Weekly News Roundup: January 17, 2025
By THE EDITORS
Portrait of HSU FANG-TZE, SELENE YAP, DUNCAN BASS, and ONG PUAY KHIM. Courtesy the Singapore Art Museum.
Singapore Biennale to Return in October 2025
The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) has revealed program details for the eighth edition of the Singapore Biennale (SB2025), slated to run from October 31 to March 29, 2026. Organized by SAM and commissioned by the National Arts Council, Singapore (NAC), the SB2025 will span multiple venues and public spaces across the city-state, bringing together new and existing projects by local and international artists as well as artist-led initiatives. For this year’s iteration, curators Duncan Bass, Hsu Fang-Tze, Ong Puay Khim, and Selene Ya centered SB2025 on the theme “pure intention,” encouraging visitors to explore Singapore’s historical, architectural, and sociocultural layers through new perspectives. Contributing to the curation of SB2025 are Singapore-based Asian Film Archive and the art space Hothouse, alongside independent organizations and curatorial collectives from overseas, such as Indonesian art agency Hyphen, Berlin-based art space SAVVY Contemporary, and Sri Lankan artist group The Packet.
View of the Fundacio Joan Miro, Barcelona. Photo by Denis Esakov. Courtesy ArchDaily.
2025 Joan Miró Prize Finalists Announced
The Fundació Joan Miró in Barcelona has revealed the five finalists for the ninth edition of its EUR 50,000 (USD 51,400) Joan Miró Prize. The nominees are: Palestinian Canadian multidisciplinary artist Jumana Emil Abboud; Indonesian performance artist Arahmaiani; Paris-based anthropologist and multidisciplinary artist Kapwani Kiwanga; Cypriot multimedia artist Christodoulos Panayiotou; and Canadian installation artist and sculptor Bonnie Devine. Awarded biennially, this year on May 8, the international prize supports outstanding contemporary artists who reflect the spirit of Joan Miró’s artistic practice. Selected by an international jury comprising renowned art specialists—including Pablo Lafuente, artistic director of the Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro; and former co-director of Stockholm’s Moderna Museet, Ann-Sofi Noring—the winning artist will hold an exhibition at the foundation in the following year.
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Portrait of ALAN LO and YENN WONG. Courtesy ICON Singapore.
Singapore’s Yenn and Alan Lo Foundation to Launch New Art Space
Later this year, Singapore will welcome a new nonprofit art space, Kim Association, which will be dedicated to commissioning and presenting work by transnational artists. Founded by the Yenn and Alan Lo Foundation, which established its presence in Singapore’s art scene two years ago as the founding sponsor of Singapore Art Museum’s SEA Focus Art Fund (2023–25), the new project space will be located on the ground floor of a shophouse on the historic Kim Yam Road. Under the curatorial direction of Hong Kong-born curator and writer Christina Li, Kim Association aims to foster cross-cultural dialogue and connections in Singapore and Southeast Asia through contemporary art.
UMATJI TJAPALYI, Ngayuku Ngunytjunku Tjukurpa (My mother’s story), 2023, synthetic polymer on linen, 198 × 122 cm. Courtesy Melbourne Art Fair.
Melbourne Art Fair 2025 to Highlight First Nations Artists
Australia’s oldest art fair has revealed the lineup for its 18th edition. From February 20–23, Melbourne Art Fair (MAF) will showcase 70 galleries and First Nations art centers, comprising over 100 interdisciplinary artists at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). This year’s program is entirely led by women, with curator and writer Melissa Loughnan at the helm as the new fair director. Australian exhibitors account for over 90 percent of participants, with a strong emphasis on First Nations artists and art organizations. Established homegrown dealers—such as Sullivan+Strumpf, Station, and Ames Yavuz—will return to partake in the mega event, amid increased gallery participation following MAF’s transition from a biennial to an annual format.
Portrait of MASUMI SHINOHARA. Courtesy Sotheby’s.
Sotheby’s Appoints Masumi Shinohara as Managing Director for Asia
International auction house Sotheby’s has tapped Masumi Shinohara as its new managing director for Asia. After relocating from Tokyo to Hong Kong, he assumed his new role on January 1. A veteran in the luxury industry, Shinohara served as Sotheby’s head in Japan since April last year; prior to joining the auction house, he held high-authority positions at Japanese and Korean branches of the Italian luxury fashion brands Valentino and Ermenegildo Zegna Group. The revelation of Shinohara’s new position comes amid speculation about the house’s financial situation, with frequent reshuffling of Sotheby’s Asia leadership and several top rainmakers departing in succession in recent years.
