20 July 2006:

BELIEF
Listing of Participating Artists, Exhibition Sites & Programme

The Singapore Biennale 2006 (SB2006), Singapore's inaugural international biennale of contemporary art, will open to the public on 4 September 2006. This major international contemporary art exhibition will feature 95 artists and artist collectives from over 38 countries and regions including Singapore. It will be the first significant cultural event to bring contemporary visual art practices into the daily lives of Singaporeans.

Theme

Through the conceptual framework of BELIEF, the curatorial team led by Artistic Director Fumio Nanjo, have invited a rich and varied selection of artists to examine the complex questions that surround and inform the questions of belief, which manifest in contemporary society. Under the theme of BELIEF, this groundbreaking cultural event will be experienced across the unique cityscape of Singapore - one of Asia's most extraordinary examples of cosmopolitan faiths, values and cultural heritages.

The world today is complex and diverse, fraught with war and terrorism. As Samuel Huntington suggests in his book, The Clash of Civilisations, is it really impossible for people with different values and faiths to live together peacefully? In this age of ever-diversifying and mixed value systems, what should people believe in and live by? To live moment-by-moment is also to make choices from multiple possibilities. What do we base on to live by these decisions? Some people believe in the absolute truth of religion; others believe in the rules of capitalism and economics; others in progress and development; and yet others believe in the values of nature and the environment. Love and Art can also become ways or pointers by which to live.

Although Singapore is a small island nation, different faiths, languages, and ethnic groups coexist without violent conflict. It is perhaps fitting then to reflect on the meaning of belief today in such a society. Through art, can we once again think about what binds us together as human beings? This seemingly straightforward yet potentially complex question underpins the first edition of the Singapore Biennale.

"The basis of the artist selection was generated by the way in which their practices engage with the complex and multiple dimensions of belief" Artistic Director Fumio Nanjo remarks. "In fact, many of the artists are participating in a biennale for the first time, though this was by no means a criterion for selection. A further consideration was the unique characteristics and challenges of the exhibition venues. This was also key to identifying artists and how their works would engage with the Singaporean public. I hope that this exhibition will be a stimulating, enjoyable and perhaps even stirring experience for all."

Artists, Artist Collectives & Curators

BELIEF takes many forms, and the selection of artists and art works, which will include: architecture, biotechnology, drawing, installation, new media, painting, performance, photography, sculpture, sound projects and video, will reflect this. Many of the art works will be specially commissioned new works. Some of the more internationally recognised artists participating in SB2006 include Shahidul Alam (Drik Picture Library), Shigeru Ban, Amanda Heng, Jenny Holzer, Eduardo Kac, Mariko Mori, Carsten Nicolai, Jaume Plensa and Agus Suwage (For the full list of participating artists, please refer to Annex 1).

In addition to the core team of curators, more than 35 networking curators from all over the world have also been invited to contribute information on artists. These networking curators were selected based on their expertise in specific geographical regions as well as in specific mediums (For profiles of the core curatorial team and full list of networking curators, please refer to Annex 2 & 3).

Exhibition Sites

Consideration of BELIEF is also reflected in the choice of exhibition venues. A number of art works will be placed within a selection of religious sites in Singapore, with the aim of cultivating thoughtful and unique encounters between historically important spaces of belief and art. Other exhibition sites include City Hall, the stage for many historic events associated with Singapore's nationhood; public spaces along the shopping thoroughfare Orchard Road; a Housing & Development Board (HDB) estate that provides affordable public housing for Singaporeans and Tanglin Camp, a cluster of colonial buildings that previously housed major departments of the Ministry of Defence. (For a full list of exhibition sites, please refer to Annex 4).

Two young architects, Josh Comaroff (Lekker Design) and Mark Wee (Kennel), have also been appointed as the Exhibition Designers for the Biennale. In order to meet the variety of challenges and contexts offered by the unique choice of exhibition venues, they will be working closely with the curators and the artists on the installation of the artworks for SB2006. Exhibition signage, amenities and public access will be an integrated feature of their exhibition design.

Opening Event

The Singapore Biennale's opening event on 1 September 2006 will feature specially commissioned art projects. This event will take place at the Padang, in front of City Hall, one of the Biennale's main exhibition venues.

