2024 UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year
2024 UOB Painting of the Year, Singapore

A Sip Through Time transports viewers down memory lane with nostalgia and artifacts that barely exists in our modern world today.

It captures a time warp coffee shop boasting an eclectic mix of objects, vintage posters, shrines, clocks, traditional sweets and an array of seemingly random things hoarded by the owner. The addition of a QR code and surveillance camera marries both past and future worlds into one. The artist hopes his art will evoke emotions and transport one to their happy place and time.

2024 UOB Painting of the Year, Indonesia

The Idol of Unmoved Uncaused Cause Mover explores the theme of idealisation by combining fragmented figures into a cohesive whole.

Drawing inspiration from a wide range of figures, ideas, and ideologies, and weaving them together in search of the “ideal”, the fragmented backgrounds underscore that ideals often remain elusive dreams. The light cast on the figures represents hope and enlightenment amidst inner conflict. Layers of monochromatic grey ink on linen reflects the complexity of this journey, emphasising the search for ideals is a winding path, not singular but multifaceted, reflecting the 21ˢᵗ century individual’s pursuit of ideals in an overwhelming sea of information.

2024 UOB Painting of the Year, Malaysia

Durio presents a captivating exploration and observation of nature, developed over four years of documenting biodiversity at the artist’s retreat studio in Perak, located between mountainous forests and a rural settlement.

The artwork features detailed drawings of the Durian (scientifically known as Durio) tree’s life cycle and highlights the important role of stingless bees in pollination. To explore plants and animals further, the artist uses a Scanning Electron Microscope to create a high-resolution scan of seeds, leaves, and butterfly eggs.

The artwork invites viewers to appreciate the slow passage of time in this remote setting, encouraging reflections on modern environmental issues, self-care, and self-awareness. The calm atmosphere evokes contemplation of life’s fleeting nature within the universe.

2024 UOB Painting of the Year, Thailand

Disguise explores how people craft façades to mask their inner selves. This deception conceals their true motives. Likening virtue to a sweet fragrance and evil to a foul stench, wickedness cannot stay hidden forever. The true nature of a person must always be questioned and scrutinised.

2024 UOB Painting of the Year, Vietnam

Dòng Chảy (Flow) uses two native materials, coal and rice flour to tell a story of Vietnam’s natural resources. Quang Ninh coal symbolises the industrial minerals of the northern Red River Delta, while rice flour represents the agricultural product of the Southern Mekong Delta. The artist from Kien Giang in the Mekong Delta, grew up in a farming family, with rice being a central part of his upbringing.

The artist processes the coal, cleans and crushes it into the gravel, which is then sifted and scattered across a large canvas. The rice is grounded into flour, mixed with adhesive and funneled into flowing shapes that cascade over the black coal layer. The result is a contemporary inkwash landscape, where abstract forms evoke the ethereal beauty of stalactite formations found in Vietnam’s natural caves. It becomes a poetic interplay of black and white, shadow and light, reflection and opacity, rigidity and softness. Unlike traditional ink-wash works on paper or silk, which convey a sense of lightness, this piece harnesses the physical weight of its materials to convey conceptual gravity.

2024 Most Promising Artist of the Year, Indonesia

Catatan Belakang (Back Note) is the artist’s attempt to confront the lasting impact of feudalism that still permeates the social structures and daily life in Indonesian society. The history of feudalism is often obscured by the romanticised narratives of the independence revolution.

The artist arranges books as fragments of historical events overlays them with charcoal and soft pastels drawings as interpretations and interventions in the documentation of history. Scorched impressions on the plantation contours evoke a sense of destruction, while the figure of a Dutch East Indies regent in military boots highlights the continuity of Indonesia’s history, which remains deeply entwined with militaristic imagery. In contrast, the depiction of lush landscapes symbolise the reality that, despite the memories of independence, feudal structures persist and are replaced by new figures in power.

2024 Most Promising Artist of the Year, Malaysia

Baruh (Lowland) depicts the harsh realities of life and the resilience hidden beneath a tranquil rural landscape.

Growing up at the foot of Mount Jerai as a farmer’s child, the artist experienced the beauty of rice fields turning golden at harvest. However, this beauty masked significant struggles from crabs, snails, and burung tiak (tree sparrow) that ravaged the crops. The artist captures the raw, enduring realities of life through grid patterns and the interplay of positive and negative spaces in green.

2024 Most Promising Artist of the Year, Singapore

That Blessed Mood illuminates a mother and child reclining in a hammock basking in a sunny afternoon garden, enjoying the peace and contentment. Motherhood can be joyous, but also pose a challenging time for many women, like her.

