In discussion with Angelica Ong

Image courtesy of Singapore Art Museum

Angelica Ong is Assistant Curator at the Singapore Art Museum. Her interests lie within slowness, materiality, indexicality, and how the passage of time is felt and experienced, alongside multilingualism and translation. Her recent curatorial projects include Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey (2024) and SAM Contemporaries: How To Dream Worlds (2025). Ong maintains an art practice centred on artist books and photography and has exhibited work in solo and group shows with School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) SITE Sharp Gallery (Chicago), the Minnesota Centre for Book Arts (Minneapolis), FLOOR_ (Seoul) and DECK Photography Art Centre (Singapore) amongst others. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Ohio State University Libraries, the James Branch Cabell Library Special Collections and Archives at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Bryn Mawr College Special Collections, and more. Her artist books have featured in multiple fairs, including the Hong Kong Photobook Festival (Hong Kong), Tropic Bound (Miami) and more, with upcoming presentations at the Singapore Art Book Fair, Unlimited Edition Seoul Art Book Fair, and Taipei Art Book Fair. She holds a BFA from SAIC.

I had the pleasure of asking her what her favorite aspect of being a curator is. How does the arrangement of the artwork affect the outcome or change the audience’s perspective of the artworks when first coming into the museum? What advice would she give to an artist wanting to get the attention of a curator to be included in a group show, and so much more?

UZOMAH: Now in its second edition, SAM Contemporaries is a biennial platform dedicated to supporting emerging practices and generative trends in Singapore art. What do you hope that audiences from Singapore and abroad learn about these new artists and their practices?

ANGELICA: While working on this edition of SAM Contemporaries, we’ve watched artists develop exciting ideas that push the boundaries of their practice, all while grappling with questions that are both deeply personal and universally resonant. Through our collaboration, we’ve aimed to highlight practices that are generative and forward-looking.

I hope this exhibition demonstrates some of the breadth of artistic practices in Singapore, in terms of both conceptual and material interests, and showcases the sophistication and depth in the practices that are emerging from our shores to a global audience. These artists are not just responding to global trends; they are actively shaping conversations and contributing vital new perspectives to contemporary art discourse.

U: SAM Contemporaries: How To Dream Worlds is an exhibition that highlights the emerging practices in Singapore. What makes an exhibition like this so special for SAM?

A: Emerging practices are the vanguard of the contemporary—they speak to the concerns and questions that grip us today, and which will continue to shape conversations in the years to come. These are practices that do not yet have established vocabularies and categories to describe them and are still evolving rapidly. For SAM, supporting them is not just about presenting what is new, but about contributing to the growth of artists we believe will go far.

This is what makes SAM Contemporaries: How To Dream Worlds so significant. It embodies our role as a “constituent museum” that is deeply connected to its community and committed to nurturing artistic development. We envisioned SAM Contemporaries as much more than a one-off showcase; it is a vital, two-year incubator for emerging artistic ideas and practice built on continuous dialogue between artists and SAM curators, with a focus on process- and research-driven outcomes.

This approach has allowed us to embrace a wide range of works that might not fit a conventional gallery setting, such as performance, durational pieces, and urban interventions. The extended timeline and emphasis on process give artists the space and resources needed to develop and refine their ideas, culminating in a dynamic presentation that spans formats. This flexible and supportive approach reinforces SAM's role as a leader in transforming how audiences experience contemporary art and as a champion for the remarkable diversity of Singapore's art scene.

U: How were the artists for SAM Contemporaries: How To Dream Worlds selected?

A: SAM Contemporaries was conceived as a means of surveying burgeoning currents in Singapore art while revisiting overlooked moments in local art developments. For the second edition, we were intentional in selecting artists with emerging practices—defined not by years of activity, but by evolving artistic approaches and ideas still in experimental or formative stages.

As part of the SAM curatorium, we prioritised artists who would most benefit from SAM Contemporaries as a commissioning platform. With its extended engagement period, collaborative process with SAM curators, and emphasis on process and research-led outcomes, SAM Contemporaries provides artists with dedicated space and resources to develop and refine their ideas.

U: What advice would you give to an artist wanting to get the attention of a curator to be included in a group show?

A: There are many ways artists can gain the attention of curators, but the most important thing is to keep practicing actively and to seek out different kinds of platforms to share your work. If opportunities aren’t readily available, one way is to create them for yourself. An online presence—whether through social media or a portfolio website—can be a simple place to start. Residencies are also a valuable route, as they provide time and space to deepen artistic research and refine your practice.

For instance, besides SAM Contemporaries, we also run SAM Residencies, an incubation-focused programme that cultivates local and international arts practitioners across diverse disciplines. Featuring four residency types open to artists, curators, arts organisations and artist-run spaces, the initiative offers a platform for artistic experimentation and the exchange of ideas, supporting those in need of a dedicated space to develop their research, practice and work.

