What Singapore's Artistic Future Holds

A dedicated community of private art collectors has quietly expanded their passion beyond acquisition to nurture talent, preserve heritage, and propel Singaporean art onto the global stage.

- By Y-JEAN MUN-DELSALLE

As Singapore celebrates its 60th year of independence, a landmark exhibition is rewriting how the city-state tells its story.

A deeply personal yet nationally resonant showcase, “Artist's Proof: Singapore at 60” reveals how art serves as a mirror for collective memory and identity.

Singapore entrepreneur Chong Huai Seng and his daughter Ning Chong are steering the event. This private initiative exemplifies a powerful trend in Singapore: local collectors are not simply acquiring art, but also shaping the city-state’s artistic future. They are also filling critical gaps institutions alone cannot address.

Chong, who has been collecting art since the 1990s, describes the exhibition at Artspace @ Helutrans (on until 17 August 2025) as his “love letter to Singapore”.

“From my perspective, art welcomes diverse perspectives and offers new ways of reflecting on our history,” he says of the 90-plus artworks from his private collection. From 1940 to 2025, they trace his life's journey and Singapore’s development from a fledgling state to a global city.

“Artist's Proof: Singapore at 60” features more than 50 artists (mostly Singaporeans), including Cultural Medallion recipients Cheong Soo Pieng, Chua Mia Tee, and Lee Wen. The list also includes established names like Tang Da Wu, Wong Keen, Ming Wong, and John Clang, as well as exciting new names, such as Israfil Ridhwan, Khairulddin Wahab, Loi Cai Xiang, Dawn Ng, Shavonne Wong, Ng Joon Kiat, and Hilmi Johandi.