Through Ho Tzu Nyen (b. 1976) the past finds embodiment. His videos and installations—the primary format of his output—are populated with characters as myriad as the sources from which they come. Pop culture references commingle with citations from bygone eras in a studied, cinematic collapse of time. A work like No Man II (2017) performs a delicate balance between the recognizable and the reminiscent, the known and its opposite, as an allegory for the absence of the untold story (that is absent for the very reason of being untold). Extensive research and data collection is a significant part of his methodology, thus making him a historian of sorts—one with a critical mindset intent on elucidating the hegemonic power structures that have shaped Singapore’s history and the history of Southeast Asia at large. This practice is reflected in his ongoing project The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia. Based at the Asia Art Archive in Hong Kong, the Dictionary is a platform dedicated to the subject of the region and the complex questions of its heritage, politics, and culture.
Ho Tzu Nyen
1976 Born in Singapore, SP
Lives and works in Singapore, SP
EDUCATION
2001
Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, Australia, BA in Creative Arts
2007
National University of Singapore, Singapore, MA in Southeast Asian Studies
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2020
NO MAN II, Schauspielhaus Bochum
2019
Ho Tzu Nyen - G for Gong, Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst
2018
The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia Volume 3: N for Names, Kunstverein in Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
The Mysterious Lai Teck, International Summer Festival, Kampnagel, DE
One or Several Works, Ming Contemporary Art Museum (McaM), Shanghai, CN
One or Several Tigers, TPAM, Yokohama
2017
No Man II, Galerie Michael Janssen, Berlin, DE
The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia Volume 1: G for Ghost(writer), Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong, CN
The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia Vol. 3, Lofoten International Arts Festival, NO
EARTH; Cloud of Unknowing, Dallas Contemporary and Crow Collection, Dallas, USA
2015
The Cloud of Unknowing, Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, ES
EARTH, Edith-Russ-Haus for Media Art, Oldenburg, DE
The Name. daadgalerie, Berlin, DE
The Cloud of Unknowing, Trinity Square Video, Toronto, CA
2014
EARTH, Project Fulfill Art Space, Taipei, TW
2013
PYTHAGORAS, Michael Janssen, Gillman Barracks, Singapore, SP
2012
MAM Project #16, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, JP
2011
The Cloud of Unknowing, Singapore Pavilion, 54th Venice Biennale, IT
Earth. Artspace, Sydney, AUS
2007
The Bohemian Rhapsody Project, Contemportary Art Center of South Australia, Adelaide, AU
2005
4 x 4 – Episodes of Singapore Art, National Broadcast on Arts Central, Singapore, SP
2003
Utama – Every Name in History is I, The Substation, Singapore, SP
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2018
The 4th Shenzhen Independent Animation Biennale, Shenzhen, China
The D-Tale, Video Art from the Pearl River Delta, Times Art Centre, Berlin, Germany
Heteroglossia, HOW Art Museum, Shanghai, China
Rituals of Signs and Metamorphosis, Red Brick Museum, Beijing, China
Seven Questions for Asia, Kuandu Biennale, Kuandu Museum of Fine Arts, Taipei, Taiwan Offline Browser, Hong-Gah Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
Civilization: The Way Live Now, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Seoul, Korea
Imagined Borders, Gwangju Biennale, Gwangju, Korea
Light to Night Festival 2018: Colour Sensations, National Gallery Singapore, Singapore Bearing Points, Dhaka Art Summit 2018, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Holland Festival, International Performing Arts, Amsterdam, Netherlands
One or Several Tigers, Kunsthalfestivaldesarts 2018, Brussels, Belgium
Onassis Fast Forward Festival 5, Onassis Cultural Centre, Athens, Greece
2017
Unrealised, National Gallery of Singapore, Singapore
