"More art spaces are emerging around the Tanjong Pagar district, anchored by the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), which is gaining traction and attention, says Audrey Yeo, president of the Art Galleries Association Singapore (AGAS) and founder of gallery Yeo Workshop.
Yeo Workshop is among the six galleries returning to or new to Art SG this year, including two from Singapore, and will be presenting the emerging artists Shayne Phua and Wei Leng Tay. Other Singapore-based galleries at the fair include Ames Yavuz, which will show works by acclaimed artists from Southeast Asia including the Singaporean artist Alvin Ong; FOST Gallery, which celebrates its 20th anniversary next year; artcommune gallery, which will present an exciting array of modern and contemporary paintings spanning three generations of Singaporean artists; Sullivan+Strumpf’s booth, which will include Singapore’s Dawn Ng; and Haridas Contemporary, which will show works by Melissa Tan, Jeremy Sharma and Esmond Loh."
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"Yeo sees promise in more engagement from foundations and corporate collections looking to meaningfully support emerging artists. She hopes the coming years “will see a greater shift among Singapore’s affluent mainstream towards engaging with contemporary art. Singapore hosts a diverse group of [locally-based] collectors—Europeans, Hong Kong residents, Australians, Americans, Chinese, Indonesians and Indians. However, there is only a small handful of local collectors who engage with contemporary art. Many prioritise decorative or design-focused works over conceptual ones.” As a Singaporean herself, Yeo says, “I sense this stems from a lack of ‘free speech’ that provides the language or critical discourse needed to understand contemporary art’s role in reflecting societal nuances.
Helping that along are initiatives by the Art Galleries Association, such as the new September Singapore Gallery Month, “reflecting a growing interest in boosting visibility and collaboration”, says Yeo. The project also includes collector home tours, “speed dating” between artists and collectors, and educational talks."
