This year’s Singapore Art Week, from 22 to 31 January, was Whitestone Gallery’s biggest and most exciting presence in Singapore yet. The week included participation in Art SG, exhibition openings at both Whitestone Gallery Singapore and New Art Museum Singapore, as well as public art activations and talks across disciplines, with the aim of offering a wide range of experiences for everyone visiting Singapore Art Week.

Art SG 2026

From 22 to 25 January, Whitestone Gallery presented a wide-ranging selection of artists at ART SG 2026 at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. The fair was notably energetic this year, with strong footfall throughout and a diverse international audience of art enthusiasts. As one of the biggest booths at the fair, Whitestone Gallery offered an expansive showcase of works that captured the attention of both longstanding collectors and new audiences.

Whitestone Gallery Booth

This year, Whitestone Gallery presented a dynamic selection of artists from Singapore, Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand, the United Kingdom Spain and Switzerland. Featuring 21 artists and over 100 works, the exhibition spans a rich variety of media and styles, highlighting both contemporary practices and post-war artistic developments that continue to influence global art today.

The presentation includes works by Aruta Soup, Caroline Denervaud, Chow and Lin, Clasutta, Deborah McKellar, Jiang Miao, Karen Shiozawa, Kazuo Shiraga, Kohei Kyomori, Lee Ufan, Liu Ke, Masayuki Tsubota, Miki Katoh, Miwa Komatsu, Nuria Mora, Pabaja, Philip Colbert, Rakuko Naito, Three, Toko Shinoda, and Yu Kawashima, bringing together research-driven, interdisciplinary practices alongside both established and emerging voices in the international art scene.

Artists and fans at the booth

The debut of Chow and Lin as Whitestone Gallery’s exclusive consigned artists in Singapore generated meaningful conversations around research-driven and interdisciplinary artistic practice.

Philip Colbert live sketching and signing for his fans

Adding to the buzz, the Vogue x Whitestone: Philip Colbert Exclusive Signing Event brought a celebratory energy to the booth. Drawing a steady crowd, the signing transformed the fair space into a lively point of interaction between artist and audience, reinforcing the sense of accessibility and connection that defined the week.

Whitestone Gallery Singapore
Philip Colbert × Aruta Soup: Playscapes of Dreams

(Left) Aruta Soup, (Right) Philip Colbert

Opened on 24 January, Philip Colbert × Aruta Soup: Playscapes of Dreams was part of Whitestone Gallery Singapore’s Art Week programme. The opening reception unfolded in a warm and engaging atmosphere, with conversations often returning to the exhibition’s deeper emotional and philosophical currents, exploring how play, imagination, and character can serve as tools for reflection, healing and resilience in an increasingly complex world.

Whitestone Gallery Singapore

Bringing together two pop artists—British artist Philip Colbert and Japanese artist Aruta Soup—the duo exhibition staged a vivid encounter between distinct yet resonant artistic universes. At the heart of the exhibition are two recurring characters that anchor each artist’s practice: Colbert’s iconic Lobster, shaped by references ranging from Surrealism and Dutch still lifes to pop culture and digital imagery, operates as a metaphysical figure that moves fluidly across time, art history, and contemporary media; while Aruta Soup’s recurring character ZERO, often depicted as a rabbit wrapped in bandages, embodies vulnerability, endurance, and regeneration, existing in a space between dreams and everyday reality.

The exhibition invites viewers into a playful dialogue between the two artistic worlds, allowing them to experience the world through each artist’s unique perspective while reflecting on the characters and stories.

Tanjong Beach, Sentosa
Philip Colbert: Lobster Beach Sentosa

Extending beyond traditional gallery spaces, Philip Colbert: Lobster Beach launched on 24 January at Tanjong Beach, Sentosa, transforming the shoreline into an immersive public playscape.

Lobster Beach Sentosa

At the centre stands an 8-metre ice-cream sculpture, a playful and instantly recognisable form that anchors Colbert’s universe within the coastal landscape. Surrounding it are three 5-metre inflatable sea creatures, encouraging interaction and shared experiences.

Lobster Beach Sentosa

Set against sun, sand, and sea, the installations extend Colbert’s visual narrative across the beach, allowing the artwork to engage with its surroundings and demonstrating how large-scale contemporary art can be accessible.

New Art Museum Singapore
Kengo Kuma: “MAKERU” Architecture New Art Museum Singapore

New Art Museum Singapore

At the New Art Museum Singapore, Kengo Kuma: “MAKERU” Architecture – The Ecology of Rhythm and Particles, curated by Yuko Hasegawa, opened on 23 January. The exhibition showcases a selection of projects by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, highlighting his exploration of materiality, rhythm and the relationship between architecture and nature. The reception drew a highly engaged audience of architects, designers, artists and cultural practitioners.

A guided walkthrough with Kengo Kuma

The exhibition invites visitors to experience architecture as rhythmic, porous, and deeply responsive to its environment through immersive models, full-scale mock-ups, and participatory installations, adding an intellectually rich dimension to Art Week.

Talks and Programmes at Whitestone Gallery Singapore

A lively exchange of ideas

Alongside exhibitions and activations, Whitestone Gallery Singapore also served as a platform for dialogue during Singapore Art Week. On the afternoon of 23 January, the gallery hosted the ICC Art and Arbitration Panel, jointly organised by ICC Dispute Resolution Services and the ICC Singapore Arbitration Group. Bringing together art professionals, collectors, and members of the legal community, the discussion addressed legal and dispute-resolution issues within the art world, followed by a relaxed networking session that encouraged cross-sector exchange.

On 24 January, the gallery welcomed audiences for the HKUST panel Passion Meets Legacy Art in Family Wealth and Business Strategy. Drawing a highly engaged audience, the discussion explored how art intersects with personal passion, business strategy, and long-term legacy building. Questions and exchanges continued beyond the formal programme, reflecting sustained interest in art’s evolving role within family enterprise and wealth planning.

Art Spaces Growing through Diverse Commitments

Singapore Art Week 2026

Singapore Art Week 2026 marked Whitestone Gallery’s most ambitious activation to date. Across exhibitions, public installations, and talks, the gallery presented a diverse range of experiences that brought art into unexpected spaces and invited audiences to engage directly with artists and ideas. From large-scale immersive installations to intimate talks and public programmes, the programmes reflected Whitestone Gallery’s ongoing commitment to supporting and contributing to Singapore’s evolving artistic landscape.