Frieze Academy Art and Architecture Summit Singapore: Art’s Place in the World Around Us

A Collateral Event of the Singapore Biennale 2019, the first international edition of Frieze’s flagship summit brings together leading artists, architects, thinkers and museum professionals to explore the connection between the fields of art and architecture. Participants include curators Ute Meta Bauer and June Yap; artists Lawrence Lek, Himali Singh Soin and Charles Lim Yi Yong; and architects Richard Hassell and Kulapat Yantrasast.

Responding to the cultural and built environment of Singapore, as well as wider international conversations in the fields of art and architecture, the programme will consider how the spaces in which we encounter art shape our understanding of it, and the ways in which art can define - or re-imagine - a sense of place. The day will begin with ‘Making Good Spaces,’ a keynote delivered by Kulapat Yantrasast, founding partner and creative director of whY, whose projects include the design for Frieze Los Angeles and the upcoming renovation of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. This is followed by: ‘Urban Ecologies’, a discussion between Richard Hassell of WOHA architects and Frieze Artist Award 2019-winner Himali Singh Soin, moderated by Ute Meta Bauer (Founding Director, NTU-CCA), exploring how non-human lifeforms such as plants or ecosystems can inform art and design; a presentation by Singaporean artist Charles Lim Yi Yong, whose internationally celebrated project SEA STATES addresses the effects of land reclamation; and a panel discussion on the way we imagine ‘Future Cities’, featuring artist Lawrence Lek and curator Mariana Tsionki, moderated by writer and critic Orit Gat. The summit concludes with a Closing Keynote, taking the form of conversation between Singapore Art Museum’s Dr. June Yap and artist Amanda Heng, whose work is a major reference for this year’s Singapore Biennale.

Victoria Siddall, Global Director, Frieze Fairs, said: ‘I am delighted that Frieze’s global reach is extending further with the launch of our first Art and Architecture Summit outside the UK. Bringing leading figures from the region and around the world to speak in Singapore, it exemplifies the pride we take in creating excellent content and connecting with new audiences.’

Matthew Holt, Commercial Director, Frieze, said: ‘This partnership has been driven since the outset by our impression of the unique qualities of Singapore’s cultural life - not least, its distinctive and progressive architectural character - as well as an excitement to support its growing status as a culture hub for Southeast Asia. We always aim to pursue collaborative approaches, and Singapore Tourism Board’s openness to share and discuss ideas at every stage of the partnership has been not just valuable, but inspiring. I am excited to see how this takes shape in the Art and Architecture Summit Singapore, where local and global perspectives can share space.’

Serene Tan, Director, Arts and Cultural Precincts, Singapore Tourism Board, said: ‘There is a growing appetite among our visitors for quality art experiences. Hence, we are pleased to partner Frieze Academy in hosting the first international edition of the Frieze Art and Architecture Summit outside of London. The event is a boost to Singapore’s standing as a leading arts hub in the region, and accentuates our appeal as a cultural and lifestyle destination.’

Frieze Academy’s programming drives education, inspiration, and community. Summits, Talks and Workshops led by visionaries from across the arts and cultural landscape offer unparalleled access to the most influential creators, institutions, and ideas shaping contemporary culture today.

For more information and to book tickets for the Art & Architecture Summit Singapore, click here.

^{Main image: WOHA, PARKROYAL on Pickering, Singapore}