JUNE 2011 / 1

ISSUE 20 | JUNE 2011

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JUNE 2011 / 3

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20 IN THE FRAME

42 ART LANDS

54 PERSPECTIVES30 FEATURE

32 STORY

38 GLIMPSE

50 MARkET VOICES

11 ART WIRE

CONTENTS

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Ren Zhe - Spirit of the Ages

Entering the Singapore Space

Infinite Ink – Chong Siew Ying

The Storyteller’s Dream

The Keramikos World of Madvhi Subraman

The Cross-Cultural Revolution

Utterly ‘Hungry for More’ Art! 52

The Emperor and the CEO

64 DIRECTORY & LISTINGSSingapore Art GuideTourist SpotsMalaysia Art GuideHong Kong Art GuideLondon Art GuideEurope Art GuideUnited States Art Guide

Age of Uncertainty 11

Nitish Bhattacharjee 11

Art from the Heart 12

Through Indigenous Eyes — to Highlight Southeast Asia’s and Melanesia’s ‘Tribal’ Art 12

Bird Island - A solo exhibition by Guan Wei 13

Liu Xuanqi – The Language of Abstract Art 13

Sebastiao Salgado 14

Annysa Ng —’Eyes Closed’ 14

The Man Who Paints 15

Christine Cathie — Evolve 15

Friedrich Kunath: The Most Beautiful World in the World 16

Julian Opie Editions Retrospective 16

Nelleke Beltjens: They Don’t Know Either 17

Andy Warhol: Coloured campbell’s soup cans 17

Henry Butcher Auction of Malaysian Art 18

Tranquil: 2nd Solo Exhibition by Johan Marjonid18

JUNE 2011 / 5

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On the Cover Ren Zhe: Black Tortoise, Bronze 200 x 140 x 100cm

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Issue #20 | June 2011ISSN 2010-4375 / MICA (P) 252/09/2010www.thepocketartsguide.com

Editor-in-Chief Remo Notarianni / remo@thepocketartsguide.com

Art DirectorAmalina MN / ama@thepocketartsguide.com

Contributors Gladys Teo, Bharti Lalwani, Jason Toh, Clare Eltringham

Advertising Salessales@thepocketartsguide.com General enquiries and feedbackmktg@thepocketartsguide.com Submission of press releasespr@thepocketartsguide.com

JUNE 2011 / 7

Dear Readers,

With June already here, we can look back at an eventful few months, and with the expectation of interesting times to come. It has been tumultuous as well as awe-inspiring. But the immensity of the art events of 2011, which includes gargantuan art fairs in Asia, has made it a significant time.

The June 2011 issue of The Pocket Arts Guide (TPAG) continues to have its finger on the pulse. TPAG appears to be growing issue by issue in an art world that has a lot more to offer than it did a few years back. This issue is full of artists and gallery owners with a verve for the dynamic and the different.

This issue, In the Frame features Chinese artist Ren Zhe who sculpts profiles of the spirit that cross aeons. We also have an interview with Singaporean gallery owners Utterly Art who reflect on ten successful years and look forward to more. The ‘Story’ in this issue is about the visual language of the spirit understood by Australia’s Indigenous people.

Art needs to be loved, but more importantly it needs to be understood. Understanding it can almost always help you appreciate it enough to keep it alive. As it becomes a global phenomenon, seen with the turnout of this year’s Art HK 11, it is becoming better understood by more and more people. We wish you an inspiring read that enhances your understanding of some fascinating art.

Remo Notarianni Editor-in-Chief

Editor’s letter

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Recycle.Pass THE POCKET ARTS GUIDE forward.

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The United Kingdom: TPAG is available at select cafes and art venues around the UK and complimentary copies can be found in major galleries, including the Alan Cristea Gallery, in London.

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‘Age of Uncertainty’ explores how five young Singaporean artists observe not only society’s response to the constant evolution of the environment around them, but also offers an insight into the artists’ personal actions and reactions when faced with uncertainty.

‘Age of Uncertainty’ invites the viewer to embark on a dis-course with the artists in which issues such as the influence of childhood on the artists’ practices, current East-West cul-tural exchanges, and the finality of death are encountered. The exhibition provides a critical look at the uncertainty of life through, amongst others, apocalyptical comic book covers, 3D vignettes and sculptures of mutant childhood heroes.

‘Age of Uncertainty’ will include new works by participating artists Sarah Choo, K.C Gan, Chester Huang, Jonathan Le-ong (ZXEROKOOL) and Daniel Yu.

Age Of UnCertAinty

16.05.11- 03.06.11Chan Hampe Gallerieswww.chanhampegalleries.comSingapore

In his first solo exhibition in Singapore “Back Channel”, Ni-tish Bhattacharjee explores the activity of conveying and exchanging information. He is in particular interested in the covert methods of exchanging sensitive information in politics that circumvents standard procedures.

Nitish Bhattacharjee’s canvases are filled with bursts of colour that are delivered in bold,uninhibited brush strokes. These brush strokes are visually balanced by flattened, angu-lar patches of colour panels, which are infused in his creations in a rhythmic manner.

Each area of colour is painted with such richness that a wealth of textures is produced on the surface of his canvas. The visual richness is imbued with a colourful spirit that, in its own way, demonstrates how information is alive, albeit some-times covertly oppressed.

nitish BhAttAChArjee

09.06.11 - 30.06.11Indigo Blue Artwww.indigoblueart.comSingapore

ART WIRE

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The indigenous cultures of Southeast Asia have been a source of artistic inspiration for Europe’s museums and elite collectors since the 18th century. Artists such as Picasso and Matisse were especially inspired by the hallucinatory styles and sophisticated abstractions that characterise Southeast Asian art from Borneo and New Guinea.

The exhibition ‘Through Indigenous Eyes’ departs from the usual anthropological perspective. Opening on May 24 at Al-liance Française de Singapour, it entices Singapore art lovers with the singular beauty of Southeast Asia’s very own indig-enous art forms.

The more than 30 visually inspiring works in the show were carefully selected from the Mark Gordon collection of South-east Asian indigenous art. Mr Gordon, a naturalised Singapor-ean, painstakingly assembled his collection over a period of almost three decades.

thrOUgh indigenOUs eyes — tO highlight sOUtheAst AsiA’s And MelAnesiA’s ‘triBAl’ Art

25.05.11-21.06.11SOCIETE GENERALE, Private Banking Gallerywww.alliancefrancaise.org.sgSingapore

St. Luke’s Elder Care Ltd (SLEC) was established in August 1999 to provide a range of day care services for the elderly. The upcoming Charity Art Fundraiser organised by Dynasties Antique & Art Gallery in aid of SLEC – which will be held from 11 to 15 June 2011 at Tradehub 21, 18 Boon Lay Way, #01-136.

The net proceeds from the sale of art pieces will be donated to SLEC – Ayer Rajah Centre. In order for SLEC – Ayer Rajah to operate smoothly, it requires at least $469,000 to fund its operation for the first three years.

Up to date a number of artists have responded to this event. These are Choo Keng Kwang, Lim Tze Peng, Liu Kang, Leong Chun Hong Chen Jian Wei, Zhang Da Lun, Huang Xiong Wen, Chen Lianjun, Zhu Fa and Li Zhong.

Art frOM the heArt

11.06.11-15.06.11Ayer Rajah Centre Dynasties Antique & Art Gallery www.9911art.comSingapore

ART WIRE

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Award-winning Chinese artist Guan Wei will exhibit some of his newest paintings in this breathtaking solo exhibition of works exuding his distinctive style.

Guan Wei spent 20 years in Australia after the political unrest in mainland China in the late 1980s. He recently returned to Beijing to set up a studio and reconnect with his homeland’s artistic community. He took part in the Shanghai Biennale last year and is currently showing at the OCT Contemporary Art Terminal in Shenzhen.

Wei continues to make his mark on the 21st century art world with artwork that is at once imaginary and impressionistic. His paintings contrast vivid colours with interesting shapes that are descriptive and sublime. His unique world view enhances our understanding of the world around us.

