Following the news last month that Chng Hak-Peng is taking over Eugene Tan’s role as CEO of the National Gallery of Singapore, English-language newspaper The Straits Times reports that two other top staffers are also leaving the museum. Chief curator Patrick Flores and assistant chief executive Chris Lee will leave in December, coinciding with Tan’s departure.
Chng told The Straits Times that the National Gallery’s programming would continue as planned but did not confirm any details about the search or if the relatively new role of chief curator—Flores was first to have the title, starting in 2024—would remain part of the museum’s plans.
Flores curated the Philippines Pavilion at the 2015 Venice Biennale and the Taiwan Pavilion at the 2022 Biennale, and was also artistic director of the Singapore Biennale at the Singapore Art Museum in 2019-20. His shows at the National Gallery include “Figuring a Scene,” “Elusive Edge: Philippine Abstract Forms,” and “Ties of History: Art in Southeast Asia.” The National Gallery told ST that Flores plans to return to his native Philippines.
Lee has been with the museum for a decade, beginning as chief marketing officer before becoming assistant CEO. Lee will start a new job as chief executive of Medan Pasar Realty, the group behind efforts to revitalize a historic market neighborhood in downtown Kuala Lumpur, in mid-December. He will also run Muara Arts, a nonprofit gallery and theater, anchoring the redevelopment project.
While serving as the National Gallery’s chief executive, Eugene Tan was also CEO of the Singapore Art Museum; he will continue that role in the new year. In a statement on leadership changes at NGS and SAM last month, both institutions confirmed that they will continue to collaborate and share resources as they have in the past.