BIO
Ryan Lim Zi Yi is a Singapore-based artist. His practice revolves around searching for the extraordinary within the unspectacular, revealing the overlooked as something tender and worth remembering. He choreographs these moments with narratives that explore memory, identity, reality and fiction. His work unfolds across photography, video, sculpture, text and installation.
Lim's works have been presented in solo and group exhibitions in Singapore and internationally, including Carp Gallery (Taiwan), Plague Space (Russia), and LivingRoom (Netherlands); and Whitestone Gallery, Art Outreach, I_S_L_A_N_D_S, Temporary Unit, DECK, Objectifs, Comma Space, and Starch in Singapore.
In addition to his practice as an artist, Lim currently runs BACKYARD, a subscription-based publication housing artists reports of happenings and news around Singapore. His curatorial projects also include Robin (2022-2023), a series of exhibitions presented in camping tents pitched in various locations across Singapore.
Ryan Lim Zi Yi is a Singapore-based artist. His practice revolves around searching for the extraordinary within the unspectacular, revealing the overlooked as something tender and worth remembering. He choreographs these moments with narratives that explore memory, identity, reality and fiction. His work unfolds across photography, video, sculpture, text and installation.
Lim's works have been presented in solo and group exhibitions in Singapore and internationally, including Carp Gallery (Taiwan), Plague Space (Russia), and LivingRoom (Netherlands); and Whitestone Gallery, Art Outreach, I_S_L_A_N_D_S, Temporary Unit, DECK, Objectifs, Comma Space, and Starch in Singapore.
In addition to his practice as an artist, Lim currently runs BACKYARD, a subscription-based publication housing artists reports of happenings and news around Singapore. His curatorial projects also include Robin (2022-2023), a series of exhibitions presented in camping tents pitched in various locations across Singapore.
CV
EDUCATION
2017 - 2021
Bachelors in Fine Arts, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, Netherlands
SOLO/DUO EXHIBITIONS
2026
Monuments, solo exhibition, Shop-House by DECK, Singapore
2025
In search of Geminid, solo exhibition, Queensway Television, Singapore
2024
Reliefs, solo exhibition, Temporary Unit, Singapore
We will never have earthquakes, solo exhibition, Carp Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
2023
Tremors, solo exhibition, I_S_L_A_N_D_S, Singapore
2020
Look what the wind just blew in, duo exhibition with Bas de Weerd, LivingRoom, Rotterdam, Netherlands
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026
Off-Sight, Storage, Bangkok, Thailand (Upcoming)
Afterimage, Art Outreach, Singapore (Upcoming)
2025
I decided to take the longest way to cross the street, Art Outreach, Singapore
ZhaiShengJi, Comma Space, Singapore
Sama Sama, Whitestone Gallery, Singapore
2024
One Two Many: 5(,)yrs, Comma Space, Singapore
Lucky Cats, I_S_L_A_N_D_S, Singapore
Some Exercises in Futility, Collector’s Index, Singapore
2023
The last offsite show on earth, Plague Space, Krasnodar, Russia
Matters at the Yard, Parklane Shopping Mall Carpark, Singapore
Artist Bookworks #4, George Paton Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
Process: Roving Ideas, Online Showcase, Singapore
2022
Sugar pills for a bitter world, Objectifs, Singapore
Moulding, grazing, tampering, shifting, Starch, Singapore
Undescribed #07, DECK, Singapore
Workshopables, Supernormal, Singapore
dblspce 1.0, dblspce, Singapore
2021
The Tiny Art Gallery The Second Edition, The Tiny Art Gallery, The Hague, Netherlands
Works for a space in transition, Hgtomi Rosa, The Hague, Netherlands
Artist as Collector, Gillman Barracks, Singapore
2020
A Finger In Every Pie, Jupiterkade 2, Binckhorstlaan 151 & Susan Bites, The Hague, Netherlands
Some World Futures, Nest, The Hague, Netherlands
Exhibition Research Lab: As Real As You Want, Research Catalogue, Online Showcase
Dunes, Dharma Initiatives, The Hague, Netherlands