Bird islAnd - A sOlO exhiBitiOn By gUAn Wei

6.06.11 – 6.08.11Chan Hampe Galleries @ Raffles Hotelwww.chanhampegalleries.comSingapore

Liu Xuanqi draws inspiration for his abstract oil paintings from oriental philosophy but expresses it using western methods. His artwork presents the East being polite and reserved and the West as being bold and ‘Wild’. The two seemingly oppos-ing cultures are combined to promote an “East as substance, West as the form” philosophy.

All of his works come across as natural and full of vibrant creativity, boldly using “free and modern” colours to represent China’s traditional philosophies. The contemporary works ex-ude passion and allude to relationships between different phi-losophies through the seemingly complicated dots and lines.

It is with this abstract signature that Liu depicts a modern glo-balised world. As East and West interweave, his images have a significance that is increasingly relevant in the 21st century.

liU xUAnqi – the lAngUAge Of ABstrACt Art

01.04.11 - 26.02.12The Volvo Art Loft249 Alexandra Road, 2nd floorSingapore

ART WIRE

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Blindspot Gallery is proud to present ‘Eyes Closed’ exhibiting pen and ink paintings by Hong Kong-born, New York‐basedartist Annysa Ng. Selected by The Sunday Times in 2008 as one of the top ten contemporary artists to watch, Ng is excit-edto exhibit her painting works for the first time in Hong Kong.

“Eyes Closed may imply sleeping, dreaming,the state of un-consciousness. It may also be a passive state, a refusal to showemotions,” Ng says. In her works, Ng explores topics of identity and reality as perceived through various states of consciousness.

Ng’s artworks always contain strong references to the identity and lack of identity of Hong Kong as a former British Colony. Her works also address issues of femininity and female sup-pression.

AnnysA ng —’eyes ClOsed’

27.05.11- 04.06.11Blindspot Gallerywww.blindspotgallery.comHong Kong

Sebastião Salgado, one of the world’s most respected pho-tographers, is to have his first solo exhibition in Hong Kong. Salgado has made it his life’s work to document the impact of globalisation on humankind. His hauntingly beautiful black-and-white prints lay bare some of the bleakest moments of modern history.

Salgado’s images tell the story of Vietnamese boat people, Rwandan refugees, Indian coffee growers, and countless other impoverished individuals. This unprecedented exhibition unveils new work from his ‘Genesis’ series, featuring images of majestic landscapes and ancient civilisations. A selection of iconic works from earlier on in his career will also be on display.

Salgado speaks with a visual language that addresses the idiosyncrasies of a world trying to interweave and interrelate. The clash of civilisations is spoken of throughout. It is evi-denced by the consumer products enjoyed by the few every day as much as it is shown by media imagery.

seBAstiAO sAlgAdO

07.05.11 – 17.05.11Sundaram Tagorewww.sundaramtagore.comHong Kong

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Koru Contemporary Art is delighted to announce the return of renowned New Zealand glass artist Christine Cathie. Inspired by the natural forms around her, whilst also drawing upon her architectural background with strong lines and structured forms, Cathie continues to balance contradictions.

The folds and twists within the pieces and the gravity-defying positions, generate an illusion of weightlessness, contrasting with the qualities of the glass and substantial weight of the sculptures. Cathie’s composition of forms also creates an ar-ray of tones and depth of colour.

Being a selected finalist for the Ranamok Art Prize in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006, and with work in the collections of New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Glasmuseet-Denmark and Sir Elton John, this is a rare and exciting op-portunity for collectors and enthusiasts alike.

Christine CAthie — evOlve

17.06.11- 25.08.11Koru Contemporarywww.koru-hk.comHong Kong

“We see a man paint with violent colors. He’s kneeling down on one knee as he paints. The air surrounding him is filled with so much tension that it looks as if he’s ready to jump into an emotional sprint.” This is how Korean artist Suh Yong Sun describes himself as an artist.

Sun is often considered a historical artist. He has been work-ing on the stories of Danjong for 20 years. But critic Chung Young Mok said, “he talks about the humanities not with the language but with visual images”.

DanJong is one of the Kings from ChoSun Dynasty of Korea who lived in the 15th century. He lived a tragic life, as his power and people were taken by his ambitious uncle, SeJo.

the MAn WhO pAints

05.24.11-21.06.11Shin Hwa Gallerywww.shinhwagallery.comHong Kong

ART WIRE

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The Alan Cristea Gallery will stage a major retrospective of Ju-lian Opie’s editions from 9 June to 9 July to coincide with the publication of an edition Catalogue Raisonné. Julian Opie’s highly distinctive depictions of the modern world are created in a variety of media.

This exhibition will present the most innovative and exciting editions that Opie has produced. It will chart the develop-ment of his work from the early very reductive landscapes and portraits, to silhouettes, animations, lenticulars and LED animations.

Opie has always strived to break down what he believes to be the illogical barriers set up between painting and design, and sculpture and objects – his printmaking and production of editions play a central role in this philosophy with a wide range of influences.

jUliAn Opie editiOns retrOspeCtive

9.06.11-09.07.11The Alan Cristea Gallerywww.alancristea.comLondon

White Cube Hoxton Square presents the first UK solo exhibi-tion by Friedrich Kunath. Encompassing painting, sculpture, drawing, video and photography, Kunath’s work focuses on universal themes of the human condition: love, loss, loneli-ness, optimism and dejection, all imparted with a tragicomic pathos.

Kunath’s work draws inspiration from sources such as song titles, lyrics and books, along with art historical influences, including Conceptual art, German Romanticism and Symbol-ism. His paintings freely bestride the idioms of abstraction and representation. In another painting, the hunched figure of the artist trudges into a psychedelic, waterlogged landscape. The lone protag-onist makes regular appearances in Kunath’s work, the mel-ancholic ‘everyman’, full of longing for home. With a series of sculptures that serve as proxy for the artist, the environment attempts to create an improbably utopian world according to Kunath.

friedriCh KUnAth: the MOst BeAUtifUl WOrld in the WOrld

15.04.11—04.06.11White Cubewww.whitecube.comLondon

ART WIRE

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With “They don’t know either”, Christian Lethert Gallery is presenting Nelleke Beltjens’ second solo exhibition. Since her first show “Fragments of the Parts” (2009), the artist has been consistently developing her unusual and idiosyncratic approach to drawing.

Added to the abundance of drawing information in the new works of the “CLUSTER (colour)” series is a highly compli-cated system of cuts in the paper, perceptible only from up close. They stem from the artist’s cutting out individual seg-ments from the drawing paper.

Another feature of the latest drawings by Nelleke Beltjens is the use of ink pens in assorted colours. Whereas the earlier drawings were mostly rendered in a single colour in black, blue, or green, lately the artist has been using combinations of six and more.

nelleKe Beltjens: they dOn’t KnOW either

04.06. – 30.07.2011Galerie Christian Lethertwww.christianlethert.comGermany

L&M Arts (New York) is proud to exhibit 12 paintings from American artist Andy Warhol’s series of Colored Campbellʼs Soup Cans. In 1965, Warhol executed the iconic ‘Tomato Soup’ can in 20 unique colour combinations, such as orange, purple, and kelly green as well as tan, blue, and red.

In doing so he gave each of these large-format, silkscreened paintings its own aesthetic and quintessentially Warholian ‘va-riety’. Since their creation, this series of paintings has never been the exclusive subject of an exhibition.

This long overdue project would not be possible without the enthusiasm and support of the private and institutional lenders. L&M Arts has published a fully illustrated catalogue featuring all 20 paintings in the series as well essays by re-nowned Warhol scholars.

Andy WArhOl: COlOred CAMpBell’s sOUp CAns

21.04.11- 11.06.11L&M Arts (New York)www.lmgallery.comNew York

ART WIRE

JUNE 2011 / 17

This year, one of artist-poet-writer Latiff Mohidin’s major paint-ings from his iconic Pago-Pago series will headline the Henry Butcher Auction of Malaysian Art. An exciting collection will go under the hammer. It will also, for the first time, showcase the works of famed Nanyang pioneers Cheong Soo-Pieng (1917-83), Georgette Chen (1906-93), Liu Kang (1911-2004) and Chen Wen Hsi (1906-91). Another gem is Rise Above It, an acrylic on canvas from the late Datuk Ibrahim Hussein.

