Name: Masturah Sha’ari
Thesis Title: Spirit of Collectivism: Malay Art Societies in Singapore, 1940s-1970s
Thesis Abstract
Art societies played a pivotal role in the development and art practices of artists in Singapore in the early years. The Malay art societies were especially important during a period when the art scene centred around the dominant Nanyang discourse and overlooked artists from the minority communities. These societies offered platforms and opportunities for the early Malay artists with similar interests, cultural backgrounds and language to come together, interact and learn from one another. Through looking at Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD) and other Malay art societies that precedes it, selected key exhibitions in the late 1940’s to 1970’s and the works of the early movers, namely Suri Mohyani, Sulaiman Suhaimi, S. Mohdir and Rohani Ismail, the thesis examines the dynamics within which these collective undertakings operate and how the artists navigate and respond to issues of culture, tradition, religion and politics. The study hopes to expand the discourse of Singapore Malay artists and proposes that future research be extended in the field of art education and artistic production.

Name: Ashwariya Khemka
Thesis Title: Violence in India: Studying oppression in contemporary Indian
art and society
Thesis Abstract
Why do we commit violence? Because we see someone as different from ourselves and who is a threat to our existence. Indian society is highly oppressive in nature. There exists a multi-layered system of oppression based on an individual’s gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, caste and class, among other factors. Visual artists having played a distinct role in reinforcing this system of oppression, are now questioning it. Contemporary Indian artists are studying discriminatory colonial laws in their works whilst questioning violence and oppression in India. Such a study reveals Indian society to be hybrid in nature. This thesis begins with an examination of discriminatory colonial laws with identifiable impacts in contemporary Indian society through the works of various Indian artists. It highlights different types of violence, both symbolic and real, to propose a reassessment of Indian society as a whole.

Name: Mak Han Feng
Thesis Title: Dualities and Hybrid Dualities – The Study of Singaporean Photographic Environment Art
Thesis Abstract
Climate change has become noticeable and is a global emergency. Warming oceans, disappearing ice caps, global warming, ozone depletion, extinction and other disasters caused by humans are greatly accelerating the planet past its self-sustainable capacity. Singapore, being an island city of small land mass, is at a high risk of losing its natural heritage to increasing global temperature, rising sea levels and transboundary ecological hazards. As Singapore’s change is rapid and constant rebuilding and reconstruction is in progress, much of Singapore’s natural landscape has deteriorated akin to a fading memory. Photography practitioners in the field of environment art challenges these fading memories by documenting mnemonic imprints of the past and combining interdisciplinary practice in visualising climate threats which are not immediately visual, to wish for a cleaner and better future. This thesis will look study the philosophical reasoning behind dualities in naturalism and the innate desire for conservation, and at dualities and subsequent hybrid dualities in environment artworks produced by five artists who are currently practicing and use photography as a primary medium. These artists are Ang Song Nian (b. 1983), Robert Zhao Renhui (b. 1983), Zen Teh (b. 1988) and Jasvic Lye (b. 1993).

Name: Ngeow Yuen Yie, Joanne
Thesis Title: Discovering the Non-Performative Works of Tang Da Wu
Thesis Abstract
Tang Da Wu is a pioneering figure in Singapore for his contributions to the visual arts and as an art educator. He is best known for his installations and performances. Existing literature on Tang focuses on his performances and discusses the ephemeral nature, the use of his body and the reception of these performances and not on his paintings and/or sculpture works. In this thesis, through an in-depth interview and direct participation in Tang’s performance arts workshops, we explore the development and use of these artworks as supporting props for his performances. We explore how Tang incorporates play and collaborative authorship into his practice.

Name: Prapan Jangkitchai
Thesis Title: Art as dissensus: Thai contemporary art against hyper-royalism phenomenon
Thesis Abstract
This thesis discusses works by five Thai contemporary artists, Prapat Jiwarangsan, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Harit Srikhao, Tada Hengsapkul, and Paphonsak La-Or. It explores how these artists use their artistic practices to question and criticize the most powerful political institution, the monarchy. Thinking through Ranciere’s notion of aesthetics and politics, this thesis will argue that artists who are armed with a creative weapon such as art cannot directly criticize the monarchy as they are protected by the lese majeste law and cultural condition such as taboo and religion. Still, they can use their artworks to create a unique experience that is strongly dissimilar from the audience’s everyday experience, which will invoke them to question the given experience dominated by the royalist sensibilities. Silence and absence can become effective tools to contrasting with the hypervisibility of the monarchy.

Name: Winston Hauw
Thesis Title: The Allegory in Social Realism: A Study of the Selected Works of Five Singaporean Artists
Thesis Abstract
The allegory plays a profound role in artwork to symbolise and represent a deeper moral, virtue or spiritual attribute whose literal meaning masks one or more other meanings. The allegory within the context of Singapore’s socialism realist artwork forms very much an integral part of the social and political narrative of the nation. However, there is, unfortunately, limited past research or critical art discourse to date on this subject. This thesis shall provide a commentary on this subject, its origins and influences, and a critical visual analysis of selected social realist works (1950s to 1970s) of five Singaporean Nanyang artists, Chua Mia Tee, Lee Boon Wang, Lim Yew Kuan, Tan Tee Chie, and See Cheen Tee. Comparative references, where appropriate, would also be made to the artworks of Chinese, European and Southeast Asian artists. This paper does not profess to be novel or seminal in approach, but it aspires to build upon the invaluable research, suppositions and ingenuity of the distinguished scholars, art historians, art theorists and specialists in this field.