SINGAPORE — Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen beat 14 other finalists from 13 countries to bag the grand prize award at the third Asia Pacific Breweries (APB) Foundation Signature Art Prize.

His winning piece, a video installation titled Pythagoras, explores the idea of disembodied voices and uses scenes from films such as The Wizard Of Oz and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

It was first shown in 2013 at the Michael Janssen Gallery at Gillman Barracks. “I was asked to do something crazy and it ended with months of continuous work with a team of friends and collaborators, too numerous to name, but I dedicate this to them,” said Mr Ho.

The result was announced today evening (Jan 22) at the Singapore Art Museum (SAM). Mr Ho, 39, dabbles in both film and video art and his works have been featured in prestigious events such as the Cannes International Film Festival and the Venice Biennale. He received the Young Artist Award in 2010.

He added: “Being nominated for the prize was already a big deal to me because Pythagoras was in the company of so many great works. And now, I am greatly encouraged by the judges’ affirmation of my work.”

The panel of judges comprised of critics and curators from India, China, Australia and Thailand, as well as SAM director Susie Lingham.

The Juror’s Choice awards were given to Indonesia’s Melati Suryodarmo for I’m A Ghost In My Own House, a charcoal brick installation that also included a 12-hour non-stop performance, and China’s Liu Jianhua for his teardrop-themed work Trace.

Meanwhile, the winner of the People’s Choice award — selected by the public through voting on social media — was Taiwan’s Mr Yao Jui-Chung and Lost Society Document for their documentation of disused public buildings in Taiwan.

As the grand prize winner, Mr Ho will receive S$60,000, while the two Juror’s Choice and People’s Choice awardees will receive S$15,000 and S$10,000, respectively.

Organised by SAM and the APB Foundation, the Signature Art Prize is held every three years to recognise the best visual artworks in the Asia-Pacific region.

The works of the winners and nominees are currently being exhibited at the museum.

In the first edition of the APB Foundation Signature Art Prize in 2008, Singaporean sculptor Yeo Chee Kiong bagged the grand prize and in 2011, Singaporean artist Michael Lee received the People’s Choice award.