The Auction will be held at White Box, MAP @ Publika, Kuala Lumpur 19 June. The full viewing of 105 artworks will be held at White Box, MAP @ Publika, Kuala Lumpur from 28 May - 18 June.

henry BUtCher AUCtiOn Of MAlAysiAn Art 28.05.11 — 19.06.11White Box, MAP@Publika in Solaris Dutamaswww.hbart.com.myKuala Lumpur

Renowned forest landscape artist Johan Marjonid has suc-cessfully interpreted the world of nature through paintings. Johan uses monochromatic green to capture space, and form that capture the ambience and feeling of nature. His fas-cination with nature continues with his very last work, ‘Cool-ness and Tranquillity III’.

Johan resembles English romantic landscape painter Jo-seph Mallord William Turner in his interpretation of nature. His hometown in Johor is surrounded by green and panoramic hillsides.

In this solo exhibition, Johan focuses on his experiences at Tasik Banding, from the Perak River right to the Forest of Royal Belum. The interesting journey in ‘The Tranquil Morning at Royal Belum 1’, portrays little islands in this very huge lake, and very interesting decaying woods stand firm in the lake.

trAnqUil: 2nd sOlO exhiBitiOn By jOhAn MArjOnid

18.06.11-19.07.11PINKGUY Gallerywww.pinkguy.com.myKuala Lumpur

ART WIRE

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JUNE 2011 / 19

IN THE FRAME

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Text: Remo Notarianni

REN ZHESPIRIT oF THE AGES

Olympic Warrior, Bronze 132 x 109 x 88cm

The figures of Chinese artist Ren Zhe could be sculpted by the hands of time. Warriors

wrought from bronze and steel pose like histori-cal landmarks. But the fine details give them a contemporary look that makes them cross time itself. Ren Zhe’s hybrids of the classical and the modern have a unique realism.

REN ZHE

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“My artwork has been influenced by Western classicism,” revealed the Beijing-born Ren Zhe. “Through incorporating mod-ern techniques, the form takes on a contem-porary feel. I hope to use modern materials to portray traditional ideas. Because I feel that tradition and modernity are contradictory, but what does not change is the indefatigable nature of the spirit. This has been what I want to express all along – the goodness of spirit and admirable qualities.”

The energy and dynamism in the figures express this extraordinary strength. The war-riors appear classically Chinese but could be on any battlefield. This versatility, one that characterises Ren Zhe’s creations, might de-scribe a China that still reveres its past in a modern global economy. His personal jour-ney also spans the classical and the modern.

“I started to write calligraphy from a young age and I have continued until now, making it a habit,” said Ren Zhe. “I reckon it must be my early exposure to calligraphy and the beauty in it that has been a source of in-spiration, including my subsequent creations. I started to learn drawing and art from high school. I began to receive a formal educa-tion in art and was admitted into Tsinghua Art Academy. I have been continuously learning about art and sculpting, and my family has always been supportive, deeply influencing me on ideas about culture as well.”

Sculptures such as the stainless steel Infinite Spirit of Allegiance, recall figures from martial arts as well as military history, Japa-nese Manga, and Marvel comics. The bronze Gentle Warrior has an essentially spiritual quality that could depict an enlightened fig-ure reflecting across time. The historical blue-print of Ren Zhe’s subjects has the feel of an everyman on a spiritual search. It could be a battle for the truth that has continued for aeons. The artist leaves us to fill the gaps but

there is something inspiring about the inter-action.

“I admire the indomitable spirit of the warriors,” said Ren Zhe. “And the warriors that I create are neither about invading nor fighting. They are more about being strong in their attitude. I hope their spirit inspires all who have suffered setbacks or experienced difficulties to stand up for themselves. I want to constantly go all out, broaden my horizons and surpass my own standards. This is why I am creating these warriors; I wish to convey this awesome spirit to people.”

Ren Zhe uses a complex process to pro-duce the sculptures and he likens it to con-structing a building. He starts with drawing a sketch of the design. This is followed by cre-ating the sculpture’s framework and it uses both iron and wood to support a sculpture mould made of clay. The very process is a traditional one that Ren Zhe is keeping alive in the 21st century.

The wax sculpture is coated by heat-proof sand and put inside a kiln to melt away the wax inside and the hardened ceramic. This is actually an ancient technique called the ‘lost wax’ method. Pre-prepared molten bronze (heated to extremely high tempera-tures) is poured slowly into a ceramic shell. After the shell is broken and the sculpture emerges, Ren Zhe adds chemicals to make colours on the surface.

“The medium is an important component in sculpture and an important consideration of the artist,” said Ren Zhe. “I have always been more inclined towards using metal as a material, by melting it to a liquid and using it in the casting process. I feel that this material allows me to express my feelings about clay sculptures and it also solidifies the artwork. Considering too many materials may restrain me from what I want to express, I embrace freedom and emotion and feel that these

IN THE FRAME

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Territory Expansion Bronze,123 x 95 x 72cm

REN ZHE

JUNE 2011 / 23

Tremendous Vigour Bronze 143 x 133 x 80cm

IN THE FRAME

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Ostentatious Blade Bronze,100 x 80 x 76cm

REN ZHE

JUNE 2011 / 25

IN THE FRAME

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1. Indefectible Spirit Stainless Steel, 85 x 73 x 30cm2. Courageous Appearance Stainless Steel, 85 x 65 x 55cm3. Yuchi Jingde Stainless Steel, 117 x 66 x 50cm

REN ZHE

JUNE 2011 / 27

A Sincere Heart Stainless Steel 190 x 125 x 95cm

IN THE FRAME

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materials suit my creative attitude. There is an eternal quality in metal, suitable to the es-sence I want to portray.”

Ren Zhe states that he re-examines the world with a traditional eye uniquely reinvigo-rating modernity instead of the other way round. His work has found recognition from financiers, entrepreneurs and politicians, as well as people in the literary and artistic world. Its spirit perhaps lies in all of us.

“I feel that in terms of the human spirit, my works should emerge as universal,” said Ren Zhe. “For example we all pursue good-ness, peace and love. These attributes exist in everything. By combining western cultural ideas with Asian techniques, my work can be understood by different parts of the modern world. In spirit, it is universal. However it is more individually characterised in its formal nature. I feel that be it Asian or Western art-ists, everyone is equal, and there are no re-gional demarcation lines. With the challenges that artists face, they are attaining truthful-ness and grasping techniques. Sincerity takes a front seat. Instead of being shaken by the world or pandering to trends, we should be true to ourselves. It is in such turmoil that one should persist through what one experi-ences and express it.”

Ren Zhe was born in 1983 in Beijing, China. He has won numerous awards including a gold medal at the 1st Zhengzhou International Sculpture Exhibition Group exhibition in Beijing.

REN ZHE

JUNE 2011 / 29

INFINITE INkCHONG SIEW YING

Text: Bharti Lalwani

Singapore’s Valentine Willie Fine Art (VWFA) presents ‘Infinity’, an exhibition by Malaysian art-ist Chong Siew Ying who is known for her sensual paintings and elegant figurations. Her latest body of work focuses on melancholy landscapes drawn out in bold charcoal strokes on a paper-mounted canvas— a new material manufactured in France.

The 10 monochrome canvases offer a reflec-tion of traditional Chinese ink and wash paintings and their oft-chosen subject is ‘the landscape’, ex-cept that these are landscapes from Chong’s heart and mind. Without any use of colour, the works of art convey the fluidity of brushwork in expressions of the earth, sky, water and everything reflected within. As a Chinese-Malaysian, the artist has been influenced by ancient Chinese ink paintings, phi-losophy and even poetry. However she has also been influenced by a ‘western’ sense of composi-tion and technique. Her works are prepared in two stages – she traces out the details of clouds, trees, and perhaps a lonely moon, with charcoal over the paper-mounted canvas. Once the characteristic grainy textures have been achieved, Chong then brushes over the image with a transparent acrylic emulsion which smudges and blurs the contours to soften sharp edges lending depth and an overall sense of life and reverberation- the final effect emu-lates the aesthetics of Chinese ink.

