Cover Pia Angela Paz Custodio (graduating Diploma in Dance student) and Brandon Tang (NAFA alumnus and recipient of the NAFA Best Graduate Award 2021) from NAFA’s School of Dance.
Pia Angela Paz Custodio (graduating Diploma in Dance student) and Brandon Tang (NAFA alumnus and recipient of the NAFA Best Graduate Award 2021) from NAFA’s School of Dance.
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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Mr Lawrence Wong was Guest of Honour at the fundraiser, held at Capella Singapore on September 2
Luxury hotel Capella Singapore played host to an evening of splendour and artistic celebration as the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) marked its 85th anniversary with a grand fundraising gala dinner. This commemorative event, graced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong as the guest of honour, saw around 350 guests gather to celebrate the rich heritage and forward vision of Singapore's oldest arts institution.
During the festivities, Nafa Board Chairman Low Sin Leng and Deputy Prime Minister Wong made two major announcements. The first was the unveiling of open applications for artist residencies at its renowned Paris studios in Cité internationale des arts from 2024. This initiative welcomes not only Singaporean artists but also their Southeast Asian counterparts.
Above Presenting a token of appreciation to DPM Wong. The calligraphy artwork '勇 Yong,' created by Dr Ho Kah Leong, a distinguished artist and the 7th President of Nafa, embodies the spirit of courage and optimism, inspiring a fearless journey into the future. From left to right: Nafa Board Chairman Low Sin Leng; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong; and Chairperson of Nafa 85th Anniversary Gala Organising Committee, Lucy Ooi.
Presenting a token of appreciation to DPM Wong. The calligraphy artwork '勇 Yong,' created by Dr Ho Kah Leong, a distinguished artist and the 7th President of Nafa, embodies the spirit of courage and optimism, inspiring a fearless journey into the future. From left to right: Nafa Board Chairman Low Sin Leng; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong; and Chairperson of Nafa 85th Anniversary Gala Organising Committee, Lucy Ooi.
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The Parisian studios, first established by Nafa in the late 90s, have since been a haven for artists. These studios have welcomed over 70 artists in their 25-year history, including luminaries like Han Sai Por, Lim Yew Kuan, and Lim Tze Peng. In partnership with more than a hundred French and international organisations, Cité welcomes more than 300 artists monthly from a wide range of disciplines for residencies lasting up to a year.
The other announcement was the global introduction of the world’s very first Living Archive of Contemporary Asian Art (LACAA), a monumental student-driven resource and online repository dedicated to fostering artistic knowledge in Southeast Asia, offering global accessibility. As part of the academy’s Fine Art undergraduate curriculum, students investigate the roles and contributions of selected artists by engaging with their art practice, and focusing on the artists’ voices and lived experiences.
Above Group photo with the Nafa Board Chairman, Nafa President and Nafa 85th Anniversary Gala Organising Committee. From left to right: Senior Director of Growth (Sales & Marketing) of Aureus Group, Angela Cortez; founder of The Culture Story, Ning Chong; editor-in-chief of Tatler Singapore, Aun Koh; Nafa president, Tan-Soh Wai Lan; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Lawrence Wong; Nafa board chairman, Low Sin Leng; chairperson of Nafa 85th Anniversary Gala Organising Committee, Dr Lucy Ooi; founder of Cheryl W, Cheryl Wee and managing director of PT. Prakarsa Pramandita, Chew Sin Hwa.
Group photo with the Nafa Board Chairman, Nafa President and Nafa 85th Anniversary Gala Organising Committee. From left to right: Senior Director of Growth (Sales & Marketing) of Aureus Group, Angela Cortez; founder of The Culture Story, Ning Chong; editor-in-chief of Tatler Singapore, Aun Koh; Nafa president, Tan-Soh Wai Lan; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Lawrence Wong; Nafa board chairman, Low Sin Leng; chairperson of Nafa 85th Anniversary Gala Organising Committee, Dr Lucy Ooi; founder of Cheryl W, Cheryl Wee and managing director of PT. Prakarsa Pramandita, Chew Sin Hwa.