The process of creating a collage artwork is deeply restorative for her, offering a way to turn difficult memories into a vision of wholeness and healing. The materials used carry meaning as well. Beneath the delicate, antique photo album paper that represents the skin lies a layer of a Financial Times article, with the powerful words, ”I’m not afraid”. It symbolises strength beneath fragility, a reminder of the resilience found in the journey of motherhood.

2024 Most Promising Artist of the Year, Thailand

The Hostile Society addresses the pervasive issue of hate speech, emphasising the serious harm it inflicts on mental health and its devastating consequences.

The artwork uses dark shadows to symbolise the widespread presence of hate in public spaces, while the red hue surrounding the young girl conveys her vulnerability. The faceless figures, represent the anonymity of the online interactions.

Framed by a window, the artist invites viewers to reflect on societal dynamics, and hopes her thought-provoking artwork will raise awareness of the impact of hate speech, encourages positive communication and fosters a culture of mutual respect and understanding.

2024 Most Promising Artist of the Year, Vietnam

Doraeco presents six playing cards laid out on a casino table, each card represents a different facet of the ecological pollution: Earth (Jack of Diamonds), Water (Queen of Hearts), Air (King of Spades), and Energy (Queen of Clubs). The Joker card, depicting Doraemon in a state of confusion, symbolises the conflict between technological progress and the environmental consequences. The final card, left unrevealed, represents the uncertain future for the next generation who will inherit both the achievements and burdens left by their predecessors.

Gold Award, Established Artist Category, Singapore

An Immortal’s Realm depicts the tranquility of a wetland with small hidden elements of nature hidden in his impression of an ethereal realm, drawing viewers into the peace and quietude that nature offers. The only sounds are the rustling of leaves, the fluttering of flower petals, the cheerful chirping of birds, and the gentle rippling of fish in waters.

The artist grew up in the ‘kampung’ of Singapore’s early years where his memories are joyfully filled with trees, flowing water, flowers, birds, fish and bugs. He uses Chinese ink to reminisce and illustrate the flowing movements of water in the wetlands through marbling techniques and the precise control of excess ink.

Silver Award, Established Artist Category, Singapore

The Look Back spotlights the artist’s late dog, Samuel, who along with the artist, developed difficulties with their hips in their middle ages – she had osteoarthritis in one hip, and him, hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis in both hips.

While her condition improved with physiotherapy and exercise, his only worsened over time. Eventually, he was nearly immobilised, losing control over his limbs and bowels. By that time, he had also bit her, marking her with his pain. Amid the daily trauma, there was a strange beauty and peace that came through as she painted this artwork with gratitude for their lives. Samuel passed on 20 July 2024 by euthanasia.

Bronze Award, Established Artist Category, Singapore

Passive Panic reflects the panicked fear that was felt as the pandemic swept across the world. With the face mask now embodying fear, it is hoped that there will never be another time to experience this same panic again.

Many might think a hyper-realistic artwork can now be easily generated by photography or artificial intelligence in this digital era. Yet, the artist fervently believes in laboring over every stroke to express his emotions and thoughts through his perspective.

Gold Award, Emerging Artist Category, Singapore

Desolation presents a moorland landscape where solitude and silence prevail. The artwork leads the viewer’s gaze toward distant hills beneath a dramatic, swirling sky, creating a metaphor for introspection and existential reflection. The artist challenges viewers to take the first step towards self-awareness where their questioning, along with seeking and embracing silence, can lead to a transformation.

The artwork implies that within desolation lies the potential for profound insight and growth, where boundaries of existence are expanded and enriched.

Silver Award, Emerging Artist Category, Singapore

460042 depicts the opposite view from the artist’s residential flat while living with her mother. She has a special interest in buildings that bear the marks of time, viewing them as testaments to achievements, successes, legacies and civilisation. This particular view has taken on greater significance during her work-from-home days.

The artwork of Singapore’s public housing combines realism and abstraction, and when viewed together, flattens into a pattern to reveal its own distinct character and beauty when observed individually.

Bronze Award, Emerging Artist Category, Singapore

Transit of Hope captures the resilience of Singaporeans in challenging times. Set in a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) public transport carriage, the artwork portrays masked commuters whose weary, yet hopeful, expressions reflect a shared commitment to endure and adapt.

Their gestures symbolise unity in adversity, merging individual stories into a collective narrative. This piece invites viewers to recognise hope as an enduring force, reminding us that even in uncertain moments, light follows darkness and that our collective strength will propel us forward.