Outreach Programmes

Alongside the Biennale exhibition the ongoing Encounters series of talks, workshops and events will continue up to and beyond the opening of the biennale in September, involving many of the participating artists. Walk the Talk - an audio guide will also be launched to guide visitors around the Biennale exhibition through 50 listening points across the 16 venues, providing information about the artworks and the contexts in which they are being viewed.

A SB2006 television programme has also been planned, with the objective of demystifying some of the preconceived notions about contemporary art and making it more accessible. Conceived as a mass broadcast television programme it will bring the presence of the Biennale into the homes of Singaporeans.

A series of education projects focusing on primary and secondary school children will accompany the Biennale. This programme will also include a number of artist residencies and workshops.

Publication

Prior to the opening of SB2006, a free fact sheet will be published giving full details about the Biennale. A comprehensive short guidebook listing all artists and exhibition venues will also be available at the opening of the Biennale. This will be followed by a full colour catalogue published after the opening, which will include installation photographs of the exhibition and documentation of all aspects of the Biennale. An updated version of the SB2006 website will be launched in mid April with a full listing of artists and sites, in addition to useful travel and press information.

Special Exhibition

'Telah Terbit' (Out Now): Southeast Asian Contemporary Art Practices During the 1970s

Pushing through the 1960s, where modes of abstraction were adopted as an expression of progressiveness and at the same time an instrument of international engagement, the 1970s art practices may be seen as a critique on the variants of modernity that emerged out of the processes of decolonization and independence. 'Telah Terbit' (Out Now) follows the progression of Southeast Asian artists and art groups such as FX Harsono and Gerakan Seni Rupa Baru (Indonesia), Sulaiman Esa (Malaysia), Cheo Chai Hiang (Singapore), Pratuang Emjaroen (Thailand), Pablo Baens Santos and Kaisahan (Philippines) as they navigate through the aesthetics of both empathy and rejection.

This exhibition is curated by Ahmad Mashadi, Senior Curator and Lim Qinyi Assistant Curator (Programs) of Singapore Art Museum.

VivoCity Public Art Project

VivoCity will be the only venue where artworks for the Singapore Biennale will be permanently displayed. A collection of seven outdoor art and street furniture designs by six international artists are being specially commissioned by VivoCity for the Biennale. The six participating artists are: Michael CHEUNG, CHOI Jeong-Hwa, Inges IDEE (artist collective), Marc RUYGROK, Henk VISCH, Hiroshi YOSHIMIZU. Curated by Fumio NANJO, these fun and engaging pieces will complement the multi-dimensional experiences that will constantly surprise and stimulate visitors to VivoCity. This collection will be unveiled on 19 October 2006.

Biennale Collaboration

Another unprecedented move in the Biennale circuit will be the collaboration of three Asian Biennales on a joint promotional campaign, carried out for the first time. From 1 to 9 September 2006, the Singapore, Shanghai and Gwangju Biennale openings and events will take place in succession. Bookings of joint travel packages to the three Biennales will be made available from end March 2006.

Schedule Of Events

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Background on Singapore Biennale 2006

Organised by the National Arts Council (Singapore) in partnership with the National Heritage Board of Singapore, SB2006 opens to the public from 4 September to 12 November 2006. The first international contemporary art exhibition is curated by Fumio Nanjo, internationally reputed for having headed the programming and adjudication of major art events throughout the world.

As the anchor cultural event for Singapore 2006: Global City. World of Opportunities, SB2006 provides the platform for the presentation of international art in dialogue with Singapore and Asia. Singapore 2006 is the umbrella event where Singapore will play host to the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Group.

About Singapore 2006

Singapore 2006 showcases Singapore as a global city with a world of opportunities. It is a series of events which highlights Singapore as a dynamic, well-connected and entrepreneurial economy with tremendous opportunities in the financial, business, technology and creative industries sectors. It also puts the spotlight on Singapore as a cosmopolitan society where arts and culture thrive.

Singapore 2006 includes the Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, the Program of Seminars 2006, Raffles Forum 2006, the Institute of International Finance Annual Membership Meeting, Per Jacobsson Lecture, International Banking Seminar by the Group of Thirty, the inaugural Singapore Biennale and many other meetings and events to be held in September 2006.

