South Korea has more entries nominated for this year’s Asia Pacific Breweries Foundation Signature Art Prize than any other nation. This is the first time Korean artists are participating in the award.

Founded in 2008, the prize identifies artists for outstanding work, recognizes significant recent creations coming from Asia-Pacific countries, and encourages the development of contemporary art in the region. It is organized by the Singapore Art Museum and sponsored by APB Foundation. 

A total of 130 artworks by artists from 24 countries including Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan are in the competition for the Grand prize. Covering a wide range of media such as painting, mixed media, installation, video art, photography and prints, sculpture as well as performance art, the works were selected by 31 independent art professionals and curators.

Ten works by 10 Korean artists ― Debbie Han, Ham Kyung-ah, Jo Sook-jin, Jung Yeon-doo, Kim Jong-ku, Kim Ok-sun, Kimsooja, Kwon Ki-Soo, Park Hwa-young and Yee Soo-kyung ― are vying for the prize. Korean curators Choi Eun-ju and Jun Seung-bo recommended the works.

Five judges including Fumio Nanjo, Director of Mori Art Museum; Gregor Muir, Executive Director of Institute of Contemporary Art London; Ranjit Hoskote, curator of the India Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2011 will shortlist the 15 finalist artworks by Oct. 1. The Grand Prize winner, three Jurors’ Prize winners and one People’s Choice Award winner ― selected online via public vote ― will be announced on Nov. 18. The Grand Prize winner will receive a cash prize of S$45,000 ($37,000) and the other four winners S$10,000 each.

To vote, visit www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/signatureartprize.

By Park Min-young (claire@heraldcorp.com)