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The evening was not just about announcements. Guests were treated to an array of curated performances from Nafa’s School of Music and School of Dance. A visual treat was in store with a vivid wall montage of student art pieces, culminating in an auction featuring stunning artworks by esteemed artists, and exclusive experiences. Supporting the Nafa Development Fund, the auction, in collaboration with Bonhams Singapore, presented pieces like the marble sculpture Flora Series by Han Sai Por and Bird Watching by Aw Tee Hong.
Above Nafa’s live auction took place with auctioneer Marcello Kwan, Head of Modern and Contemporary Art, Asia, at Bonhams, based in Hong Kong.
Nafa’s live auction took place with auctioneer Marcello Kwan, Head of Modern and Contemporary Art, Asia, at Bonhams, based in Hong Kong.
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Dr Lucy Ooi, chairperson of the gala organising committee, commented on the academy’s monumental journey from its humble beginnings in a Geylang shophouse to its current stature. “This Gala celebrates Nafa’s extensive achievements over the past 85 years, while honouring the academy’s colossal heritage. It also acts as a timely reminder to our Nafa community to serve as duteous stewards for Southeast Asian arts and as a beacon for the growing Nafa influence on design, fashion and performing arts.”
Established in 1938 by founding principal Lim Hak Tai, Nafa has made indelible marks on the artistic landscape, nurturing 13 Cultural Medallion recipients, and over 16,000 full-time students. As part of its ongoing commitment to inspire learning and growth through the arts, Nafa also introduced a brand refresh this year, encapsulated by its new logo and mantra, “Courage to Create”. Now, as a founding member of the newly established University of the Arts Singapore, Nafa continues its journey, ushering budding artists and future generations towards a bold new horizon.
At the gala, guest of honour Deputy Prime Minister Wong emphasised the crucial role Nafa plays and will continue to play in the future. He shared: "As Nafa embarks on its next chapter, and plans for Nafa 100, I have no doubt that you will continue to play a key role in developing the Arts in Singapore. Let us work together to develop a flourishing arts and cultural scene, and make Singapore a culturally vibrant society, and an endearing home for all of us."
By the end of the evening, with funds raised through the auction, table sales, and donations made by prominent guests, Nafa managed to raise over $1 million. Much of that will go towards the newly-established Nafa Development Fund. This fund helps to enhance Nafa’s infrastructure, promote campus developments, foster interdisciplinary collaborations and interactions, and develops new learning opportunities while affording new platforms to showcase student work.
About
Aun started his career in media, working at illustrious publications in NYC, Paris, and Hong Kong before launching his own Asia-regional lifestyle magazine, East, that was called "Asia's hippest magazine" by Asiaweek and "an Asian Vanity Fair" by Fortune. Committed to community service, Aun has helmed the visual arts and literary arts divisions for the National Arts Council in Singapore; led the marketing, communications, and corporate community investments teams at the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre; was the founding Chair of the Pangdemonium Theatre Company; and currently sits on the Board of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. In 2006, Aun co-founded The Ate Group, a content strategy and communications agency specialising in F&B, hospitality, luxury and lifestyle. Aun has run the content and communications teams at Tripadvisor; similarly run content and communications at a sustainability focused tech start up; and run marketing and communications at a global BPO with over 17,000 employees worldwide. Aun has also been a consultant for Mediacorp and has produced and hosted two food & travel television series for them. In 2015 he began working on the creation of a private members club, Straits Clan, which he launched in 2019 and sold the following year. Returning to his roots, Aun joined Tatler Asia in 2023 as editor-in-chief in Singapore and is committed to telling great stories of change makers through Tatler’s online and offline platforms.
Work
As Editor-in-Chief of Tatler Singapore, Aun leads all the content teams: branded content, print, digital, and the creative teams. He works closely with the heads of each team to ensure that Tatler continues to cover the most important, inspiring and exciting stories that are affecting Singapore and our region. He also works closely with the events and commercial teams and is always excited to collaborate on new ideas and projects that the Tatler team can activate.
Follow Aun on Instagram at @aun_koh (primarily a food account) and on Linkedin here.