Several artists featured in SAM Contemporaries: How To Dream Worlds, including PG Lee, Chu Hao Pei and Chok Si Xuan, previously participated in SAM Residencies. We invited them to be part of the exhibition based on the promising evolution of their practices and projects, which demonstrates SAM’s long-term investment in cultivating relationships with our artists, and our commitment to supporting them in their journeys.

Of course, curatorial decisions often involve multiple considerations, including thematic coherence, institutional priorities, timing, and resource constraints. However, SAM remains committed to championing Southeast Asia’s dynamic artistic voices and situating them within global conversations on art and culture. Artistic practices with distinctive perspectives will always be something we’re on the lookout for.

U: Having an exhibition like this, where artists are at pivotal moments in their practices, how does a platform like this nurture their ideas and make it more accessible?

A: Each artist is paired with two to three curators who work closely with them over the course of nearly a year. For the artists, having dedicated curators who are deeply familiar with their interests and research provides a valuable sounding board to exchange, test, and challenge ideas. For the curators, the process involves finding ways to frame and articulate these new works and emerging practices—for some artists, for the first time—which is key to opening up their practices to wider audiences and making their ideas more accessible.

U: How do you ensure that exhibitions remain a compelling event that the community is eager to participate in and view? What strategies do you employ to keep the audience engaged?

A: To maintain sustained engagement, we’ve developed a rich lineup of accompanying programmes. This edition includes a forthcoming publication that documents the artists’ processes, as well as a variety of programmes that extends the exhibition experience beyond the gallery’s walls. This includes hands-on workshops such as Repair Kopitiam, led by Chok Si Xuan, which explores the technical aspects of the artist’s practice, while offering participants an opportunity to try their hand at techniques such as soldering, drilling, and sewing. Syahrul Anuar and The Urbanist have also partnered up to guide an immersive walking tour through Tanjong Pagar, inviting participants to reflect on their understanding of the land while uncovering untold narratives that helped shape Singapore. Undercurrents: Voices of SAM Contemporaries brings the artists and curators together in a series of six pop-up internet radio sessions to host free-flowing conversations that highlight the exploratory spirit of the exhibition and offer audiences a more personal and informal window into the ideas and voices behind the works. Additionally, curator-led tours, including tours delivered in Singapore Sign Language ensure diverse audiences can engage with the works and the exhibition’s central themes, reinforcing SAM’s dedication to accessible programming.

U: What is your favorite aspect of being a curator?

A: What I enjoy most about being a curator is being able to meet a wide range of artists and gain a deep understanding of their practices. I get an unfiltered look at what happens behind the scenes—from what their studios look like to how they source and work with their materials, and even the texts and resources that inform their thinking. I value the relationships that I am able to build with artists and their collaborators.

I also enjoy thinking about how to situate artworks within a space—how design, layout, and atmosphere can highlight the work and shape the audience’s experience of it. And while articulating an artist’s practice can be challenging, I find it deeply rewarding, especially when it helps open up their ideas to wider audiences.

U: Is there anything you can think of that is the most essential element of a well-crafted exhibition?

A: I wouldn’t say there is a single essential element to a well-crafted exhibition, but what matters to me personally is the scaffolding of information and how an artist’s practice or conceptual interests are conveyed beyond the artwork itself, for instance through the arrangement or sequence of works, as well as in the design of the exhibition space. For a group exhibition like SAM Contemporaries, this can be challenging since each artist’s practice is so distinct. Instead, we focused on the flow and transition points between works, while ensuring that each had sufficient space to breathe and inhabit the gallery. Attention to details such as how lighting shifts from one work to the next, or how sound might spill across the space, became crucial. Being observant of these nuances and shaping them with care to provide a more immersive experience to audiences was central to how we approached this exhibition.

U: Why do you believe that museums, galleries, and artspaces are so vital to society and the communities they serve? What role do they play in shaping cultural narratives and fostering artistic expression?

A: There are countless reasons why artistic and cultural spaces are vital to society. Throughout history, art has reflected the urgencies of its time as well as larger, universal questions about the human condition. Artists and scholars are often the first to question, challenge and embrace change—whether through new technologies, shifting cultural currents, or pressing social issues. It is essential that we preserve records of these expressions, whether in the form of a painting, photograph, video, installation, performance, sound work, etc.

Museums, galleries, and independent art spaces play a crucial role in this ecosystem. They provide platforms for artists to present their research, exhibitions and performances, while also serving as vital repositories and archives that safeguard these contributions. In doing so, they ensure that artistic practices and cultural knowledge not only endure, but also continue to grow and enrich future generations.

For more information about the SAM Contemporaries: How to Dream Worlds exhibition and other events at the museum, please visit the site here. SAM can be found on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.