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Launched in 2003 and held annually ever since, the Sovereign Asian Art Prize (SAAP) is recognised as the most established and prestigious annual art award in Asia-Pacific. Returning for its 2025 edition, SAAP has shortlisted 35 talented artists, including 13 from Southeast Asia (SEA). The grand prize of USD $30,000 has been awarded to Arpita Akhanda (b.1992, India) for her work ‘Dendritic Data lb’, and the Vogue Women’s prize of USD $5,000 to Yujung Kim (b.1974, South Korea) for her piece ‘The Island That Swallowed the Moon, The Drifting Days’. Mojahid Musa (b. 1990, Bangladesh) has won the Public Vote Prize of USD $1,000 for his stunning triptych clay carving ‘Assimilated Musing’.
All of the nominated artworks were on display with SAAP’s auction partner, Phillips, as part of their New Now Spring sale, which took place at their state-of-the-art gallery space and salesroom in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District during Hong Kong Art Week. The event coincided with Art Basel Hong Kong, from 21 – 29 March. While most of the works were offered at the auction on 29 March, ‘New Now: Modern & Contemporary Art and Design’, a few selected pieces were available for private sale during the preview exhibition. Funds raised through artwork sales support Sovereign Art Foundation’s Make It Better programme, which provides expressive arts groups for children living in Hong Kong’s most disadvantaged communities.
AWDB highlights the following four SEA artists nominated for the prize:
Dawn Ng
Nominated by Sofia Coombe, Lisa Botos and Seet Yun Teng
Dawn Ng is a multi-disciplinary visual artist from Singapore who has worked across a breadth of mediums, motifs, and scales. Her practice deals with time, memory and the ephemeral, often characterised by lyricism and a nuanced use of colour.
Photo (Left): Dawn Ng, ‘Volcano Blossoms’, 2024, acrylic paint, dye, and ink on wood, 123 x 123 cm. Image courtesy of the artist and Sovereign Asian Art Prize
Photo (Right): Justin Lee, ‘The Yellow Line’, 2023/2024, acrylic on canvas, 150 x 150 cm. Image courtesy of the artist and Sovereign Asian Art Prize
Justin Lee
Nominated by Sofia Coombe
As one of Singapore’s leading pop artists, whose work merges contemporary style with elements of Singaporean traditions, Justin Lee’s artistry stands out. His approach combines modern graphic principles with traditional techniques, as demonstrated in his ongoing series inspired by paper-cutting and Chinese woodblock printing styles.
Ngo Dinh Bao Chau
Nominated by Tanya Amador
Ngo Dinh Bao Chau’s practice examines contemporary life in Vietnam; she repurposes objects and images in order to challenge the dualisms and tensions that exist in society. Through her multimedia installations, the artist comments on the power of repetition, and explores the indistinction between public and private space.
Photo (Left): Ngo Dinh Bao Chau, ‘Diagram of the Repetition’, 2024, paper powder on silk, wooden frame, stainless steel, 50 x 110 x 28 cm. Image courtesy of the artist and Sovereign Asian Art Prize
Photo (Right): Pam Virada, ‘Early Spring’, 2024, V print on stainless steel, found tray, metal, candle, 25.5 x 10.5 x 5.5 cm. Image courtesy of the artist and Sovereign Asian Art Prize
Pam Virada
Nominated by Sofia Coombe, Jiradej Mimalai and Pornpilai Meemalai
Pam Virada is a Thai artist whose interests lie in the notions between the realms of architectural space, memory, and mnemonic devices. Drawn into the creations of oxymorons, Pam’s practice often explores the concepts of personal and collective memory.
The Southeast Asian artists nominated alongside these four are: Awika Samukrsaman (Thailand), Be Takerng Pattanopas (Thailand), Maharani Mancanagara (Indonesia), Mervy C. Pueblo (Philippines), Nawin Nuthong (Thailand), Praween Piangchoompu (Thailand), Tan Zi Hao (Malaysia), Viriya Chotpanyavisut (Thailand), and Zelin Seah (Malaysia).
For more information about the prize, please click here.
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