Based between her Paris and Kuala Lumpur studios, these labour intensive works were devel-oped through Chong’s understanding of space and landscape which may bear associations to perhaps her homeland. Wide open spaces are depicted with pathways mysteriously disappear-ing over the horizon while flanked by lush trees

on either side. ‘Faith’ illustrates, on a large-scale panel, the artist’s profound mindscape where open skies, tall trees and a narrow path nudge the viewer into commencing on a philosophical journey which could be infinite.

Chong expresses visual poetry through lay-ered textures, greyscale hues and multiple conno-tations. In contrast, these are depictions of a co-lourless world; breathtaking and romantic at first, the ideal notion of the lush but empty landscape fades quickly on closer inspection as one realises a sense of sadness within beauty while tension builds in the thick, heavy clouds gathering in the skies above, hinting at the notion of a ‘calm before the storm’. Whether that is in fact the artist’s inten-tion is uncertain.

These emotional ‘mindscapes’ were devel-oped over two years and demonstrate the power of art to capture the intangible qualities of nature — transcending the real to the imagined.

‘Infinity’, an exhibition of Chong Siew Ying’s work, was exhibited at Singapore’s Valentine Willie Fine Art (VWFA) 6-29 May, 2011

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CHONG SIEW YING

JUNE 2011 / 31

THE STORYTELLER’S DREAM

CLAIRE ELTRINGHAM, THE MANAGER OF AUSTRALIA’S NINUkU ARTS, REVEALS THE MAGIC OF ‘STORYTELLING ’ IN THE NATION ’S INDIGENOUS ART THROUGH THE WORk OF HARRY TjUTjUNA.

Text: Clare Eltringham | Images: Ninuku arts

STORY

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Harry Tjutjuna

HARRY TjUTjUNA

JUNE 2011 / 33

STORY

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randah and a tin cup of hot tea sits in front of him.

On a good day, Harry is able to stand on his own accord balancing precariously on his punu (walking stick). Other times his extensive group of granddaughters (who act as primary carers for Harry) will help him to his feet and towards the art centre vehicle. Having been “born in the bush” there is no official record of his birth but he is said to be around eighty years of age. Although fragile physically, Harry’s spirit is as strong as an ox and his conviction to paint infallible.

To Harry, painting is as a voice is to a singer – an essential part of his life and expression. When he arrives at the art cen-tre, he sits outside (by far his preferred en-vironment come either winter or summer) and goes about his work. To watch Harry Tjutjuna paint is from a position of treasured privilege. With a conductor’s precision, he whimsically and gently lets the drippy paint flow from his brush. Eventually, due to the nature of how he sometimes uses the same brush in the different paint pots, his colours blend into each other the way the clouds melt at sunset.

The five main stories Harry Tjutjuna paints include Wati Nyiru, Mutata, Wati Ngin-taka, Kungka Tjuta and Wati Wanka. These stories, along with most that Indigenous art-ists paint, are commonly known as Tjukurpa or Dreaming. But Harry’s cheeky personality also shines through in his work – his Kungka Tjuta (lots of women) for example is a depic-tion of women’s bottoms sitting in the sand. Anangu (the term for people in the local lan-guage of Pitjantjatjara) have a tradition of sitting on the ground in a circle and sharing stories. Often they will hold a piece of wire or a stick and they will trace designs in the earth as they share these stories. In many ways, Harry puts down the painful way that some Anangu draw in the red earth at story

Harry Tjutjuna is a senior Indigenous man from a remote, desert community in South Australia called Pipalyatjara. He paints at an art centre – Ninuku Arts - in a neighbouring community known as Kalka. While art enthusiasts have spent years ad-miring his work for its quirky imagery and fluid, painterly application, it could be said that the most fascinating aspect of his paint-ings is the story they tell.

For Indigenous artists, particularly se-nior men and women from the desert in Australia, the connection to place and story is directly linked to their art. They belong to their places of birth the way that a child be-longs to its parents and they carry the sto-ries of their land in their hearts.

That said, there is no denying that a sense of belonging is one of the most impor-tant things for Indigenous people – they are of their country and their sense of ownership goes far beyond patriotism. One of the few ways of gaining insight into Indigenous cul-ture is through conversation (although often a language barrier exists) or through observ-ing ritual, language, inma (ceremony) and, of course, through art. Many years ago I read a quote by an Indigenous artist from the west-ern desert, Michael Nelson Tjakamarra. It was simple but incredibly poignant and has stayed with me ever since. It said “Without this, they wouldn’t know us.” Art has be-come their visual language, one of the few ways for Indigenous people to communicate and share their stories with ‘white fellas’.

Harry Tjutjuna’s begins each working day, waiting patiently for the art centre troop carrier to pick him up. When we arrive, he is sitting cross-legged on the front verandah of his house, his gaggle of dogs surrounding him like a nest of hungry, squawking birds begging for him to flick some of his damper or ‘Weat-bix’ aside. The sun is just begin-ning to reach him under the shade of his ve-

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time. He will work over thick marks in layers of varying colours and designs until the can-vas reaches a place of compositional and aesthetic brilliance.

Arguably the most common story he paints is Wati Wanka (Spider Man). It is not surprising that he sometimes jovially intro-duces himself as the ‘Spider Man’. As he explains: “This is a big spider man. Wati paluru Ngankari (A male healer, traditional doctor). He is a powerful man. When rain comes he hides in his nest. He is a clever man. At night, he changes colour. His name is Wanka (Spider). That’s the story. Minyma wanka tjuta, these are all the women and children for this man (around him).”

He goes on to implicate himself in the story: “I am the spider man, Ngankari (healer, traditional doctor).” In the painting, Harry’s ‘Kungka Tjuta’ (lots of women) sur-round the spider and this goes on to be a repetitive theme in all of his paintings. The spiders themselves are of varying detail and colours. Often they contain designs painted on the spider’s stomach - at times, Harry has referred to these as being representa-tive of the sexuality of the spider (male or female) or as designs representative of body painting for traditional ceremony.

Trying to make a distinction between narrative and imagery for someone like Harry Tjutjana is nearly impossible. Essen-tially they are the same thing – the Tjukurpa (Story) is the painting and the painting is the Tjukurpa. Sometimes the translation is literal i.e. his spider man does look like a sinister spider with long, spindly legs and beady eyes. At other times, his paintings transcend our literal understanding of his imagery and the result is seemingly abstract. The reality is that they probably only appear this way – the abstract forms have meaning as does every mark made. The web-like forms in his work may represent the web that the spi-

der has cast; the blocks of flat colour may represent the cave where the spider hides; and the repetitions of dots may represent a cluster of black rocks found on the side of a mountain.

This May-June, ReDot Fine Art Gallery ex-hibits a group of Indigenous paintings which come straight from the source – the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in the northwestern corner of South Australia. In-digenous-owned and community-based art centres - Tjungu Palya and Ninuku Arts – are sharing this opportunity to show the audi-ence the brilliance and significance of works painted ‘on country’.

Story is a column that looks at the connection between visual art and narrative.

Image credits:1. Title of artwork year medium size2. Title of artwork year medium size3. Title of artwork year medium size

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THE kERAMIkOS WORLD OF MADHVI SUbRAHMANIANText: Jason Toh

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MADHVI SUbRAMANIAN

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For the past decade, contemporary art in Singapore has been dominated by photography, video, performance, and installation art. Traditional media such as painting, printmaking and sculpture have rarely been part of the oeuvre even though the majority of artists are formally trained in these. So, it is refreshing for me as a contemporary art curator to see an artist like Madhvi Subrahmanian, who has resolutely resisted the ‘new’ while being refreshing in her work. She has continually worked with ceramics for the past 25 years.

