Using the power of suggestion and metaphor, Kim Lim managed to balance space, light and rhythm to great effect. Besides her key sculptures and prints, take a deeper look into her artistic journey, philosophy and creative relationships through never-before-seen photographs and archival materials.

This is the most comprehensive exhibition to date of the Singapore-born British artist, which traces the evolution of her practice over four decades

Guided tours are available.

  • When: Now till 2 Feb 2025
  • Suitable For: Adults, Families, Visitors 65 and above, Visitors with accessibility needs, Students and Educators
  • Where: Level 3, Singtel Special Exhibition Galleries 2 & 3, City Hall Wing
  • Special Exhibition pass required.
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#TheSpaceBetween

NationalGallerySingapore
“Abacus”, (1959). Sculpture by Singaporean born British artist Kim Lim (1936-1997).
Mar 27, 2021
“Fragments of nature, images, rhythms, silences, experiences... all fixed in one’s mental pinboard.” – Kim Lim ~ Yesterday, I visited Kim Lim’s kimlimstudio The Space Between exhibition at the National Gallery Singapore… and I’m still reflecting on her philosophy and artistic journey. Born in Singapore and later based in Britain, Kim Lim’s exploration of sculpture and printmaking spanned over four decades, showcasing an amazing evolution (a cyclical returns) in her creative process. I loved her ability to weave fragments of the natural world with human experiences, creating works that go beyond the physical object itself. Her art isn’t just something to look at—it’s something to feel. And I love something that evokes an emotional response. * Throughout the exhibition there are notes from her journey however this one really made me think… “Metaphors that could provide responses that would ricochet in the viewer and cross various boundaries of experience – to trigger responses beyond the object itself.” ~ It’s a beautiful reminder of how art and design can transcend the material and connect with the intangible… emotion, memory and meaning. As a designer, I strive to create spaces and pieces that echo this philosophy. It’s not just about the aesthetic; it’s about the story, the feeling and the way it transforms the everyday into something extraordinary. Thanks Kim Lim for reminding me of the power of the creative process. This was a much needed brain break while it has been a crazy few weeks 🤪 Big love, Aisha xox
Dec 04, 2024
The Space Between. A Retrospective
Dec 02, 2024
Echo 1967 painted steel collection: nationalgallerysingapore
Nov 26, 2022
新加坡杰出女雕塑家林真金(Kim Lim)的大型作品回顾展“Kim Lim: The Space Between. A Retrospective”将于9月27日至2025年2月2日在新加坡国家美术馆 @nationalgallerysingapore 举办，引领观者穿越时空之境，探索其不朽的艺术创作。⁠ ⁠ 完整内容 > Link in Bio!⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ Photo : Kim Lim © Estate of Kim Lim All Rights Reserved, DACS 2024
iconsingapore
Nov 26, 2022
🌶❤️‍🔥🧮🎴⛩️🎋
bchubchu
Nov 26, 2022
26-27.9.24: After office hours & into the wee hours of the morning. A sublime Kim Lim retrospective with superb curation by @adult_e_rated & @joleenloh , touching speeches by her sons Alex & Johnny, & so many shiny, happy faces in the mix. I’ll be back a few times over to savour the works for sure. Plus the refreshing Cipher show with @jeremy_sharma_paintings & @mm.yu_ at @appetite.sg . Some days, the adrenalin rush of meaningful conversations & convergences of exciting ideas is what keeps us going. Thanking the alignment of stars for a magical day & a half ✨💫
lulu_enpassant
Nov 26, 2022
Birthday month dump ✨ Always grateful for every year I can spend filled with meaningful friendships and shared creative passions. 🤍♍️
deonasaurus
Nov 26, 2022
Echo 1967 painted steel collection: nationalgallerysingapore
Nov 26, 2022
the-space-between a retrospective
schoolgirlbyebye
Nov 26, 2022
Kim Lim: The Space Between. A Retrospective repositions Singapore-born British artist Kim Lim as a pivotal figure in 20th-century sculpture and printmaking. This exhibition at the @nationalgallerysingapore is an attempt to demonstrate her unique contributions and highlight how she drew upon aesthetic values from material cultures across Asia and Europe to develop her own artistic language.
lnnightingale
Nov 26, 2022
If we had to sum Singapore-born sculptor Kim Lim up quickly, we’d say: icon, legend, and a visionary ahead of her time. 👑. Her minimalistic approach doesn’t just limit her work; it amplifies her growth and personality, shining through every piece of art she has crafted. Grab a friend, colleague or a parent, and spend the day at @nationalgallerysingapore immersing yourself in the brilliance of Kim Lim. It’s worth it🫶🏼. Photo credits: Kim Lim Estate and National Gallery Singapore.
catchsingapore
Nov 26, 2022
Kim Lim’s Abacus
gweezilla
Nov 26, 2022
Took a while to position the gallery staff in the gap as he kept moving to avoid my shot. 😁
gweezilla
Nov 26, 2022
My fav Kim Lim series. Made with paper!
gweezilla
Nov 26, 2022
Although the Singaporean-British sculptor Kim Lim’s work is often framed within European Modernist narratives, a retrospective at Singapore’s National Gallery also reveals the significant influence of Asian traditions on her choice of forms and materials, Adeline Chia writes. Read at the link in bio. @nationalgallerysingapore Images: view of Kim Lim’s @kimlimstudio “The Space Between. A Retrospective” at National Gallery Singapore, 2024. Image courtesy of National Gallery Singapore. © Estate of Kim Lim. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2024.
e_flux
Nov 26, 2022
Absolutely gorgeous Kim Lim show at @nationalgallerysingapore Congratulations to dear colleague Adele Tan @adult_e_rated! ✨✨✨
xiaoyuxiaoyuxiaoyu
Nov 26, 2022
To photograph or to be photographed? 📸👇 This , we’re pulling up ✨ very mindful, very youthful, very demure ✨ photos of artists Kim Lim and Teo Eng Seng from the archives. Two acclaimed artists. Two completely different styles. Two breathtaking shows to come. Opening next month in September. Get your Gallery Passes now. Link in bio for an early bird discount. Insiders go for free. - 🛠️ Kim Lim in her studio. c. late 1960s. © Estate of Kim Lim. All Rights Reserved, DACS 2023. Photo: Jorge Lewinski 👔 Photograph of Teo Eng Seng in London, c. 1961. Collection of the artist.
nationalgallerysingapore
Nov 26, 2022
😌 How many ways can we look at this artwork? In your next Gallery visit, practice savouring art in a conscious manner, starting with Kim Lim’s “Irrawaddy”, one of the artworks featured in our Slow Art Guide. This guided audio experience invites you to slow down through mindfully looking at artworks while engaging in reflection and introspection. 🎧 Link in bio to experience our Slow Art programmes. 🧱 Find “Irrawaddy” in the newly opened “Kim Lim: The Space Between. A Retrospective” exhibition.
nationalgallerysingapore
Nov 26, 2022
Celebrating master sculptor and printmaker, Kim Lim ❤️🔵🤍✨ See the artist’s unique take on minimalism in our newly opened exhibition “Kim Lim: The Space Between. A Retrospective”. Featuring stunning sculptures, prints, maquettes, never-before-seen photographs and archival materials, discover the evolution of her artistry across four decades. Experience her quiet brilliance in this Special Exhibition, running till 2 Feb 2025. 🎟️ Link in bio to purchase your Gallery Passes. Insiders go for free.
nationalgallerysingapore
Nov 26, 2022
Such a beautiful Kim Lim retrospective @nationalgallerysingapore 🤍
sachaleong
Nov 26, 2022
pieces that I connected with Kim Lim Singapore-born British artist < The - Space - Between . A Retrospective > dynamic . organic masterfully curated exhibition light . space . rhythm sculptures . prints lines so clean forms so precise paper . metal . glass . wood . stone ‘spaces in between’ . negative space something I resonate with art appreciation journal 📔
loveli_77
Nov 26, 2022
The Space Between. A Retrospective
keoywh
Nov 26, 2022

