Art Stage 2013 is the 3rd edition of the contemporary art fair in Singapore and was held January 24th-27th. More than 130 galleries (75% of them were from Asia and the remaining some of the most established art galleries from all over the world) have showcased their artists and art works for new emergent, curious and wealthy art lovers, curators, artists and collectors who are still looking for the Capital of Art in Asia. The battle has already started some time ago and today Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo and Singapore seem the best contestants to win it. But also other cities in Far East and South East Asia could make a leap ahead, from Thailand to Malaysia, from Korea to Macau. Anyway, Singapore will be for a long time an incredible market platform not only as a financial and management centre, and it is the right place for dialogue and even more a unique place where East culture meets West and vice versa. The political solidity and high standard quality of life give Singapore the right background for an increasing art scene, culture and market . Lorenzo Rudolf, who’s served as director of Art Basel for 10 years before setting up Art Basel Miami, has found in Singapore the perfect Asian city where to set up a new art fair in 2010. In three years, the organizers reached their goals with more than 35,000 visitors, in a weekend only, during the last edition. This year the main idea was included in the title of the 2013 edition: We Are Asia. To understand the concepts, it’s enough to look at some of its highlights: “Singapore Platform”, showcasing the best of homegrown talents, and the “Indonesian Pavilion Feature Exhibition” that was considered the most comprehensive showcase of contemporary art in Indonesia collecting 50 artists in one show.
Contemporary art, but not so much photography at Art Stage 2013. However Singapore is interested in photography, in fact just a few months ago (in November 2012) closed the third edition of the Singapore International Photography Festival. Next edition: 2014.
There were at least three galleries at Art Stage that mainly focused on photography and introduced their photographers. From Paris, Polka Gallery with Daido Moriyama’s limited edition silkscreens and Visionairs Gallery with a special edition of the series Manga by Korean photographer Ahn Sun Mi who revealed her work entirety in small format. New York-based Singaporean photographer and visual artist John Clang, represented by 2902 Gallery (Singapore) presented his new work Myth of the Flat Earth that “examines the modern condition – the inescapable anxiety and pressure of falling in line and needing to stay ahead”.
Eliseo Barbàra
mostartists.com
Art Stage Singapore – “We Are Asia”
January 24-27, 2013
Marina Bay Sands
Singapore