About the National Arts Council, Singapore

The National Arts Council (NAC) was established in September 1991 to spearhead the development of the arts in Singapore. To realise its vision of developing Singapore into a distinctive global city for the arts, NAC provides total support to nurture artistic talent, promotes the practice and appreciation of the arts among Singaporeans, builds up capabilities and resources, facilitates internationalisation and advocates the value of the arts. Through its holistic range of programmes and initiatives to develop the entire arts value chain, the Council champions the growth of a vibrant arts sector where the arts is accessible to all, and the community of artists, arts groups and arts businesses can innovate, excel and achieve sustainability in the long term.

About National Heritage Board, Singapore

The National Heritage Board champions the promotion of a vibrant cultural and heritage sector in Singapore. It aims to make heritage enriching, relevant and accessible to all through forging collaborative partnerships and staging innovative programmes to engage different audiences. NHB is a statutory board formed on 1 August 1993 under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts.

About the joint promotional campaign between Singapore, Shanghai & Gwangju

In a historical move, three Asian Biennales are collaborating on a joint promotional campaign for the first time. From 1st to 9th September 2006, the Singapore, Shanghai and Gwangju Biennale openings and events will take place in succession. Bookings of joint travel packages to the three Biennales will be made available from April 2006.

For more information on the two other Biennales, please visit:

Annex 1

Singapore Biennale 2006
About the Artists

¹ Through Popular ExpressionArtists: Cao Fei (b. 1978, Guangzhou, China); Jun Yang (b. 1975, China); MAP Office (since 2000); Xu Tan (b. 1957, Wuhan, China); Xu Zhen (b. 1977, Shanghai, China); Zhang Yuan (b. 1963, Jiangsu, China); Zheng Guogu (b. 1970, Guangdong, China)

Annex 2

Singapore Biennale 2006
Profiles of Curatorial Team

SB2006 is curated by a team of young curators under the artistic direction of internationally recognised curator Fumio Nanjo. With strong links in and around the Asia region, though by no means bound by it, the curatorial team is also working with a selection of internationally based networking curators with expertise in local art scenes or specialist areas of research.

Artistic Director

FUMIO NANJO
Fumio Nanjo (b.1949) is currently the Deputy Director of the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. He is also an art critic and a lecturer at Keio University, Tokyo.

Main achievements include: commissioner of the Japan Pavilion at the Venice Biennale (1997); commissioner of the Taipei Biennale (1998); member of the jury committee of the Turner Prize by the Tate Gallery (1998); co-curator of the 3rd Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (1999); member of the selection committee of the Sydney Biennale (2000); director for the Japan Pavilion at EXPO 2000 in Hanover; artistic co-director of the Yokohama Triennale (2001); a selector of Artes Mundi Prize in Wales, UK in 2004. Also served as an artistic director on several public art and corporate art projects including Shinjuku I-LAND" Public Art Projects (Tokyo/1995), Hakata Riverain Art Project (Fukuoka/1999), Art Project for Obayashi Corporation Head Office (Tokyo/1999).

Curators

ROGER McDONALD (JAPAN)
Born in Tokyo, Japan (1971), Roger Christopher McDonald, PhD was educated in the United Kingdom, studying International Politics (BA, Wales), Mysticism and Religious Experience (MA, Kent) and received a PhD in History and Theory of Art from the University of Kent in 2000. He has been based in Tokyo, Japan since 2000. He was assistant curator to Fumio Nanjo for The Yokohama Triennale 2001. He was a co-curator for the major Japanese contemporary art exhibition 'Mediarena', held at The Govett Brewster Art gallery, New Zealand in 2004.

He is Deputy Director of the Tokyo non profit arts collective AIT (Arts Initiative Tokyo) and co-organises its independent study school programme called MAD (Making Art Different), which amongst other courses, offers the first contemporary curating course in Japan. He also teaches on the arts management course of Musashino Art University, Tokyo, as well as is a visiting tutor at Zokei Art University.

SHARMINI PEREIRA (SRI LANKA/UK)
Sharmini Pereira (b.1970) in the UK, graduated from Edinburgh University in 1992 with an MA (Hons) in Art History. She curated her first exhibition in 1994 called New Approaches in Contemporary Sri Lankan Art which was held at the National Art Gallery of Colombo. Between 1996-98, she completed an MA in Visual Arts Administration: Curating and Commissioning Contemporary Art at the Royal College of Art in London.

