Memories are funny things, aren't they? Some stay with us for years, while others slowly fade, only to resurface when we hear a familiar song, recognise a scent or stumble upon an old photograph.
But have you ever wondered what happens to the stories that are never recorded, or the memories that gradually disappear as the world around us changes?
This November, Singapore Art Museum (SAM) invites us to explore these questions through its latest exhibition, Lost & Found: How We Remember, running from 27 November 2026 to 18 April 2027 at SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark.
Bringing together works by 16 artists from Asia, the Asian diaspora and beyond, the exhibition explores the many ways memories are preserved, retold and sometimes forgotten.
And if there's one thing I've come to appreciate about contemporary art, it's how an artwork can make us reconsider something we've always taken for granted. In this case, something as personal and universal as our memories.
The Final Chapter of SAM's Lost & Found Series
For those who have been following Singapore Art Museum's exhibitions, How We Remember marks the concluding chapter of Lost & Found (2023–2026), a four-year project exploring what an archive can be and the different ways artists document experiences that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Over the years, the series has explored memory through several creative approaches.
In 2024, the Sea Chanty Project examined how songs can carry stories and cultural knowledge, while Embodied Archive explored how experiences and memories can be expressed through bodily movement.
The project also brought together research, conversations and shared reflections through Rings and Lost & Found: Assembly in 2026.
Now, How We Remember brings these conversations together, inviting visitors to consider how memories survive across generations, communities and changing environments.
Beyond Looking at Art: Activities to Explore at SAM
What makes a museum visit even more memorable for me is when there are opportunities to interact with the ideas behind the artworks.
Alongside the exhibition, SAM will be organising guided tours, artist activations and workshops, with several activities inviting visitors to become part of the remembering process.
Lost & Found: Learning Station
Location: Level 1, SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark
If you missed the earlier chapters of Lost & Found, the Learning Station offers a chance to revisit them through hands-on activities. Visitors can explore music videos from Sea Chanty, participate in a writing exercise inspired by Embodied Archive and even create their own zines inspired by Assembly.
And here's one activity that definitely caught my attention: a special layered stamp designed by artist Budi Agung Kuswara, inspired by his artwork Wildly Convenient. You know I can never resist a good stamping activity! There's something satisfying about collecting an impression that becomes a little keepsake of the experience.
Exercises in Recounting by Pixie Tan
Location: Level 1, SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark
Have you ever wondered how a conversation can become an archive? Artist Pixie Tan explores this through Exercises in Recounting, a take-apart zine developed from conversations and reflections gathered during Lost & Found: Assembly, a two-day symposium held in April 2026.
During the symposium, Tan created a participatory installation titled An Expanded Edit, where visitors could write, photocopy and exchange their thoughts. These contributions became a collective record of the conversations and encounters that took place.
Drawing from these materials and her own reflections, Tan has created a zine featuring four encounters inspired by presentations from the symposium. What makes this particularly interesting is its format. Rather than simply reading the publication from beginning to end, visitors can remove and explore its pages individually.
It's another reminder that an archive doesn't always have to be something formal or fixed. Sometimes, it begins with an ordinary conversation and the thoughts we choose to share. The zine will be available as a resource at the Learning Station.
Tactile Discovery Bag with Audio Descriptions
Location: Level 1, Ticketing Counter, SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark
SAM will also offer tactile discovery bags with audio descriptions to support different ways of experiencing the exhibition. Visitors can collect a bag from the ticketing counter and scan the QR code outside Gallery 1 to begin their exploration.
*The resource is open to everyone, with priority given to visitors with visual impairments.
Artist & Curator Tour with Singapore Sign Language Interpretation
Date: 28 November 2026, 3pm–4.30pm
For those who enjoy learning about the stories and creative decisions behind an artwork, the opening weekend will feature a special artist- and curator-led tour.
Visitors can hear directly from the exhibition's curators and participating artists about their creative processes and approaches to documenting personal and collective histories. Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) interpretation will be available throughout the session.
I'm definitely looking forward to experiencing the artworks in person and discovering which ones will leave me with something to think about long after leaving the gallery.
What about you, Huneybees? Is there an object, photograph or even a song that instantly brings back a special memory? Maybe it's time to revisit those little treasures and the stories behind them.
This article is an exhibition preview based on information released by Singapore Art Museum. I'll share more personal impressions after experiencing the exhibition.
Lost & Found: How We Remember
📍Level 1, Gallery 1, Singapore Art Museum at Tanjong Pagar Distripark
📆 27 November 2026 – 18 April 2027
🎫 General admission applies; free for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents
🌐 Singapore Art Museum – Lost & Found: How We Remember
For updates on guided tours, workshops and artist programmes, you can follow Singapore Art Museum on their socials too.
● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/singaporeartmuseum
● Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/singaporeartmuseum
● TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@singaporeartmuseum
● YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SAMtelly
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