MEDIA RELEASE Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize returns for third edition Over 100 artworks nominated across the Asia-Pacific region to compete for the Grand Prize 16 June 2014, Singapore – Established in 2008 by the Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation and the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), the triennial APB Foundation Signature Art Prize is returning for its third installment this year. Seeking to present the most outstanding contemporary artwork from both emerging and distinguished artists over the last three years, the prize puts the spotlight on compelling visual artworks from across the Asia Pacific region. The APB Foundation Signature Art Prize is recognised as one of the highest accolades for contemporary visual art in Asia Pacific, and is open to all visual artworks, regardless of medium, subject matter or size. This year’s edition sees some 105 artworks from 24 countries and regions nominated by 36 independent, established art experts (For list of nominators and nominees, please refer to Annex A and Annex C, respectively). The prize works closely with each nominator, who scours the region’s contemporary art scene for groundbreaking works that push boundaries in terms of concept and expression. The prize is also increasing the rigour of selection and raising the quality of entries presented by narrowing the nominations down to three per nominator, as compared to five nominations of the last edition. Of the 105 nominated artworks, 15 artworks will be shortlisted by an independent judging panel consisting of five well-known international and regional art experts, to be exhibited at SAM for public viewing from 14 November 2014 until 15 March 2015. The panel comprises Mr. Chris Saines, Director of Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art; Mr. Feng Boyi, eminent independent art curator and critic of Chinese contemporary art; Ms. Luckana Kunavichayanont, Director of Bangkok Art and Culture Center; Ms. Pooja Sood, Director of KHOJ International Artists’ Association; and Dr. Susie Lingham, Director of Singapore Art Museum (For more information on the judging panel, please refer to Annex B). This year, the total prize money has increased to $100,000. One Grand Prize winner will walk away with an award of $60,000, an increase of more than 30% over the amount awarded in 2011. Two Jurors’ Choice Awards of $15,000 each will also be awarded, up from $10,000 each in the previous edition. This third edition sees the tightening of the number of Jurors’ Choice awards from three in previous years to just two this year, increasing the exclusivity of the prize and providing the Grand Prize winner and Jurors’ Choice Award recipients with more substantial winnings to further boost the development of their practice. The APB Foundation Signature Art Prize 2014 will continue to feature a People's Choice Award of $10,000, offered to the artwork which receives the highest number of votes from the public. Aimed at encouraging deeper audience engagement, this award will accept votes cast at the exhibition onsite at SAM and online via a Signature Art Prize microsite. “The APB Foundation is committed to inspiring talents and supporting the development of a vibrant arts scene not just in Singapore, but also across the entire Asia Pacific region. The impressive range of artworks nominated as part of this third edition of the prize clearly showcases the ever-improving quality of works being produced out of this dynamic region. We are proud to be able to play a part in identifying, supporting and growing this network of talented artists,” said Mr. Roland Pirmez, Chairman of the APB Foundation Advisory Committee and Board of Trustees, and President of HEINEKEN Asia Pacific. Director of SAM, Dr. Susie Lingham added, “SAM has always focused on championing contemporary art in the region. Organising prestigious award programmes such as the Signature Art Prize continues our mission as Singapore’s contemporary art museum to highlight emerging and established Southeast Asian and Asia-Pacific contemporary artists, bringing awareness of recent developments in the contemporary art landscape from this part of the world to a wider audience. We’re pleased to work with important long-term partners such as the APB Foundation, whose kind generosity make it possible for us to create this triennial prize in support of Asian artists – giving them the room to evolve and continually create stimulating and creative work.” Past winners and finalists of the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize include Rodel Tapaya from the Philippines, Michael Lee from Singapore, Aida Makoto from Japan, Daniel Crooks from Australia, and Imran Qureshi from Pakistan. Rodel Tapaya, Grand Prize Winner of APB Foundation Signature Art Prize 2011, has gone on to add other accolades to his name such as the “The Thirteen Artist Awards” – national honours bestowed every three years by Philippines’ National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Imran Qureshi, a finalist of the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize 2011, has gone on to be recognised as Deutsche Bank’s “Artist of the Year 2013”, and commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art to create a Roof Garden artwork accompanied by an exhibition of his miniatures. The 15 finalists of the 2014 installment will be announced by 11 August 2014 and the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize Exhibition will take place at SAM from 14 November 2014 to 15 March 2015. For more information, please visit the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize webpage at http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/apbfSAP2014.html. -END- About the Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Instituted in June 1994, the APB Foundation seeks to ignite compassion and inspire through our philanthropic efforts. We set resources in motion to help people and organisations improve talents, enhanced educational and research endeavours as well as better living conditions. In turn, we fuel society and enable the communities, where we live and work, to flourish. Committed to supporting Human Excellence, Creativity Development and Humanitarian Causes, the APB Foundation is involved in a variety of initiatives that range from arts funding and backing talent-building projects for human capital development, to engaging in meaningful partnerships with organisations or individuals who share our common goal to serve the society. The APB Foundation is a registered charity managed and funded by Heineken Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. (HEINEKEN Asia Pacific). About the Singapore Art Museum The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) focuses on contemporary art practice in Singapore, Southeast Asia and Asia within the global context. It advocates and makes accessible interdisciplinary contemporary art through research-led and evolving curatorial practice. Opened in January 1996, SAM has built up one of the most important collections of contemporary art from the region. It seeks to seed and nourish a stimulating and creative space in Singapore through exhibitions and public programmes. These encompass cross-disciplinary residencies and exchanges, research and publications, as well as outreach and education. SAM was the organiser of the Singapore Biennale in 2011 and 2013. SAM was incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee on 13 November 2013 and has moved from the National Heritage Board to the Visual Arts Cluster (VAC) under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY). The other institutions under the VAC are the National Art Gallery, Singapore (NAGS), and the Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI). For more information, please contact: Kimberly Mah Lynn Sim Ogilvy Public Relations Singapore Art Museum DID: 6213 9940 DID: 6697 9762 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Janet Neo Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation DID: 6276 3488 Email: [email protected] Annex A: Nominators NAME OF NOMINATOR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN 1 Nadia Samdani Bangladesh 2 Syen Sofian Brunei 3 Phloeun Prim Cambodia 4 Qiu Zhi Jie China 5 Zhu Qiang China 6 Johnson Chang Hong Kong 7 Vidya Shivadas India 8 Nancy Adajania India 9 Farah Wardani Indonesia 10 Rifky Effendy Indonesia 11 Taro Amano Japan 12 Midori Matsui Japan 13 Misouda Heuangsoukkhoun Laos 14 Wong Hoy Cheong Malaysia 15 Nur Hanim Khairuddin Malaysia 16 Tsendpurev Tsegmid Mongolia 17 Po Po Myanmar 18 Sangeeta Thapa Nepal 19 Sarah Farrar Oceania (New Zealand) 20 Zara Stanhope Oceania (New Zealand) 21 Steve Eland Oceania (Australia) 22 Michelle Antoinette Oceania (Australia) 23 Giles Peterson Oceania (Pacific Islands) 24 Ambereen Karamat Pakistan 25 Joselina Cruz Philippines 26 Nilo Ilarde Philippines 27 Alan Oei Singapore 28 Cheo Chai-Hiang Singapore 29 Sunjung Kim South Korea 30 Kim Sun-hee South Korea 31 Jagath Weerasinghe Sri Lanka 32 Manray Hsu Taiwan 33 Gridthiya Gaweewong Thailand 34 Worathep Akkabootara Thailand 35 Tran Luong Vietnam 36 Zoe Butt Vietnam Annex B: Judges Chris Saines (Australia) Chris Saines has over 30 years’ experience leading public art institutions in Australia and New Zealand. Currently the Director of Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, he previously led a major $125 million building development for the Auckland Art Gallery where he established a Foundation that contributed $52.5 million and managed the project from inception to completion. Feng Boyi (China) Feng Boyi is an eminent independent art curator and critic of Chinese contemporary art. As a critic and editor, Feng has also edited and published numerous books, catalogues and papers on art and established the Artists’ Alliance, a major online forum for contemporary art in China. Luckana Kunavichayanont (Thailand) Luckana Kunavichayanont is the Director of the Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC), and was both initiator and curator of Tadu Contemporary Art in Bangkok. She co-curated Thailand’s contribution to the 2003 Venice Biennale, and is a member of the Board of Advisors for the 2008 More to Love project. Pooja Sood (India) Pooja Sood is the Director of KHOJ International Artists’ Association, an artist-led registered society aimed at promoting intercultural understanding through experimentation and exchange.