Originally from Mumbai, India, Madhvi took off from the hustle and bustle of the urban Indian metropolis in the mid 1980’s and planted herself in Pondicherry, the ‘French Riviera of the East’ to im-merse herself in art. She enrolled in a ceramics work-shop set-up by Americans Ray Meeker and Deborah Smith in 1971 named Golden Bridge Pottery.

The couple’s interest in eastern philosophy, Japanese stoneware and sustainable architec-ture influenced students like Madhvi whose cur-rent art-making practice fuses the ancient with the contemporary, the spiritual with the mundane and the everlasting with the ephemeral as it continues

to be mediated and influenced by materials found in nature. In America, Madhvi’s formal ceramics education was further reinforced with a Masters in Fine Arts from the Meadows School of Art in Dal-las, Texas. Her life has been one of constant move-ment and migration and this is a major theme in her art creation. Singapore has been home to the artist for the last three years and in this solo exhibition, she showcases her wall-mounted and freestand-ing installations.

Clay, an organic material that is found abun-dantly on our planet is transformed into ceramic- an inorganic, non-metallic solid - by the action of heating and subsequent cooling. Through the ages in both East and West, clay has been used to pro-duce utilitarian products for everyday use. As an art object, ceramics is generally linked to the deco-rative arts or archaeology. How then do Madhvi’s sculptural forms fit into the current contemporary art context?

In her first solo show in Singapore entitled ‘Connections’, Madhvi uses her material in an un-orthodox manner, moving away from preconceived notions of ceramics to site-specific installations.

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Installation art serves to transform a viewer’s ex-perience of a gallery space using materials with a specific sensorial quality. Traditional sculpture in the round is viewed from the outside with a definite self-contained form, whereas an installation envel-ops the viewer in the space containing the work, allowing for a more immersive experience. This marrying of taditional sculpture with a contempo-rary mode of art placement resonates with me as a curator who is interested in finding connections between history and contemporary art. This ‘inter-media’ way of art-making is taken to another level as the artist adds a further layer of expression in her ceramic works that look deceptively like the ancient wooden sculptures of a vanished civilisa-tion and that is a result of her longstanding experi-mentations with the smoke-fired technique. One only realises the contemporaneous nature of her works by closely looking at the symbols embed-ded therein.

Madhvi’s forms and installations are inspired by both urban (road signage) and natural (seed-pods) forms. What intrigues me most is the pro-cess of her practice and how she plans to execute the final installation in the gallery space as she is working furiously yet methodically. The ideas for her solo exhibition are undoubtedly personal but also relate as I see them, largely to a Singapore society that is evolving to adapt itself and its people into a world economy reliant on cordial relations and soft power.

Looking at the artwork, I see a karamikos (Greek for ‘pottery’) world in microcosm under construction by the artist where urban-city people (represented by the work entitled Couple) who have to constantly deal with climbing the ladder of progress with multiple options, (represented by the recurring motif of the road signs in the work Lad-der) are available to the socially mobile.

In our urbanised culture where the self is placed before society, one of Madhvi’s works, in the exhibition Social Network offers a different take. The self is important but the connections between people and the personal relationships built will help support one through a long and arduous journey that ends only when one returns to the Earth to become one with ‘nature’ again.

Image credits:1. Social Network - Earthenware, terrasigillata, smokefired and sacred thread. Size 24” H X 72” W X 2.5”D

2. Decisions - Earthenware, terrasigillata, smokefired and gold. Size 32”H X 30”W X 2.5”D

3. Heiroglphics - Earthenware, terrasigillata and graphite. Size 48”H X 36”W X 2”D

Jason Toh is currently a curator at the Singapore Art Museum. A liberal arts graduate from Middlebury (USA), he was the Curator of Photography and Singapore History at the National Museum of Singapore.

MADHVI SUbRAMANIAN

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Text: Remo Notarianni

THE EMPEROR AND THE CEO

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HONG kONG

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Hong Kong’s vertical skyline is a symbol of its financial success. But for many, there is a notice-able gap between its soaring skyscrapers and the heritage of it streets and monuments that spoils the view.

In recent years, a new buildings have ap-peared on architects’ models that have intensified the debate. The designated area, in West Kow-loon’s Yau Tsim Mong area, is part of an attempt by the Hong Kong SAR government to nurture art and culture in the territory. The district, which is part of a project that costs HK$ 21.6 billion for construc-tion, is set to house a National Museum, countless theatres, and cultural projects in 40 hectares.

Stalled by setbacks since 1999, the distinctive curves of the structure could easily form a question mark. Following countless public consultations, the area is scheduled to open in 2015 as an arts hub managed by the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority. But news-making disappointments such as the resignation of Graham Sheffield as the CEO of the authority and the ensuing mystery surround-ing this, has made the project seem doom-laden.

If the proposed wedge-shaped building does speak to the city, it will most likely claim that Hong Kong is no longer the ‘cultural desert’ it was once accused of being. Perhaps the government is hop-ing that this will strike a chord with the bohemian voices of its ‘pop-up’ galleries and Hollywood Road art dealers.

A recent exhibition at ArtisTree, a venue fund-ed by property developer Swire, acknowledged at least that the messages outside these well-estab-lished art spaces are worth listening to. The ex-hibition, entitled ‘The Kowloon King’, showcased the work of Tsang Tsou Choi, a calligrapher best described as a renegade graffiti artist who died in 2006, aged 85.

For the decades that he refined his art, Tsang clashed with police as he splashed calligraphy on walls, post boxes and public areas. As he made Hong Kong into a city-wide studio for his unique script, which contrasted with both the alphabet of British colonial road signs and the traditional Chi-nese of Hong Kong, Tsang visually voiced what seemed like a political manifesto:

“I am the King of Kowloon,” wrote Tsang. “The true ruler of the Kowloon peninsula and I lay claim

to the unique territory of Kowloon.” All the pieces of writing were variations of this same message. This perhaps made his resolute claim to the land, which he linked to his family tree, a pretext for his art.

“He was just focusing on writing to express himself for his own pleasure, and not considering anything else,” said Joel Chung, founder of HK Cre-ates, and a friend of Tsang— who was also known as the Emperor or King of Kowloon. “For more than 50 years, King Kowloon proclaimed his sovereignty over the peninsula through his writings in the streets. Whether you believe in what he said or not, there’s no doubt he was very serious about it.”

Chung makes an endearing reference to Tsang’s writings on the wall opposite Hong Kong’s Botanical Gardens near the former Government House, which were written on 30 June 1997, one day before the territory’s return to China, and his writing on the red British colonial post box in Em-bankment Road, Mong Kok— an exception be-cause he usually publicly wrote on grey surfaces such as cement walls or pillars, electric distribution boxes, and lamp posts.

Tsang, a toothless refuse collector, also found notoriety through his clashes with the police. But in the spirit of artistic provocation, this helped him make an impression. His work was quickly erased by the authorities but it became written onto the minds and hearts of culture vultures. Tsang’s de-signs have appeared in the work of local fashion and graphic designers, singers, photographers, advertisers, TV and filmmakers.

Yet, while the artwork of a self-proclaimed emperor, who persisted in his claims, becomes an odd part of Hong Kong’s history, the West Kow-loon project remains a looming promise by the government. The exhibition held by Swire Island East confirms at least that an art world can still ex-ist without it.

“Although it’s not the first retrospective of King Kowloon, to date,” said a spokesperson for Swire Island East. “The ‘Memories of the King Kowloon’ exhibition features the biggest collection, covering the longest period of Tsang’s creative output (some 500 exhibits in total, including Tsang’s 300 original works). It’s good to see the private sector support-ing art in an active way. Swire has been a long-time patron of the arts since the 1970s and a diversi-

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fied range of visual and performing art events have been held within the company’s portfolio in the past decade.”

The very recognition of Tsang’s work and the impact it has made could epitomise the in-domitable spirit of local artists. Tsang’s passionate resolution to be ‘emperor’ contrasts with a CEO’s sudden resignation, but it shows at least that the city’s artists can be acknowledged by those with the power to shape the landscape.

