Chaos & Sanctuary Set to Debut at Singapore’s Art Works Gallery

Art Works Gallery has announced the Singapore debut of “Chaos & Sanctuary”, a group exhibition featuring four rising female painters: Shangyu (Mary) Cai, Xinyu Han, Xi Liu and Qian Zhong. The show explores the fragile thresholds between turbulence and tranquillity, marking the first time their works will be exhibited together in Singapore.

Xinyu Han – Portrait (left) and Xinyu Han Torch – oil on linen – 120 x 150cm (right)

The four artists share a common background, having trained at leading art institutions in London such as the Royal College of Art and the Slade School of Fine Art. Their practices are informed by the blend of Western artistic education and Chinese cultural heritage, creating a dialogue between East and West that is increasingly relevant in today’s global art landscape.

Xi Liu – Portrait (left) and Xi Liu Where stars fall like broken jade – oil on canvas – 51 x 85cm (right)

Each painter brings a distinctive approach to the exhibition’s central theme. Shangyu (Mary) Cai draws on literature and nature to merge humanity and landscape, while Xinyu Han examines alienation in urban settings through compositions that balance stillness and disorder. Qian Zhong interrogates female identity and desire with bold, psychologically charged imagery and Xi Liu builds works through writing and memory, translating them into vibrant, collective experiences. “Painting, for me, is a space of negotiation — a means to question, disrupt and reimagine how women’s bodies and identities are framed in contemporary culture. I aim to create work that is visually compelling yet emotionally and psychologically charged,” states Qian Zhong.

Shangyu (Mary) Cai – Portrait (left) and
Shangyu (Mary) Cai One Appear – oil and charcoal on linen – 100 x 190cm (right)

Exhibited internationally in London, Zurich, Milan, Shanghai and beyond, Cai, Han, Zhong and Liu represent a new generation of artists whose perspectives transcend borders. Chaos & Sanctuary marks the first time their works will be presented together in Singapore, offering audiences a rare glimpse of a rising international cohort.

The exhibition also reflects a wider transformation in the global art world, where women — particularly younger — contemporary artists are driving market growth and reshaping the future of cultural production. Within this landscape, Asian women artists are among the most dynamic and influential voices, redefining how narratives of identity, gender and global exchange are told through art. As Cassi Young, global fine art director at Art Works Gallery, notes: “The themes presented in Chaos & Sanctuary are universal, transcending cultures and demographics. This show discusses the tension between identity and isolation, energy and harmony, chaos and sanctuary — but every viewer will have their own interpretation.”

Qian Zhong (Zoe) – Portrait (right) and
Qian Zhong – ‘Sanctuary’ & ‘Like She Was Never There’ Installation Image (left)

For Art Works Gallery, which opened its One Holland Village space in 2023, the exhibition reinforces its strategy of championing new perspectives while making international art accessible to collectors in Singapore. It also reflects a larger trend and the growing influence of women artists in driving cultural production and market growth across Asia and beyond.

Chaos & Sanctuary runs from 9 October to 9 November 2025 at Art Works Gallery, One Holland Village.

RSVP Here for the Gallery Soirée on Friday, 11th October 2025 .

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