The fair’s second edition
By Ian Tee

Organised by The Art Assembly and presented by Founding and Lead Partner UBS, ART SG will return for its second edition at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, from 19 to 21 January 2024. It features over 110 galleries from 33 countries, among which 39 galleries are joining the fair for the first time.

Shuyin Yang, Fair Director of ART SG, Magnus Renfrew, Co Founder of ART SG, Jin Yee Young, Co-Head UBS Global Wealth Management Asia Pacific and Country Head UBS Singapore next to ‘Love #2’ by Eko Nugroho. Image courtesy of UBS.

In addition to the main galleries sector, ART SG has two specialised sectors. FOCUS highlights galleries with curated thematic presentations, while FUTURES is dedicated to younger galleries which have been operating for less than 10 years. The fair’s film programme is curated by Sam I-shan and hosted in collaboration with the ArtScience Museum. Zoe Butt, curator and founder of ‘in-tangible institute’, will curate ART SG’s talks programme, with a focus on critical issues within the Southeast Asian ecosystem. UBS Art Collection has also commissioned Indonesian artist Eko Nugroho to create installations for the UBS Lounge as well as UBS Art Studio on level 1 of the fair.

In this preview, we speak to four galleries to find out what we can expect at their booths.

The Back Room

Marcos Kueh, ‘Kenyalang Circus: Royal Entrance’, 2023. Image courtesy of the artist.

The Back Room is participating in ART SG for the first time, and also marks its debut at an international art fair. The Kuala Lumpur-based gallery’s presentation in the fair’s FUTURES section features three artists: Marcos Kueh, Antonio Pichillá Quiacaín and Red Hong Yi. They work in the medium of textile and explore themes of personal identity.

Marcos Kueh (b. 1995, Sarawak, Malaysia) will be presenting large-scale, multi-coloured tapestry pieces that depict exoticised images of Bornean indigenous culture, coupled with commonplace commercial slogans. Meanwhile, Red Hong Yi (b. 1986, Sabah, Malaysia) returns to the material of burnt red calligraphy paper which she previously used in her multimedia installation ‘My Alleyway Memories’ (2023) exhibited at the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur in 2023. As one of the few male weavers in his small community at Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, Antonio Pichillá Quiacaín’s (b. 1982, Guatemala) practice is a struggle to preserve the indigenous traditions of weaving in Guatemala while also pushing against patriarchal histories and the imposition of a homogenous national identity.

JW PROJECTS

Founded in Singapore in 2022 by Jingwei Wang, JW PROJECTS is another newcomer to the fair. In the FOCUS section of ART SG 2024, JW PROJECTS will be spotlighting a solo project by New York-based Chinese artist Chen Dongfan (b. 1982, Shandong, China). Chen graduated from the China Academy of Art in 2008, and currently works between New York and Hangzhou. His practice encompasses easel-based painting, as well as works produced for public space, along with collaborative happenings incorporating live painting, music and performance.

Concurrently, JW PROJECTS will also host Chen’s inaugural solo show in Southeast Asia at their gallery located at Kim Yan Road. The artist will be giving a performance that combines music and painting on 16 January 2024.

Lehmann Maupin

Nari Ward, ‘Casio Black’, 2017, U.S. currency edges, acrylic paint, indelible ink, overproof white rum, and used cash register drawers on wood panel, 174.6 x 144.1 x 11.4cm. Image courtesy of the artist and Lehmann Maupin.

Lehmann Maupin, which has spaces in London, New York, Hong Kong and Seoul, is returning to Art SG with a selection of works by Lee Bul, Mandy El-Sayegh, Tom Friedman, Lari Pittman, and Loriel Beltrán, among others.

One of the highlights in their booth is Lee Bul’s ‘Study for Aubade V (1/5 scale)’ (2019), which was first conceived for the 58th Venice Biennale (2019). Recently, The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York announced Lee Bul’s facade commission which will be unveiled in September 2024. The gallery is also debuting at the fair a rarely seen work by American artist Nari Ward, titled ‘Casio Black’ (2017). In this series, Ward explores power, commerce, and our relationship to currency.

Director Ken Tan affirms Singapore’s importance as a market centre for the Southeast Asian region. He says, “I believe the fair will continue to serve as an important gathering hub for regional collectors and curators, including from Australia, which has a long-established history of trade with Singapore.” Taking place parallel to the fair, he also notes Ward’s inclusion in the group exhibition ‘Translations: Afro-Asia Poetics’, curated by Zoé Whitley and organised by The Institutum.

Whitestone Gallery

Whitestone Gallery, which has locations in Tokyo, Nagano, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul and Singapore, will be featuring works by international artists such as Philip Colbert, Ronald Ventura, Karen Shiozawa, Béchir Boussandel, Li Wei and Liu Zhiyin, Kazuyuki Futagawa, and Wu Shuang. At the same time, a solo exhibition by British artist Philip Colbert will be on view at their Singapore space at Tanjong Pagar Distripark. Beyond the gallery walls, Colbert also has a 12m-tall inflatable sculpture installed at Fullerton Bay Clifford Square, located right across from Marina Bay Sands.

Citing their exceptionally positive experience at ART SG, Whitestone Art Advisor Naomi Tan notes that such major fairs are fundamental in growing the market for their artists. She adds, “With our recent establishment located in Tanjong Pagar Distripark, we are excited to extend our presence within the local art scene and establish deeper connections within the Singaporean community.”

The second edition of ART SG will be held from 19 to 21 January 2024 at Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore. Purchase your advance tickets here.

Art & Market is proud to be a media partner of ART SG.

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