying reality. In ‘2 seconds before revolution in a leaf’, Nawin Nuthong creates pixel animations using Aseprite, and examines technology’s role in reshaping one’s understanding of history. 

Phi Phi Oanh’s series of lacquer paintings, made by adding and subtracting layers, draws attention to life behind glass, such as in a terrarium jar or an aquarium. Collectively, they make a statement about how the earth’s atmosphere, like fragile glass, is our sole protection against external elements. 

Saroot Supasuthivech, ‘River Kwai: This Memorial Service was Held in the Memory of the Deceased’, 2022, two-channel video installation. Photo by Darren Soh. Image courtesy of S.E.A. Focus.

Saroot Supasuthivech, ‘River Kwai: This Memorial Service was Held in the Memory of the Deceased’, 2022, resin and marble sculpture. Image courtesy of the artist and Nova Contemporary.

Phi Phi Oanh, ‘Pro Se Vivarium Air 2, Pro Se Composition 2, Pro Se Vivarium Air 1, Pro Se Composition 1’, 2023. Photo by Darren Soh. Image courtesy of S.E.A. Focus.

A highlight at S.E.A. Focus this year is ‘A Conversation with the Sun (Installation)’ by Apichatpong Weerasethakul with BANGKOK CITYCITY GALLERY. Selected footage by Weerasethakul will be projected in a video installation with a large moving curtain backdrop, mechanised by the design team of DuckUnit. The artist’s exploration of technology is furthered through framed works by the artist showing in the main hall of S.E.A. Focus, featuring text-to-image AI generation.

Apichatpong Weerasethakul, ‘A Conversation with the Sun (Installation)’, 2022, 2-channel video randomly projected, 3-channel sound on 7 speakers, motorised fabric, infinite loop. Photo by Darren Soh. Image courtesy of S.E.A. Focus.

And at OFF Focus, the S.E.A. Focus fringe film programme, curated by Objectifs – Centre for Photography and Film, nine short films by Weerasethakul will be shown at Golden Village x The Projector at Cineleisure for one day only on 21 January. There will be two screenings, with the second one ending with a Q&A session online with the auteur.

S.E.A. Focus 2024 Screening Room. Image courtesy of S.E.A. Focus. Photo by Darren Soh.

Over two weekends, four SEAspotlight Talks will take place each day at 2pm in the Screening Room, featuring conversations by art professionals and thought leaders. These complement the curatorial theme and look at efforts in the region to create, critique, curate and collect art.

This afternoon, at “Collaboration and Community: Yee I-Lann, Beverly Yong and June Yap”, the speakers discussed the traveling exhibition ‘Borneo Heart’, as well as the sun will rise in the east, a monograph of Yee’s works from 2011 to 2023, edited by Yong. Tomorrow, Dinh Q. Lê and Heri Dono will speak about the meaning of tradition in the context of contemporary art in “Tradition Today: Contemporary Craft and Storytelling”, and how they each use craft to share personal and communal stories. The talk is moderated by Lisa Movius, China Bureau Chief and Asia Correspondent, The Art Newspaper.

Next Saturday, “To Market, To Market, To Buy an Artwork: Investing in Southeast Asia” will see a panel of art market participants give insights into investing in Southeast Asian art. This is followed on Sunday, the final day of S.E.A. Focus 2024, by “Not Just a Show: Exhibition-Making in Southeast Asia” on Sunday, which will see a roundtable of curators discuss the ins and outs of putting together art exhibitions in the region. 

S.E.A. Focus 2024 runs from 20 to 28 January 2024 at 39 Keppel Road, Tanjong Pagar Distripark. Tickets are on sale at SGD10 and accessible via www.seafocus.sg. Each ticket is valid for multiple entries. For more information, visit seafocus.sg. 

Art & Market is proud to be an official media partner of S.E.A. Focus.