OUR STORY
Contact
Dawn Yeongdawn@deck.sg
Lim Su Fang
sufang@deck.sg
www.deck.sg
Location
120A Prinsep StreetSingapore 187937
2014-2021︎︎︎
First container art centre in SingaporeFrom the beginning, the team envisioned DECK to fill a space in the arts where growth can happen organically with the community at the centre of its efforts. It would also support artists through all stages of their careers.
To find a site for our building, our small team roamed the grounds, pitched to several agencies and looked for support in unlikely places. When we finally arrived at a small disused plot of land on Prinsep Street, we activated it and constructed a building designed by local architect firm LAUD Architects using 20 refurbished shipping containers. The containers that made the project possible were generously donated by Pacific International Lines.
As the first arts organisation to establish our own building since the 1980s, DECK was a landmark project. Most of our donors from 2014 had never donated to the arts before DECK showed us people do believe that passion can actualise untested, off-the-path ideas.
The container art centre also went on to win several prestigious design accolades, including the President*s Design Award in 2015.
2022-2025︎︎︎
Raising funds and awareness for DECK 2.0DECK’s first container-building has reached its end of its lifespan and was demolished in 2021 to chart a new horizon for photography and media arts.
Despite complications brought by COVID-19, the team behind DECK pressed on with its operations throughout the pandemic and even garnered record-breaking visitorship for our key programmes during this challenging phase. This goes to shows that arts not only reflects human tenacity in the face of adversity, it is also an indication of a society’s resilience and adaptability to changes.
As we navigate through the new normal in the post-pandemic world, the importance of physical presence has never been more obvious. It made us even more certain that a brick-and-mortar space is necessary to provide consistent support for artists, incubate ideas, create sustainable programmes and build relationships.
2026︎︎︎
Establishing Singapore as a nexus for photographyIn this new space, DECK carries its mission to provide a platform for all facets of contemporary arts and photography to the broadest possible audience. Home to the Singapore International Photography Festival (SIPF) — Southeast Asia’s most established biennial photography festival since 2008, DECK continues to be an avenue where artists can connect with the larger community through ground-breaking ideas and diverse perspectives.
From showcasing works of local and international artists and retrospective highlights of photography masters, to promoting visual literacy in photography, DECK endeavours to create meaningful partnerships with institutions, schools and artists to provide photography education workshops and programmes.
In the future, the expanded space will house more showcases, incubate experimental ideas, nurture new talents and provide more opportunities for mid-career and ground-breaking artists. As DECK moves into its next phase, we hope you share our belief that an alternative is always possible and the community can appreciate the arts through a plurality of approaches.
Milestones︎︎︎
Since 2014, we have been on a journey.
Discovery through photography
Engagement in new ideas
Connection with global voices
Knowledge creation for the community
Exhibitions
4th Singapore International Photography Festival
Undescribed #2
Professional Development
Artist-In-Residence (A.i.R.)
International
participation in:
Temple Arles Books, at Les Rencontres d’Arles, UNFOLD (2019)
4th Singapore International Photography Festival
TYPES: After Becher
A Tree With Too Many Branches
A Dreamer’s Muse
Unseen/Unknown
Artist-in-Residence (A.i.R.) with Liana Yang
With Someone Like You
The Two of Them
TRACE 01: To Measure the Depth of the Ocean
Undescribed #1
Club Berlin: Electronic Music and Photography
STEIDL DECK: 1001 STEIDL BOOKS
Mountain and Expanse (Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Photography)
5th Singapore International Photography Festival
Daido Moriyama: Prints & Books from 1960s—1980s
TRACE 02: The Photograph as Atlas
Undescribed #2
A.i.R. with Abednego Trianto
The History of Boys: the MES56 and Beyond
OPEN DECK
Incidents in a Sensible World (Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Photography)
STATE OF CHANGE
From Darkness to Light (Habis Gelap Terbitlah Terang)
TRACE 03: META-GRAPHY
3DPRK by Matjaž Tančič
TARGETS by Herlinde Koelbl
Theatre of Reality by Chou Ching-Hui
Undescribed #3
ABOVE, BELOW (Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Photography)
Professional DevelopmentArtist-In-Residence (A.i.R.)
STEIDL Book Review
STEIDL Asia Book Award Asia
SIPF Book Award
Asia Meet
DECK Associate Creative Programme
participation in:
Temple Arles Books, at Les Rencontres d’Arles, UNFOLD (2019)
Shanghai Art Book Fair (2019)
Unseen Photo Fair, Amsterdam (2019)
NOMAD Photobook Showcase at Busan International Photo Festival, THE REFERENCE in Seoul, and Taiwan (2021)
Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival (2021)
Hong Kong International Photography Festival (2021)
NOMAD: SIPF Travelling Photobook Showcase at the Hong Kong Photobook Festival (2023)
Daegu Photo Biennale (2023)
Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival (2023)
TRACE 04: AESTHETICITY
Of Frames and Passing Time — The Gift of a Year
6th Singapore International Photography Festival
Between Love and Death: Diary of Nobuyoshi Araki
A.i.R. with Tristan Cai
PRINT ROOM: COLLECT
新加坡特快 SINGAPORE EXPRESS
A State of Affairs (Or The Way Things Are)
Undescribed #4
The Aesthetics Of Disappearance
the tree is the leaf is the land (Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Photography)
A.i.R. with Hu Qiren
Dunman Higher
PRINT ROOM: In Every Change of Season
Reading Photographs: A Showcase For Seenthesis Publication
It’s Strange I Feel Like I’ve Seen This One Before
GAP: A Distinct to Reality
PRINT ROOM: Speak Softly. Speak Low.
Undescribed #5
MMCC—mediated/movement/choreographic/collaboration
A Self I Once Knew (Kwek Leng Joo Prize of Excellence in Photography)
7th Singapore International Photography Festival
Inside Out Singapore
Afterlife by Vasantha Yogananthan
Loose Relations by Sherman Ong
SGscenery2020 by George Wong
ThisConnect: Threading Worlds by Hunny & Lummy
Undescribed #6
A Studio of One’s Own
Time Present Time Past 台上•台下
Undescribed #7
TERRITO/REALITIES by Alfonse Chiu
8th Singapore International Photography Festival
Pictures in the Mind
Undescribed #8
A.i.R. with MM Yu and Poklong Anading
Currents Above Ground
Year-in-Review 2023: Online Portfolio Review
The Unstable Image by Clara Peh
Make Room by Steph Lee and Benjamin Tan
In Times To Come
Undescribed #9
queer life / drawing by Singmoolsung
Archives of One’s Own by Sean Cham
Publications