Singapore’s 1st Art of Trash Competition Exhibition: A Showcase of the Winners and Finalists of this Nationwide Competition for Art Made From Upcycled Materials

SINGAPORE, MAR 9, 2023: The Art of Trash Competition is a sequel to the highly successful Trash-Sure campaign launched in 2022.

The Competition reached out to all Singaporeans to draw inspiration from Bordalo II's art installation at Gardens by the Bay and to create their original art pieces that showcase sustainability.

The Art of Trash competition is a meaningful collection of artworks by Singapore artists who are as young as 7 years old and people with special abilities. Through their art forms, they demonstrate that they care about the environment and the dire consequences caused by global warming. It is their hope that their art pieces promote conversation and literacy on climate change and sustainability. 

The Art of Trash Competition called for submissions in 3 categories: Primary School, Secondary School, and Open Category.

Interest was high, and we received over 190 submissions, including strong entries from people of different abilities that demonstrate strong, well-thought-out concepts.

Members of the Jury including Bordalo II himself selected 22 finalists and 9 winners.

Below are some notable works:

1. Primary School winning installation CORAL CALAMITY by a 12-year-old whose artwork urges for less plastic pollution in the ocean which is the biggest carbon sink; warning that 50% of corals will be bleached with global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius.
2. Open Category - a dramatic STOP sign made from recycled materials to plea for us to stop overconsumption and reduce waste by consuming less.
3. "Project SHERO" by Tan Siew Ling and Shannon Yip – Siew Ling, who is deaf-blind, worked with Shannon to create an installation made completely of recycled materials to convey the message of coral bleaching as a result of global warming.
4. Special mention - "I AM STUFFED WITH FOOD " by Allan Cai who has Down Syndrome alerting us all of the 1.3 billion tonnes of food wasted per year. 

The opening of the Art of Trash Exhibition of the finalists and the announcement of winners will be held at Cannonball Room at the Gardens by the Bay on the 9th March 2023 at 830am.

The Art of Trash Competition is an assembly of Singapore artists, from children as young as 7 years old to persons with disabilities (and with different abilities), to demonstrate their care for the environment and the recognition that our fragile planet is being threatened by global warming.

This is the inauguration of the Art of Trash Competition. Plans are underway for The Art of Trash Competition 2024.

Mr Bordalo II, Artivist, said “Art is a very powerful medium to generate conversations on topics that are very important to the world. My sculptures which use recycled materials hope to deliver the message for a world to be less wasteful and the need for all of us to reduce, reuse and recycle. I am delighted to have installed the sculpture of the Sumatran Tiger at Gardens by the Bay as part of the Trash-Sure campaign. I hope The Art of Trash Competition will unleash many artists in Singapore to have their own interpretations for a world to be more sustainable in their very own art forms.”

Ms Valerie Lau, CFA, Head of Singapore and SEA, APAC Sustainable Finance Office, UBS, “At UBS, we believe that the next generation is key to unlocking a more sustainable future. UBS is delighted to take the Trash-Sure campaign to the next level by engaging and co-creating with the younger generation in their journey of narrating sustainability through art. Aligned to UBS’s purpose of connecting people for a better world, we are excited that the competition will create a platform for the younger generation to express their perspectives on sustainability and inspire impactful conversations for a greener future.”

Mr Felix Loh, CEO, Gardens by the Bay, said, “As a horticultural institution, Gardens by the Bay has always sought to present the natural world in an exciting and intriguing way, but also engages the public on a green journey.  We are therefore heartened that Bordalo II’s sculpture of the critically endangered Sumatran Tiger at the Gardens, has inspired Singaporeans and foreign visitors of all ages to show their love for the environment by upcycling trash into beautiful works of art, and are happy to support such a meaningful project.”

Ms Ku Geok Boon, CEO, SG Enable, said “Enabling Village is privileged to be the inclusion partner for this campaign. Climate change affects vulnerable communities including those with disabilities, and it is important for SG Enable to work with our partners to include persons with disabilities to raise awareness and advocate for a more equitable and sustainable future which are also the ethos of Enabling Village.”

Mr Adrian Tan, CEO, Adplanet Group, said: “Climate change is climate crisis. We will all have to play our part as the whole of the world and the whole of Singapore in particular, to change behavior to bring about a more sustainable world for our future generations. The Art of Trash competition is an art initiative to call for local artists to highlight pressing climate change issues with their art pieces - inspired by the 7m by 10m Sumatran Tiger installation by Bordalo II at Gardens by the Bay which is made completely from recycled materials and which is one of Asia’s largest upcycled art sculpture. I remember Bordalo II telling me there is no Planet B.”

The Art of Trash Competition is supported by the following partners:

SG Green Plan 2030
SG Passion Made Possible
Ministry of Education
National Library Board
UBS
Ho Bee Land
Gardens by the Bay
Enabling Village by SG Enable
WWF
Extraordinary People
Greenway Environment 
Temasek Polytechnic 
Pan Pacific Hotels Group 
Ten Square

The Ad Planet Group is the Coordinating Creative Agency.

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