National Gallery Singapore’s well-loved annual festival of international films on art, Painting with Light, returns to the Gallery for its fifth edition. As the world grapples with social issues such as inequality and displacement, this year’s film festival looks at the interactions between art and social commentary. Centred on the theme “Interventions in Space,” the festival invites audiences to explore how artists address and challenge existing realities to inspire new perspectives and change.

From 1 to 24 July, Painting with Light will present over 50 films by artists who engage with ideas about Indigeneity, modernity, class relations, and other determinants of social structure. Films delve into subject matter such as the loss and reclamation of Indigenous culture in Australia, civic action in Myanmar, and the ecological impact of urban development in Cambodia. Themes from the Gallery’s ongoing exhibitions are also explored through a curated selection of films. This includes two specially commissioned artist responses to Chua Mia Tee: Directing the Real; a documentary on work behind-the-scenes at the Uffizi Gallery which includes the installation of renowned artist Antony Gormley’s sculptures; and experimental shorts by Indigenous filmmakers which resonates with Ever Present: First Peoples Art of Australia. Additionally, this year’s Festival will feature more in-gallery screenings and artist talks, which provide diverse approaches to enjoy the Gallery’s exhibitions and bring audiences closer to the art on display.

Website: paintingwithlight.nationalgallery.sg/.

When: 1 - 24 Jul 2022,

By: National Gallery Singapore