Yeo Workshop

Apr 13, 2022 | Jasmine Pegg

The relationship between a gallery and its artists has always been symbiotic, wherein one cannot thrive without the other. A gallery without its artists producing pieces is an empty room, and artists with nowhere to display their work have no audience. And though in recent years, there has been a surge of artists independently showcasing their creations to the public, galleries allow emerging artists to take on several other modes of promoting their art. From carrying out marketing efforts and the actual selling of their art to providing services such as financial management and client assessment, these services allow artists to focus more on their essence: to create.

With that philosophy in mind, Yeo Workshop was founded in 2013 by Audrey Yeo. During its 8-year long journey, the gallery has produced a number of exhibitions, artist projects, gallery-based symposiums, as well as educational talks, and it all began with its participation in the Patron Education Programmes via the Arnoldii Arts Club. The club brought together speakers of varying backgrounds and expertise to discuss the art market, artmaking, and production. With the assistance of the Singapore Arts Club, Yeo Workshop executed several public art projects located in Gilman Barracks and Cavan Road. These support and involvement in the contemporary art scene was to sustain a thriving incubator for promising and emerging artists.

Yeo Workshop’s key intent remains to promote the works of local and international contemporary artists whose solid practices are able to engage with the Singaporean and visiting audiences. Albeit showcasing a great diversity of visual style, Yeo Workshop still values cultural significance and the works of those who conduct extensive research before conveying their stories, which ties in with their recent zoom-in on promising artists in Singapore and the Southeast Asian region.

"Covering a multi-disciplinary approach, the gallery defines itself by its progressive engagements."
- Audrey Yeo

Indonesian artist Maryanto, who falls under the gallery’s representation, examines the socio-political relationships of humanity and the environment through his large-scale charcoal drawings. Another artist, Fyerool Darma, reflects his exploration of culture, mythmaking, history, and philosophy, through unconventional ways of painting and installation works.

Aside from collaborating with emerging artists, Yeo Workshop has also partnered with pioneer artists, like Solamalay Namasivayam whose practice and teachings paved the way for the emergence of figurative art in Singapore. Also, she is a member of the prestigious Group 90 – an informal arts group that broke down the barriers surrounding nudity in art within conservative Singapore.

In efforts to retain its all-rounded approach to its showcase of art, Yeo Workshop has been involved with several programs, namely the Julius Baer Next Generation Art Prize for Southeast Asian digital artists, along with the inaugural public art project Twenty Twenty at 2 Cavan Road. The latter project involved converting a disused warehouse into a space for public art created by a myriad of Singaporean and regional artists

In keeping with its philosophy, Audrey intends to move Yeo Workshop forward to help more artists with inspiring messages to realise their potential. The gallery's dedication to educating the populace about the industry becomes clear through Yeo Workshop's multi-faceted approaches. And ultimately, it is this secure relationship between the galleries and its core stakeholders that is fuelled by pure interest and enthusiasm which truly keeps the industry alive.