UOB Malaysia invites artists to unleash their creative talent at 14th UOB Painting of the Year competition
Submissions are open to all Malaysian citizens and permanent residents from now until 31 July 2024
The 14th UOB Painting of the Year programme identity, inspired by 2023 UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year artwork by Thai artist Ms Pratchaya Charernsook
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 11 June 2024 – UOB Malaysia invites established and emerging Malaysian artists to unleash their passion and creativity through art once more in the 14th UOB Painting of the Year (POY) (Malaysia) competition.
The UOB POY competition is the Bank’s flagship regional visual art programme and one of Southeast Asia’s most prestigious competitions. Aimed at uncovering and nurturing the next generation of artists in the region, the annual competition runs simultaneously across Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Ms Ng Wei Wei, Chief Executive Officer, UOB Malaysia said, “For over 13 years, our flagship UOB POY (Malaysia) competition has been a catalyst for growth for local artists. As of today, we have awarded over 100 Malaysian artists, empowering them to gain a stronger foothold in the region by showcasing their artworks to a wider audience and giving them opportunities to develop their skills. We strongly believe the power of art to unite and inspire, and look forward to seeing even more vibrant submissions for our 14th edition.”
Previous winners of the UOB Painting of the Year (Malaysia) competition include Sabri Idrus (2020 UOB Painting of the Year Winner - Established Artist Category) and Saiful Razman (2021 UOB Painting of the Year Winner - Established Artist Category), who have continued to gain international exposure and recognition after earning their awards. For instance, Saiful Razman’s artworks were showcased at the UOB Art Space during Art Jakarta 2022 and he was also invited to attend the Artist Residency programme at the UOB Art Gallery in Shanghai, China in 2023. UOB Malaysia also sponsored Saiful to exhibit his artwork at the Venice Biennale in Italy, a prestigious international art platform in 2022.
Programme identity for 14th UOB POY (Malaysia) competition
This year’s programme identity is inspired by the 2023 UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year winning artwork by Thai artist Ms Pratchaya Charernsook, Chumphon Estuary. The artwork depicts the imminent threat posed by microplastics, symbolised by the tumultuous energy of a breaking wave bringing invasive particles in the programme identity. This underscores the need for conservation to preserve fragile ecosystems.
Call for the 14th UOB POY (Malaysia) competition entries
The UOB POY competition is open to all Malaysian citizens and permanent residents. Submissions are to be made digitally via UOBandArt.com by 31 July 2024.
The full list of winners will be announced at an award ceremony in October 2024. The winner of the UOB Painting of the Year award will walk away with a prize money of RM100,000 and will compete with the other country winners from Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam for the coveted regional UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year award. The winner of the regional award will bring home an additional prize award of S$13,000, and a chance for an overseas residency programme. The winner of the 2024 UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year will be announced at an awards ceremony in Singapore on 13 November 2024.
More details on the competition can be found at UOBandArt.com.
About UOB and Art
UOB’s involvement in art started in the 1970s with its collection of paintings by Singapore artists. Today, the UOB Art Collection has more than 2,600 artworks, made up primarily of paintings from established and emerging Southeast Asian artists.
UOB plays an active role in communities across the region, most notably through its long-term commitment to art. As the leading patron of the arts in Asia, the Bank continues to make art accessible to a wider audience through a diverse range of visual art programmes, partnerships and community outreach across the region.
The Bank’s flagship art programme is the UOB Painting of the Year competition, which was started in 1982 to recognise Southeast Asian artists and to offer them the opportunity to showcase their works to the wider community. The competition was extended to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and in 2023, to Vietnam. It is now the longest running art competition in Singapore and one of the most prestigious in Southeast Asia.
Over the past 41 years, the competition has cultivated and advanced the careers of many artists in Singapore. Notable among them are Mr Goh Beng Kwan (1982 winner), and the late Mr Anthony Poon (1983 winner) and Mr Chua Ek Kay (1991 winner), who received the Singapore Cultural Medallion, Singapore’s most distinguished art award.
The competition has also recognised talents from across the region through the UOB Southeast Asian POY award. Previous winners include Chomrawi Suksom from Thailand in 2022, Mr Saiful Razman from Malaysia in 2021, Mr Prabu Perdana from Indonesia in 2020, Mr Anagard from Indonesia in 2019, Mr Suvi Wahyudianto from Indonesia in 2018, Mr Sukit Choosri from Thailand in 2017, Mr Gatot Indrajati from Indonesia in 2016, Mr Anggar Prasetyo from Indonesia in 2015, Mr Antonius Subiyanto from Indonesia in 2014 and Ms Stefanie Hauger from Singapore in 2013.
Together with the UOB POY winning artists, UOB also runs art workshops for underprivileged and special needs children regularly. At these workshops, the young learn art techniques from art professionals and award-winning artists.
About UOB Malaysia
UOB Malaysia is rated among the top banks in Malaysia with a long-term AAA rating from Ratings Agency of Malaysia. It has over seven decades of presence in the country, and operates 55 branches nationwide, offering both conventional and Islamic banking services to its customers.
UOB Malaysia is a subsidiary of UOB, a leading bank in Asia with a global network of around 500 offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America. UOB has adopted a customer-centric approach to creating long-term value by staying relevant through its enterprising spirit and doing right by its customers. UOB is focused on building the future of ASEAN – for the people and businesses within, and connecting with, ASEAN.
The Bank connects businesses to opportunities in the region with its unparalleled regional footprint and leverages data and insights to innovate and create personalised banking experiences and solutions catering to each customer’s unique needs and evolving preferences. UOB is also committed to helping businesses forge a sustainable future, by fostering social inclusiveness, creating positive environmental impact and pursuing economic progress. UOB believes in being a responsible financial services provider and is steadfast in its support of art, social development of children and education, doing right by its communities and stakeholders.
For further information, please visit www.uob.com.my.