SAW Dialogues 2022 | ART SG X UBS Discussion Series: Collecting with a Purpose

27 Jan

Nadia Samdani, Patrick Sun, Moderated by Aaron Cezar
By Wan Jie Che

Screenshot of talk. Clockwise from left: Aaron Cezar, Founding Director, Delfina Foundation, Nadia Samdani, Co-Founder and President, Samdani Art Foundation; Founder, Dhaka Art Summit, Patrick Sun, Founder, Sunpride Foundation.

Key points:

Intentional collecting can spotlight underrepresented artists and draw attention to social issues.
Commissioning artworks is one way for international art foundations to engage with the community and localise their collections.
Collaborations between intentional collectors and public institutions are key to furthering social causes

The fourth conversation of the ART SG X UBS Discussion Series: Collecting with a Purpose, took place on 18 January 2022 at 7pm as part of SAW Dialogues 2022. Nadia Samdani, Co-Founder and President of the Samdani Art Foundation, Founder of Dhaka Art Summit, and Patrick Sun, Founder of Sunpride Foundation, provided valuable insights about their collections and how they address social issues, advocacy and education through intentional collecting. The talk was moderated by Aaron Cezar, Founding Director of the Delfina Foundation, London, and creator of the programme 'Collecting as Practice', which explores the philosophy, psychology and politics of collecting, through exhibitions and a London-based collectors’ residency.

Here are the takeaways from the panel:

Intentional collecting can spotlight underrepresented artists and draw attention to social issues. Patrick describes his collection of queer Asian art as one that serves to raise the visibility of and foster a more equitable world for the LGBTQ community. Referencing Tseng Kwong Chi’s ‘San Francisco, California (Golden Gate Bridge)’ (1979) which deals with issues of identity and marginalisation, Patrick shared that while the Sunpride Foundation collects LGBTQ art, themes of the work they collect resonate beyond the community and speak to society at large. He is also making a conscious effort to increase the diversity of the collection by including more female and transgender artists, citing Sin Wai Kin’s (formally known as Victoria Sin) ‘Playing the Fool’ (2021) and ‘Tell me everything you saw’ (2018) as examples.

The Samdani Art Foundation, which was co-founded by Nadia and her husband, Rajeeb Samdani, similarly aims to spotlight artists from the periphery. In particular, the Foundation focuses on developing and promoting South Asian art and culture. Nadia explained that the aim of the Dhaka Art Summit was to create a platform for South Asian artists. Furthermore, by collecting international artworks, such as Matt Copson’s ‘Coming of Age’ (2020), the collection situates South Asian art in a global context.

The Samdani Art Foundation has also been involved in the repatriation of historical artworks back to Bangladesh. For instance, ‘Standing Figure’ (1960) by Bangladeshi artist Novera Ahmed was successfully returned to Bangladesh from Pakistan through the Samdani Art Foundation. On this note, Aaron pointed out that collecting can also be a form of conservation and facilitates the dissemination of artworks.

Commissioning artworks is one way for international art foundations to engage with the community and localise their collections. Aaron drew parallels between the Samdani Art Foundation and the Sunpride Foundation, as both use commissions to amplify their collections and root them in unique contexts. The Samdani Art Foundation initially began collecting Bangladeshi diaspora artist Rana Begum’s artworks and eventually produced new projects with her. They will jointly realise an artwork in the Srihatta – Samdani Art Centre and Sculpture Park, which was conceptualised as the couple began to collect institutional-sized artworks. The Srihatta – Samdani Art Centre and Sculpture Park, which is being built in the rural region of Sylhet, will include a residency space, sculpture park and a few pavilions housing the Samdani Art Collection. Nadia emphasised that the venue and its programming will be free to the public and will function as a cultural hub for the local community.

Patrick spoke about Thai artist Arin Rungjang’s ‘Welcome to My World, Tee’ (2019), which he commissioned for ‘SPECTROSYNTHESIS II– Exposure of Tolerance: LGBTQ in Southeast Asia’, an exhibition staged together with the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. ‘SPECTROSYNTHESIS II’ followed the success of the Sunpride Foundation’s ‘SPECTROSYNTHESIS – Asian LGBTQ Issues and Art Now’, which was the first LGBTQ-themed museum exhibition in Asia, presented at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei in 2017. Rungjang’s artwork revolved around the artist’s relationship with Tee, a transgender woman whom he knew growing up. Patrick highlighted such commissions as opportunities for learning through localised, fresh perspectives.

Collaborations between intentional collectors and public institutions are key to furthering social causes. In response to Aaron’s question as to why it was crucial for the Sunpride Foundation collection to be focused within Asia, Patrick explained that gay rights in the region still have room for development. Through anchoring their shows in public institutions, the Sunpride Foundation can reach beyond echo-chambers to provide a platform of communication with the general public. Patrick acknowledged that more needs to be done and said he hoped that the exhibition would be able to tour within Asia.

Nadia and Rajeeb Samdani have supported art institutions such as the Tate Museum by being part of their South Asian Acquisition Committee. The couple has also gifted artworks to various public institutions through their Foundation. Nadia underscored the importance of supporting institutions to encourage the exchange of ideas and knowledge surrounding South Asia. She added that the Dhaka Art Summit serves as a critical research platform for academics and curators to discover South Asian art.

Aaron suggested that the general public’s perception of art collecting has been distorted by the practice of speculative art buying for investment purposes, which often receives more attention. He rounded up the discussion by reflecting on how intentional collecting practices can support the social value of art. Aaron concluded by thanking Nadia and Patrick for leading the next generation of collectors by redefining collecting practices and establishing purposeful collecting in the context of contemporary art.

Watch the full recording of ‘SAW Dialogues 2022 | ART SG X UBS Discussion Series: Collecting with a Purpose’ here:

About the writer:

Wan Jie Che is a contributor based in Singapore with a background in Economics and Art History. She is currently working in the financial sector and has interests in cultural economics, the art market, sustainability and innovation in organisations. In her spare time, she also volunteers at a local community arts space with programming, strategy and management.