From where we are, how do we see the world? That is the question that Singapore Biennale’s curatorial team has asked themselves this year. The result is “An Atlas of Mirrors”, a showcase of 58 artworks by 63 artists and art collectives from 19 countries and territories across Southeast Asia, East and South Asia.

See our highlights of Singapore Biennale on L’Officiel Singapore.

The title is a reference to “the atlases and mirrors that have been instrumental in humankind’s exploration of the world as we navigate and map our journeys into the unknown,” explains Dr Susie Lingham, creative director of Singapore Biennale 2016. “It is hoped that the evocative title, which guided its curatorial direction, would intrigue and inspire audiences to explore and experience the many ways of seeing the world and ourselves.”

Deng Guoyuan’s Noah’s Garden II at the Singapore Biennale 2016 (Photo courtesy of Singapore Art Museum)

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There are nine ‘conceptual zones’ or sub-themes – namely space, time, memory, nature, boundaries, agency, identity, displacement and absence – and each zone comprises individual artworks in dialogue with each other to present a final piece. Over 80 percent of the 58 artworks are specially commissioned or adapted for the fifth edition of the Singapore Biennale. These artworks of various media present different artistic viewpoints of their makers, as they reflect on their shared histories and current realities within the beyond the region.

Singapore Biennale 2016, now ‘til 26 February 2017, Singapore Art Museum and other venues. Admission is priced at $20 for adults (additional $3 for multiple entry pass); $10 for students and senior citizens (additional $3 for multiple entry pass); free for children under 6; and $52 for families (comprising 2 adults & 2 kids). Open from 10am to 7pm daily except Fridays, when it closes at 9pm. For more information, visit Singapore Biennale’s website.