Can’t Get Enough Of Heated Rivalry? This National Gallery Exhibit Might Tide You Over

The National Gallery Singapore is turning up the heat with Passion is Volcanic: Desire in Southeast Asian Art, running from 24 April to 30 August 2026. This is an unapologetically charged look at desire in Southeast Asian art, spanning centuries of work that explore intimacy, the body, and emotional intensity in ways that feel anything but restrained. Expect over 70 works across painting, sculpture, photography and installation, each one leaning into the tension between what’s shown and what’s felt.

If “heated rivalry” is your current personality trait, this one leans right into that energy. The exhibition plays with push-and-pull dynamics—tradition versus rebellion, restraint versus release, public versus private—where desire becomes its own kind of competition for space and meaning. It’s less quiet contemplation, more simmering confrontation between ideas, cultures and artistic voices.

You’ll find it at Level 4 of the City Hall Wing, with tickets required for entry. Prices start from $5 for Singapore Citizens and PRs, with separate tiers for international visitors, and it’s strictly 18+ (no exceptions). Book ahead via the National Gallery Singapore website because this is one of those shows that’s likely to heat up fast, in more ways than one.

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Main image credit: National Gallery Singapore | Supplied