Welcome Remarks by Ms Jean Tan, SIF Executive Director, at the Launch of Utopias, an Exhibition by Michael Lee and Bob Matthews

Mark Howard, Director of the British Council Singapore;
Jennifer Lewis and Lian Wee Cheow, Governors of the Singapore International Foundation;
Friends of the Singapore International Foundation;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Good evening and welcome to the launch of Utopias.

Six months ago, the Singapore International Foundation embarked on a new partnership with the British Council Singapore. Its aim is to promote cross-cultural understanding between the people of Singapore and the United Kingdom through arts and cultural exchanges.

One of the early fruits of this partnership is the Artist-in-Residence Exchange programme between two contemporary artists – Singaporean Michael Lee and Briton Bob Matthews. This exhibition is a culmination of their observations and collaboration during the residency programme.

The two spent time in each other's cities – Singapore and London – engaging with the local arts communities and continuing their own research into their craft. What you see exhibited tonight is a collection of works that reflect the artists’ ‘meditations’ on utopian communities. Curated by Tolla Sloane, it brings together interpretations of two very different and yet similar cities, that I hope you’ll find poignant and thought-provoking.

This year, the SIF celebrates its 20th anniversary, and in an already special year, this is a meaningful exhibition for us. The collaboration between and experiences shared by Michael, Bob and Tolla reinforce our commitment to bridging communities, facilitating the sharing of ideas and developing sincere, long-lasting friendships – all towards our goal of building a better world.

We believe strongly in the power art has to connect people – artists, curators, critics and audiences. Besides the Artist-in-Residence Exchange, the SIF has an arts grant that has supported the presentation of local creative and artistic works overseas for the last 11 years. Known as Singapore Internationale (SI), grant recipients have not only exhibited and performed their works in over 40 countries, but collaborated with their overseas counterparts in Mexico, the Philippines, Scotland and Spain, and many other countries.

Next week, we will be launching DiverseCity, an exhibition to celebrate the achievements of SI recipients. The showcase of ‘live’ performances, visual art and photography offers insight into the SI recipients’ experiences in connecting with international audiences and collaborating with local artists in host cities. A commemorative publication to share the stories of the artists will be launched.

Much of what SIF achieves is not possible without its partners. We are truly grateful to the British Council, and our artists Bob and Michael, in connecting Singapore and world communities to enrich lives.

We also extend our sincere thanks to Give Art; the National Museum of Singapore; New Majestic Hotel; Town Hall Hotel; the Royal College of Art, London; Rhema; IND Creatives; Framehub; the Singapore Tyler Print Institute; :phunk Studio; and Studio Milou, Singapore – for their generous support of the residency programme.

Finally, thank you for being here with us tonight. We hope your evening will be an engaging one filled with new ideas and perspectives presented by Utopias.