In its 7th year, S.E.A. Focus is a curated gathering in Singapore that gives a platform to regional talent from the Philippines to Thailand, and more
In my first job with Artinformal Gallery, I recall sitting at my desk in Manila, poring over a worklist spreadsheet on the screen, double-checking measurements, fluffing the catalog of Brisa Amir’s presentation, and coordinating with the team who were a three-and-a-half-hour flight away at the first-ever S.E.A. Focus at Gillman Barracks.
Now, seven years later, S.E.A. Focus has established itself as a pivotal platform for contemporary Southeast Asian art, growing significantly in influence throughout the region and the world.
Held in Singapore, its seventh edition will run from Jan. 18 to 26, 2025 at the Tanjong Pagar Distripark, a former warehouse complex that has transformed into an art hub with several notable art institutions and galleries, from the Singapore Art Museum to Gajah Gallery and Whitestone Gallery Singapore.
With the Bank of Singapore as the main sponsor, the showcase is organized by STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, a non-profit institution that largely promotes experimentation in print and paper.
Commissioned by the National Arts Council of Singapore, S.E.A. Focus is set to be a highlight of the upcoming Singapore Art Week, which will be held from Jan. 17 to 26, 2025.
For the second consecutive year, John Tung curates the showcase, featuring works by up to 40 artists from eight Southeast Asian countries, represented by 21 exhibitors.
Art lovers can expect to see the Manila-based gallery Artinformal, showing the works of new media artist Lui Medina, while Silverlens, based in Manila and New York, will be exhibiting work by the late Pacita Abad and her nephew London-based Filipino artist Pio Abad.
Visitors can also expect to see presentations by Singapore-based FOST Gallery, neugerriemschneider from Berlin, Richard Koh Fine Art from Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, and much more.
Ultimately, the platform aims to celebrate contemporary art by Southeast Asian artists, while reinforcing Singapore’s position as a rapidly growing center of artistic innovation in the region.
The S.E.A. Focus 2025 theme
While close together on the map, countries in Southeast Asia are wrought with nuances in culture, language, historical experience, and religion.
In Malaysia, you see the ethnic diversity of Malay, Chinese, and Indigenous groups. Or you see religious differences like Buddhist populations in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, in contrast to Catholic countries like the Philippines which was a colony of Spain for over 300 years.
With these subtle variations and undeniable tensions in government, social norms, and other cultural shifts, S.E.A. Focus 2025 will navigate these nuances with the theme of “Disconnected Contemporaries.”
Curator Tung says, “Within the shifting landscape between the Modern and the Contemporary, we encounter fragmented narratives that challenge our understanding of time and cultural relevance. How we think about the ‘primitive’ and the ‘contemporary’ compels us to reconsider our biases and the frameworks through which we evaluate art. As we navigate these complexities, I encourage audiences to question the very definitions of contemporary art and to embrace the multiplicity of experiences that shape our collective narrative.”
While there may be disconnection, the amalgamation of art in the region for S.E.A. Focus 2025 will demonstrate how the local and global can intersect and intermingle, sparking fresh discussions and new thoughts on mindsets in Southeast Asian art.
Conversations and screenings
Aside from expecting to see excellent curation of vibrant and thought-provoking art, collectors, artists, and pensive enthusiasts can join the S.E.A. Focus programs for the 2025 edition.
SEAspotlight Talks will be happening on Jan. 18, 19, 25, and 26, with discussions on how Southeast Asian art has evolved in an unexpectedly non-linear way throughout history. You can also expect practical knowledge, such as the Jan. 19 talk “Making in a Material World” “Selective Markets” and “How to Start Building Collections and Networks.”
For the art cinema buffs, OFF Focus will present filmic works from Southeast Asia at Golden Village x The Projector at Cineleisure. The program will feature the works of Vandy Rattana (Cambodia), Royston Tan (Singapore), and Korakrit Arunanondchai (Thailand). Ticketholders will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in films that explore different times and spaces in a single sitting.
**
At S.E.A. Focus 2025, visitors can expect new artworks commissioned by returning sponsor Bank of Singapore, displayed in their lounge throughout the exhibition. The special work will be by Singaporean artist Yanyun Chen, exploring Asian family values and intergenerational relationships—a steady marker of Asian households.
The showcase will also mark the first time certain galleries will be participating, including ShanghART with galleries in Shanghai, Beijing, and Singapore, The Back Room, based in Kuala Lumpur, and Cuturi Gallery from Singapore and London.
ART:DIS, a non-profit organization for those with disabilities who delve into art, will also be participating for the first time and presenting works by the late Singaporean artist and Cultural Medallion recipient, Chng Seok Ti.
On a fundamental level, S.E.A. Focus aims to support contemporary Southeast Asian art. As a part of this year’s edition, the SAM S.E.A. Focus Art Fund which was launched in 2023 supports the acquisition of contemporary Southeast Asian art for the Singapore Art Museum’s collection. With ongoing support from the Yenn and Alan Lo Foundation, this year’s edition will feature a jury led by Aaron Seeto, Deputy Director of The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum, to select outstanding works from the S.E.A. Focus exhibition.
S.E.A. Focus 2025 runs from Jan. 18 to 26, 2025 at 39 Keppel Road, Tanjong Pagar Distripark. Tickets are on sale at SGD10 each and is valid for multiple entries