National Gallery Singapore

03/09/2026

When the Gallery opened its doors in 2015, it was with the belief that art could play an important role in public life: bringing people together, opening up new ways of seeing, and creating experiences that stay with us.

Our newly published Annual Report 2025/26 reflects on the past financial year and the Gallery’s first decade: from growing the world’s largest public collection of Singapore and Southeast Asian modern art, to presenting landmark exhibitions, advancing research and bringing the art of our region to audiences at home and abroad.

It also tells a wider story of impact. Over the past decade, the Gallery has worked to make art more accessible through learning initiatives for children and educators, programmes that support wellbeing and inclusion, and experiences that invite people from all walks of life to see the museum as a space for all.

A big thank you to all our donors, partners, patrons and communities who have shaped the Gallery alongside us. The report celebrates their contributions and all the milestones and moments that have brought us to where we are today.

As we enter our next chapter, our founding belief continues to guide us: that art can enrich people’s lives, strengthen our connections with one another and contribute to the society around us.

Read the Annual Report: https://www.nationalgallery.sg/sg/en/about/annual-reports.html 🏛

30/08/2026

What can 16 pixels reveal about what we're allowed to see? 👾

The original source of Jason Wee's artwork is a scene from the iconic television series S*x and the City, which was banned from Singapore broadcast until 2004. Enlarged and pixelated almost to abstraction, this artwork and its unusually descriptive title invite viewers to question how desire is presented, interpreted and sometimes censored in public spaces.

Join Jason, Joie Tan and Huzir Sulaiman at our upcoming panel talk on 11 September, where we will explore the power of words and language across multiple spaces and disciplines.

Get your tickets: https://www.nationalgallery.sg/sg/en/talks/Panel-Discussion-The-Power-of-Words.html 🎟️

On display at “Passion is Volcanic: Desire in Southeast Asian Art (R18)" till 20 September ❤️‍🔥

27/08/2026

The Gallery is saddened to hear of the passing of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama.

Over a career spanning more than seven decades, Kusama established herself as a pioneering figure in contemporary art. From her early Infinity Nets paintings and avant-garde practice in New York to the immersive installations for which she became known around the world, her singular artistic vision transcended boundaries and generations.

In 2017, the Gallery was honoured to present "YAYOI KUSAMA: Life is the Heart of a Rainbow", her first major survey in Southeast Asia. Featuring more than 120 works spanning her extensive career, the exhibition offered audiences in the region an opportunity to encounter the breadth and evolution of her practice, from paintings and sculptures to installations and immersive works.

We remember Kusama for her extraordinary contribution to contemporary art, and for an artistic legacy that will continue to resonate with audiences around the world.

Our deepest condolences go to her family and loved ones.

27/08/2026

The Gallery congratulates Dr Iskandar Jalil on receiving the Distinguished Service Order at the 2026 National Day Awards.

One of Southeast Asia’s most prominent ceramicists, Dr Iskandar is known for works that bring together technical mastery, experimentation and a deep sensitivity to material and form. Among his many contributions is the development of his distinctive cobalt-blue glaze, widely recognised as “Iskandar Blue”.

Beyond his artistic practice, the 1988 Cultural Medallion recipient and master potter has dedicated decades to education and mentorship, nurturing generations of potters and contributing to the continued development of ceramic arts in Singapore.

In 2016, we were honoured to present "Iskandar Jalil: Kembara Tanah Liat", the first comprehensive survey of Dr Iskandar’s career at the time, featuring close to 180 ceramic pieces, including pieces dating back to the 1960s. The exhibition traced five decades of his dedication to mastering the techniques of clay.

Today, his works can be seen in the Gallery’s long-term exhibition "Singapore Stories: Pathways and Detours in Art". Come and discover his works for yourself on your next visit.

🏛️ 2nd Image: Iskandar Jalil. Large Pot. 1988. Stoneware, 48 x 30 x 30 cm. Collection of National Gallery Singapore. © Iskandar Jalil.

🏛️ 3rd Image: Iskandar Jalil. Sculpture. 1988. Stoneware, 36 x 14 x 21 cm. Collection of National Gallery Singapore. © Iskandar Jalil.

26/08/2026

Our new exhibition "Lai Foong Moi: Crossings" is featured in The Straits Times, shining a light on the Nanyang artist and her first solo exhibition in 63 years!

