Exhibition Introduction

Yeh Chi Wei. Drummer. 1965. Oil on canvas, 112.5 x 99 cm. Collection of National Gallery Singapore. © Yeh Toh Yen

Who are our “others”? What does it mean to represent people of a culture or ethnicity other than our own?

Familiar Others explores these issues through the works of three Southeast Asian modern artists. Emiria Sunassa (1894‒1964) painted images of peoples from throughout the Indonesian archipelago but had a special interest in Papua. Eduardo Masferré (1909‒1995) photographed the peoples of the Cordillera region of the Philippines, where he spent his life. Yeh Chi Wei (1913‒1991) travelled throughout Southeast Asia but was especially inspired by the Indigenous peoples of Sarawak and Sabah.

To open up a discussion about the contemporary implications of these works, this exhibition includes commissioned responses from artists, writers, musicians and scholars who have community ties to the people represented in the artworks.

Exhibition Details

• Familiar Others: Emiria Sunassa, Eduardo Masferré and Yeh Chi Wei
• Date: 25 Jul 2022 - 31 Jan 2023
• Time: All Day
• Venue: National Gallery Singapore
• Address: Dalam Southeast Asia, UOB Southeast Asia Gallery, Level 3, Supreme Court Wing, National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew's Rd, #01 – 01, Singapore 178957

Information Source: Nation Gallery Singapore official website