“He could be an extreme example of unique character in the sense that he was doing the same thing which is writing, day in and day out,” said Chung, “except eating and sleeping for over 50 years, disregarding all difficulties such as physical pain, weather conditions, pressure from other peo-ple and the authorities as well as family alienation. For many artists, his passion and perseverance are their inspiration and their aspiration.”

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THE CROSS-CULTURAL REVOLU-TION

Asia’s art scene has exploded amid stellar economic growth. Hong Kong-based art promot-er James Churchill is the founder of the Art Move-ment, an organisation that helps ‘western’ artists stand out in a predominantly Asian crowd.

“The Art Movement was a concept I came up with around a year ago,” said Churchill. “Initially I was disappointed by the Hong Kong art scene in many ways. I found a limited selection of creative-works, with a great emphasis on contemporary Chinese artists, a lot of which I didn’t connect with or comprehend.”

Originally from the UK, Churchill states that his goal is to make the work of European and Ameri-can artists accessible to well-heeled aficionados with disposable incomes as well as art lovers in general. The Art Movement evolved as a natural response to a noticeable market gap, and Churchill stages targeted events that add an international flavour to the local industry.

“As I was considering the options I happened to meet a young Polish architect living locally who

Text: Remo Notarianni | Image: the Art Movement

had thrown aside his professional career to live as an artist,” said Churchill. “Impressed with his work I was amazed he had sold none of it and I realised that I could help put him in touch with profession-als with a disposable income. I invited them to view some of his unsold work and managed to sell seven of his pieces in a short period of time. From there the idea warped into The Art Movement.”

Churchill has given the projects an organic quality, helping audiences focus appreciation by theatrically linking the art with metaphors. With Revolution, held on May 18, he showcased the artwork of seven artists originating from the United States and Europe in a makeshift circus tent in a hired space. Held in an upmarket area of Hong Kong Island, the event attracted a range of profes-sionals who could experience something beyond austere gallery exhibitions.

“Our new concept is called RE,” said Churchill, ”and it is defined as reverse motion as it incorpo-rates a forward sense of renewal; the former refer-ences our nostalgia for a time when art was for the enjoyment of all, not a luxury for the few, the latter, our aim to push contemporary art to a wider expe-rience embracing all the senses.”

Revolution, included the work of American artist Vladimir Kush, Polish artist Olgierd Nitka and Hong Kong’s Pete Ross. Each artist created his own take on the concept of the circus, which became a metaphor of art as a vibrant form of en-tertainment rather than a commodity. According to Churchill, contemporary art has often divorced itself from its collector base with ‘the shock of the new’ and one that comes from its relentless pursuit of being different. He describes the circus as being ageless and boundless as it has evolved with the times to include different areas of society.

For the event, Churchill hired French sound designer Cedric Maridet.

“The sound and ambience add to the experi-ence that help the art enthusiasts interact with the artwork,” said Maridet. ”this makes the event flex-ible and alive.”

The Art Movement attempts to build art bridges amid a deluge of Asian art. To Churchill, this starts with an experience that helps engage-ment with the artwork. Churchill does however see obstacles if the movement is to be groundbreaking enough to shape the art scene.

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HONG kONG

“At the moment it differs greatly,” admits Churchill. “In many ways I’m not launching RE to be profit-making in the near-term. The show is of-fered for free at a significant cost to myself and more as an ode to the artists as well as a push to broaden the art scene. While Hong Kong is clearly in the spotlight ahead of such things as the Hong Kong International Art Fair 2011, few people can afford the starting prices of art at such a grandiose event, and some select contemporary Chinese art has sky-rocketed to the unfathomable levels.”

Events may seem more cost-effective than gallery spaces but Churchill concedes that there is no easy solution if the environment itself does not have a platform for the wide range of talent on offer. As Churchill plays circus master to a different crowd, he may find that there is more than bread and circuses to Hong Kong’s rapidly growing and diversifying art scene.

“Hong Kong is still a relatively young market in terms of art history, especially in the western art segment,” said Churchill. “While the media regular-ly reports on new records at Christies or Sotheby’s or the jumping from No.9 to No.1 in China’s world’s largest auction marketplace for fine art, it fails to show the beat on the street. My opinion talking to local gallery owners or consultants is one of ‘them and us’. Whilst the auction duopoly continues to print a phenomenal amount of business, some gal-leries are clearly struggling to sell work under high rents and after the explosion of numbers to over 100 in 2010, a few are already shutting their doors. RE aims to offer a patchwork of creative art at ac-cessible levels despite the increasing costs now being faced in Hong Kong.”

James Churchill

Olgierd, Dancing Elephants Perform Twin Towers,Paint on board, each tower 66 x 297 cm

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MARkET VOICES

UTTERLY ‘HUNGRY FOR MORE’ ART!this month singaporean gallery Utterly Art gallery completes 10 years in the business and the founders say they are ‘hungry for more’. tpAg catches up with gallery direc-tor Dr. Pwee Keng Hock to find out more.

Text: Bharti Lalwani

tpAg: firstly congratulations to you and your Managing partner Kenneth tan Kok Meng on completing 10 years as a gallery! i know you are a molecular biologist so how did you get bitten by the art bug?Yes, in fact while I was studying in England for my PhD, I often holidayed around Europe. Galler-ies were normally on the list of places to see, and I found that I liked going to them, unlike other Singaporeans who might make a quick beeline towards the nearest shopping malls instead. I found that I could sustain an interest in art, and when I returned home and started earning a sal-ary, I could actually afford to own some art!

TPAG: So what was the first work of art you bought?It was a deft watercolour from a show at the Cambridge Town Hall, bought at the princely (for a student such as myself) sum of sixty pounds, about autumn leaves and harvest fruit.

tpAg: tell us how you came to start the gal-lery all those years ago when the art scene was still slowly trudging along to being estab-lished and recognised?Well, the art scene wasn’t quite as buzzing then, Well, the art scene wasn’t quite as buzzing then, but it existed, and there were several local Sin-gaporean artists around whom we felt we could help in terms of providing the space and other services (design, writing and publicity). It was easier to get noticed then and we were able to help several local artists fulfil their dream of hav-ing a first solo show, and many more after that.

tpAg: Obviously you have seen the various changes in attitudes towards the arts in sin-gapore over the last decade, give us your per-spective.What’s been consistent is that I’m constantly amazed by the capacity of SOME keen Singa-poreans to appreciate good art. Some steadfast-ly support local artists, but they also have been very open at accepting art from other countries, different forms and media, and works that I thought only an institution might collect. In short, we are happy that Singaporeans who are collec-tors are by and large open to different perspec-

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ways been perceived as kind to young and emerg-ing artists, although we also showcase several established artists as well. Initially, we had several Singaporean artists interested in showing us their work, and then we found a niche for Philippine art from 2006, because no other gallery was show-ing it in a sustained and concerted fashion here in Singapore. Actually we’ve always shown Filipino artists, even in our first group show, but six shows in 2006 made a greater impact (we did eighteen in 2009). We became well-known as the gallery with the first overseas solo exhibitions of many Filipino artists and we are in fact the largest showcase of Philippine artists in the world outside of the Phil-ippines, so this has led to several artists inquiring about exhibiting with us, and with high demand, we could afford to pick and choose the good ones! And we’ve had several good artists pass through our doors, many of whom are now enjoying auc-tion coverage in Sotheby’s and Christies.

tpAg: lastly how do you see Utterly Art growing and contributing to the local art scene in, lets say...the next 10 years?We do want to grow, improve and continue show-ing art that we enjoy, and continue giving oppor-tunities to good artists. It is admittedly quite com-petitive now, and more difficult to get ‘noticed’ amongst the several exhibitions that open every week (although we are responsible for many of the openings ourselves with almost 30 shows a year – we believe we are the most frequent exhibitor in Singapore). We have always believed in sustain-able growth for artists, not jacking up prices when detecting demand so that our artists will not be a ‘flash in the pan’; here one season and gone the next. In our next phase, we hope to start bringing more artists abroad through shows and art fairs. This year, we made our first foray overseas this February, into Hong Kong at the Asia Top Gallery Hotel Art Fair at the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong. We hope to take our artists to the next level at auc-tions and art fairs – judiciously.

tives. The only thing that limits them is cash! I think when we started, we were already out of the ‘Sin-gapore as cultural desert’ phase and already on to the ‘Singapore as Renaissance City’ phase, so as collectors, we have this openness that makes us attractive as clients!

