2025 marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Singapore. In order to strengthen cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and Singapore, and promote friendly exchanges between the two countries, the exhibition City of Others: Asian Artists in Paris, 1920-1940, jointly organized by the Art Exhibition China and the National Gallery of Singapore, officially opened to the public at the National Gallery of Singapore.From April 2 to August 17, over 200 artworks – including paintings, sculptures, lacquerware, and decorative arts – along with 200 archival materials and images are on view. It showcases renowned artists from countries such as China, Vietnam, Japan, France, and Singapore. The participating institutions include important museums and art galleries such as the Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Anhui Museum, and Pang Xunyi Art Museum in China, the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in Japan, and the Pompidou Art Center, Senucci Museum, and Cartier Art Center in France. The exhibition showcases the presence of Asian artists in Paris during a period of global migration and offers visitors a glimpse into the experiences of these artists, highlighting their diverse journeys and creative exchanges. For the first time, visitors will be able to uncover new connections and comparisons across diverse practices and perspectives.
Delving into the stories of how Asian artists lived, worked and exhibited in Paris, City of Others examines what it meant to be the ‘other’. Spread across three gallery spaces in multiple sections – Preface, Workshop to the World, Theatre of the Colonies, Spectacle and Stage, Sites of Exhibition, Studio and Street, and Aftermaths – the exhibition examines the diverse experiences of these artists. It is the first major comparative exhibition dedicated to Asian artists in the French capital city during this dynamic period in modern art history. Challenging conventional art history narratives, this groundbreaking exhibition places Asian artists at the centre of focus, highlighting the relationship, interactions, and influences between the local and migrant artists, as well as the Parisian community. City of Others explores themes of identity, belonging, cultural exchange, creativity, and resilience through the lives of Asian artists who exhibited, worked, and lived in Paris as they navigated the culturally vibrant yet challenging time in interwar Paris.
Source: National Gallery of Singapore, Art Exhibition China