Quarterly - Singapore Art Museum

The Singapore Show:Future ProofHardcover, 112 pagesRetail Price: $30ISBN: 978-981-07-1093-4Visual Culture 01:The Portraiture IssueMagazine, 98 pagesRetail Price: $16.90ISBN: 2251-1504Future Proof features almost 40 artworksfrom exciting young Singapore artists whosestrong and consistent presence in the localand international contemporary art landscapehas helped enliven the local creative scene andinspired many other local artists. The worksfeatured look at the performance of the body andidentity in the context of Singapore, and also ofsubcultures that flourish beneath the mainstream.Following social, political and cultural shifts, theconfidence and incisive focus of these artistsare undeniable.This catalogue contains essays by KhairuddinHori, Tan Boon Hui, David Chew and ZakiRazak that explore the various premises thathave influenced the practices of these artistsand the development of contemporary art in thelast three decades.Visual Culture is an exhibition in print project bySAM published twice yearly. As part of SAM’sfocus on contemporary art, this publicationproject acknowledges the rise of predominantlyvisual forms of media, communication andinformation exchange in recent years. It is anemergent field of inquiry that combines aspectsof art history, cultural anthropology, critical theory,philosophy, as well as media and performance.The inaugural issue explores the theme ofportraiture in photography. The dual nature thatresides within the medium, of what is ‘real’ andwhat is ‘represented’, is a source of inquiry thatis examined through photographic composition.By looking at the plethora of photographicimages constructed, from early 20th centuryethnological photographs to contemporaneousones made digitally, Visual Culture 01 aimsto provide possible ways of looking at themedium in order to make readers think moreintently about photography and its place withincontemporary art.SAM Publications | 19