14 Jan 2022 to 31 Dec 2023
Side gate entrance of Tanjong Pagar Distripark
Public outdoor work. Accessible at all times.
Creatif Compleks is the culmination of Michael Lee’s reflection on the function of the artist’s studio within the arts ecology of a city. The work takes the form of a diagram about a hypothetical property development consisting of various configurations of the artist’s home/studio. The use of LED rope lights, a popular fixture in advertising and interior design, alludes to latent apprehensions about the development and promotion of the arts in Singapore which today are, arguably, at a feverish pitch. Informed by myths and fantasies of artists in their studios, the work takes a speculative leap into the utopian and the absurd.
The work’s first iteration, developed during the artist’s residency at NTU CCA Singapore in 2018, is in the Singapore Art Museum Collection. This 2022 version is commissioned with the support of Mapletree and is part of The Everyday Museum, a public art initiative by Singapore Art Museum.
To find out more about the programmes and discover #ArtWhereYouAre, please visit
Dedicated to supporting artistic practices in public spaces, The Everyday Museum is a public art initiative by SAM and a platform for creative production and experimentation that transforms everyday experiences into meaningful encounters.
about The Everyday Museum
The Everyday Museum brings art to everyday lives and demonstrates the possibilities and potential of art and creativity for our society. Siting projects in publicly accessible spaces, these are artworks that will spark curiosity, activate imagination and ignite conversations, transforming everyday experiences into memorable encounters that offer new perspectives on life and society. Dedicated to supporting artistic practice in the public sphere, The Everyday Museum is a platform for creative production and experimentation, where every space is a cultural space, created for and with communities. Its diverse programming creates physical and virtual nodes for engagement and interaction where everyone can participate.
The Everyday Museum is a public art initiative of the Singapore Art Museum and part of the museum’s new direction of infusing meaningful art encounters into the everyday, inspiring change through art and collaborations.
about the artist
Michael Lee (b. 1972) is an artist, curator and publisher based in Berlin and Singapore. He researches urban memory and fiction, especially the contexts and implications of loss. Lee transforms his observations into objects, diagrams, situations, curations or texts. The artist has staged solo exhibitions at Künstlerhaus Bethanien (Berlin), Hanart TZ Gallery (Hong Kong), Baba House (Singapore) and Alliance Francaise de Singapour (Singapore). Lee’s group exhibition participations include Kuandu Biennale 2012, Asia Triennial Manchester 2011, Singapore Biennale 2011, 8th Shanghai Biennale 2010, Guangzhou Triennial 2011 and 2008, the 2005 World Exposition (Singapore Pavilion) and International Film & Video Association Film Award & Festival 1997 (co-winner, Experimental category). Lee was recipient of the People’s Choice Award at the APBF Signature Art Prize 2011 and Young Artist Award (Visual Arts) in 2005, conferred by the National Arts Council, Singapore.