Nameless, El Usman Faroqhi Here and a Yonder: On Finding Poise in Disorientation – A Project in the Framework of the Harun Farocki Retrospective, SAVVY Contemporary, Berlin, DE
Ghosts and Spectres - Shadows of History, NTU Centre for Contemporary Art, Singapore, SP
Lofoten International Arts Festival, Lofoten, NO
Sunshower: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia 1980s to Now, Mori Art Museum & National Arts Center Tokyo, JP
When the other meets the other Other? What matters? What not? Culural Center Belgrade, CS
2 or 3 Tigers, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, HKW, Berlin, DE
The Principle of Uncertainty, National Museum of Modern & Contemporary Art, Seoul, KR
Imaginary Asia, Nam June Paik Center, Seoul, KR
Contour Biennale, Mechelen, BE
The Fevered Specters of Art, Edith-Russ-Haus für Medienkunst, Oldenburg, DE
Kino der Kunst, HFF AudimaxX, Munich, DE
2016
Field Meeting: Thinking Practice, Guggenheim New York, US
Frozen World of the Familiar Stranger, Kadist Art Foundation, KHOJ, New Delhi, IN
Art Basel Unlimited, Basel, CH
The Time is Out of Joint, Sharjah Art Foundation Art Spaces, Sharjah, AE
TRAME, Reality Art Cinema Invention, Spazio Murat, Bari, ID
Screening Room, Temporary Gallery, Cologne, DE
From Bandung to Berlin - If all of the moons aligned, SAVVY Contemporary, Berlin, DE
Habits and customs of __ , Kadist Art Foundation Paris, Paris, FR
Time Of Others, Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane, AU
Frozen World of the Familiar Stranger, Kadist Art Foundation, San Francisco, US
2015
6th Moscow Biennale, Moscow, RU
5 Stars, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, SP
3rd Ural Industrial Biennial of Art, Yekaterinburg, RU
A Luxury We Cannot Afford, Para/Site Art Space, Hong Kong, CN
The Time of Others, NMAO National Museum of Art Osaka, Osaka, JP
Crossovers, OCAT Shanghai, Shanghai, CN
FACTS & FICTION. Images of Catastrophe and Projections into the Future. Lenbachhaus, Munich, DE
The Measure of Your Dwelling: Singapore as Unhomed, IFA Gallery, Berlin, DE
The Time of Others, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, Tokyo, JP
Lest the Two Seas Meet. Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw, PL
To The Sound of the Closing Door, Akademie der Künste, Berlin, DE
2014
2nd Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Kochi, IN
10th Shanghai Biennale, Power of Station of Art, Shanghai, China
ABP Foundation Signature Art Prize 2014 Finalists Exhibition, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, SP
Busan Museum of Art, Busan, KR
Mapping Asia, Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong, CN
Anthropos, Sundaram Tagore Gallery, New York, US
Medium-at-Large, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, KR
Ewa International Media Art Presentation, Seoul, KR
Unearthed, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, SP
Reality Distortion Field, Media/Art Kitchen, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Tokyo, JP
Sights and Sounds: Singapore, The Jewish Museum of New York, New York City, US
2013
5th Auckland Triennial, Auckland, NZ
Artificial Natures, EXIT Festival, Maison des Arts de Créteil, Créteil, FR
No Country: Contemporary Art for South and Southeast Asia, Guggenheim Museum, New York, US
Move on Asia, ZKM, Karlsruhe, DE
Autonomous Zone, Times Museum, Guangzhou, CN
transmediale.13, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, DE
2012
Of Human Scale and Beyond: Experience and Transcendence, Hong Kong Art Centre, Hong Kong, CN
To Bring the World into the World, Art Metropole, Toronto, CA
Surplus Authors, Witte de With, Rotterdam, NL
TRACES, Jim Thompson Art Center, Bangkok, TH
Armory Film, The Armory Show, New York, US
Asian Art Biennial, National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Taichung, TW
New Frontiers, Sundance Film Festival, Utah, US
2011
transmediale.11, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, DE
The Grip, Kadist Foundation, Paris, FR
2010
No Soul for Sale, Tate Modern, London, UK
Video Art Biennial, Tel Aviv, IL
Media Landscape - Zone East, Liverpool Biennial, Liverpool, UK
2009
The Zarathustra Project, 6th Asia-Art Pacific Triennial, AU
H the Happy Robot, 6th Asia-Art Pacific Triennial, AU
