Chim↑Pom (collective formed in 2005, Japan) were named as the Overall Best Emerging Artist at the Prudential Eye Awards 2015 for Contemporary Asian Art 2015. Chim↑Pom will receive a total of US$50,000 as prize in addition to a solo exhibition at the renowned Saatchi Gallery, London later this year.
Their work conveys strong messages about Japanese society whilst being imbued with humour, wit and melancholy. The six members of the collective came together in their twenties and are becoming more known outside their native Japan, coming to critical attention with performances and interventions made in immediate response to the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster. Chim↑Pom are Ushiro Ryuta, Hayashi Yasutaka, Ellie, Okada Masatake, Inaoka Motumo and Mizuno Toshinori.
The second edition of the Prudential Eye Awards was held today at Sands Theatre at MasterCard Theatres, Marina Bay Sands. The integrated resort was the Official Partner of this much-anticipated event. This year’s Prudential Eye Awards featured 13 awards, with six categories of Best Emerging Artist, using mediums such as digital/video, drawing, installation, painting, photography and sculpture.
Launched in 2014, the prestigious annual Awards recognises the best emerging Asian contemporary artists as well as the leading exhibitions, galleries, institutions and art critics working to promote Asian contemporary art.
Works by these artists are currently on exhibition at ArtScience Museum, as part of Prudential Singapore Eye. The exhibition will run till 31 March 2015. The works are also featured in a limited edition publication by Skira.
The second edition of the Prudential Eye Awards featured 13 Awards, with six categories of Best Emerging Artist, using various mediums including digital/video, drawing, installation, painting, photography and sculpture. Lawrence Wong, Minister of Culture, Community and Youth, officiated at the 2015 Awards, held as part of Singapore Art Week and also made the presentation to the Overall Winner.
As well as being nominated the overall winner, Chim↑Pom also won in the category of Best Emerging Artist Using Digital/Video.
Award winners
Each winning artist received a reward of US$20,000 at a red carpet awards ceremony at the Mastercard Sands Theatre at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.
- Mithu Sen (b.1971, India) won in the category of Drawing Best Emerging Artist Using Drawing.
- Donna Ong (b.1978, Singapore) won in the category of Best Emerging Artist Using Installation,
- Christine Ay Tjoe (b.1973, Indonesia) won in the category of Best Emerging Artist Using Painting
- Sherman Ong (b.1971, Malaysia) won in the category of Best Emerging Artist Using Photography
- Meekyoung Shin (b.1967, Korea) won in the category of Best Emerging Artist Using Sculpture
Other award winners
Contemporary Chinese artist Gu Wenda was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Asian Contemporary Art. The Shanghai-born artist is one of the most high-profile Asian artists in the contemporary art world, and is particularly known for his innovative use of materials whilst drawing on Chinese cultural traditions. Other category winners that were announced at the awards are FuturePerfect as ‘The Best Gallery Supporting Emerging Asian Contemporary Art and ’No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia as the Best Exhibition of Asian Contemporary Art.
Three new categories were added to this year’s award—the Best Writing on Asian Contemporary Art went to Viet Le while the Award for the Best Asian Contemporary Art Institution went to Asia Art Archive.
A new special award for Visual Culture recognizing creativity that blurs the borders of art and shows a contemporary aesthetic drive across cultural products was handed to South Korea as a country. South Korean artiste T.O.P, received the Award.
The Awards Ceremony night was one of Asia’s most high-profile contemporary art events and a highlight of Singapore Art Week, attended by finalists, judges, artists including Gu Wenda, leading curators, gallerists, art world figures and business leaders.
The Prudential Eye Awards were founded by the Prudential Eye Programme, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting and nurturing Asian artists, established by Parallel Contemporary Art in collaboration with the Saatchi Gallery.
The Programme launched Prudential Singapore Eye on 17 January 2015, running alongside the Prudential Eye Awards exhibition.
The Prudential Eye Awards 2015 winners are:
- Overall Emerging Artist of the Year – Chim↑Pom (Japan)
- Installation – Donna Ong (Singapore)
- Digital/Video – Chim↑Pom (Japan)
- Drawing – Mithu Sen (b.1971, India)
- Painting – Christine Ay Tjoe (b.1973, Indonesia)
- Photography – Sherman Ong (b.1971, Malaysia)
- Sculpture – Meekyoung Shin (b.1967, Korea)
- Lifetime Achievement Award for Asian Contemporary Art – Gu WenDa
- Best Gallery Supporting Emerging Asian Contemporary Art – FuturePerfect
- Best Writing on Asian Contemporary Art (NEW)- Viet Le
- Best Asian Contemporary Art Institution (NEW) – Asia Art Archive
- Best Exhibition of Asian Contemporary Art – ’No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia’
- Award for Visual Culture (NEW)- South Korea
Prudential Eye Awards Exhibition
17 January to 31 Mar 2015
ArtScience Museum
Open daily 10am to 7pm. Last admission at 6pm
Web: www.prudentialeyeawards.com
About the Prudential Eye Awards
The Prudential Eye Awards were launched in 2014 by the Global Eye Programme, a
partnership between Parallel Contemporary Art and the Saatchi Gallery. The
inaugural awards were announced on 18 January 2014 at Suntec City, Singapore.
The annual awards focus on emerging artists from across Greater Asia and highlight
the breadth, range and diversity of the works being made by emerging Asian artists.
In partnership with the Saatchi Gallery they enable the work of these artists to reach
audiences and receive international exposure. The second edition of the Prudential
Eye Awards will take place in Singapore on 20 January 2015.
