Zai Kuning selected as Singapore's representative for 2017 Venice Biennale

In 2017, Singapore's National Arts Council appointed multidisciplinary artist Zai Kuning to showcase the nation at the 57th Venice Biennale. His upcoming work will delve into the Orang Laut nomadic communities of the Riau archipelago and the historical figure Dapunta Hyang Sri Jayanasa, recognized as the first Maharaja of the Srivijaya kingdom in the 7th century. The exhibition will be curated by June Yap, an art historian and former curator for the Guggenheim Museum's UBS MAP Global Art Initiative. Zai Kuning was selected from six candidates by a panel that included notable figures such as Kathy Lai, Ahmad Mashadi, Eugene Tan, and Professor Ute Meta Bauer. The Straits reported on his selection, highlighting Singapore's ongoing involvement in this esteemed international art exhibition.