Since then, she has worked internationally as an independent curator, editor and curatorial consultant across the public and private sector, working with institutions and organisations such as the Queensland Art Gallery, the Imperial War Museum, eyestorm.com, The Royal Academy, The Japan Foundation, Albion, the Hayward Gallery, and the British Council. In 2004-2005 she was the first ACAPA (Australia Centre for Asia Pacific Art) scholar in residence at the Queensland Art Gallery. In 2005 she established the independent publishing organisation, Raking Leaves. She is a Trustee for Bookworks, London and an academic advisor for the Asia Art Archive (AAA), Hong Kong.

EUGENE TAN (SINGAPORE)
Eugene Tan is an art historian, critic and curator. Born in Singapore in 1972, he received a BSc in Economics and Politics from Queen Mary College, London and a MA (Distinction) in Post-War and Contemporary Art from the Sotheby's Institute, London. He also holds a PhD in Art History from the University of Manchester. He has written extensively for many exhibition catalogues as well as publications such as Art Review, Contemporary, Contemporary Visual Arts and Modern Painters. He has been a member of AICA (Association International des Critiques d' Art) since 1999. He was also the curator for the Singapore Pavilion at this year's 51st Venice Biennale.

He is currently the director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts.

Curator of 'Telah Terbit' (Out Now): Southeast Asian Contemporary Art Practices During the 1970s

AHMAD MASHADI (SINGAPORE)
Ahmad Mashadi is currently Senior Curator at Singapore Art Museum. He was coordinating curator for Home Fronts, a component within the recent 'SENI Singapore 2004', an international contemporary visual arts festival of Southeast Asian and Asian art, featuring over 90 artists from 14 countries and regions. He was also vice-chairman of the curatorial committee for Nokia Singapore Art 2001, a biennial exhibition series developed since 1999, aimed at displaying the latest contemporary art developments in Singapore. He has curated many exhibitions, including 'Landscapes in Southeast Asian Art', 'Visions and Enchantment', and 'Trimurti'.

Annex 3

Singapore Biennale 2006
List of Networking Curators

Annex 4

Singapore Biennale 2006
About the Exhibition Venues

ARMENIAN CHURCH OF ST GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR
The Armenian Church of St Gregory the Illuminator is the first Christian church built in Singapore in 1835 and was designed by the Irish architect, George D. Coleman. As the number of Armenian families was growing in the early 1830s due to business prospects in Southeast Asia, a place of worship was deemed necessary and in 1833, the land was acquired from the government of the time. On 26 March 1836, the church was consecrated and dedicated to St Gregory the Illuminator, the first Armenian monk. The building was gazetted as a national monument by the National Preservation Board of Singapore in 1973.

BLK 79 INDUS ROAD (HDB)
In 1960, the Housing & Development Board (HDB) was tasked with providing affordable public housing for Singaporeans. Blk 79 Indus Road is a slab block completed in 1971. It has a total of 520 oneroom rental units meant for the low-income group. The block design is simple and functional - a "double-loaded" block with a central corridor. The block has undergone a Project to Improve Living Conditions of the Elderly in 2000. The improvement works were mostly carried out within the units. The block and the precinct were also upgraded under the Main Upgrading Programme and upgrading works were completed in 2004.

CITY HALL
City Hall was designed by Municipal Architects, A. Gordon and Assistant Architect F. D. Meadows, and was completed in 1929. It was originally named the Municipal Building and housed the Municipal Council, which was responsible for the development of infrastructure in Singapore. In 1951, the Municipal Council and Municipal Building were renamed the City Council and City Hall respectively, as Singapore was conferred city status by King George VI. It was here that the British accepted the surrender of the Japanese on 12 September 1945, formally ending the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. It was also here that Lee Kuan Yew, as Prime Minister, proclaimed self-government for Singapore on 5 June 1959 and merger with Malaysia on 16 September 1963. After Separation, the first fully-independent Singapore Government was sworn in at City Hall on 9 August 1965.

