NIZHEN Vol.25 | Sean Cham: Context Conscious

Sean Cham 曾繁杨 (b. 1994, Singapore) is an artist and historian working across photography, performance, and site‑specific intervention. Through a research-led practice, he examines the construction of power and historical narratives. Using speculative fiction and collaging as methodologies, central to his research and practice is an interrogation of the archive as material and institution. He has a PhD in History of Art from Birkbeck, University of London in collaboration with London’s National Gallery.
Cham was a participating artist in the Guangzhou Image Triennial (2025), Addis Foto Fest (2018), and Landskrona Foto Festival (2018). His works have been commissioned by Singapore Art Museum (2025), Singapore Fringe Festival (2019), The Future of Our Pasts Festival (2019), and NUS Centre For the Arts (2019). Recent awards include LensCulture Critics’ Choice Award (2025), and ROSL Photography Award (2025). Cham was also one of the curators for the 9th Singapore International Photography Festival. He is a Tutor (Research) at the Royal College of Art, London.