The 40th UOB Painting of the Year competition calls for artists to push the limits of their imagination and ingenuity

Singapore, 29 April 2021 – UOB is calling for artists in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand to push the limits of their imagination and ingenuity through the 40th UOB Painting of the Year (POY) competition. This year, Singapore's longest-running annual art competition and one of Southeast Asia's most prestigious art awards, invites artists to create artworks that showcase their creativity and mastery.

Wee Ee Cheong, Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, UOB, said, “Art has the power to cut across culture, geography and time in lifting the human spirit and unifying minds. This has been most evident during the pandemic. Many around the world who have had to withdraw into their homes, have turned to art as a compelling means of expression, for comfort and to identify with others

“Over the last four decades of the UOB POY competition, our POY artists have opened eyes and minds to new worlds and encouraged conversations and connections. Their imagination and creativity have helped broaden our world views and fostered a deeper appreciation of other cultures and perspectives. As we commemorate 40 years of championing Southeast Asian art and artists, UOB remains committed to supporting the next generation of artists as they continue to push the boundaries of creative expression.”

The UOB POY competition has helped to uncover more than 1,000 artists across the region over the last four decades. Many have gone on to define Southeast Asian art including Mr Goh Beng Kwan, Mr Anthony Poon and Mr Chua Ek Kay, who were also recipients of the Singapore Cultural Medallion. The country winner of the 2010 UOB POY (Thailand), Ms Pannaphan Yodmanee, has also gone on to win the distinguished Benesse Prize, the official award of the Singapore Biennale, in 2016.

Goh Beng Kwan said, “Winning the UOB Painting of the Year was one of the most important, life changing moments in my career as an artist. As a result of it, I was invited to participate in many local and overseas exhibitions. This gave me the opportunity to develop further as an artist, as well as interact and learn from other Southeast Asian artists. It also led to my artworks gaining tremendous recognition. Winning the award was what encouraged me to be a full-time artist.”

Call for 40th UOB POY competition entries
As with last year, submissions will be received digitally. UOB POY submissions will be open from 29 April 2021 until 31 July 2021. The competition is for citizens and permanent residents across Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.

The panel of judges for the 2021 UOB POY (Indonesia) competition include:

• Dr Agung Hujatnikajennong, Independent Curator and Lecturer at Bandung Institute of Technology;
• Nathasha Sidharta, Director, IndoArtNow, an archival website that promotes and support the art scene in Indonesia; and
• Mella Jaarsma, Founder of Cemeti Art House and Artist.

The winners of the 2021 UOB POY (Indonesia) competition will be announced at an award ceremony on November 2021. Artworks of the top 30 finalists will be exhibited virtually from November to December 2021. The coveted UOB Southeast Asian POY award for the country winner with the most outstanding work will be announced at regional awards ceremony in November 2021. More competition details can be found at www.UOBandArt.com.

To mark the 40th UOB POY, this year, instead of one country winner, all four country winners will be able to participate in an art residency programme either in Shanghai, China or Fukuoka, Japan. The month-long exchange programme will enable artists to immerse themselves in the art culture of the host country and learn about various approaches to art creation.

Forty years of UOB POY alumni unite in special exhibition
To celebrate the UOB POY 40-year milestone, UOB will host a special commemorative exhibition in the third-quarter of this year. The exhibition will feature 45 winning works, comprising 39 pieces from UOB POY (Singapore) winners and six artworks from UOB Southeast Asian POY winners. Attendees will experience how Southeast Asian art has changed over the years and at the hands of the competition’s art luminaries.

The commemorative exhibition will also hold virtual tours on www.UOBandArt.com. With close to nine in 10 of Singaporeans using online channels as a means to engage with the arts during the COVID-19 pandemic last year , UOB expects the exhibition will draw many into the world of Southeast Asian art.

UOB Indonesia remains steadfast in its support of the local art community
UOB Indonesia continues to create and to offer meaningful avenues for Indonesian artists to showcase their talents, connecting them to more opportunities on the regional and international stage.

Hendra Gunawan, President Director, UOB Indonesia, said, “Indonesian artists have demonstrated their resilience throughout the pandemic as they continue to express themselves creatively and confidently through the use of online platforms amid the ongoing social restrictions. In addition to our annual UOB POY competition in Indonesia, we have invited our alumni artists and prominent art practitioners to hold a series of public webinars to share their experiences. Through such community outreach initiatives, we hope to promote greater appreciation of art among the public and to help contribute to social progress.”