CHURCH OF SAINTS PETER AND PAUL
The Church of Saints Peter and Paul was constructed in 1870 by the Chinese Catholic Mission serving a congregation of all the Chinese dialect groups and their Indian Catholic brethren. It was also a centre for many European missionaries who needed to learn the Chinese language before other postings. Sometime in the 1870s, Father Pierre Paris bestowed the three exceptionally fine bells, still in use today. He also began to build the steeple before his death in 1883. The Church of Saints Peter and Paul was gazetted as a national monument on 10 February 2003.

KWAN IM THONG HOOD CHO TEMPLE
The Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple was built in 1884 on a 500 square metre plot of land along Waterloo Street. From a humble and small Temple, it has expanded over the years as a result of several renovations and extensions to its premises. The main objective of the Temple at its inception was to provide a place of worship primarily of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. The Temple was miraculously spared during World War II despite the near-total destruction of virtually all the adjacent buildings, and the Temple provided refuge for the sick, the wounded and the homeless. Devotees then and now attributed this miracle to the compassion of Guanyin.

MAGHAIN ABOTH SYNAGOGUE
One of the few Synagogue available in Singapore, Maghain Aboth is the oldest surviving place of worship erected by the early Jewish community in Singapore. The Synagogue was consecration in 1878 to mark the start of a memorable first Hundred Years for the Jewish community of Singapore. Maghain Aboth was officially gazetted as a national monument in 1998.

MASJID SULTAN
Built by the Sultan Hussain Shah in 1824 with donations from Sir Stamford Raffles and the East India Company, the Sultan mosque is a premier mosque in Singapore and is considered by the local Muslims as the de facto 'grand national' mosque. Backed by 178 years of history, the Masjid Sultan mosque has seen the transformation of Singapore from a fishing village to a cosmopolitan city-state.

NATIONAL LIBRARY
Located in the heart of the nation's arts, cultural and civic district, the National Library at Victoria Street plays a pivotal role in Singapore's drive to be a creative economy by facilitating and promoting knowledge acquisition, application and creation. The building comprises the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library, with its core focus on Singapore and Southeast Asia underscoring the vision to be the first stop for Asian content, as well as the Central Lending Library, which provides a strong Fiction collection and award-winning materials in all four languages.

NATIONAL MUSEUM
At 118 years old, the National Museum is Singapore's oldest museum with the youngest and most innovative soul. Designed to be the people's museum, the National Museum prides itself on introducing cutting edge and varied ways of presenting history to redefine conventional museum experience. More than just a place for exhibitions and artefacts, the National Museum will also distinguish itself through its challenging and vibrant festivals and events that will unleash new creative possibilities in culture and heritage. This programming will be supported by a wide range of facilities and services including F&B, retail, Resource centre, Cinematheque and Black Box space, Public Sculpture Garden among others. With a rich history dating back to its inception in 1887, the National Museum of Singapore has been closed since 28 April 2003 for redevelopment of the old National Museum building and will reopen in December 2006.

ORCHARD ROAD
For the average visitor to Singapore, Orchard Road is synonymous with one word - Shopping.Orchard Road is the retail and entertainment hub of Singapore and is regularly frequented by the local population as well as tourists. Literally an orchard in the past, Orchard Road got its name from the nutmeg, pepper and fruit orchards that used to line the street in the 1800s.

PADANG
The Padang is located at heart of Singapore's central business district and is surrounded by a variety of landmarks such as Saint Andrew's Cathedral, City Hall and the Old Supreme Court. It is a nationally-sanctioned field due to its prime location and is used for a variety of events, including the National Day Parade. The British flag was raised in the Padang 1819 when Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore, first landed in Singapore.

SCULPTURE SQUARE
Sculpture Square is a contemporary art space designated for the advancement of 3-dimensional art practices and productions, principally by artists in Singapore and Southeast Asia. With a focus on modern and contemporary practices, Sculpture Square hopes to highlight and examine prevailing approaches to creativity and their reception, and aims to push towards fresh frontiers by forwarding new ways of thinking and making art in the 3-dimensional domains.

SINGAPORE ART MUSEUM
Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is Singapore's national art museum, and a member institution of the National Heritage Board (NHB). With over 7,000 works in its permanent collection, SAM has the largest public collection of 20th century modern and contemporary Southeast Asian art. Known for its dedication to research, scholarship, exhibition and presentation of Singapore and Southeast Asian art in the broader context of Asia, SAM has been actively promoting a greater appreciation for modern and contemporary Asian art through its programmes. SAM has over the years presented numerous exhibitions and initiated several series of exhibitions with the aim of developing a platform for art history and contemporary art practices.

