Tropical Lab is an annual international art camp organised by LASALLE College of the Arts for master’s degree and PhD candidates. Led by Senior Fellow Milenko Prvački over two weeks, students from international arts schools and institutions undertake workshops and seminars in Singapore exploring various aspects of history, geography, culture and aesthetics.

Theme: Service
Service is an intricate concept that intertwines the values of helping others and being there in meaningful ways. At its core, service is an act that transcends mere economic exchange, embodying a deeper, more humanitarian essence. It reflects the fundamental human desire to connect, support, and provide value to others and this is embodied through a degree of selflessness, sacrifice and care. However, the nature of service is multifaceted, oscillating between its faithful humanitarian ideal (affect) and its instrumentalised role in systems of governance (effect).

The affect-effect of the arts on communities-as meaningful and purposive endeavours—is a twentieth century construction. Stretching beyond the deeply personal, the need to communicate, expand access and function within a community-based ecosystem has led the arts to diversify its sites of activation and engagement.

A key question is, as the arts stand at the crossroads of aesthetic centrality, humanitarian roots and as an ecosystem in itself, are there far-reaching implications to the aesthetic endeavour and its purpose of self-definition and transformation? Are there modes of service emerging from aesthetic and critical perspectives that are not readily evident in public discourse?

Participating artists:
Alejandro Contreras, Andréa Marie Emery, Dar San Agustin, David Creed, Emira Bećirović, Isidora Branković, Ivy, Jirawut Ueasungkomsate, Liss Finney, Maja Rozman, Manuel Díaz Tufinio, Maria Albu, Nikoletta Szigeti, Oscar Pearson, Raquel Marie Tripp, Sanyukta Kudtarkar, Seika Matsuda, Sherlyn Tang, Suvi Wahyudianto, T.Y Yi Tang, Victoria Hertel, Victoria Mackender, Vivienne Peng, Wano Takai, Winni Xiong, Yoon Dohee

Participating institutions
Aalto University (Finland), Academy of fine arts and design Ljubljana, Academy of Fine Arts, University of Zagreb, Bandung Institute of Art, Budapest Metropolitan University, California Institute of the Arts, Chulalongkorn University, Columbia University , Faculty of Fine Arts in Belgrade, Goldsmiths, University of London, LASALLE College of the Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Musashino Art University, Nagoya University of Arts and Sciences, National Art School (Australia), RMIT University, University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca, University of California Davis, University of Plymouth, University of Washington, and Zürich University of the Arts

Curator:
Tamares Goh