Other Ways of Watching Together, MAMA, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Burning Ixxues with Zine Coop, BOOKED: Hong Kong Art Book Fair, Tai Kwun Contemporary, Hong Kong
2019
Things Will Change, TENT, Rotterdam, Netherlands
As We Know It, Vondelbunker, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bonuskaart?, Trixie, The Hague, Netherlands
2018
Tomorrow Will Be Yours, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, Netherlands
Me, Myself and I, TENT, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Potluck, 130 Lorong J Telok Kurau, Singapore
2017
Save_As EXPO #02: Fertilizing Impotent Gardens, Stichting DCR, The Hague, Netherlands
2015
Print Lab 2015: An Art & Design Book Exhibition, Grey Projects, Singapore
RESIDENCIES
2025
Shop-House, Artist in residency, Singapore (Upcoming)
2021
dblspce, Artist in Residency, Singapore
CURATORIAL WORKS
2025 - 2026
BACKYARD, initiated by Ryan Lim Zi Yi, Singapore
2021 - 2022
Robin, initiated by Ryan Lim Zi Yi, Lai Yu Tong and Kwok Jia Yang, Singapore
EDUCATION
2017 - 2021
Bachelors in Fine Arts, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, Netherlands
SOLO/DUO EXHIBITIONS
2026
Monuments, solo exhibition, Shop-House by DECK, Singapore
2025
In search of Geminid, solo exhibition, Queensway Television, Singapore
2024
Reliefs, solo exhibition, Temporary Unit, Singapore
We will never have earthquakes, solo exhibition, Carp Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan
2023
Tremors, solo exhibition, I_S_L_A_N_D_S, Singapore
2020
Look what the wind just blew in, duo exhibition with Bas de Weerd, LivingRoom, Rotterdam, Netherlands
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026
Off-Sight, Storage, Bangkok, Thailand (Upcoming)
Afterimage, Art Outreach, Singapore (Upcoming)
2025
I decided to take the longest way to cross the street, Art Outreach, Singapore
ZhaiShengJi, Comma Space, Singapore
Sama Sama, Whitestone Gallery, Singapore
2024
One Two Many: 5(,)yrs, Comma Space, Singapore
Lucky Cats, I_S_L_A_N_D_S, Singapore
Some Exercises in Futility, Collector’s Index, Singapore
2023
The last offsite show on earth, Plague Space, Krasnodar, Russia
Matters at the Yard, Parklane Shopping Mall Carpark, Singapore
Artist Bookworks #4, George Paton Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
Process: Roving Ideas, Online Showcase, Singapore
2022
Sugar pills for a bitter world, Objectifs, Singapore
Moulding, grazing, tampering, shifting, Starch, Singapore
Undescribed #07, DECK, Singapore
Workshopables, Supernormal, Singapore
dblspce 1.0, dblspce, Singapore
2021
The Tiny Art Gallery The Second Edition, The Tiny Art Gallery, The Hague, Netherlands
Works for a space in transition, Hgtomi Rosa, The Hague, Netherlands
Artist as Collector, Gillman Barracks, Singapore
2020
A Finger In Every Pie, Jupiterkade 2, Binckhorstlaan 151 & Susan Bites, The Hague, Netherlands
Some World Futures, Nest, The Hague, Netherlands
Exhibition Research Lab: As Real As You Want, Research Catalogue, Online Showcase
Dunes, Dharma Initiatives, The Hague, Netherlands
Other Ways of Watching Together, MAMA, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Burning Ixxues with Zine Coop, BOOKED: Hong Kong Art Book Fair, Tai Kwun Contemporary, Hong Kong
2019
Things Will Change, TENT, Rotterdam, Netherlands
As We Know It, Vondelbunker, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Bonuskaart?, Trixie, The Hague, Netherlands
2018
Tomorrow Will Be Yours, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, Netherlands
Me, Myself and I, TENT, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Potluck, 130 Lorong J Telok Kurau, Singapore
2017
Save_As EXPO #02: Fertilizing Impotent Gardens, Stichting DCR, The Hague, Netherlands
2015
Print Lab 2015: An Art & Design Book Exhibition, Grey Projects, Singapore
RESIDENCIES
2025
Shop-House, Artist in residency, Singapore (Upcoming)
2021
dblspce, Artist in Residency, Singapore
CURATORIAL WORKS
2025 - 2026
BACKYARD, initiated by Ryan Lim Zi Yi, Singapore
2021 - 2022
Robin, initiated by Ryan Lim Zi Yi, Lai Yu Tong and Kwok Jia Yang, Singapore