Chairman of ART:DIS, Mr Andrew Liew (extreme left); UOL Group Chief Executive, Mr Liam Wee Sin (back row, fourth from left); and Ms Low Yen Ling, Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Trade and Industry (centre), with the winners and judges of the inaugural UOL X ART:DIS Art Prize.
UOL X ART:DIS Art Prize 2023, Singapore’s first comprehensive art prize that recognises all stages of artistic practice by artists with disabilities, unveiled the 28 winners at an awards ceremony on 4 August 2023 at The Arts House. The guest-of-honour was Ms Low Yen Ling, Minister of State, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth & Ministry of Trade and Industry. About 100 guests attended the ceremony.
The biennial competition was launched in May this year in conjunction with UOL’s 60th anniversary year and ART:DIS’ 30th year. Organised by non-profit ART:DIS and supported by UOL, the competition drew a strong response, with over 300 artworks submitted by students from 17 special education (SPED) schools in Singapore and artists from ART:DIS. Participants ranged from six to 76 years old, across a spectrum of disabilities including sensory, intellectual, developmental and physical.
The ceremony honoured eight award recipients across the two main categories – the Open category recognised young students aged six to 18 from SPED schools, and the Closed category was artists from ART:DIS aged 19 and above. Among those recipients, Ms Fern Wong was the Winner in the Mature Category (Closed). She received $10,000 and the chance to stage a solo exhibition for her work titled “PAPERAZZI”.
Addressing the audience, Mr Liam Wee Sin, UOL Group Chief Executive, said: “Together with our community partner ART:DIS and the judging panel, we have witnessed an inspiring showcase of artistic brilliance from an amazing group of participants. Picasso said that ‘It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child’. A child is a creative genius by nature. Similarly, the Art Prize celebrates the unique perspectives of artists with disabilities and a sense of honesty that each of the submissions and winning pieces has.”
Ms Angela Tan, ART:DIS Executive Director, said: “We hope that winners of the Art Prize will gain greater public support and equal access to professional development opportunities.”
The winners were selected by a panel of art experts, namely Ms Mae Anderson, Chairman, Art Outreach and Managing Director, Head of Philanthropy Services, Asia, BNP Paribas Wealth Management; Ms Dee Chia, Deputy Director of Audience Engagement, National Gallery of Singapore; Mr John Tung, an independent curator and exhibition-maker; and Ms Adeline Kueh, Senior Lecturer, Lasalle College of the Arts Singapore. Mr Liam was also on the judging panel.
Ms Low said: “I am heartened to see organisations like UOL and ART:DIS coming together to provide platforms for artists with disabilities to showcase their work to a wider audience. The UOL X ART:DIS Art Prize is the only award of this scale in Singapore that is singularly focused on raising the visibility of artists with disabilities.”
She added: “We appreciate how UOL is supporting the arts in various ways. Last year, UOL was recognised as a Distinguished Patron of the Arts for its contribution to the local arts scene. UOL’s strong support for artists with disabilities through its partnership with ART:DIS in presenting the UOL X ART:DIS Art Prize is another inspiring and excellent example of the company’s commitment to the arts.”
All winning artworks will be showcased at The Arts House (Gallery II) from 5 to 14 August (10am–9pm), in the heart of the Civic District. Members of the public can visit the exhibition and vote for their favourite artworks across all categories.
The UOL X ART:DIS Art Prize will return in 2025 to continue its purpose as a catalyst for greater representation, acknowledgement and appreciation for artists with disabilities.
Click here to view all winning works.
For the full list of Winners, Highly Commended and Merit Prize recipients, click here.
Ms Fern Wong (second from left), the Winner in the Mature (Closed) Category, with her creation “PAPERAZZI”, an artwork using intricate paper cut-outs to transform ordinary bulletin paper into bursts of joyful celebration.
Mr Isaac Tan (third from left) clinched the Winner title in the Emerging Artist (Closed) Category for his “Self Portrait”.