The newly revamped DBS Singapore Gallery exhibition presents a layered, ever-changing story of Singapore’s art history, continually questioning itself: Whose story is this? Where is home? What is new? Who is looking? What is art for? Explore the unique pathways and detours of artists, and see their iconic artworks from the 19th century to present.

Guided tours are available.

  • When: Ongoing
  • Suitable For: Adults, Families, Visitors 65 and above, Visitors with accessibility needs, Students and Educators
  • Where: Level 2, DBS Singapore Gallery, City Hall Wing
  • General Admission pass required.

Singapore Stories: Pathways and Detours in Art

This exhibition is an act of storytelling. It is built upon the journeys undertaken by artists as they sought to make sense of the shifting social conditions in and beyond Singapore since the 19th century through art. These stories, told through different perspectives, offer us ways to relook at how Singapore’s art history has been written and what has been left out.

The exhibition acknowledges our diverse and cosmopolitan identities. We explore how artists considered questions of aesthetics and engaged with broader social and national concerns like colonialism, urban change and globalisation–forging alternate pathways and strategies in both medium and expression. It embraces an expanded view of Singapore’s art, offering entry points to explore issues of gender, class and labour, and touching on other disciplines and visual cultures.

We begin with images of Singapore during the context of British colonialism in Malaya. Emerging from this period, artistic communities formed during the 1930s to 1950s provided the space for artists to exchange ideas and grapple with questions about the role of art in Singapore.

After Singapore’s independence in 1965, rapid socioeconomic and technological changes fuelled the growth of fine art education and commercial design. During this time, artists moved between figurative expression and abstraction and experimented with a wide range of mediums and conceptual approaches.

From the 1980s, artists redefined methods of display and art making through installation, performance, and video. By bringing art into public spaces and forming independent platforms, they challenged conventions about where, when and how art could be experienced. No matter the period, artists have consistently initiated and inspired new ways of thinking about and making art.  

The DBS Singapore Gallery is made possible through a gift by DBS. 

The DBS Singapore Gallery is undergoing a revamp and will reopen fully in July 2025.

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Market of the Tropics

In the 19th century, Singapore was considered a place of opportunity as merchants and labourers had travelled here from across the world seeking their fortunes. Early visual depictions of Singapore in print, painting and photographs emphasised its economic viability and romanticised the island as a place with timeless charm of a sleepy fishing village, offering a glimpse into the many ways Singapore was imagined, experienced and circulated.

Featured artworks
The Esplanade from Scandal Point

The Esplanade from Scandal Point

John Turnbull Thomson 
1851. Oil on canvas, 59 x 89 cm. Gift of Mrs. F. G. Hall-Jones. Collection of National Museum Singapore

‘See Malaya by Railway’ poster (Taiping, Perak)

‘See Malaya by Railway’ poster (Taiping, Perak)

c. 1930. Colour lithograph, 83.7 x 59.4 cm. Collection of National Museum of Singapore

 

Community and Self

By the early 20th century, new possibilities for representing the communities and individuals in Singapore were emerging. Local artists combined elements of painting and photography to produce expressive portraits capturing both everyday people and prominent figures.

At the same time, artists from around the world were drawn to Singapore. Many came to teach art and create commissions for public spaces, reflecting the island's varied communities in their work.

In the 1930s, full-length motion picture films became another exciting space where directors, set and graphic designers, actors and musicians could come together to tell stories about the communities. During this period, diverse textual and calligraphic art and design also enriched Singapore's material culture. Together, these multiple perspectives and forms of cultural expression created a multifaceted and vibrant artistic scene here.

Featured artworks
<i>Portrait of a Woman, 20th Century</i>

Portrait of a Woman, 20th Century

Low Kway Song
Oil and pastel on gelatin silver print, 48.7 x 40.2 cm. Gift of Hall of Phoenix and Peony. Collection of Peranakan Museum

Poster for Pendekar Bujang Lapok (The Bachelor Warriors)

Poster for Pendekar Bujang Lapok (The Bachelor Warriors)

1959
Lithograph, 79.5 x 55.2 cm. Collection of National Museum Singapore.

Imagining Nation

What does art from Singapore look like?  Once part of the Johor Sultanate, Singapore was included in the Chinese concept of Nanyang (South Seas) along with maritime Southeast Asia. Later, it was incorporated into British Malaya until the 1960s. The regional connectivity is reflected in how artists portrayed the unique features of its people, landscape and cultures, as well as their own sense of belonging to this place.

As Singapore grappled with questions of identity and self-determination, artists not only expressed their individual visions but also contributed to the search for a national identity that resonated both locally and regionally.

The Liu Kang Gallery commemorates the artist Liu Kang and his role in the development of modern art Singapore. In May 2003, Liu Kang (1911–2004) and his wife Chen Jen Pin (1913–2009) donated over 1,000 works to Singapore’s National Collection, forming the largest donation of an artist’s work ever made to the country.

Featured artworks
Working At the Brick Factory

Working At the Brick Factory

Liu Kang
1954. Oil on canvas, 97.8 x 128.6 cm. Gift of the artist’s family. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.

Perjuangan di Malaya (Battle in Malaya)

Perjuangan di Malaya (Battle in Malaya)

S. Mahdar.
1957. Pencil on paper, 48.5 x 72 cm. Gift of the Loke Wan Tho Collection. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.

Storyteller

Storyteller

Wee Kong Chai
1962. Oil on canvas, 71 x 124 cm. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.

Mavis

Mavis

Annaratnam Gunaratnam
1953. Bronze, 49 x 37 x 22 cm. Gift of Sadhonadevi Gunaratnam. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.

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Seeking Connections

Even as they called Singapore home, artists frequently travelled to find new sources of inspiration for their work. A desire to connect with regional cultures – which was explored by informal collectives like the Ten Men Art Group – led to a rich combination of forms, subjects, and mediums.

By the 1960s, artists once again found new ways to express their impressions of Singapore and its place within the region. They began to experiment more boldly, particularly with abstraction, drawing inspiration beyond conventional boundaries of both medium and representation, finding new ways to express their impressions of Singapore and its place within the region.

Featured artworks
Longhouse

Longhouse

Shui Tit Sing
1980. Teak, 47 x 69 x 29 cm. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.

Mending Fishing Nets

Mending Fishing Nets

Chen Cheng Mei
1960. Oil on canvas, 72 x 54 cm. Gift of anonymous donor. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.

Gibbons

Gibbons

Chen Wen Hsi
1977. Ink and colour on paper, 190 x 488 cm. Conservation of this artwork was generously funded by the Bank of America Art Conservation Project. Collection of National Gallery Singapore.

Ways to experience this exhibition

Free
DBS Singapore Gallery Highlights Tour

Located in the City Hall Wing, the DBS Singapore Gallery showcases key artworks from the National Collection to tell stories of Singapore through art. The newly revamped exhibition Singapore Stories: Pathways and Detours in Art presents a layered, ever-changing story of Singapore’s art history, continually questioning itself: Whose story is this? Where is home? What is new? Who is looking? What is art for? 

English: Thu-Sun 3.30pm | Mandarin: Sat-Sun 2.30pm
Approx. 1 hr