The emerging Southeast Asian art in Singapore

Spotlight on Southeast Asian art

The growing exposure and recognition of Southeast Asian art is creating a new dynamism in the art market of Singapore and the region. As more interest bring more money into the market, a new virtuous circle benefits all the actors of the art scene: artists, collectors, galleries, museums and amateurs.

On the occasion of the Art Basel Hong Kong art fair Mrs. Chong Siak Ching, chief executive officer of the National Gallery Singapore shares her views about the Southeast Asian art scene with Shery Ahn from Bloomberg.

Growing exposure for Southeast Asian artists

At the Art Basel fair in Hong Kong, Singaporean galleries are well represented with ten galleries exposing in this leading art event in Asia. They notably introduce various Singaporean and Southeast Asian artists to the event, helping to bring visibility to the growing regional art scene.

In Singapore, the recently launched National Gallery now displays the largest collection of Southeast Asian art, and promotes the regional art in its permanent collections. It is also developing new partnerships, notably on modernism with the Centre Pompidou, to showcase temporary exhibitions, attract interest and stimulate the art scene of Singapore.

The diversity of Southeast Asia and its art can be regrouped into some common themes that span across the region. Themes such as colonization or the impact of certain events across countries influence the creativity of the region’s artists. Together they form a common ground to create a certain unity in the art of the region.

The Southeast Asian art market

With such growing interest, Southeast Asian art is a new promising asset for art collectors and institutions to invest in. As more money is invested in Southeast Asian art, it will ultimately help to stimulate the regional art scene by increasing valuation of artists and revenues for art galleries which expose them.

Becoming more mature, the Southeast Asian art market is bound to increase in value and create return on investments, giving way to a virtuous circle of funding and creativity. As artists becoming more famous and more galleries and museums display their works, the regional art market and the art scene ultimately grow hand in hand.

Bloomberg video from March 2016

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