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"Art is not what you see but what you make others sees"
- Edgar Degas
Art In Story
These artworks are brought to life through their social messages such as #StayHome, Unity and Resilience. Featured artworks are part of the Bank’s four-decade old UOB Art Collection consisting of more than 2,500 works of art from Asia Pacific and Europe.

Title: Elephants Crossing the Water
Artist: Tang Kok Soo
Elephants Crossing the Water by Tang Kok Soo, winner of 2016 UOB Painting of the Year (Singapore), Gold Award, Established Artist Category, symbolises strength in unity and celebrates the focus needed to stay the course.
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Title: I Thought, We Can Stay Strong Like Stones
Artist: Chok Yue Zan
Depth, strength and unity of familial ties are displayed in I Thought, We Can Stay Strong Like Stones by Chok Yue Zan, top winner of 2017 UOB Painting of the Year (Malaysia), Established Artist Category. The rocks carved in the shape of people stand resilient amid swaying foliage, cloudy skies and rolling waters. It signifies the fortitude and determination to weather change and volatility.
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Title: Ah Ma’s Kitchen
Artist: Yeo Tze Yang
Ah Ma’s Kitchen by Yeo Tze Yang, winner of 2016 UOB Painting of the Year (Singapore), Silver Award, Established Artist Category, depicts a familiar place where he frequents - his grandmother’s kitchen. It shows the way of life for many of us.
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Title: Mata Puteh
Artist: Wee Shoo Leong
Every morning is a new beginning, bringing positivity and opportunities.
Mata Puteh by Wee Shoo Leong, winner of 1988 UOB Painting of the Year (Singapore), Certificate of Distinction Award, depicts his belief in harmonious existence as well as the simplicity and bliss in life. The various everyday objects set themselves against a blank background, giving the artwork clarity and a sense of harmony.
Mata Puteh by Wee Shoo Leong, winner of 1988 UOB Painting of the Year (Singapore), Certificate of Distinction Award, depicts his belief in harmonious existence as well as the simplicity and bliss in life. The various everyday objects set themselves against a blank background, giving the artwork clarity and a sense of harmony.
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Title: Unity #5
Artist: Vani Hidayatur Rahman
Unity #5 by Vani Hidayatur Rahman, winner of 2013 UOB Painting of the Year (Indonesia), Silver Award, Established Artist Category, conveys the spirit of togetherness where individuals from different backgrounds work alongside for progression and advancement.
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Title: Isolated Garden
Artist: Prabu Perdana
Isolated Garden by Prabu Perdana, winner of 2020 UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year and top winner of 2020 UOB Painting of the Year (Indonesia), Established Artist Category, demonstrates how we can show solidarity during this pandemic.
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Title: Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay United
Artist: John Soo
John Soo, winner of 2020 UOB Painting of the Year (Singapore), Silver Award, Emerging Artist Category, reminds everyone to be vigilant and to stay united through his winning artwork, Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay United.
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Title: Art Stages Pasar 2020
Artist: Zhang Chunlei
Zhang Chunlei, top winner of the 2020 UOB Painting of the Year (Singapore), Established Artist Category, conveys how unity can overcome adversity as we work together to restore life to how it was through his winning artwork Art Stages Pasar 2020.
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Title: Dining Table 2020
Artist: Chutima Na-ubon
Chutima Na-ubon, winner of the 2020 UOB Painting of the Year (Thailand), Gold Award, Emerging Artist Category, portrays the new normal through her winning artwork Dining Table 2020, in hopes of spurring everyone to play their part in reducing transmission and to get through the pandemic together.
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Title: Self Portrait – All Grown Up
Artist: Sack Tin Lim
Sack Tin Lim, winner of the 2021 UOB Painting of the Year (Malaysia), Silver Award, Emerging Artist Category explores the crafting of paper doll outfits through his winning artwork Self Portrait – All Grown Up. The diptych acrylic artwork is made up of 167 miniature cut-outs that feature a wide range of designs and ready-to-wear pieces.
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Title: Making Sense of Difference #2
Artist: Ivan David Ng
Ivan David Ng, winner of 2020 UOB Painting of the Year (Singapore), Gold Award, Established Artist Category, illustrates how different cultures and histories can come into a harmonious whole, braiding diversity into solidarity through his winning artwork Making Sense of Difference #2.
