President’s Young Talents

The President’s Young Talents distinguishes itself from other art awards as it is the only mentoring and commissioning exhibition programme in Singapore. PYT recognises young artists whose practices chart new dimensions in contemporary art. Inaugurated by the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) in 2001, an independent committee comprising local art professionals and a SAM curator nominates a group of local artists, aged 35 and below, for the award, based on the depth of their practice, their potential for growth, and the contributions they would potentially make to the field of contemporary art. Each artist, working closely with mentors from the committee, will present newly commissioned work for the President’s Young Talents exhibition, which culminates in a Grand Prize winner and a People’s Choice awardee.

The list of finalists for this year’s President’s Young Talents are Ang Song Ming, Bani Haykal, Ezzam Rahman, Loo Zihan and Ong Kian Peng. Representing some of the most exciting strands in contemporary Singapore art, they will create works spanning the disciplines of performance, new media, sculpture and sound.

The 2015 exhibition coincides with Singapore’s SG50 Jubilee Year, and marks the sixth edition of the President’s Young Talents. Aptly, it recognises and celebrates the nation’s ever evolving spirit of artistic creation and innovation. PreviousPresident’s Young Talents artists include Boo Junfeng, Heman Chong, Liao Jiekai, Charles Lim, Lim Tzay Chuen, Donna Ong, Tan Pin Pin and Vertical Submarine, among others, who have gone on to develop outstanding artwork, both within and  beyond Singapore.