Discover The Space Between

See Kim Lim bring her distinctive minimalist style to life through her mastery of light, space, and rhythm. 

Follow Lim’s creative journey and explore her artistic process and evolution. Spanning over four decades, her sculptures and prints reflect the influences of her extensive travels across Asia and Europe.

Also on display are never-before-seen photographs and archival materials that offer a rare insight into her philosophy and creative relationships.

About the artist

In 1954, at 17, Kim Lim left Singapore for London to study art at the St. Martin’s School of Fine Art and later the Slade School of Fine Art. During her student years until 1979, Lim’s works were characterised by carving and assembling in wood and the use of industrial materials. After Lim’s first retrospective exhibition in 1979, she returned to carving in stone.

Throughout her career, Lim pursued printmaking and drawing in tandem with her sculptural work, moving between these mediums with material and technical deftness. Although works from both periods have different aesthetic sensibilities, they are connected by her enduring interest in the qualities of light, space, and rhythm.

Lim held solo exhibitions at the Tate in London, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield, and the National Museum Art Gallery, Singapore. She was also included in important surveys of both Singapore and British art during her lifetime. Today her works can be found in collections of art museums including National Gallery Singapore, the Tate in London, Arts Council Collection, UK, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and M+ in Hong Kong.

The spaces in between are as important as the things themselves, like the spaces between musical notes. Without them it would be chaos. There are certain things in the physical world that we can’t see but are important, like pulse.
Kim Lim, as quoted in Melanie Clulow, “Carving a Niche,” Vogue (July 1996)
Did You Know?
Did you know?

Did you know that Lim’s works have gained international recognition and can be found in collections of art museums around the world? These include National Gallery Singapore, the Tate in London, Arts Council Collection, UK, the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and M+ in Hong Kong.

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Ways to experience this exhibition

Drop-in activity at KCAE
Workshop | Free
Drop-in activity at KCAE

Join us for a family-friendly drop-in activity inspired by Kim Lim’s artworks.

10am – 1pm. daily
Available throughout December
Curator tour by Joleen Loh
Guided Tour | Free
Curator tour by Joleen Loh

Join our exhibition curator Joleen Loh on a tour to learn more about Kim Lim and her works. The tour is free, but a Special Exhibition pass is required for entry into the exhibition.

11am – 12pm
Sat, 25 Jan
Join a guided tour
Guided Tour | Free
Join a guided tour

Learn about Kim Lim, her works, and the evolution of her practice over four decades.

English, Thu–Sun, 3.30pm | Mandarin, Sat–Sun, 1.30pm
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Audio Tour Kim Lim: The Space Between. A Retrospective

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