The third installment of the well-known Prudential Eye Awards will be hosted this year in Singapore in conjunction with the jam-packed Singapore Art Week. The competition returns for the second year in a row to Marina Bay Sands, which will also host a months-long exhibition of the art pieces involved in the competition.
The award was founded in order to give recognition to the best emerging artists in the Southeastern Asian region. In conjunction with a museum and an art gallery, the competition also looks to establish and maintain an art education program. The overall Prudential Eye Awards competition is broken down into five separate categories, including spots for digital and video works, installation art, painting, photos and 3-D sculpture. Of the artists competing to win in these categories, only one will emerge with the show’s top prize — best emerging artist, which includes an additional cash prize and an opportunity for a solo art show. The winner of the top award as well as the winners of each of the five categories win cash prizes. Four additional awards that the artists are competing for are also available — two of which will be voted on by the public.
A collection of experts in the art and museum world will be on hand to judge the competition, including executives from Marina Bay Sands and others immersed in the art world.
Ahead of the competition itself, two artists from Bangladesh are distinguishing themselves from the rest of the competitors in the fields of photos and 3-D sculpture.
Shumon Ahmed is competing in the photo category. His work for the competition explores the melding of several different art genres — photos, video and textual elements — to tell completely engaging stories. These stories are immersive and inclusive at the same time, offering a rich experience for viewers.
Promotesh Das Pulak is competing in the 3-D sculpture category. His works are well known for experimenting with unexpected mediums, such as natural elements. His combination of these elements with violent combat equipment offers a commentary on the loss of innocence, forcing viewers to think hard about the wider implication of the masterpieces they’re viewing.
You don’t have to feel like you have to enter a prestigious art competition in order to have a little healthy competition in your artistic life. Think about getting a group of friends together and enrolling in a common art class via SGArtClass.com. Depending on the broad interests of your group, you can easily see what classes and art genres are available by visiting the website. Enroll in an acrylic painting class, or try your group’s hand at something a little different, such as oil pastels. An expert teacher can help you develop a friendly competition during the lessons, but in the end, everyone will come out winners — art classes can impart unexpected skill sets to those who take them, such as creative problem solving.
For more on the competition, go to http://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/singapore-turns-hub-contemporary-asian-art-201979.