This year’s edition of S.E.A. Focus continued to shine a spotlight on Southeast Asian contemporary art.

Text and photos by Jewel Chuaunsu
February 14, 2023

Held from 6 to 15 January 2023 at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, S.E.A. Focus recently concluded its fifth edition, having showcased over 180 artworks from over 50 artists and 25 galleries across the Southeast Asian region. With the goal of creating a platform for players and stakeholders in the arts industry in the region to come together in one place, S.E.A. Focus witnessed a strong turnout across ten days.

While its first two editions took place at Gillman Barracks, S.E.A. Focus changed its location to Tanjong Pagar Distripark in 2021, in response to movement restrictions and financial considerations brought on by the pandemic. Shifting away from its previous tent set-up and booth format, the Showcase moved to a new, fully outfitted art venue and embraced the format of a curated exhibition.

“Finding ourselves a fresh starting point post-pandemic, we are thrilled with the continued success of this year’s S.E.A. Focus, and the positive feedback received on our presentations and content has been heartening to hear,” said Emi Eu, Project Director of S.E.A. Focus and Executive Director of STPI - Creative Workshop & Gallery. “We look forward to keeping up the current trajectory and to further expand the showcase to champion and bring Southeast Asian contemporary art to international shores.”

With the curatorial theme a world, anew, the Showcase reflected an awareness of our present situation as we are coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic while still living in challenging times. Expounding on the theme, Joyce Toh, Head of Exhibition for S.E.A. Focus 2023, explained that starting anew is not about starting from ground zero, but rather drawing from our history and cultural heritage.

S.E.A. Focus’ Collaborations included Danh Vo’s installation and Dirty Dishes by Rirkrit Tiravanija and Tobias Rehberger.

“a world, anew explores the idea of new beginnings and how vast potential can be found in miniscule or humble sources. It considers how a tree grows from a tiny seed; how an ocean’s waters comprise just three conjoined atoms; how our DNA is composed of just four letters,” said Toh. “Southeast Asian art is on the brink of that beginning, and S.E.A. Focus 2023 is where you can discover some of the most exciting, creative works that have emerged during a time where optimism and caution intermingle.”

Instead of the typical art fair, visitors experienced S.E.A. Focus as an open and fluid exhibition where they could weave in and out of different areas, each with its own character, even as the works relate to one another and inhabit the same space.

Richard Streitmatter-Tran’s “Quiet Mannerisms #2”, 2022, 200 x 150 cm, acrylic on canvas; Celine Lee’s “Artificial Land”, 2022, 191 x 127 cm, abaca string on aida cloth.

The artists drew on their own roots and heritage, environment and material culture. For instance, the materials they used are closely tied to the region, from abaca – a quintessential Filipino fiber – stitched into Celine Lee’s work, to Jumaadi’s narrative paintings on buffalo hide—the same material used to make traditional Indonesian shadow puppets or wayang kulit.

In Ari Bayuaji’s project, he recycled plastic ropes found tangled up in the roots of mangrove trees on the coast of Bali. Working with Bali residents to turn the ropes into thread, Bayuaji created textile art that addresses environmental sustainability and the livelihood of local communities.

Materiality was explored in interesting ways in the works of Adeline Kueh, who used handmade paper to make her rosettes installation; Genevieve Ang, whose series of ceramic sculptures center on the element of cobalt; and Susie Lingham, who engraved riddles on Klein bottles.

Through object and narrative drawings, some artists were able to tackle issues close to home. In Aliansyah Caniago’s “Barus Expedition #1: Kew Garden Specimens,” the artist depicted camphor leaves in 100 watercolor on paper works. He discovered at the Kew Gardens in London a species of camphor tree that was formerly common but now increasingly rare in the region of Sumatra where he grew up. Caniago collected, preserved, and drew camphor leaves for this project, to underline the relationship between ecology and colonialism in Sumatra’s history.

OFF Focus Fringe Film Programme at The Projector; SEAspotlight Talk - “When Patronage Becomes Form: Who is the Southeast Asian Collector?”. Images courtesy of S.E.A. Focus.

Maung Day’s Lost Children drawings are dedicated to lost children around the world. Taking off from the story of the Pied Piper, Day depicts the younger generation who are driven lost or displaced due to socio-political, economic, and environmental circumstances.

Works by Filipino artists stood out at the Showcase including those by Celine Lee and JC Jacinto (Artinformal); Pacita Abad, Pio Abad, and Patricia Perez Eustaquio (Silverlens); Jigger Cruz, Manuel Ocampo, and Christina Lopez (The Drawing Room); Issay Rodriguez, Carina Santos, and Veronica Lazo (Mono8 Gallery). Christina Lopez’s rusty, wrought iron globe installation titled “WWW” was one of the centerpieces of the exhibition.

This year, S.E.A. Focus launched Collaborations, a new initiative in partnership with artists, galleries, and organizations that allows them to realize bigger, more ambitious works and projects.

Under Collaborations, Vietnamese-born Danish contemporary artist Danh Võ from Vitamin Creative Space (Guangzhou), with the support of M Art Foundation, created a large-scale conceptual installation combining three works and a series of collages. Taking viewers on a journey through time, the work explores geological time, the transience of life, and passing of seasons.

Another collaboration was Dirty Dishes, an exhibition comprising of dinnerware crafted by Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija and German sculptor Tobias Rehberger. The artist-made dinnerware were later used in a special private dinner hosted at Burnt Ends and returned to the Showcase “dirtied” for display before being brought home by the diners. Presented by Berlin-based gallery neugerriemschneider, the project demonstrated how Tiravanija uses food as a medium and means of connection.

Returning for the second time at S.E.A. Focus is Tezos, a pioneering Layer 1 Proof of Stake blockchain widely adopted by NFT artists and collectors worldwide. Living System, the NFT showcase by Tezos, highlighted NFT artworks by six artists across the region: Bjorn Calleja (Philippines), CwndDien and the late Orkibal (Malaysia), Reza Hasni (Singapore), Ykha Amelz and Discokid909 (Indonesia).

*NFT art dedicated to Orkibal from the NFT showcase by Tezos.*

Acknowledging the ups and downs in the NFT market, Toh said, “When we look at it purely as a creative medium that the artist will use, we think there is a lot of potential there and so that’s why we felt it was important to have this component reflected here in S.E.A. Focus.”

Alongside the main exhibition was the Fringe Film Programme OFF Focus, curated by Objectifs – Centre for Photography and Film. OFF Focus was screened at The Projector cinema and featured short films and video works by visual artists Rirkrit Tiravanija, Martha Atienza, Phuong Linh, Khairullah Rahim, Tada Hengsapkul, and Mella Jaarsma.

Adeline Kueh’s “The big and small of things”, 2021, 187 x 143 cm, handstitched rosettes; Jumaadi’s “Boat, and Mangroves”, 2022, 69 x 101 cm (artwork), acrylic on buffalo hide.

Another highlight was SEAspotlight Talks, a series of panel discussions participated in by artists, luminaries, and personalities in the region. Three of the sessions were curated by Stephanie Bailey, Conversations Curator for Art Basel Hong Kong, and focused on Southeast Asia’s art market and collectors, and the cultural landscape of global Singapore.

S.E.A. Focus continued its partnership with Artsy, the largest global online art marketplace. The exhibited artworks were made available for viewing and direct purchase on Artsy.

S.E.A. Focus is an anchor event of Singapore Art Week, an initiative led by STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, and commissioned by the National Arts Council, Singapore.

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