Ho Tzu Nyen’s PYTHAGORAS wins grand prize of Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize 2014
Exhibition till 15 March 2015
Singapore Art Museum
71 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189555
www.singaporeartmuseum.sg
The Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation and Singapore Art Museum (SAM) are proud to announce that Ho Tzy Nyen’s PYTHAGORAS (2013) has been awarded the Grand Prize of the Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize 2014 worth SGD 60,000.
Established in 2008 by the APB Foundation and SAM, the triennial prize serves as a hallmark of distinction and excellence for artists in Asia Pacific, presenting the most outstanding contemporary art from both established and emerging artists around the region. The third edition of the triennial prize received 105 nominations from 24 countries and territories, which was later shortlisted to 15 artworks from 13 countries in August 2014.
A complex and beautiful video installation that centres on four different works that react to one another in a single space, Ho Tzu Nyen’s PYTHAGAROS creates an immersive experience for audiences to explore the concept of the unseen and the concealment of power, sound or the voice through the notions of veils and curtains.
Three other artists were also presented with awards. These include two Jurors’ Choice Award, each worth 15,000 SGD, which went to Chinese artist Liu Jian Hua for Trace, a striking piece inspired by the traditional art forms of calligraphy and porcelain to comment on societal ills; and Indonesian artist Melati Suryodarmo for I’m a Ghost in My Own House, an intense 12-hour durational performance that sees the artist grind and crush hundreds of kilograms of charcoal, a symbol of life’s energy. Following an online vote that saw members of the public support their favourite artworks, Taiwan’s Yao Jui-chung + Lost Society Document (LSD)’s Mirage—Disused Public Property in Taiwan was awarded the People’s Choice Award, worth 10,000 SGD.
The jury panel making these selections comprised well-known international and regional art experts including 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 SAM.
According to a statement by the jury panel, “Ho Tzu Nyen’s PYTHAGORAS is an extremely compelling work that draws the viewer into an overwhelming and immersive environment. In many ways, PYTHAGORAS is a post-modern synthesis of image and sound, theatre and spectacle and it is this multimedia quality that adds to the true wonderment of this piece. Sound in particular, is used to guide you through this visual tempest, with some screens appearing very grand and contemplative in their narrative while others are in a state of constant flux. A complex work, it picks up on the anxiety of living and evokes an almost visceral reaction in its viewers, making us feel uncertain and anxious and in doing so becomes a work that truly captures a contemporary moment.
The judging for the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize 2014 was surely one of the most challenging and intense juror experiences for us all. Through the experience we once again appreciate the remarkably high quality of the works nominated for Prize. Setting the benchmark for other Prizes in the region, this year’s nominations represent the very best contemporary art not just of the region, but of its time. Together with the two Jurors’ Choice Awards, the prize-winning works of the Signature Art Prize are conceptually strong and the diversity of genres including video, sculpture and performance reflect the very nature of contemporary art which has various strands, all equally valid and strong.”
The 15 shortlisted artworks can be viewed at the Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize 2011 Finalists exhibition.
