CIMAM 2017 Annual Conference

National Gallery Singapore is co-organizing and hosting the CIMAM 2017 Annual Conference from November 10 to 12.

Delegates from more than 60 countries are expected to attend the conference in Singapore to discuss "The Roles and Responsibilities of Museums in Civil Society." Given the rising sentiment of populist nationalism taking place around the world, and building on the focus of the conference in Barcelona ("The Museum and Its Responsibilities"), it is imperative that we re-evaluate and re-examine the roles of museums, their public functions and how they respond to this world situation.

Reflecting the geographical context of this year’s conference, the program also provides a forum for discussion about current museological and curatorial concerns with a special focus on Southeast Asia. The program is designed to provide delegates with a more proactive experience for networking as well as tours to provide insight into the artistic, historical and sociopolitical contexts of Singapore.

The program includes three keynote speakers: Saskia Sassen (Robert S. Lynd Professor of Sociology, University of Columbia, New York, USA); Patrick D. Flores (Professor of Art Studies, University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines); Donna De Salvo (Deputy Director for International Initiatives and Senior Curator, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, USA) and nine case study presentations: Ute Meta Bauer (Founding Director, NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore, Singapore); Chen Chieh-Jen (artist, Taipei, Taiwan); Leoluca Orlando (Mayor of Palermo, Palermo, Italy); Ade Darmawan (artist, curator and Director, ruangrupa, Jakarta, Indonesia); Gridthiya Gaweewong (Artistic Director, Jim Thompson Art Center, Bangkok, Thailand); Post-Museum (artists, Singapore); Adriano Pedrosa (Artistic Director, Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand, São Paulo, Brazil); Tiffany Chung (artist, Vietnam/USA); Suhanya Raffel (Executive Director, M+ Museum of Visual Culture, Hong Kong).

In Singapore the delegates will visit important art centers and institutions including National Gallery Singapore; The Arts House; Asian Civilizations Museum; DECK; Gillman Barracks; Grey Projects; Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) Singapore, LASALLE College of the Arts; National Museum of Singapore; NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore; Objectifs Centre for Photography and Film; Singapore Art Museum; Singapore Tyler Print Institute; The Substation.

A Pre-Conference Tour to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (November 8-9) and a Post-Conference Tour to Jakarta and Yogyakarta, Indonesia (November 13-15) are each available to 40 participants wishing to deepen their understanding of the richness and complexity of the art ecology of Southeast Asia. The program includes The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre; Ho Chi Minh City Fine Arts Museum; Salon Saigon; Jakarta Biennale 2017; Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (MACAN); Biennale Jogja XIV; Cemeti Institute for Art and Society; OHD Museum; as well as visits to artist studios and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Borobudur.

Appointed by members of CIMAM’s Board, the conference committee for the 2017 Annual Conference is led by Eugene Tan (Director, National Gallery Singapore) and includes Corinne Diserens (independent curator); Mami Kataoka (Chief Curator, Mori Art Museum); Sarah Glennie (Director, Irish Museum of Modern Art); Saskia Bos (independent curator); Suzanne Cotter (Director, Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art).

CIMAM 2017 Annual Conference in Singapore is generously supported by The Keppel Group, Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd, and Terra Foundation for American Art.

CIMAM’s Travel Grant Program underwrites the attendance at the conference of 31 contemporary art professionals, thanks to the generous support of the Getty Foundation, MALBA–Fundación Costantini, the Fubon Art Foundation and Alserkal Programming.

Register for the conference online before September 30 here.

For more information on the National Gallery Singapore and the CIMAM 2017 Annual Conference, please contact celine.lee [​at​] nationalgallery.sg or inesjover [​at​] cimam.org.

CIMAM, International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art, is a global network of over 500 contemporary art museum professionals. Its vision is a world where the contribution of museums, collections and archives of modern and contemporary art to the cultural, social and economic well-being of society is recognized and respected. CIMAM's Annual Conference is the most important forum for information exchange within modern and contemporary art practice. Its guiding principle is the discussion of questions relating to the running and development of contemporary art museums and collections worldwide followed by visits to the foremost contemporary art institutions, collections and projects in the region. CIMAM is based in Barcelona and its office at Fabra i Coats is supported by The City Council of Barcelona.

National Gallery Singapore is a visual arts institution that oversees the largest public collection of modern art in Singapore and Southeast Asia. The Gallery is situated in the heart of the Civic District and housed in two national monuments: the City Hall and former Supreme Court. Reflecting Singapore's unique heritage and geographical location, the Gallery features Singapore and Southeast Asian art from Singapore's National Collection in its long-term and special exhibitions. The Gallery also works with international museums to jointly present Southeast Asian art in the global context, positioning Singapore as a regional and international hub for the visual arts.