Sean Cham

Sean Cham (he/him) is an artist, curator, and historian based between London and Singapore.

He is completing a PhD in History of Art (2021-5), on a Collaborative Doctoral Partnership between London’s National Gallery and Birkbeck. His doctoral work ‘Between Art and Empire’ examines the legacies of the British Empire in the Gallery, and aims to write back the history of colonised people associated with the institution.

In his artistic practice, Cham works at the intersections of photography, performance, and installation. His interdisciplinary and critical practice is concerned with histories and built environments; particularly considering ideas around authorship, contestation, archival gaps, colonial legacies, and migration.

Cham’s works were exhibited in Royal Photographic Society, Bristol (2025), Fabrica, Brighton (2024), DECK, Singapore (2020, 2015), B-Part, Berlin (2020), CICA Museum, Gimpo (2018). He also participated in the Venice Architecture Biennale (2021), Addis Foto Fest (2018), and Landskrona Foto Festival (2018). He was shortlisted for several awards, including: OD Photo Prize 2024; French + Singapore Photographic Arts Awards 2019; Invisible Photographer Asia Awards 2018; and a nominee for World Press Photo 6×6 Global Talent. Cham was also an Associate Creative at DECK, and one of the curators for the 9th Singapore International Photography Festival.