Through portraits, still lifes and scenes of everyday life, the exhibition offers a quieter look at Singapore and Malaya during a period of profound change and invites us to reconsider Lai’s place in the story of Nanyang art.

Curious to learn more about her story? Read the full article and come see the exhibition for yourself: https://www.straitstimes.com/life/arts/overlooked-nanyang-artist-lai-foong-moi-gets-her-first-solo-exhibition-in-63-years 👀

Crossings, the first solo exhibition of overlooked Nanyang artist Lai Foong Moi, showcases her portraits, still lives, and pioneering legacy in Singapore art. It is ongoing at the National Gallery Singapore till October 3, 2026. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

25/08/2026

Were you there for session one of our resident artist's Open Studio?

If you missed us the first time, we'll be running our second Open Studio this weekend! This time, resident artists Leo and Nabillah explore the relationships between visual art, music and movement through a playful, game-based approach to improvisation. Taking six artworks from the "Singapore Stories" exhibition as starting points, an ensemble of dancers and musicians will respond to the works in real time.

Through spontaneous translations from artwork to body, body to sound, and sound back to movement, the Open Studio becomes a live experiment in how we see, hear, and experience Singapore through one another.

🤍 Saturday, 29 August | 5:00pm
📍 Level 2, Singapore Courtyard

Come by for this free performance: https://www.nationalgallery.sg/sg/en/about/our-initiatives-and-collaborations/resonates-with-residency.html 🏛️

24/08/2026

Sign up as a Gallery Insider from now till 27 August 2026 and get 30% off 😊

There’s plenty to look forward to including our blockbuster of the year, "Pop after Pop: Art around Us", opening later in December. Featuring more than 200 works by over 100 artists from Southeast Asia, the United States, and beyond, it will be the largest group exhibition of Pop Art and its legacy ever staged in the region.

As a Gallery Insider, you’ll enjoy:
🎨 Free unlimited access to all exhibitions
⭐ Priority entry to "Pop after Pop: Art around Us"
🚗 Two hours of complimentary parking
🍽️ Up to 15% off at dining and retail outlets

Full list of perks: https://www.nationalgallery.sg/sg/en/membership.html 🏛️

21/08/2026

What can a tilapia, an octopus, and crushed iPhones tell us about the past? 🐙

Drawing from personal memories, historical records, and archival materials, the "Art Remembers" exhibition offers alternative readings of the region’s past through works across photography, video, print, and digital mediums.

As we reframe histories and imagine new futures through these artists' eyes, their works deepen our understanding of the people, places and events that have shaped Southeast Asia.

On display till 18 October: https://www.nationalgallery.sg/sg/en/exhibitions/Art-Remembers.html 📽️

18/08/2026

Words have power💥 A headline can shape a story. A job title can shape how someone is seen. Even the words used to describe an artwork can influence how we understand it.

Join us for The Power of Words, a panel discussion exploring how language can shape narratives, reinforce ideas and even challenge the status quo 💪 Drawing from art, writing, theatre and lived experience, our speakers will unpack how words influence who gets heard and who gets left out.

Sign up here: https://www.nationalgallery.sg/sg/en/talks/Panel-Discussion-The-Power-of-Words.html

📅 Friday, 11 September 2026
⏰ 6.30pm–8.00pm
📍 The Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium & Foyer
🎟️ $5 | $2 for Gallery Insiders

Stay on after the panel to catch two exhibitions during extended hours until 10pm ✨

17/08/2026

Dropping a sneak peek into our newest exhibition "Art Remembers" as we enter the final few moments of its installation. Through a series of 20 works, the show explores how artists across Singapore and Southeast Asia reframe histories, preserve memories, and imagine new futures.

Opening soon on 21 August: https://www.nationalgallery.sg/sg/en/exhibitions/Art-Remembers.html 🏛️

16/08/2026

Haven’t visited "He Xiangning: Ink & Intent" yet? Now’s the time!

From powerful depictions of lions to evocative landscapes, the exhibition brings together paintings, calligraphy, poetry and archival materials to explore the artistic world of one of China’s leading ink artists.

Catch it before it closes✨

🦁 He Xiangning. Lion.1914. Ink and colour on silk, 63 × 49 cm. Collection of He Xiangning Art Museum.
📍 City Hall Wing, Level 4, Wu Guanzhong Gallery