STEIDL Book Culture: What’s Next? Ten Years Since Steidl Asia Book Award
Date
May 30 2026 (Saturday)
4PM to 5PM
Location
Shop–House by DECK
About
Ten years ago, the Steidl Asia Book Award brought eight extraordinary books to life, printed at Steidlville in Göttingen, Germany. What has changed since then? How did the award shape these artists’ approaches to bookmaking, and what impact—if any—has it had on their practice? Join us as Broy Lim, Robert Zhao Renhui, and Woong Soak Teng reflect on a decade of creative evolution, sharing insights on bookmaking in today’s rapidly changing world.
Featuring
Robert Zhao
Artist | Speaker
Robert Zhao Renhui (b. 1983, Singapore) is an interdisciplinary artist who explores the complex and co-mingled relationships between nature and culture. Working in installation, photography, video and sculpture, Zhao is interested in the multifarious beings and objects that constitute the living world, and whose experiences and knowledge enrich our collective existence.
Zhao held solo exhibitions The Forest Institute (2022) at Gillman Barracks, Singapore and Monuments in the Forest at ShanghART Gallery (2023) in Shanghai. His latest work is a performance installation titled Albizia (2023), commissioned by the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. He has also been featured in 10th Busan Biennale (2020), 6th Singapore Biennale (2019), 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (2018), 11th Taipei Biennale (2018), 17th Jakarta Biennale (2017), and 20th Biennale of Sydney (2016). Zhao represented Singapore in the 60th Venice Biennale. (2024)
He received the prestigious National Arts Council Young Artist Award (2010), Singapore’s highest award for young arts practitioners aged 35 and below, He was also a finalist of the Hugo Boss Asia Art Award (2017).
Zhao held solo exhibitions The Forest Institute (2022) at Gillman Barracks, Singapore and Monuments in the Forest at ShanghART Gallery (2023) in Shanghai. His latest work is a performance installation titled Albizia (2023), commissioned by the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. He has also been featured in 10th Busan Biennale (2020), 6th Singapore Biennale (2019), 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (2018), 11th Taipei Biennale (2018), 17th Jakarta Biennale (2017), and 20th Biennale of Sydney (2016). Zhao represented Singapore in the 60th Venice Biennale. (2024)
He received the prestigious National Arts Council Young Artist Award (2010), Singapore’s highest award for young arts practitioners aged 35 and below, He was also a finalist of the Hugo Boss Asia Art Award (2017).
Woong Soak Teng
Speaker
Woong Soak Teng (b. 1994, Singapore) practices in the intersections of art making, programming, and project managing. Her personal projects examine human tendencies to control natural phenomena and nature at large. She forms one-third of the art collective, DASSAD.
Soak graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and Digital Imaging at the Nanyang Technological University, School of Art, Design and Media. She has participated in festivals and exhibitions internationally in Auckland, Copenhagen, Daegu, Dali, Thessaloniki, Tokyo, Shanghai and Singapore. Her accolades include the Steidl Book Award Asia, Objectifs Documentary Award 2021, Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Photography 2018 and Singapore Young Photographer Award 2018.
Soak graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and Digital Imaging at the Nanyang Technological University, School of Art, Design and Media. She has participated in festivals and exhibitions internationally in Auckland, Copenhagen, Daegu, Dali, Thessaloniki, Tokyo, Shanghai and Singapore. Her accolades include the Steidl Book Award Asia, Objectifs Documentary Award 2021, Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Photography 2018 and Singapore Young Photographer Award 2018.
Broy Lim
Speaker
Broy Lim is an artist, educator, and learning technologist who holds a degree in Photography and Digital Imaging from Nanyang Technological University. His photographic practice centered on communicating what words often fail to express, particularly within the conservative society of Singapore. This approach was most notably explored in his project, "...and now they know," which was awarded the Steidl Book Award. The work documented his personal narrative of identity and domesticity, translating a private reality into a public, visual record.
Following the publication of his book, Lim transitioned into art education, teaching students with special needs. He currently works in the public sector, researching learning technologies for adult learning, and is pursuing a Master in Boundary-Crossing Learning and Leadership. His career trajectory reflects a consistent commitment to exploring how creative and technological tools can navigate complex social and educational landscapes.
Following the publication of his book, Lim transitioned into art education, teaching students with special needs. He currently works in the public sector, researching learning technologies for adult learning, and is pursuing a Master in Boundary-Crossing Learning and Leadership. His career trajectory reflects a consistent commitment to exploring how creative and technological tools can navigate complex social and educational landscapes.
