Art serves as a unique bridge between nations and cultures, fostering exchange and cooperation that transcends time and space. On August 19, the opening ceremony of the exhibition Artistic Splendours: Thirty Years of Contemporary Art from China and Singapore took place at Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP).

The exhibition was sponsored by the Suzhou Industrial Park Administrative Committee, organized by Singapore Art Museum and Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art, and executed by the Suzhou Industrial Park Public Cultural Center. The exhibition features Xu Jiang, Member of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Vice President of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Dr. Eugene Tan, Chief Executive Officer and Director of National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum, and Head of Singapore’s Visual Arts Cluster (VAC), as chief curators. Distinguished guests such as Chua Teng Hoe, Consul-General of the Singapore Consulate-General in Shanghai, Ms. Chang Hwee Nee, CEO of the National Heritage Board of Singapore, Dr. Eugene Tan, Chief Executive Officer and Director of National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum, and Head of Singapore’s Visual Arts Cluster (VAC), Low Sze Wee, Group Director for Museums, National Heritage Board, Singapore, along with Xu Jiang, Member of the National Committee of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Vice President of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Zhu Bin, First-level Inspector of Jiangsu Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Jin Jie, member of the Standing Committee of the Suzhou Municipal Party Committee and Director of the Publicity Department, Shen Mi, member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Suzhou Municipal Committee and Secretary of the Party Working Committee of SIP, Zha Yingdong, Wu Hong, Deputy Party Secretary of the CPC SIP Working Committee and Director of the SIP Administrative Committee, Zhang Qing, Deputy Director of the National Art Museum of China, attended the opening ceremony. The opening ceremony was hosted by Zhu Jiang, member of the CPC Working Committee of Suzhou Industrial Park, Deputy Director of the SIP Administrative Committee, Director of the Suzhou Industrial Park Publicity Department.

 China and Singapore: Cultural Exchanges and Mutual Learning Illuminate the Ties of Friendship

Thirty years ago, the Window on Singapore Art exhibition marked the beginning of China and Singapore's joint efforts to develop SIP. Since then, SIP has engaged in various cultural, artistic, and sports exchanges with Singapore, cultivating a space for friendship and mutual progress.

In 2024, celebrating the 30th anniversary of SIP’s development, the Artistic Splendours: Thirty Years of Contemporary Art from China and Singapore exhibition is held at the Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art, located on the banks of Jinji Lake in SIP. This exhibition continues the the cultural dialogue and mutual learning between China and Singapore that started with the Window on Singapore Art exhibition held three decades ago.

The exhibition, titled Artistic Splendours, brought together 49 outstanding contemporary artists and collectives from China and Singapore, featuring close to 100 pieces. Through the works of Chinese and Singaporean artists across varied cultural contexts and historical backgrounds, the exhibition showcases the dynamic development of China and Singapore over the past thirty years, highlighting cultural dialogues between the two nations, while also envisioning continued collaboration over the next three decades. The exhibition runs from August 20th to October 30th.

Diverse Narratives: Presenting an Artistic Landscape of China and Singapore

Art connects the past and the future through experience and interaction of cultures and in innovative ways. This exhibition comprises four chapters: Affections of Home, Multiplicities of Culture, Cycles of Life, and Cities of Imagination, spanning from historical realities to the envisioning of modern urban landscapes, from realities and ideals of the present to diverse futures imagined. Through multiple cultural concepts and artistic perspectives, the exhibition explores multidimensional dialogues and showcases the vibrancy of artistic practices and exchanges and fusion in China and Singapore, presenting intersections across areas such as urban development, technological progress, social culture and ecological civility.

The exhibition brings together works of outstanding artists, both prominent and emerging, from the two countries, showcasing the multiple contexts and currents of China and Singapore in a time of development and social transformation. Notably, the work Background Story: Admonition to a Farmer by renowned Chinese artist Xu Bing referenced Admonition to a Farmer by Tang Yin of the Ming Dynasty. Through digital processing, this piece allows audiences to experience the transformation of the SIP across thousands of years, reflected in the changing and merging images. Tang Da Wu, a pioneer of contemporary art development in Singapore, created a series of “earth works” in 1979 after having spent several months observing the transformation of a piece of land in northeast Singapore due for development, capturing in his work the impact of urbanization on the natural environment. Another highlight is the large-scale installation IF YOU WANT TO GO FAR, GO TOGETHER by Xu Zhen, an iconic figure in contemporary Chinese art. This piece featured a text in longhand encircled by a silver metal chain. Set in a dialogue box, the work passionately declares: "IF YOU WANT TO GO FAR, GO TOGETHER." This proclamation encapsulates the exhibition's vision to further the cultural exchange between China and Singapore.

New Cultural Experience: The Grand Art Event for All People

The forum, “Thirty Years of Contemporary Art from China and Singapore” was held on August 18th. Xu Jiang, Member of the National Committee of CPPCC, Vice President of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Dr. Eugene Tan, CEO and Director of National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum and Head of Singapore’s VAC, Ong Puay Khim, Director of Collection, Public Art and Projects at Singapore Art Museum, Han Sai Por, a leading sculptor in Singapore, Qiu Ting, Dean of the Central Academy of Fine Arts Chinese Painting Department and many other artists, critics and scholars gathered together to discuss the developments in contemporary art in China and Singapore over the last three decades. Xu Jiang remarked, "Over the past thirty years, the SIP remains committed to upholding the spirit of integrity, innovation, openness, and inclusiveness, achieving significant progress in development models, technological innovation, foreign exchanges, humanistic life, and ecological construction, setting a strong example for mutual learning among human civilizations." Dr Eugene Tan remarked “Through this collaborative exhibition, the Singapore Art Museum is pleased to bring to audiences in Suzhou a wide range of works from the National Collection of Singapore. Artistic Splendours presents the diversity of the Museum's collection. Through collection exhibitions and programmes that aim to connect art and artists with the public and future generations, it reflects our commitment to fostering regional connections and contributing diverse perspectives to the global contemporary art discourse.”

This exhibition showcases the imagination and creativity of artists from China and Singapore, collaboratively highlighting a narrative that transcends traditional geographical boundaries. Artistic Splendours echoes principles of learning, innovation, harmony, and mutual benefit through art. The exhibition speaks to the value of the "SIP experience," presenting a vibrant vision of progress and ambition. Visitors will be invited to explore dynamic and culturally diverse contemporary artworks, sharing a celebration of lively and inclusive art scenes.

Source：苏州工业园区融媒体中心