Art Stage Singapore

Last week and weekend saw the inaugural installation of Art Stage Singapore – the newest player in the art fair market for our region. With a focus on the Asia Pacific art scene, Australian galleries played a significant role with some six local galleries exhibiting at the 5 days fair. Galleries included GBK (Sydney), Conny Dietzschold Gallery (Sydney), Dominik Mersch Gallery (Sydney), Greenaway Art Gallery (Adelaide),  Tristian Koenig – director Neon Parc – (Melbourne) and Sullivan+Strumpf Fine Art (Sydney).

Dominik Mersch Gallery, Installation View. Courtesy Dominik Mersch Gallery

With the rise of the South East Asian economy over the past decide, there has been a strong burgeoning of other industries. Not to be left behind, the arts scene, too, has risen to great acclaim and now holds great significance in places like Singapore and Hong Kong. With a great deal of expatriate business in Singapore, the multicultural society is the perfect space for eastern and western art practices and artists to mix.

Art Stage Singapore saw a strong mix of local eastern galleries exhibited alongside their western counterparts; smaller emerging – albeit influential and important – galleries next to older, established firms. Overall, some 121 galleries from 26 countries exhibited their artists’ work to over 32,000 visitors.

Fair Director, Mr. Lorenzo Rudolf says of the fair, “We are very pleased with the results of the first edition of Art Stage Singapore. It was important that we created a quality fair with a strong Asian identity that would put Singapore on the art world’s map. Art Stage Singapore showcased art in context and with platforms like Project Stage gave Asia Pacific galleries the opportunity to rise to a level of international prominence, competing strongly in the global arena. I believe we ushered in the international art season with an event worthy of worldwide attention. This debut reminds me of when I first rejuvenated Art Basel and I look forward to seeing other Asian fairs following suit with the introduction of dedicated projects.”

It was not administrators alone happy with the fair’s success. Artists, too, enjoyed their experience. “The art fair was at once global and intimate. It did not intimidate like some art fairs can…It was about relationships and art. I left inspired, not tired” says David LaChapelle, who gave a key notes address on its opening night. LaChapelle’s sentiments were shared with Chinese artist Shen Shaomin, who thought “Art Stage Singapore was extremely successful. Considering this is the first time that it was held, it attracted many international artists and a great variety of art works.”

GBK installation view. Courtesy of GBK

ARTIST PROFILE was thrilled to play their part as a media partner. It is fair and opportunities like these that see Australian artists’ voices travel overseas and further cement the importance of their work in the global community.

The second edition of Art Stage Singapore is set to take place between 12 and 15 January 2012.