The "Benesse Prize" is awarded by "Benesse Corporation" in an effort to support artists with pioneering inquiry about our living era, society, and environment. Since the 11th award in 2016, Benesse has shifted its collaborative focus to Asia, with three participants in the Singapore Biennale having been awarded up until 2022. Their works have been selected and curated in collaboration with the Singapore Art Museum, the hosting institution of the Singapore Biennale.
This exhibition marks an exciting change to the facilities at Benesse House Museum. Works by awardees, Pannaphan Yodmanee (Thailand), Zul Mahmod (Singapore), Amanda Heng (Singapore), and Haegue Yang (South Korea/Germany), will reconfigure the museum's viewing space. Some of their new works have been produced with the cooperation of the people of Naoshima. In conjunction with this exhibition, the Painting Room of the Benesse House Museum will also be re-displaying some major works from the collection, including Jean-Michel Basquiat and Cy Twombly.