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Painting of the Year
Driven by a passion to encourage talented artists in their creative pursuits, UnitedOverseas Bank (UOB) started the Painting of the Year competition in Singapore in 1982.Today, the annual art competition is the longest-running in Singapore and one of the most prestigious in Southeast Asia.
Held in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, the UOB Painting of the Year competition has helped to uncover a new generation of Southeast Asian artists and contributed to greater awareness and appreciation of art.
Mr Goh Beng Kwan, one of Singapore’s masters of modern art, was the inaugural winner of the competition in 1982. Mr Goh went on to receive Singapore’s most distinguished art award, the Cultural Medallion, in 1989. Other well-known artist who won the competition are the late Mr Anthony Poon and Mr Chua Ek Kay in 1983 and1991 respectively. Both artists are recipients of the Singapore Cultural Medallion.
Mr Goh Beng Kwan, one of Singapore’s masters of modern art, was the inaugural winner of the competition in 1982. Mr Goh went on to receive Singapore’s most distinguished art award, the Cultural Medallion, in 1989. Other well-known artist who won the competition are the late Mr Anthony Poon and Mr Chua Ek Kay in 1983 and1991 respectively. Both artists are recipients of the Singapore Cultural Medallion.
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FAQs
Who can participate in the UOB Painting of the Year competition?
The UOB Painting of the Year competition is open to the all Citizens andPermanent Residents of the organising country only. For example, SingaporeCitizens and Singapore Permanent Residents are eligible to take part in UOBPainting of the Year organised in Singapore whereas Thailand Citizens andThailand Permanent Residents are eligible to take part in UOB Painting of theYear organised in Thailand.
Participation in the competition is free.
Participation in the competition is free.
What are the available categories to participate in the UOB Painting of theYear competition?
The competition is divided into two categories:
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Established Artist Category and (2) Emerging Artist Category.
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The Established Artist Category is open to experienced professionals with astrong portfolio of work. They must have shown their paintings in solo orgroup exhibitions (excluding school graduation shows); be represented by agallery or have achieved recognition through art awards.
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The Emerging Artist Category is open to aspiring artists who are pursuing anart education; are taking their first steps to a career in art; or simple paint forpleasure.
Participants may enter their artwork in only one of the two categories.
There are no age restrictions for either the Established Artist or Emerging ArtistCategory.
There are no age restrictions for either the Established Artist or Emerging ArtistCategory.
What are the prizes for the UOB Painting of the Year competition?
How many artworks can I submit for the UOB Painting of the Year competition?
Each participant may submit a maximum of three entries.
What happens to my painting if I am a winner?
All award-winning paintings, including the documents and materials submitted toUOB, shall become the property of UOB. Participants are advised to photograph their submissions for their own records prior to participation.
Are there restrictions on the size or type of media I can use for my painting?
Paintings in acrylic, batik, Chinese brush, collage, crayon, ink, mixed media, oil, water colour or other media are accepted. Collages, two-dimensional embossed paintings and three-dimensional paintings are accepted, subjected to a maximum thickness of 5cm (inclusive of frames).
Paintings are recommended to be within 180 centimetres in height and width(inclusive of frames). Framing is optional.
Painting submitted must be original and should not have been created more than two years prior to the submission date. Participants should not submit artworks that have been offered for sale, published, or publicly exhibited.
Video artworks, installations and sculptures will not be accepted.
Paintings are recommended to be within 180 centimetres in height and width(inclusive of frames). Framing is optional.
Painting submitted must be original and should not have been created more than two years prior to the submission date. Participants should not submit artworks that have been offered for sale, published, or publicly exhibited.
Video artworks, installations and sculptures will not be accepted.
What are the judging criteria?
Artworks will be judges based on these criteria: message, creativity, composition and technique.
Entries will be judged by a panel of local and/or overseas artists/art connoisseurs/art critics/curators or other creative professionals appointed byUOB.
Entries will be judged by a panel of local and/or overseas artists/art connoisseurs/art critics/curators or other creative professionals appointed byUOB.
When can I submit for the UOB Painting of the Year competition?
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