Opening on 21 August 2026, Art Remembers brings together 20 works by artists from Singapore and Southeast Asia to explore how archives, memories and overlooked histories can be reinterpreted through contemporary art.
National Gallery Singapore will present Art Remembers, a major contemporary art exhibition examining how artists engage with archives to preserve memories, challenge established narratives and imagine new futures. Running from 21 August to 18 October 2026, the exhibition features 20 works, including new commissions and key works from Singapore’s National Collection, inviting audiences to see archives as living spaces shaped by interpretation, memory and imagination.
Spanning photography, video, print, digital and technology-enabled practices, Art Remembers explores the diverse ways artists interact with historical materials. These include records from state institutions, community-maintained archives, mass media imagery and traces found in the natural environment. By giving new meaning to these materials, the artists demonstrate that remembering is not simply an act of looking back, but also a way of rethinking how Southeast Asia’s histories are understood and shared. Dr Eugene Tan, CEO and Director of National Gallery Singapore and Project Director of the exhibition, said the presentation positions artists as important interpreters and storytellers of history and memory.
Among the exhibition highlights is a work by Malaysian artist Ahmad Fuad Osman, who digitally modifies archival photographs from Malaysia’s post-independence period by introducing a contemporary figure dressed in modern clothing and placed in humorous poses. The work considers how national histories are continually shaped and retold. Singaporean artist Robert Zhao’s video work, meanwhile, traces the unexpected journey of tilapia from wartime Singapore to commercial success in Taiwan, revealing stories of migration and cultural exchange. A newly commissioned mural by Yogyakarta-based printmaking collective Krack! revisits wartime visual materials to examine history, power and collective memory, while Hmong Australian artist Vanghoua Anthony Vue draws on personal memories and archival imagery to explore the lesser-known conflict in Laos during the Vietnam War.
The exhibition also looks towards the future of archiving through technology and emerging creative practices. Works by Singaporean artists Ho Tzu Nyen and Ho Rui An explore digital and technology-driven approaches to memory, while Filipino American artist Josh Kline makes his debut presentation of a work developed during his residency at Singapore Tyler Print Institute. The work transforms iPhones — devices that hold vast amounts of personal memories and information — into paper, prompting reflection on technology, personal archives and collective histories.
Through these diverse approaches, Art Remembers highlights the ability of contemporary art to uncover overlooked narratives and question familiar understandings of the past. The exhibition demonstrates how archives can become spaces for reflection, dialogue and speculation, while encouraging audiences to consider identity, belonging and cultural memory from fresh perspectives. Art Remembers will be presented at the Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery 1 and City Hall Chamber at National Gallery Singapore from 21 August to 18 October 2026. General Admission is required, with free entry for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents.
Source: National Gallery Singapore
