Singapore Gallery Month: Citywide art celebration throughout September
From speed dating to sake tasting, here are our top five recommendations of the month-long art affair
THIS September, Singapore’s art scene gets an audacious upgrade – what was once a week-long affair is now a month-long, islandwide celebration of creativity. What was once a pure art event now includes sake appreciation, speed dating, yoga flows, “sound baths”, kintsugi classes, exclusive home visits, and more.
The inaugural Singapore Gallery Month – an expansion of the Singapore Gallery Weekend – has a much more ambitious programme than its previous iterations. It now invites just about everyone and anyone to participate in the island’s art scene, throwing a whirlwind of surprises at every turn. (These even include a sake and art appreciation session for The Business Times readers.)
Leading the charge is none other than the global sensation Yayoi Kusama. Famous for her polka-dotted obsession, Kusama returns to Ota Fine Arts with a solo exhibition that’s poised to be the talk of the town. But she’s not the only star illuminating the landscape. Homegrown powerhouse Ruben Pang, known for his luminous abstracts, is stepping back into the local spotlight after years of living in Sardinia for a solo show at Richard Koh Fine Art.
Over at 39+ Art Space, South-east Asian women artists take centre stage with a stirring showcase of voices challenging the status quo. They make up a sliver of the altogether 99 artists showcasing artworks in 36 islandwide galleries, which in turn power various non-art events aimed at attracting a broader audience.
Audrey Yeo is the founder of dynamic local gallery Yeo Workshop and president of Art Galleries Association of Singapore (Agas), which organises Singapore Gallery Month, supported by the National Arts Council. She says: “Our galleries have high-quality content. But it’s always a challenge trying to get Singaporeans to come see our exhibitions. So we decided to extend the run to a month – instead of just two weekends – to give people a longer time to check out the shows.”
The event is also timed to coincide with the Singapore F1 season, which runs from Sep 13 to 22. Yeo says: “There are usually a lot of out-of-town art collectors coming in and out during this time. Last year, some of them were milling around the galleries looking for something to do. So we’ve decided to cater to these collectors, who would want a break from the race-themed activities to take in some art.”
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Friday, 2 pm
Lifestyle
Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself.
While all the gallery exhibitions are free, the activities (such as yoga classes, kintsugi workshops and visits to the homes of art collectors) are ticketed. Visit agas.org.sg/sgm/ for ticketing information. Meanwhile, here are our top picks for the month-long affair.
1. BT x Singapore Gallery Month: Art meets sake
The Business Times is partnering Singapore Gallery Month and Sakesho for a unique afternoon of art and sake in the wonderful setting of Gillman Barracks galleries. Carefully curated by Sakesho, the sake selection has been chosen to enhance the experience of viewing art. Attendees will have the rare opportunity to engage with the acclaimed artists themselves – Pang, Tay, and Kenny Nguyen – as they share insights into their creative processes and discuss their works on display.
Providing the sake is Sakesho, an upcoming app that aims to demystify sake for a broader audience. The app assists users in exploring, identifying and purchasing various brands of sake. The app’s founders believe that sake isn’t optimally appreciated outside of Japan, in part because text of the bottles’ labels is in Japanese – a problem that Sakesho hopes to address with the eventual launch of its English-language app.
Meanwhile, BT readers enjoy a special discount on tickets, which can be purchased at https://www.gevme.com/btxart24.
2. Exclusive tours of private collections
One of the event’s most anticipated experiences is the exclusive curated tours of private art collections, housed in some beautiful residences. Available to patrons’ pass holders only (details below), these homes include that of a British couple living on Nassim Road, whose long-term collection is influenced by their design background; and that of an Australian couple whose River Valley apartment showcases a collection of queer and post-colonial art.
Also available on the tour are two beautiful houses on Malcolm Road, one featuring a South-east Asian art collection in a resort-style sanctuary, the other showcasing global contemporary art reflecting metaphysical themes. There are three other homes on the tour list – a Pasir Ris apartment showcasing a personal selection of Chinese and Singaporean artworks, a Stevens Road house boasting a strong curation of South Asian contemporary art, and a Bukit Timah residence with exquisite Korean, Chinese and Indian works.
Only a small group of visitors are allowed on each home visit. To reserve a spot on the tours, purchase the patron’s pass on https://agas.org.sg/sgm/. The patron’s pass also gets you into all the other events, from the yoga classes to the speed dating session.
3. Speed dating for artists and collectors
Speed dating may sound a bit risque, but in this context, it’s a perfectly charming and innovative concept. Instead of the usual romantic pairing, this event at 39+ Art Space is designed to connect artists and collectors in a lively, fast-paced series of introductions.
Artists have the opportunity to present their practice in a more intimate setting, while collectors can quickly gauge whose vision resonates with their tastes. It’s a delightful and engaging way to foster relationships, spark conversations, and potentially ignite long-lasting connections between artists and patrons.
4. Yoga and sound baths
Ever wondered what it would be like to experience yoga in the visually inspiring environment of an art gallery? Imagine flowing through yoga poses while surrounded by captivating artworks at either 39+ Art Space or The Private Museum. In these settings, the synergy between art and holistic practices elevates the experience, allowing participants to connect not just with their bodies and minds, but also with the evocative power of art.
But that’s not all. Both 39+ Art Space and The Private Museum are also hosting “sound baths” on other days. A sound bath is a meditative experience where participants are “bathed” in sound waves produced by traditional instruments such as singing bowls, chimes and tuning forks. These sound waves are believed to reduce stress and promote relaxation by syncing with the body’s natural frequencies. Paired with beautiful artworks, the experience promises to be a fusion of physical, mental and creative wellness.
5. Art and nothing but
If you’re something of a purist and prefer to focus on the art, skip the curated events and visit all 36 free exhibitions on your own time. The galleries have been geographically categorised under “Gillman Barracks and vicinity”, “Tanjong Pagar and vicinity” and “Orchard and beyond” to help you plan your trip. They include several relatively new galleries, such as the beautiful two-storey Highlight Gallery on Club Street, the enormous Whitestone Gallery and New Art Museum Singapore in Tanjong Pagar Distripark (above Singapore Art Museum), and Haridas Contemporary and Sullivan+Strumpf at CT Hub 2.
But if you want experienced guides to take you around the galleries, you can also sign up for the free guided tours taking place at Gillman Barracks and Tanjong Pagar Distripark. These docents are typically warm and well-informed, offering insightful commentary on the artworks, the artists behind them, and the broader context of the gallery scene.
For more information, visit agas.org.sg/sgm/
Copyright SPH Media. All rights reserved.
