Cover Veteran gallerist and art collector Richard Koh (Photo: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders)
Veteran gallerist and art collector Richard Koh (Photo: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders)
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Driven by his personal experiences and memories, veteran gallerist Richard Koh takes a different tact for an exhibition featuring art from his own collection
As far as Richard Koh remembers, he has always been a collector. Hailing from a large Peranakan family, he began sneaking Nonya tableware away from the kitchen for safekeeping at the age of 12.
“The pieces were so delicate, yet they were used for everyday purposes like containing achar (pickled vegetables). Sometimes when they were being washed, they would break and I felt it was such a waste,” recalls Koh, who founded Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA) in 2005. Today, it is one of the leading galleries in Southeast Asia with spaces in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. “Since nobody noticed, I would siphon pieces away and hide them under my bed,” he quips.
This deep-seated instinct to preserve, coupled with an intimate connection to the objects around him, has blossomed into an extraordinary art collection over the past three decades—a personal archive that feels like a visual memoir.
It is this spirit of recollection and meaning that informs an ongoing exhibition titled Of Dreams and Contemplation: I Am All but A Story – Selections from the Collection of Richard Koh at The Private Museum. His second collaboration with the non‑profit private institution offers an exploration of the quiet power of art to tell one’s story, and runs until March 9.
Read more: Singapore Art Week 2025: The art fairs, collector shows and creative collaborations to experience this edition
Above 'Flying Birdies in My Brain No 1' (2022) by Ben Puah (Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art)
'Flying Birdies in My Brain No 1' (2022) by Ben Puah (Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art)
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“The pieces I have collected over the years are basically pictorial memories. I am one of those people who hardly take photographs—I don’t even know how to take a proper selfie. Instead, art is what triggers something in my memories,” he says. For example, he references two works that will be exhibited side by side at the exhibition: Flying Birdies in My Brain No 1 (2022), a painting by Singaporean artist Ben Puah, and Beautiful Pain (2019), a sculptural rattan work resembling a hairpiece by Indonesian artist Nindityo Adipurnomo.
“The painting evokes a lot of childhood memories especially of my father because he loves birds, while the rattan work really reminds me of my mother when she’s getting ready to go out by dolling up with her hair bun and accessories,” says Koh. “Some people say, ‘Surely you have pictures of your parents’ but I find it more interesting to be reminded of them through art.”
Above ‘The Green’ (2008) by Natee Utarit (Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art and Agus Suwage)
‘The Green’ (2008) by Natee Utarit (Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art and Agus Suwage)
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Opening up such personal insights into his life through this exhibition of 52 works feels daunting, Koh admits, but he sees it as a necessary part of demystifying the world of art collecting. “In the past 10 years, art has become like an asset class. People don’t look at it as art anymore—they see it as an investment or a trophy buy,” he says.
This trend, he feels, has led to the misconception that art is inherently expensive or inaccessible. “People presume you need to be part of a tribe to collect. But art is, at its core, about storytelling, and collecting is about your story,” he says. “There are many ways of collecting. You do not have to buy high-priced, trophy works or big-name pieces. What matters is that you are honest with yourself about what resonates with you.”
Above ‘Immaterial’ (2019) by Agus Suwage (Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art and Agus Suwage)
‘Immaterial’ (2019) by Agus Suwage (Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art and Agus Suwage)
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One of his favourite pieces from the show is I Still Can’t Believe I Blamed Myself by up-and-coming Singaporean artist Samuel Xun. The work features the text “Boo, it’s not me, it’s you”. Koh recalls, “The phrase is something I would say and I found it hilarious. I saw it in the toilet at an exhibition and told the artist that I had to have it.”
Likewise as a gallerist, he has long championed the idea that art should be approachable and inclusive. Over the years, RKFA has become known for nurturing emerging talent, particularly artists who have been overlooked by institutions or major collectors. He shares, “We are basically a platform for artists who have been ignored. I enjoy working with the underdogs, the ones nobody is interested in. That’s how the gallery started.”
By offering visibility to these artists, often through their first exhibitions outside their home countries, Koh has helped launch the careers of many now-renowned names such as Winner Jumalon (Philippines), Angki Purbandono (Indonesia), Erik Pauhrizi (Indonesia) and Yeoh Choo Kuan (Malaysia).
In case you missed it: Art SG 2025: 7 must-see artworks – SG60 edition
Above ‘Gold Walking Man’ (2021) by Thomas Houseago (Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art)
‘Gold Walking Man’ (2021) by Thomas Houseago (Photo: Richard Koh Fine Art)
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He continues to pursue this mission with passion. RKFA presented a selection of young Singaporean artists, as well as artists from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar and Iceland at this year’s Art SG, Southeast Asia’s premier contemporary art fair. The works on display will feature an eclectic range of themes including memory, identity, urban spaces, and sociopolitical commentary.
“As an art fair, Art SG does a huge service, not just to Singapore but to the region as a focal point for Southeast Asian galleries and artists,” he notes. “Art has the capacity to be different, to tell a story that is uniquely yours—and that is what makes it so powerful.”