But you asked about changes: well when we were one of the small number of galleries in town, we had more visits by students and artists then, but curiously now, we find they don’t do the rounds so often, nor do they come for their ‘market re-search’ and this is not just our gallery, most galler-ies seem to have smaller visitation numbers— this could be because the audience now has a much bigger ground to cover... or it could be that stu-dents have more diverse interests nowadays. Also good young Singaporean artists seem to be mov-ing away more from commodifiable art such as paintings and sculpture, and moving onto making installations, video, performance which are not as ‘sellable’. Recently collectors seem to have be-come much more selective too.

tpAg: What have your major challenges been through the years as a gallery?Getting clients to buy, getting them to visit, get-ting them to take notice... the usual! When we first started, we had to curate good shows by good artists to get noticed (actually nothing’s changed there), and now, it is interesting that while there are yet more collectors around who are starting to buy art, the scene has expanded such that it has become quite competitive, with several more gal-leries in existence. The challenge remains in how to stay relevant to the changing tastes of collectors, and also mounting larger events to attract them. Expanding beyond our Singapore and Philippine staples, we are introducing Cambodian and Paki-stani artists for the first time this year.

tpAg: Utterly Art has mostly shown affordable works which reflect the young and emerging art-ists from se Asia and as you mentioned, from Cambodia and as far as pakistan as well, so how have these artists and their works been chosen?We are very open to anyone who approaches us, we never make pre-judgments without at least seeing some work from the artist, so we have al-

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Shopping Trolley 2011, Aerosol paint, ink and stencil on canvas, 92 x 143 cm

Nebula Series - Untitled 5 2008, Print 85 x 85 cm

entering the singApOre spACeTEXT: glAdys teO

Linda Sim, Photographer

KA’a, Duo-artists

Jamie Paul, Artist

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$ingapoor Dream 110cm x 150cm

CIRQUE DU MACABRE, Giclée print 60 x 90cm

The Affordable Art Fair (AAF) 2010

Steve Lawler, MOJOKO

Camilla Hewitson, AAF

THE SINGAPORE SPACE

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I am standing at the crossroads of Joo Chiat Road and Marshall Lane in Singapore. An old man with a toothy smile rides by on a trishaw, humming Hokkien tunes over the loud rumble of a Shakira tune blasting from a speaker in a nearby pub. An Australian family strolls by, munching on curry puffs and fishcakes in banana leaves. They hop to the side of the narrow road as a biker chick, carrying a box of ‘Brothers’ bittersweet apple cider squeezes past in a hurry. I watch the sun setting against high-rise flats and rows of converted shop houses and reflect – this could be the perfect setting for a film.But where exactly would it be?

The jumble before me, with its intense layer-ing of oriental and occidental, past and present, makes Singapore a complex but artistically inspir-ing city. Steve Lawler, the man behind art organisa-tion Mojoko, has been based in Singapore for more than eight years after having lived in Iran, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom and Italy. This ‘halfway house’ is perfect for him as he wonders the streets looking for cheap paints, antique knick-knacks and toys that he can pull apart to create new works of art. “The grass is green on both sides, you have Asian and western comics on the same bookshelf.. then you go to Mustafa and see the mosaics on the floor, and the medicine packages in Chinatown. You can’t get this anywhere else,” he says with a chuckle.

The same sentiment is shared by Jamie Paul, a British artist who moved to Singapore from Syd-ney more than three years ago. He uses an abun-dance of pop culture references in his art, and to him, Singapore’s magazines and media, such as television and film present an interesting ready-made collage of East and West. “I don’t think cul-ture (in Singapore) is being imported; it is being developed and it’s a fascinating opportunity to be part of its development and vibrancy.”

It is true that Singapore’s art scene has been portrayed in numerous publications as hot, trendy, and up-and-coming. A quick survey of the number of institutions, galleries and art spaces has been something of a testament to this. Everyone is trying get a bite of the pie, and this is demonstrated not only by ‘grassroots style’ small-scale events such as Post Museum’s initiatives, but also by an ongo-ing push by large scale institutions and fairs.

“There is something to go to every week, fairs, exhibition openings, not just institutions but

kids throwing parties with visual arts and exhibition elements,” observes Mojoko. While the potential of Singapore’s art market is undisputed, a big ques-tion lies in the minds of many: can western artists who desire to be part of this developing market af-ford to stay here through the entire course of its development? After all, Singapore is among the ten most expensive cities in the world to live in, and are these artists generating enough sales to cover rent and living expenses?

“It’s not easy,” Jamie acknowledges, “it is harder to sell my works here as the market is a lot smaller. In Sydney, the market is more mature and the level of disposable income is comfortable, people buy art as they can afford to. In London, there is a diverse range of collectors purchasing art, however, in Singapore, buyers are more cau-tious and prefer to look at the CV, track record, and exhibition history of artists.” However, there is a flip side to this coin. Artists like Paul relish a growing market over mature, saturated ones in the big cities of Australia, New York and London. He observes that more opportunity is presented in Singapore. Firstly, galleries are more open to ex-hibiting new artists, secondly, the dozens of com-mercial galleries navigating the cultural landscape constantly offer exhibition space, curating solo and group shows to capture the new burgeoning col-lector base in Singapore. Finally, new collectors are in general more receptive towards newer artists and mediums.

International aerosol and stencil artist Kirsty Furniss, who is part of the acclaimed duo KA’a, has benefitted from the smaller but developing market here. “In a small place like Singapore, you get to know more people in the industry, and the intimate contact between galleries and fellow artists comes in handy and is mutually beneficial when galler-ies are looking for new artists to showcase work and artists are looking for galleries to market their work. People in Singapore are also very receptive towards contemporary art, unlike many parts of France where audiences are still quite conserva-tive and do not readily accept mediums like aero-sol and stencil art.” In fact, Kirsty, like many other foreign artists who have exhibited in Singapore, cherishes the value to exhibit in Singapore. “That you’ve exhibited overseas, especially in Asia, is valued even in mature markets. In France, buyers are definitely interested in whether you have had

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international recognition. Exhibiting in Singapore helps us in France, which allows us to gain more recognition when we come back to Singapore,” Kirsty explains the cycle.

Camilla Hewitson, director of Affordable Art Fair Singapore, explains that the key to capturing the new collector base in the Lion City is pricing and affordability. The excellent sales revenue of galleries exhibiting at the inaugural Affordable Art Fair Singapore last year proved that the buying market in Singapore has potential. Singapore is a large cosmopolitan city where the tastes of buyers are varied, and this presents opportunities for art-ists and galleries to capture their client base, which will differ from gallery to gallery, artist to artist.

Nevertheless, costs remain a sticky issue for expat artists based in Singapore. Finding an af-fordable roof over their heads is a thorny issue, let alone finding additional studio space to work in. Most of these artists are also not eligible for fund-ing or studio grants from the government as much of the funding allocation is directed towards local artists. While there are private independent initia-tives such as Post Museum which offers affordable studio space and artists residencies (KA’a was a grateful recipient of this), such spaces are hard to come by.

The lack of studio space is a common gripe of artists in Singapore, be they foreign or local. Yet, the search for alternate space has led to interesting developments. Mojoko rationalises that the trend towards multimedia art forms and design is a logi-cal result of a lack of space: artists have taken their studios online, working on computers rather than relying on physical space. This has encouraged the integration of visual art, multimedia art, fashion and design, blending commerce with experimen-tation in interesting, and engaging ways. A recent example, Them.sg, is an experimental project that brings together fashion designers and visual art-ists, producing multimedia installations that could completely replace the need for physical catwalks one day.

