When Art is in the news, how does the media influence and inform our perception of it? Art is perpetuated by the power of the media as one way to maintain its relevance in this society. The more emphasis the media has on art, the more art is justified and seen as truth. I want to create a work that is made justifiable by the influence of the media – but in a way where truth comes from imagination, and the imagined from the facts – can I influence the perception of the viewers have on Art when it is coming the media? If the shifts in power changed our emphasis in preservation for local visual arts, what would happen to the Singapore contemporary art landscape?

I am concerned about the realities in the Singapore contemporary art scene, having to witness the number of independent artists-run spaces and galleries that has closed down in recent years. These spaces showcased some of the most experimental and significant works by local and overseas artists. Spaces like Plastique Kinetic Worms (1998–2008), p-10 (2004–2007) and Post-Museum (2007–2011) inevitable had to give up their spaces due to rising rents and the pressure of maintaining the premises and running programmes with limited resources. Likewise, what will happen to the Singapore art scene if three of the most dominant and important art institutions have to close down due to similar circumstances?

Urich Lau is a visual artist, independent curator and arts educator based in Singapore.

Focusing on video art, photography and media art, Urich has presented his works in Singapore and internationally including Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea, Serbia, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, the UK, the US and Uzbekistan.

Urich’s curatorial projects include Negentropic Fields at National Gallery Singapore (2020), SUPER–TRAJECTORY at Tainan Art Museum (2019) and ArtScience Museum in Singapore (2020), Sim Lim Square Art Residency for the Singapore Art Week (2018), METAGRAPHY at DECK in Singapore (2017) and MEME Space in Taipei (2017), Seoul/Singapore Open Media Art Festival at Gillman Barracks in Singapore (2015) and Total Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul (2017), Videologue at Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore (2012) and Videology at The Substation in Singapore (2008).

Urich is a founding member of the art collective INTER–MISSION and the studio Hothouse.