Fair director Shuyin Yang shares what to expect from Southeast Asia’s leading international art fair
The inaugural edition of Art SG in January this year represented the beginning of a new chapter for the art scene in Singapore and Southeast Asia. “Apart from the content of the fair, it really is about the people, the experiences and the relationship‑building,” says fair director Shuyin Yang. “Art SG is designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences—and I think we delivered that with the first edition [of the fair].”
With a strong turnout of 43,000 visitors, the international event attracted art collectors and connoisseurs not just in Singapore, but also those from across Southeast Asia, the Asia‑Pacific region and beyond. “The strong curation of the fair and the high‑quality artworks presented by world‑renowned leading galleries, alongside the best of Singapore and Southeast Asian galleries, created this diversity of art, engaging with everyone from established collectors to new art buyers, as well as art lovers,” says Yang. “There’s also a real desire to see a good balance between internationally recognised names and fresh discoveries. The audience also responded well to new disciplines and emerging practices that offer a fresh perspective on how to view contemporary art and the world through the eyes of artists.”
When Art SG makes its return to Singapore next year, from January 19 to 21 (with a VIP preview on January 18) at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Marina Bay Sands, it will feature a line‑up of 115 galleries from 33 countries and territories. Some of the world’s best‑known galleries, including Gagosian, White Cube and Lehmann Maupin, will make their return to the fair, alongside regional stalwarts such as Yavuz Gallery, Richard Koh Fine Art and Sullivan+Strumpf. Joining them will be 38 new exhibitors, including Kaikai Kiki Gallery, which is helmed by famed Japanese artist Takashi Murakami.
While the Galleries, Focus and Futures sections remain a mainstay, along with a programme of large‑scale installations and insightful conversations as well as film and new media curations, the second edition of Art SG will also see city‑wide activations in collaboration with Singapore’s visual art museums, important private collections and cultural partners, all within Singapore Art Week, the city’s annual celebration of the visual arts. This is reflective of Art SG’s impact and resonance within the art ecosystem as well as its fostering of ideas, relationships and thought leadership.
“Moving into our second year, our approach has not changed,” says Yang. “Both Art SG and our exhibitors have refined the programming to be even more relevant and appealing to the audience here.” And this includes the fair’s comprehensive VIP programme of private collection visits, artist studio visits, parties, and immersive art and dining experiences.
Thanks to Art SG’s strong relationships with private collectors through its advisory board, and also its cultural partners, the upcoming fair will see a number of collector‑driven initiatives. One of them is Translations: Afro‑Asian Poetics, which will be presented by the non‑profit organisation The Institutum. Curated by Zoé Whitley of London’s Chisenhale Gallery, this will be the first exhibition in Singapore that explores works from the private collections of prominent modern and contemporary artists from across the African and Asian diasporas. Held at Gillman Barracks, it features a dynamic line‑up, including multidisciplinary Singaporean artist Robert Zhao Renhui, who will represent Singapore at Biennale Arte 2024, and South Korean sculptor and installation artist Do Ho Suh.
Read more: Singaporean Artist Dawn Ng shares how her personal journeys inspire her works of art
