Panama and Singapore share surprisingly similar histories. Two nations shaped by geographical fortune as gateways to global trade. With that came the unique ability to bring people from all over the world together, merging Eastern and Western ideas while enriching their societies through cultural and artistic diversity.
Two Panamanian artists now bring this spirit to life through their works, capturing the enduring energy, strength, and beauty of the horse, an animal that has made immense contributions to the development of human civilisation. Through their paintings, they honour not only the power of the horse, but also its deep connection to freedom, movement, and human progress.
‘Galloping Beyond Horizons’ was a celebratory reception showcasing the groundbreaking paintings of Mr Eduardo Navarro and Mr Gabriel Wong. The event was held at Gallery NaWei in The Fullerton Hotel, #01-08 One Fullerton Square, on 12 May 2026.
The reception was graced by the presence of the Guest of Honour, His Excellency Sebastian Breton, Ambassador of Panama to Singapore.
The event was graciously hosted by Gallery NaWei founder Mrs Jenny Zhu and attended by various diplomats and professionals.
Connections Across Cultures
Nestled near the entrance to The Fullerton Hotel, Gallery NaWei is a keystone of Singapore’s visual arts scene. Founded in 1995, the gallery has played a significant role in promoting international art, culture and history through artistic exchange.
Gallery NaWei has brought together artistic treasures from Asia, Europe, and now Latin America. For Singapore, a small nation that already punches above its weight in its global influence, Gallery NaWei has given the city-state the opportunity to fuse local aesthetics with trans-national influences.
In such a setting that could be both engaging and cozy, the power of Mr Navarro and Mr Wong’s art could be fully appreciated by the attendees of Galloping Beyond Horizons.
The theme of Galloping Beyond Horizons is the horse: mankind’s close companion, often overlooked as merely an animal used for travel. Manager of Gallery NaWei, Mr Vincent Jen, highlighted that the horse carried a far deeper meaning.
“It is a celebration of culture, friendship, and human connection”, said Mr Jen.
In his opening address, HE Breton emphasised the power of art to unite different cultures. As Singapore and Panama have benefited from the flow of global trade that sails through their waters, they have also reaped the windfall of human connections, with people from various walks of life sharing powerful ideas and myths.
“May the spirit of the horse encourage us to keep galloping beyond horizons”.
With these words, HE Breton concluded his opening address.
Breaking Form: Eduardo Navarro
As one of Panama’s most celebrated artists, Mr Eduardo Navarro is no stranger to pushing the conventional boundaries of art.
How does one combine the expressions of the real world with the powers of the supernatural? Throughout his career, Mr Navarro has sought to bridge these two worlds through multiple disciplines, including painting, sculpture, installations, and performance art.
Developing a signature expressionist style with a hallucinatory quality, Mr Navarro’s bold visions have earned him a place among the leading Panamanian masters of fine arts. He has also won many prestigious accolades, such as the 1994 Gilberto Alzate Avendaño Foundational International August Salon Award and the 1996 Osaka Triennale bronze medal.
For the past twenty years, Mr Navarro has experimented with and explored the symbolism of horses, embodying the virile quality of the physical world while projecting an emotive spirituality rare among animals.
Mr Navarro has a particular affinity for mythical horses. Many works depict horses sprouting wings. At Galloping Beyond Horizons, many of Mr Navarro’s works were inspired by the mythological Chinese creature Long Ma (龙马), a fabled horse with wings and dragon scales.
When asked which of his paintings on display he was most proud of, Mr Navarro, without hesitation, pointed across the room to his 170 x 250 cm tapestry titled ‘Breaking Form’.
This visceral piece depicts Mr Navarro’s ideal image of the horse as a “powerful, free spirit”. There are few better dramatic contrasts between human figures and animals than the explosive rebelliousness and spiritual freedom of the horse.
A closer look at Breaking Form reveals the subtle imprints of Mr Navarro’s body on the tapestry, from fingerprints to the outline of the sole of a shoe. As Mr Navarro described the process of creating his works, he was jovial in emphasising the frantic mixture of charcoal and oil, as well as the occasional stomp of his shoe, perhaps to leave his own human imprint on his horse.
To the surprise of one gallery visitor, Ms Rebecca Evans, Mr Navarro casually brushed his hands over his own finished piece while explaining his creative process.
Ms Evans described her initial reaction as “astonishment”. It is not conventional wisdom for an artist to still be leaving their mark on their works in the middle of an exhibition. Ms Evans said she was honoured to hear Mr Navarro share his creative vision.
It has been thirty years since Mr Navarro last visited Singapore, and the transformation of the city over these decades has also left a strong impression on him. As he spoke of his pride in being engaged with Singapore’s visual arts scene, Mr Navarro expressed hope that he would have more opportunities to connect his own experiences in Panama to this region of the world.
Orchid Horse and 1000 Waterfalls: Gabriel Wong
“The first step in bringing mankind together was the creation of the Silk Road.” As Mr Gabriel Wong read this history, it became clear to him that the vast distances cultures travelled along this medieval trade network would catalyse the beginnings of globalisation.
Much like the Industrial Revolution and the current Age of Artificial Intelligence, barriers of physical distance were broken by the Silk Road. Beyond the economic windfalls of such an era, the quality of art in these periods has evolved through the diverse confluence of aesthetic ideas.
Much like the Industrial Revolution required steam power, and AI is dependent on data centres, horses were described by Mr Wong as the “motor of the Silk Road”, earning their place as a noble companion to mankind, pushing civilisation onwards.
‘Orchid Horse and 1000 Waterfalls’ is an acrylic-on-canvas piece that seeks to blend Eastern and Western painting techniques.
A closer look at the background reveals an Oriental waterfall setting behind a colourful, galloping horse with European features. The kaleidoscope of colours depicting the horse symbolises the variety of colours in which orchid flowers bloom.
When asked what made the orchid so special, Mr Wong noted that orchids are epiphytes, plants that grow on top of others without competing for resources such as water and nutrients.
Like the relationship between horses and mankind, the beautiful orchid is not a parasite, but an enhancement to whichever plant is so fortunate as to support it.
Panama is home to a sizable population of Chinese descent, amounting to around 10% of its population. Mr Wong is one such Panamanian who can trace his Chinese ancestry in Panama back five generations. It is a heritage that he found comfort in during his formative years.
Mr Wong views Singapore as another nation that can blend Eastern and Western cultures together. The two nations even share similar vegetation, despite being separated by the world’s largest ocean.
Art therefore has the power to continue this legacy of the Silk Road and bring the spirit of his home country, Panama, to different parts of the “blue marble” that mankind shares.
A Night to Remember
If the measure of success for any gathering is leaving its attendees inspired to achieve something great, Galloping Beyond Horizons went the extra mile and challenged its diverse audience to continue their shared engagement with art and culture across borders.
Mr Jen stated that Gallery NaWei is a content-driven space and expressed the gallery’s enthusiasm for hosting future collaborations with esteemed cultural partners.
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