The Art World

What does it mean for a young nation to collect its own reflection? Since 1960, Singapore has been answering this question one artwork at a time, assembling not just paintings and sculptures, but fragments of identity itself. In a city-state often dismissed as culturally sterile, Singapore's National Art Collection tells a different story altogether—one that began with a single generous donation and has grown into Southeast Asia's most ambitious cultural archive, housing over 9,000 works that bridge local identity with regional significance. From Chuah Thean Teng's pioneering batik paintings to contemporary digital installations, this collection reveals the choices a nation makes about itself: what to preserve, what to show, who gets remembered. As Singapore commemorates SG60, we explore how art collecting became an act of sovereignty, cultural determination, and national dialogue.

For our fourth instalment of AA Adopts, we speak with couple Petr & Jana, about their shared love for art and how it's like collecting secondhand art as a couple.

You never know when a trip to a thrift store or a garage sale might turn up something truly special. From overlooked paintings and ceramics to rare documents tucked away, these pieces remind us to look closely, appreciate the layers of life, maybe one day you too will find a truly special artwork.

For our third instalment of AA Adopts, we speak with William Ng as he shares how two very different artworks found a home in his office, and the unexpected ways they've shaped the space around him.

AA Artists is a spotlight on overlooked artists whose work deserves greater recognition.
In our first instalment, we feature the late Toya Lim Khoon Hock (Malaysian, 1943–2016), a pioneer of batik impressionism. Known for his lineless technique, his works captured rural Malaysian life with care and technical precision, challenging what batik could be.