SINGAPORE MANAGEMENT UNIVERSITY
SMU's aim is to groom outstanding business leaders and creative entrepreneurs capable of excelling in a rapidly changing and dynamic world. The first in Singapore to be set up as a private university offering an American-style education modelled after Wharton School, SMU occupies a newly completed purpose-built and state-of-the-art city campus located right in the heart of Singapore's civic and business district. Today, SMU is home to over 4,000 students. SMU also launched the Visual Art Initiative on 12 January 2006. Through this initiative, SMU will develop and host exhibitions and enrichment programmes and will develop an institutional collection of contemporary art, with Southeast Asian art as the principal focus.

SRI KRISHNAN TEMPLE
In 1870, Hanuman Beem Singh set up a shrine for Lord Krishna under a banyan tree in Waterloo Street. It has since developed from its humble beginnings to the present-day Sri Krishnan Temple, where it is adorned with ornately sculpted monuments and deities by craftsmen from North and South India. The Sri Krishnan temple has become a significant landmark in building religious harmony in Singapore, with its new ancillary block housing multi-purpose halls to cater to the cultural and spiritual needs of the public. Additionally, the spirit of interreligious harmony is evident in the unique relationship that the Sri Krishnan Temple has developed with members of different communities.

ST JOSEPH'S CHURCH
In 1825, Father Francisco da Silva e Maia founded the Portuguese Mission on the site where St. Joseph's Church now stands. Opened in 1912 and replacing the old church building, this architectural marvel is structured in the form of a Latin cross and boasts beautifully crafted stained glass windows. St Joseph's Church was gazetted as a conservation building in 1993.

TANGLIN CAMP
In 1860, a 210-acre site in Tanglin, comprised mainly of a nutmeg plantation, was purchased by the then Government, with the intention of providing housing for the military troops on the island. The construction of large, airy, single-storey colonial buildings with large pillars and high ceilings, were scattered across the expanse plot of land. These decommissioned buildings previously housed various important military offices, such as the Central Manpower Base of the Singapore Armed Forces.

Singapore Biennale 2006
About the Exhibition Designers

JOSHUA COMAROFF
Joshua Comaroff is an architect and landscape architect. Upon graduating from Harvard Design School, Josh co-founded with Ong Ker-Shing, Lekker, a small design practice. Josh also heads Millions of Moving Parts, a Los Angeles collective exploring new systems for ecological change. He is a co-author, with Rem Koolhaas, of the forthcoming Harvard Project on the City: Lagos.

MARK WEE
Mark Wee is an architect and artist. Upon graduating from Cornell University, Mark worked at DP Architects till Feb 2006 where he co-founded with Loh Lik Hwa, Kennel, a small design practice. At DP, Mark and Lik Hwa were the design team for the New Majestic Hotel, a luxury boutique hotel in Chinatown. Outside architecture, Mark also does set design and illustration, recently completing an illustrative set for the Singapore Dance Theatre's production of Nutcracker and a work in a guest room at the New Majestic.

Mark and Josh have undertaken a number of design projects together outside of their own practices, including the set design for Theatreworks' production of "Ma:Moment" in 2004, and the Holloway and Sidin Museum of Architecture in 2005.

Annex 5

Singapore Biennale 2006
About the Programme

BELIEF EXHIBITION
BELIEF is the theme for Singapore's first international contemporary visual arts biennale. Led by internationally renowned curator Fumio Nanjo, the exhibition will feature a diverse selection of international contemporary art practices, including artists from Singapore and its neighbouring regions. The biennale sets out to create a reflection rather than a representation of contemporary art's relationship with the subject of belief and in turn, this process of reflection will also examine the question of belief in relation to the system of art itself.

Singapore Biennale 2006 (SB2006) highlights Singapore's prominence as an international visual arts hub, not only providing new opportunities for Singapore artists, curators and arts businesses, but also as a key enabler of exchange and collaborations for the global arts community. The presence of SB2006 is also a significant opportunity for the Singaporean public to develop a stronger relationship with contemporary art.

