Filipino artist Marigold Santos bags major prize at ART SG for ‘aswang’ works

Filipino-Canadian interdisciplinary artist Marigold Santos’ aswang pieces won the first-ever ART SG Futures Prize presented by UBS at ART SG, Southeast Asia’s leading contemporary art fair in Singapore, this January.

Santos' works are deeply influenced by Philippine folklore and mythology, particularly the aswang, which she "[reimagines] as a symbol of transformation, otherness, and survival."

Santos was born in the Philippines and moved to Canada with her family in 1988. Her interdisciplinary art practice focuses on her life in the diaspora, as told through mystical ways.

Her standout pieces were presented by Canadian gallery Patel Brown at ART SG as part of the fair’s Futures sector, which centers on emerging artists and forward-looking contemporary practices.

Santos' win was announced at ART SG as it wrapped up its fourth edition. She was chosen by an international jury comprising Alessio Antoniolli, director of Triangle Network; Venus Lau, director of Museum MACAN; and Khim Ong, director (Collections, Public Art, Programmes) at the Singapore Art Museum.

The ART SG Futures Prize was launched just this year. It awards $10,000 for exemplary work in the art sector, as part of ART SG and UBS’ initiative to foster rising talent and support the next generation of creatives. 

This year's ART SG welcomed the debut of S.E.A. Focus, the region's dedicated showcase for Southeast Asian contemporary art. The partnership saw the participation of various galleries, including Manila's The Drawing Room, Artinformal, Silverlens, and more, with over 100 galleries from more than 30 countries and territories exhibiting in the fair. 

The fair welcomed over 43,000 visitors from January 23 to 25 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre Marina Bay Sands.

Beyond gallery presentations, ART SG expanded its program with new initiatives, including Performance, Film in collaboration with the ArtScience Museum, and Perspectives, a series of talks tackling contemporary art issues. 

According to Magnus Renfrew, co-founder of ART SG,  the fair “surpassed our expectations, reflecting not only the strength of Singapore as a hub for contemporary art but also the vibrancy and diversity of Southeast Asia’s artistic landscape.”

“With the addition of SEA Focus and dynamic exchanges with galleries, collectors, and institutions worldwide, we are excited by the fair’s growing role in connecting the region to the global art community,” said Renfrew. 

“We are deeply grateful to everyone who has contributed to this edition and we remain committed to showcasing Southeast Asia’s dynamic artists to the world, while fostering a dialogue that brings galleries and art from Indo-Pacific and the rest of the world to the region.”

 

 

 

 

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—Nika Roque/CDC, GMA Integrated News