Shavonne Wong: The new media artist blurring the line between reality and the surreal

A Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia honouree, Shavonne Wong creates life-like virtual models that inhabit fantastical digital landscapes, showcased in prestigious venues like Singapore’s Artscience Museum, the NFT Museum in Seattle, and even the Venice Biennale. Her work has also graced the auction block at Sotheby’s Xperience Digital Art Auction, and her 2021 project “Love is Love”, exploring themes of love and identity, garnered international attention, attracting collectors such as Hollywood actor Idris Elba.

How has Singapore’s art and design scene evolved over the past 25 years?

As the country became more developed, I think there was a shift from pure survival mode to focusing more on culture and the arts. There’s definitely more support now, more funding, more institutions, more opportunities, but it still feels like there’s a gap. A lot of Singaporeans only start celebrating local artists after they make it big overseas. It’d be great if we hyped up our own creatives from the start instead of waiting for external validation. I also hear from other artists that the funding structures can be quite rigid, which makes it tough to experiment freely. There’s support, but sometimes it feels like there’s a right and wrong way to be creative here. 

What elements do you believe are essential for Singapore to establish a distinct and recognisable identity in the global art scene? 

Singapore is still a young country, and being multicultural means our identity is always shifting. Maybe that is our identity, constantly adapting and evolving. One thing we do have is a strong relationship with technology. Singapore is one of the most tech-savvy countries in the world, so we could embrace that. Instead of trying to fit into existing art world models, we could push forward as a leader in digital and tech-driven art. But beyond that, we also need to give people space to express their own version of what being Singaporean means. The more freedom people have to explore that, the clearer our artistic identity will become. 

How can Singapore leverage its unique multicultural heritage and blend it with technology to create a truly Singaporean aesthetic in art and design? 

A lot of Singaporean culture is often presented in a very clean, polished way, but the interesting  part is in the mess: the mix of languages, the different traditions overlapping, the clash of old and new. Technology could push that even further. Beyond AI, immersive experiences, virtual reality, and interactive storytelling will also play a big role. Singapore has the infrastructure to lead in these areas, but only if creatives are given the freedom to experiment with them, (for example) VR experiences that let you step into past versions of Singapore, or digital installations that mix different languages and dialects etc. There’s a lot of potential on where things could go. 

How can Singapore effectively market and promote its art scene internationally, differentiating itself from others? 

Singapore has taken some good steps in promoting its art internationally. Events like Singapore Art Week, Art SG and the Singapore Biennale have helped put local artists on the map, and there’s been more effort in showing Singaporean work at major art fairs and biennales. Singapore has a unique position with its mix of cultures, hyper-modern cityscape, and its relationship with technology. Leaning into those strengths and encouraging more experimentation could help it stand out even more. 

What are you currently working on? 

I’m currently working on Meet Eva Here, an ongoing art and social experiment that explores human-AI relationships. Eva is an AI companion whose Instagram diary is shaped by real-time conversations, making her both a mirror and a participant in these exchanges. She was recently shown at Art SG in January, and will be exhibited again in a solo show this month. I’m also working on evolving her presence, potentially integrating a more interactive avatar that connects directly to the chatbot. What excites me most is seeing how people engage with her, from testing her limits to sharing deeply personal thoughts. It’s a fascinating look into how we interact with AI, and what that reveals about us.

Brought to you in partnership with Singtel, the inspiring Innovators featured in our SG60 issue are women who are driving Singapore’s progress through their bold choices and achievements. With their stories of resilience, reinvention and selflessness, we hope to inspire and empower the next generation of women to take charge of their paths and turn possibilities into reality. Singtel wishes all women a Happy International Women’s Day and Happy SG60.

To learn more about the 60 women who have shaped Singapore as we know it today, click here.