More than 50% of the exhibition will showcase artists from across the Asia Pacific, with artists from Latin America, Africa, Middle East, Central Asia, Europe and North America completing the full list. These will be a mix of both emerging as well as established artists working across all art forms including architecture, biotechnology, drawing, installation, new media, painting, performance, photography, sculpture, sound projects and video.

OUTREACH PROGRAMMES

ENCOUNTERS SERIES
As part of a larger community building program, the Singapore Biennale established a series of public platforms called Encounters. The Encounters series can range from dialogue sessions with the curatorial team, to artists' talks and workshops, to press conferences, symposiums, forums, and other social events usually associated with other international Biennales. Encounters either take place in Singapore or at international art events including art fairs, biennales, forums, etc.

Since July 2005, SB2006 has organized 19 Encounters including one in Yokohama, one in ARCO, Madrid, and one in New York City in collaboration with Gwangju Biennale 2006 as part of the cross marketing efforts to tie up with other Biennales opening in the region. The Encounters so far have featured talks by international artists like Barbara Kruger, IEPE, Nakhee Sung, Com & Com and Jonathan Allen.

These Encounters sessions serve as feedback mechanisms for the Biennale as it is being organized, developing a sense of ownership from various segments of the local community for this large scale event. It is expected that there will be up to 50 Encounters when the Biennale closes in November 2006. To find out more about upcoming Encounters please visit www.singaporebiennale.org

EDUCATION PROGRAMME
Many education and outreach programmes have been initiated for SB2006, carried out by various Biennale artists. At City Hall and Blk 79 Indus Rd, Takafumi Hara will create artworks based on his interviews with the general public and local residents respectively. Com&Com will involve local students in making paintings and drawings of Merlion and Mocmoc (a mythical creature created by Com&Com), while Learning Site will collaborate with a kindergarten at Blk 79 Indus Rd on an art project that involves growing mushrooms!

WALK THE TALK AUDIO GUIDE
Walk The Talk (WTT) is an audio guide systemthat uses GSM mobile phones. Anyone with a mobile phone will be able to access this service through a dedicated number and listen to guidance services in various languages including English, Mandarin and Malay. Use of this service is subject to local call charges made on a mobile phone.

The WTT listening points will allow the public to learn more about the unique exhibition venues, artworks and artists, etc. The system also allows the public to leave recorded responses to any exhibits.

The system will be launched in April 2006 with a sampling of 15 listening points placed throughout Singapore City Centre. This is a trial period for members of the public to test out the system and familiarize themselves with the functions of the audio guide. By 31 August 2006, a total of 50 listening points covering artworks and exhibition venues will be available for the opening of the Biennale.

This audio guide will not only generate appreciation for the artworks in SB2006, but will also help create contexts for the artworks in relation to the architecture and design of the spaces around them. The intention is to increase the visibility and accessibility of the exhibits to both Singapore residents and visitors as well as create points of interaction with the public. Look out for more information on Walk the Talk at www.singaporebiennale.org

SINGAPORE BIENNALE TV
Singapore Biennale 2006 will also create a unique public television series as one of the key components of the outreach program. The program will help bring the Biennale directly into the homes of Singaporeans. Developed as an infotainment program featuring popular hosts from Singaporean TV, the goal is to demystify some of the preconceived ideas about contemporary art to make it something fun, accessible and thoughtprovoking.

A Mandarin version of the series on Channel U is currently being developed with a projected telecast period from September to November 2006. The series will feature a strong public participation component to create a sense of ownership and engagement with the Biennale. Keep an eye out for the Singapore Biennale TV hosts, Bryan Wong and Quan Yifeng, on location in Orchard Road or your neighbourhood shopping mall in the coming months!

EVENTS
The Singapore Biennale 2006 will also feature a number of key events such as the Opening Party. This is a major event to celebrate the start of the 2½ month long event. This will take place at the Padang with the former City Hall as the iconic backdrop. Specially commissioned artworks will be a major attraction during this celebration. The Singapore public will be invited and together with the presence of the participating artists, the international art world and media, the Biennale will open with a bang.

SPECIAL EXHIBITIONS

'Telah Terbit' (Out Now): Southeast Asian Contemporary Art Practices During the 1970s
Pushing through the 1960s, where modes of abstraction were adopted as an expression of progressiveness and at the same time an instrument of international engagement, the 1970s art practices may be