Dedicated to the study and showcase of the moving image, Painting with Light is a film festival that presents artist films, documentaries on art, arthouse cinema and restored classics, which mark important moments in art history. The festival’s special focus on Southeast Asian artmaking is evident in a diverse selection of works from the region, including titles newly commissioned and restored by the Gallery, designed to create dialogue between the moving image art of Southeast Asia and the world.
The 6th edition of Painting with Light returns in a biennial format, featuring film premieres that spotlight seminal developments in art and film history, pressing social justice concerns, as well as new commissions—featuring an expanded cinema project by Singapore artists Mark Chua and Lam Li Shuen, and digital restorations of Philippine artists' 16mm films, Damortis (1986) by Briccio Santos and 1978 Footages (1978) by Virgilio "Pandy" Aviado.
The selection will also include programme responses to ongoing exhibitions, such as Fernando Zóbel: Order is Essential and Singapore Stories: Pathways and Detours in Art, alongside short films exploring stories of our region from emerging and mid-career filmmakers. Audiences can also look forward to a festival lounge, where industry and the public alike can mingle over drinks and light bites, with free screenings that celebrate the visual poetry of moving image art in a space meant for exchange.
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When: 4 – 14 Sep 2025 - Suitable For: Adults, Students and Educators
- Where: Various locations in National Gallery Singapore
Explore other exhibitions
City of Others: Asian Artists in Paris, 1920s-1940s
City of Others: Asian Artists in Paris, 1920s-1940s is a groundbreaking exhibition that examines the art history of Paris from Asian perspectives.
Singapore Stories: Pathways and Detours in Art
The newly revamped DBS Singapore Gallery exhibition presents a layered, ever-changing story of Singapore’s art history. Explore the unique pathways and detours of artists, and see their iconic artworks from the 19th century to present.
Fernando Zóbel: Order is Essential
This survey of his art invites you to travel with Zóbel to North America, Asia and Europe, where he practised from the 1940s to the 1980s.