The Singapore Malayalee Association (SMA) will bring together 22 artists for its annual Varnam Art Exhibition at The Arts House from Oct 2 to 4, celebrating creativity, cultural identity and community through visual art.
The 12th edition of Varnam will feature artists including Ankitha Dileep, Subhashini, Sajeevkumar, Sheena Bharathan and Jismon Thomas, with works spanning different styles and mediums, including oil, acrylic, watercolour, charcoal and mixed media.
“Varnam”, which means “colours” in Malayalam, has developed into a platform for artists from the community to exhibit their work while encouraging interaction between artists and the wider Singapore public.
The exhibition will be officially opened at 11am on Oct 3 by guest of honour Chong Siak Ching, Singapore’s Non-Resident Ambassador to Chile, chief executive officer of the National Gallery Singapore and head of Singapore’s Visual Arts Cluster.
SMA president Sunu Sivadasan-Ghani said the exhibition goes beyond displaying artworks.
“Varnam is more than just a display of art. It is a platform, a space for artists to shine, for culture to be preserved, and for new conversations to begin,” she said.
She added that the exhibition reflected SMA’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage while embracing the community’s evolving creativity.
Among this year’s participants is Ankitha, an art student at NTU’s School of Art, Design and Media and a trained Bharatanatyam dancer.
For the young artist, Varnam also carries a personal connection: Her father previously participated in the exhibition and developed as an artist through the platform. This year, father and daughter will exhibit their works together.
“I am proud to exhibit my work alongside my father and share this wonderful platform,” Ankitha said, adding that the opportunity encouraged her to reach “new heights”.
Participating artist Jismon believes the exhibition captures both the community’s identity and its diversity.
“Each piece tells a story of shared identity, resilience and the joy of coming together through art,” he said.
While Varnam has its roots in Singapore’s Malayalee community, organisers hope its appeal will extend beyond cultural boundaries by presenting traditional and contemporary artistic perspectives within Singapore’s multicultural landscape.
The exhibition will run at Gallery 2, The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane, from 10am to 8pm daily.
Admission is free.
