NAVIGATING MULTITUDES

Ho Tzu Nyen's Time & the Tiger exhibition is a mid-career survey of his artistic practice spanning two decades. The multidisciplinary artist opens up about the use of myths in his craft, and sheds light on his artistic evolution over the years 

- Sabrina Lore

Within the expansive galleries of the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, a collection of captivating artworks is displayed— each of them presents a chapter in the evolving works of acclaimed Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen. The mid-career survey exhibition Ho Tzu Nyen: Time & the Tiger looks at the artist’s practice comprising two decades worth of paintings, films and video installations. The ongoing showcase, which runs until March 3 and is co-organised by SAM and Art Sonje Center, offers an introspective look into Ho’s artistry and marks a pivotal juncture in his career. “Having collaborated with Ho on numerous artwork commissions over the years, Time & the Tiger demonstrates the way his practice has continuously evolved and resisted easy categorisation through time; forming fertile grounds for a daring exploration of the fluidity and complexities of time through the evasive figure of the tiger,” says Eugene Tan, the director of SAM.

A multidisciplinary artist with significant contributions to Singapore’s contemporary art scene, Ho’s artistic journey began in the early 2000s. It was a period of rapid globalisation of the arts in Singapore and the Southeast Asia region, a central theme that carries across his practice. Through an approach that combines historical reconstruction, a deep exploration of time and the narrative of myths, his art invites viewers to contemplate the changing identity of the region.