At the 2025 UOB Painting of the Year Awards ceremony held at the National Gallery Singapore, Thai artist Ms Jamilah Haji was announced as the UOB Southeast Asian Painting of the Year (SEA POY) winner for her luminous textile work Dua (Pray for a Blessing). The piece, crafted entirely through embroidery on fabric, portrays women in prayerful poses, symbols of collective faith and renewal, interwoven into dream-like compositions that balance fragility and strength.

“I am very happy and honoured to receive such a big award like this,” said Jamilah after the announcement. “It’s the biggest award I’ve ever received, and it’s the first time I participated in the UOB SEA POY. It gives me the strength to keep improving my work and my potential.”

Born and raised in Narathiwat, Thailand’s southernmost province long affected by conflict, Jamilah channels her memories of hardship into art that speaks of compassion and perseverance. “I want to tell the story of my life,” she said quietly. “We are in the midst of a lot of conflict, but we have to be supportive. I want to encourage everyone to have hope and to pray for peace, whether it’s conflict or disasters anywhere in the world. It’s important to keep on, to have hope, and have love.”

Her journey began in her family’s small hijab-sewing business. Surrounded by lace, embroidery, and fabric since childhood, she found early inspiration in the tactile beauty of those materials, as her mother always encouraged her to be resourceful. Later, as her education advanced, she began using the same fabrics to shape a distinct visual language, one that fuses craft, identity, and spirituality. “It depends on your heart,” she reflected. If you do it with love, you will be happy. One day it will pay off.”

Religious faith also underpins her philosophy. When her name was called on stage, she struggled to hold back tears, seeing the video and realising just how much she’s gone through. “A lot of my work is driven by love. In addition, God likes beautiful things,” she explained. “That’s why I was inspired to create this work. In Islam, there is a saying that God loves beautiful things, that drives me to do what I believe in. To make something beautiful, and show that love is beautiful.”

The 2025 UOB POY Awards, graced by Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth and Senior Minister of State for Education Mr David Neo, gathered winners from across Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. “Every artwork on display this evening reflects an absolute dedication to craft, and a depth of reflection and expression. My heartfelt congratulations to all the artists here in Singapore and across the region,” said Neo. “I would also like to thank UOB for its longstanding and unwavering support for the arts. Earlier this year, I had the honour of presenting the Distinguished Patron of the Arts Award to UOB in recognition of its continuous contribution to our cultural landscape.”

“UOB has done much to cultivate a vibrant arts ecosystem in Singapore, Southeast Asia, and beyond — from art education programmes for children and adults, to research support for institutions like the National Gallery Singapore, and artist residencies and exchange programmes that foster cross-cultural collaboration,” added Neo. “Now in its 24th year, the UOB Painting of the Year competition has grown into one of the most recognised and respected art prizes in the region. UOB’s efforts have encouraged artists to pursue their passions and have raised public appreciation of the arts.”

UOB Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mr Wee Ee Cheong reaffirmed the Bank’s long-standing commitment to nurturing Southeast Asian art: “As UOB marks 90 years, we reaffirm our commitment to grow with businesses and communities across the region… Through the UOB POY competition, we nurture artistic talent, bring art closer to people and foster closer ties within the art ecosystem.”

The judging panel comprised the chief judges from all five countries: Dr Vichaya Mukdamanee (Singapore), Dr Agung Hujatnikajennong (Indonesia), Ms Intan Rafiza (Malaysia), Mr Amrit Chusuwan (Thailand) and Mr Dang Xuan Hoa (Vietnam).

In Singapore, Mr Ian Tee, 31, received the 2025 UOB Painting of the Year (Singapore) award for Cloud of Unknowing I. Drawing inspiration from calligraphy, the 31-year-old artist replaced traditional ink and brush with industrial tools and materials – grinding and cutting into an aluminum composite panel, to create a bold and raw aesthetic. The artwork explores the shifting interplay of light and shadow through an image that appears to move, as the surface reacts to light at different angles. Inspired by the cloud as a symbol of impermanence and transformation, the artist hopes to illustrate both the energy of movement and the serenity of emptiness through the artwork.

Meanwhile, Ms Dayna Lu, 19, was named Most Promising Artist of the Year (Singapore) for her acrylic painting Existence is Prison, a Personal Account. Composed using acrylic on canvas, the artwork depicts an endless sea of individuals confined within identical rooms, dressed in uniforms. Each cell, however, reveals a different emotional landscape to a shared experience of confinement – frustration, despair and longing. The 19- year-old artist drew on her personal experience of burnout as the once-manageable demands of school became overwhelming. Through the artwork, she hopes to convey the inner turmoil of youth as they navigate a structure that demands conformity.

As the 2025 Southeast Asian Painting of the Year winner, Jamilah will compete for a UOB-sponsored residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris—a dream that seemed distant when she was a young girl sewing fabric in Narathiwat.

“UOB is a role model for the private sector in championing long-term support for the arts. This year, we also saw the highest number of award submissions in the past five years — a promising sign of renewed energy in our art scene,” said Neo. “The Government remains deeply committed to nurturing our local artists and arts ecosystem — from early arts education programmes in preschools to tertiary cultural scholarships, and by unlocking more creative spaces for artists to create, collaborate, and showcase their work, such as the upcoming art space in Kampong Java.”

“Through initiatives like the Cultural Matching Fund and the SG Cultural Plan, we hope to continue working closely with our partners and the community to strengthen participation in local arts and culture. The arts move our hearts in ways that numbers alone cannot measure. My sincere thanks to UOB and everyone who continues to believe in and support our artists.”

The 2025 UOB POY Regional Winners’ Showcase will be held at National Gallery Singapore, UOB Discovery Space from 13th November 2025 to 31st January 2026, open from 10am to 7pm daily. The winning artworks can also be viewed on UOBandArt.com

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