Exhibition at Gajah Gallery highlights women artists and contemporary Southeast Asian visual arts.
The Philippine Embassy in Singapore supported the presentation of Filipino artists at Dramatis Personae: 1001 Lives, an exhibition featuring 15 women artists from Southeast Asia, held at Gajah Gallery Singapore from 30 October to 29 November 2026. Organised by Gajah Gallery and curated by Joyce Goh, the exhibition explored themes of identity, resilience and storytelling through contemporary visual art, in conjunction with Museum and Galleries Month.
Inspired by the story of Scheherazade from One Thousand and One Nights, the exhibition examined women’s experiences and perspectives through diverse artistic practices. It also highlighted the contributions of women artists to contemporary Southeast Asian art and the role of visual arts in encouraging cultural understanding within the region.
The Philippines was represented by three artists: Nona Garcia, Wawi Navarroza and Goldie Poblad or. Their works contributed to the exhibition’s exploration of female experience, creativity and self-expression, presenting perspectives from the Philippine contemporary art scene.
The exhibition officially opened on 29 October 2026, with an opening reception attended by Ms Jane Ittogi, spouse of Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, as Guest of Honour. Ms Ittogi is also a longstanding patron and advocate of the arts in Singapore.
Gajah Gallery, which operates exhibition spaces in Singapore and the Philippines, presented the exhibition as part of its engagement with contemporary art and artists from the region. Its Singapore gallery is located at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, providing a venue for visitors to view the participating artists’ works.
The Philippine Embassy’s support for the exhibition continued its promotion of Philippine visual arts through Art Trek, an initiative now in its 17th year. The programme works in partnership with galleries in Singapore to introduce Philippine artists and their works to local audiences.
Dramatis Personae: 1001 Lives was open to the public until 29 November 2026, with free admission. The exhibition welcomed visitors from Monday to Friday, 11.00 am to 7.00 pm, and on Saturdays and Sundays, 12.00 noon to 6.00 pm, at Gajah Gallery, #03-04, 39 Keppel Road, Tanjong Pagar Distripark, Singapore.
Source: Philippine Embassy in Singapore