Dojima River Biennale, Osaka, JP
Some Rooms, Osage Kwun Tong, Hong Kong, CN
2008
Coffee, Cigarettes and Phad Thai - Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia, Eslite Gallery, Taipei, TW
Art Multiple, Ke Center for the Contemporary Arts, Shanghai, CN
Loop in Motion, Video Festival, Seoul, KR
MU Popshop, Stichting MU, Eindhoven, NL
Art & Entrepreneurship, Credit-Suisse Exhibition, Dubai, New York, Berlin, Moscow, Geneva, Milan, Madrid, London
Always Here but not Always Present- Art in a Senseless World, SMU Arts Festival, Singapore, SP
2007
Soft Power, Shanghai Zendai Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, CN
Recontres Internationales, Center Pompidou, Paris, FR
Asia – Europe Mediations, National Gallery of Poznan, PL
Thermocline of Art – New Asian Waves, ZKM, Karlsruhe, DE
2006
The Bohemian Rhapsody Project, The Glowing Whistle Festival, HQ Sparswasser, Berlin, DE
Underplayed: A Mix-Tape of Music-Based Videos, The Yerba Buena Center the Arts, San Francisco, US
4 x 4 – Episodes of Singapore Art, ARGOS, Brussels, BE
1st Singapore Biennale, Singapore, SP
Move on Asia, Alternative Space Loop, Seoul & Tokyo Wonder Site, JP
Islanded, Institute of Contemporary Art, Singapore, SP and Adam Art gallery, Wellington, NZ
The Bohemian Rhapsody Project, Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art, Shanghai, CN
The Guernica Project, ARCO, Madrid, ES
2005
Singapore Seasons, Institute of Contemporary Art, London, UK
Utama – Every Name in History is I, 3rd Fukuoka Asian Art Triennale, Fukuoka, JP
No Time for Space, Para-Site, Hong Kong, CN
Utama – Every Name in History is I, Sparwasser HQ, Berlin, DE
2004
SENI, Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, SP
Image Smugglers, 26th Sao Paolo Biennale, Sao Paolo, BR
Paintings, Display, The Podium, Makati City, PH
The Venice Architectural Biennale, Singapore Pavilion, Venice, IT
Paintings, Painting as Process – Re-evaluating Painting, The Earl Lu Gallery, Singapore, SP
SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY / FILM FESTIVALS
2013
42nd Rotterdam International Film Festival, Rotterdam, NL
2012
Sundance Film Festival, Utah, US
2011
64th Locarno International Film Festival, Locarno, CH
EARTH (2009), medium length film, 40 min
2010
Official Selection, 34th Hong Kong International Film Festival, Hong Kong, CN
Official Selection, 39th Rotterdam International Film Festival, Rotterdam, NL
Official Selection, 3rd !fstanbul International Film Festival, Istanbul, TR
Official Selection, 33rd Goteborg International Film Festival, Göteborg, SE
Official Selection, 15th Ankara Festival on Wheels Film Festival, Ankara, TR
2009
Official Selection, 66th Venice International Film Festival, Venice, IT
HERE (2009). feature film, 84 min
Official Selection, 24th Mar del Plata International Film Festival, Mar del Plata, AR
Official Selection, 6th Hong Kong Asian Film Festival, Hong Kong, CN
Official Selection, 11th Cinemanila International Film Festival, Manila, PH
Official Selection, 33rd Sao Paulo International Film Festival, Sao Paolo, BR
Official Selection, 16th Oldenburg International Film Festival, Oldenburg, DE
Official Selection, 26th Warsaw International Film Festival, Warsaw, PL
Official Selection, 14th Pusan International Film Festival, Pusan, KR
Official Selection, 44th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, Karlovy Vary, CZ
Directors Fortnight, 62nd Cannes International Film Festival, Cannes, FR
Reflections (2007). short film, 15 min
2nd Asian Hot Shots Berlin, Berlin, DE
Official Selection, 55th Oberhausen Short Film Festival, Oberhausen, DE
2008
International Competition, 2nd Kratkofil International Short Film Festival, BA
International Competition 11th Expression en Corto International Film Festival, MX
Évora International Short Film Festival, PT
19th Ljubljana International Film Festival, Slovenia
Cinemascape, 9th Jeonju International Film Festival, KR
International Competition, 54th Oberhausen International Short Film Festival, Germany
Lucky 7 (2007). collaborative feature film, 84 min
27th Vancouver International Film Festival, Vancouver, CA
37th Rotterdam International Film Festival, Rotterdam, NL
