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Thousands of VIPs, including Tatler friends, came together for the anticipated premiere of Southeast Asia’s largest-ever art fair at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands
The anticipation was in the air. When the doors opened at 2pm for the VIP preview of Art SG, the contemporary art fair presented by UBS and organised by The Art Assembly, the excitement was palpable. As thousands of art collectors, curators and dealers made their way into the halls across two levels of the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands, they were welcomed by a curated collection of works from the more than 160 galleries from 35 countries exhibiting.
From a James Turrell installation at Pace and an Anselm Kiefer canvas at White Cube, to a Mandy El-Sayegh painting at Lehmann Maupin and a Dawn Ng video work at Sullivan+Strumpf, there were many works to explore—and acquire—proving Art SG’s mettle as an exciting destination for contemporary art in Asia.
Art SG co-founder Magnus Renfrew said: “The opening day of the inaugural edition of Art SG has exceeded all our expectations. Significant time and planning has gone into the launch and that is reflected in the gallery presentations and the noteworthy attendance of collectors and institutions at the fair.
“Singapore has really thrown its weight behind this fair—it is fantastic to have the support of the city and this is only the start of the journey. The launch edition of Art SG represents the beginning of a new chapter for the art scene in Singapore and Southeast Asia.”
Charmain Kwee, Stephanie Tay
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Joining the Singapore-based collectors were many international collectors, from around the region including Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, as well as Europe and the US, who flew into town specially for the art fair, as well as to enjoy the Singapore Art Week 2023 festivities. The halls were absolutely buzzing as everyone also took the time to catch up with each over wine and champagne, whether at the UBS Lounge, which featured Ng's site-specific installation Forever Now (2023) commissioned for the UBS Art Collection; the Ruinart Art Bar, which featured British artist David Shrigley's Unconventional Bubbles drawing; or the individual parties at the galleries.
Tatler friends also joined in the festivities at the VIP preview and later, the vernissage, stopping by the BMW Digital Art Studio, which featured the BMW 7 Series along with a digital art collaboration with Chinese multimedia artist Cao Fei, before taking a VIP tour of the fair grounds.
A major new addition to the international cultural calendar, Art SG successfully concluded on January 15, attracting more than 40,000 visitors, including local and international collectors as well as leading art museums and institutions.
As Senior Editor of Tatler Singapore, Hashirin champions and refines the storytelling across platforms—curating and crafting compelling profiles, cover stories and features that spotlight visionaries shaping culture, business and impact. Driven by curiosity, she draws inspiration from the artists, changemakers and trailblazers she encounters through her work. Beyond the pages of Tatler, she is an avid supporter of local theatre and delights in seeking out art in every city she visits.