Asian Competition, 21st Singapore International Film Festival, Singapore, SP
The Bohemian Rhapsody Project (2006). short film, 7 min
38th Seattle International Film Festival, Seattle, US
Arcadi Film Festival, Paris, FR
Lab Competition, 30th Clermont – Ferrand International Film Festival, FR
2007
Recontres Internationales 2007 – 2008, Center Pompidou, Paris, FR
International Competition, 26th Uppsala International Short Film Festival, Uppsala, SE
International Competition, 15th Curtas de Ville Film Festival, PT
Official Selection, 5th Asiana International Film Festival, KR
International Competition, 53rd Oberhausen Short Film Festival, DE
Sejarah Singapura (2006). short film, 14 min
4x4 – Episodes of Singapore Art (2005). TV series, 23 min each
Utama – Every Name in History is I (2003). short film, 23 min
2005
MOV Digital Film Festival, Manila, PH
2004
11th Hong Kong International Film Festival, Hong Kong, CN
International Competition, 3rd Bangkok, TH
International Film Festival, TH
2003
Hive Digital Film Festival, Singapore, SP
SELECTED PERFORMANCES
2015
Ten Thousand Tigers, Asian Cultural Complex, Gwangju, KR
Ten Thousand Tigers, Carriageworks, Sydney, AU
2014
Ten Thousand Tigers, Wiener Festwochen, Vienna, AT
Ten Thousand Tigers, Esplanade Theatre Studio, Singapore, SP
2012
The Song of the Brokenhearted Tiger, Esplanade Theatre Studio, Singapore, SP
2010
Invisible Room (with The Observatory), Theater der Welt, DE
2008
The King Lear Project, KunstenFestivaldesArts, Brussels, BE
The King Lear Project, Singapore Arts Festival, Singapore, SP
The House of Memory, Singapore Theatre Festival, Singapore, SP
2006
Utama – Every Name in History is I, KunstenFestivaldesArts, Brussels, BE
Utama – Every Name in History is I. Theatre Institute Nederland, Amsterdam, NL
King Lear -The Avoidance of Love, The Esplanade Theatre Studio, Singapore, SP
2005
2 South Seas, 3 Chairs, 4 Suits, Singapore Seasons, Institute of Contemporary Art, London, UK
Utama – Every name in History is I, performance lecture, The Bangkok Fringe Festival, Bangkok, TH
SELECTED PUBLIC COMISSIONS
2009
The Road Not Taken, LTA commission, Pasir Panjang MRT Station, Singapore, SP
2006
Sejarah Singapura, Permanent display, National Museum of Singapore, SP
SELECTED AWARDS
2014
Grand Prize for PHYTHAGORAS, the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize, Singapore, SP
2013
Prix de Nuit for The Cloud of Unknowing, Signes de Nuit, Paris, FR
2010
National Youth Award, National Youth Council, Singapore, SP
Young Artist Award, National Arts Council, Singapore, SP
2008
JCCI Singapore Foundation Arts Award, Singapore, SP
Critic’s Picks for the King Lear Project – The Lear Universe, Flying Inkpot 2008
The Grand Jury Prize for The Bohemian Rhapsody Project, 4th Pris de Courts, International Short Film Festival in Paris, FR
Honorable Mention for The Bohemian Rhapsody Project, The 5th Vienna Independent Short Film Festival, Vienna, AT
De Filmkrant for The Bohemian Rhapsody Project, World Wide Angle, February 2008, nr 296, Film Critic’s Pick of 2007
Silver Medal for Sejarah Singapura, MUSE Awards, New York, US
2007
Critic’s Pick for best performance of the year, for King Lear – The Avoidance of Love, Flying Inkpot 2007
Film Critic’s Pick for The Bohemian Rhapsody Project, Senses of Cinema World Poll 2007
2006
Front Award for Visual Arts. Arts Central, Singapore, SP
Film Critic’s Pick. San Francisco Bay Guardian, for 4 x 4 – Episodes of Singapore Art
Film Critic’s Pick. Senses of Cinema World Poll 2006, Film Critic’s Pick for 4 x 4 – Episodes of Singapore Art
2003-2006
Research Scholarship, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SP
2002
Dean’s Award for Outstanding Academic Achievements, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, AU
2001
National Winner, Nokia Arts Awards, Eye on the World Painting Competition, Singapore
First Prize, Abstract Category, 20th UOB Painting of the Year, Singapore
1999
First Prize, The Jacques Derrida Exhibition and Prize, Melbourne, Australia
1995-1996
Humanities Scholarship, Public Service Commission, Singapore, SP
SELECTED RESIDENCIES
2014–2015
DAAD, Berlin, DE
2013
Asia Art Archive, Hong Kong, CN
2012
Sudpole, Lucerne, CH
2009
TheatreWorks, Singapore, SP