Swedish-Austrian photographer Linda Sim, who grew up in Germany and lived in Australia, moved to Singapore less than one year ago, and is still perplexed and challenged, albeit in an ar-tistically positive way, by the lack of space in Sin-gapore. “Everything here is so dense; it’s all solid structures, organised opaqueness, and it is so pat-

terned that you can’t see the individual anymore.” Sim elaborates on this by describing the large

number similar-looking public flats in Singapore, with their overwhelming similarities and organised patterns causing her to lose sight of individual win-dows. “And the queues, somehow when individu-als join the queues, they lose their individuality. I don’t see them as individual persons anymore but just a long queue!” A conceptual photographer, Linda’s search for space in this dense city has prompted her move into a new experiment where she is seeking space through a highly unconven-tional medium: science. Currently working together with the quantum physicians at the National Uni-versity of Singapore, Linda is exploring the parallels between art and the quantum of space. This highly experimental installation, Timensions, will be exhib-ited at the Singapore Art Museum next year.

In a city where old shop houses meet glossy shopping malls, and where old men sit on park benches singing to birds beside students clad in jeans burrowing their noses in their iPhones, con-tradictions are part of the landscape. But such eclecticism has fertilised the city’s art attractive-ness, and Western artists have thronged in, eager to be part of the discourse and a market that is growing. Occupying the same dream and defined by a common sensuousness, they face numerous constraints in living costs and a lack of space, but the temptation of helping to co-design a new cul-ture simply by being part of the city’s interesting new mix is perhaps too great.

THE SINGAPORE SPACE

JUNE 2011 / 57

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Art Trove

Operation hours: Wed - Sun: 11am to 6:30pm, All other times by appointment Call for private viewing, Tel: +65 6336 0915, Fax: +65 6336 9975, enquiry@art-trove.com

ww.art-trove.com

51, Waterloo Street, #02-01/02/03, Singapore 187969

Montage III - Zu Garbriele Mistral”, mixed-technique on paper & cardboard, 107 x 83 cm, 1960s

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Operation hours: Wed - Sun: 11am to 6:30pm, All other times by appointment Call for private viewing, Tel: +65 6336 0915, Fax: +65 6336 9975, enquiry@art-trove.com

ww.art-trove.com

51, Waterloo Street, #02-01/02/03, Singapore 187969

Montage III - Zu Garbriele Mistral”, mixed-technique on paper & cardboard, 107 x 83 cm, 1960s

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- Pop and Contemporary Fine Art

- Gallery Reis Artspace @ The Royal on Scotts

- Heng Artland- Jasmine Fine Art- Sin Hua Gallery- Drawing Gallery

Opera Gallery

Third Floor Hermes

Vue Privée

- Art Forum- The Tolman Collection

LarasatiArt GoGo

Chan Hampe Galleries

Art Trove, The Private Museum, M Gallery,Yavuz FA

Forest Rain Gallery

OVAS Art Gallery

The Picturehouse

Foundation Oil Painting

Eagle’s Eye Art Gallery

M.A.D (Museum of Art & Design)

Impress Galleries

DBS Arts Centre Singapore Repertory Theatre

FOST Gallery

Night & Day

YOUR Mother Gallery

ARTXCHANGE Gallery

Singapore Philatelic Museum

The EsplanadeThe National

Art Gallery, Singapore

72-13

Peranakan Museum

The Substation

National Museum of Singapore

Action Theatre Singapore Art Museum

8Q SAM

Young Musicians’ Society

Singapore Calligraphy Centre

Fort CanningPark

SINGAPORE’S ART & HERITAGE DISTRICT

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Artcommune Gallery,Ken Crystals

iPRECIATIONThe Fullerton Heritage

Barrosa Studio, D’Art, Geeleinan Art Gallery & Studio, Kelly Reedy Studio Arts, Marisa Keller, Sealey Brandt Photography Studio,

Singapore Botanical Garden

NAPIER ROAD

Echo Art Gallerie Ha Karen Art Gallery Hogarth Art LondonKwan Hua Art GalleryLi Fine ArtMulan GalleryPeter’s FrameSun CraftYang Gallery

The Peach Tree

Boon’s Pottery, Bruno Gallery

The Gallery of Gnani Arts, GJ Asian Art

Source Contemporary African Fine Art

MERLIONDreamSpace Art Studio

Fortune Cookie Projects, Galerie Waterton, Light Editions Gallery, L2 SPACE, ReDot Gallery, Valentine Willie Fine Art

Red Dot TrafficIndigo Blue Art

Sotheby’s Institute of Art

Utterly Art

Galerie Sogan & ArtCollectors Contemporary,Mercedes-Benz Center,Volvo Art Loft

ALEXANDRA RD

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Chan Hampe / Fill-your-wallsLiving Portrait

Galerie Belvedere

Jeremy Ramsey Fine Art

Give Art

Momentous Ats

Outram Station

Tanjong Pagar Station

Marina Bay Station

TANJONG PAGAR, CHINATOWN & RAFFLES

DEMPSEY, HOLLAND, TANGLIN & WESSEX

MARCH 2011 / 63

LEGEND

GALLERY SPOTTED

MAIN ROAD

SMALL ROAD

EXPRESSWAY

ART GALLERY

PUBLIC PLACES

SCHOOLS

MRT

Art Trove Gallery 51 Waterloo Street #02-01/2/3Singapore 187969

T: +65 6336 0915 F: +65 6336 9975E: enquiry@art-trove.com W: www.art-trove.com

Opening Hours

Wed- Sun: 11am to 6.30pmCall for private viewing

JUNE 2011 / 62

dd’Art 5 Westbourne Road #02-03d’peak Art space Kaki Bukit Road 1 #01-07

dlr gallery 22 Marshall Roaddynasties Antique & Art gallery 18 Boon Lay Way #01-136

eeagle’s eye 39 Stamford Road #01-01echo Art galerie 19 Tanglin Road #02-59evil empire 48 Niven Road

f

fOst 65 Kim Yam Road

ggalerie Belvedere 168 Robinson Road #36-01galerie Waterton 39 Keppel Road #02-01gj Asian Art 1 Cuscaden Road #01-03the gallery of gnani Arts 1 Cuscaden Road #01-05

singApOre gAlleries

AAndrewshire gallery 5 Swiss Cottage EstateAratong galleries 26 Mount Pleasant DriveArt facet 10 Anson Road #19-08Art forum 82 Cairnhill RoadArt glass solutions 30 Kuo Chuan AvenueArt seasons 7 Kaki Bukit Road 1 #02-12Art tree gallery 333A Orchard Road #04-11

Art-2 gallery 140 Hill Street #01-03artcommune 133 New Bridge Road #02-77Artfolio 328 North Bridge Road #02-25Artgogo 402 Orchard Road #02-08ArtinnO 391B Orchard Road #23-01Arty Art gallery 686A Woodlands Drive 73 #15-52

B

Bartha & senarclens 75 Emerald Hill Road

CCape of good hope 140 Hill Street #01-06CdeM Art & design Blk 5 Westbourne Road #01-02Collectors Contemporary 5 Jalan Kilang Barat #01-03COMBinArt 27 Woodlands Industrial Park E1 #01-08

Boon’s pottery91 Tanglin Road #01-02A Tanglin Place Singapore 247918T: +65 6836 3978www.boonspottery.com

ArtxChAnge gallery6 Eu Tong Sen Street#02-65 The CentralSingapore 059817T: +65 9027 3997 (Benny)www.artxchangegallery.com

Bruno gallery91 Tanglin Road#01-03 Tanglin Place Singapore 247918T: +65 6733 0283www.brunoartgroup.com

fill your walls21 Tanjong Pagar Road #04-02Singapore 088444T: +65 6222 1667www.fill-your-walls.com

forest rain gallery261 Waterloo Street #02-43/44 Singapore 180261T: +65 6336 0926www.forestraingallery.com

Art trove51 Waterloo Street #02-01 to 03Singapore 187969T: +65 6336 0915www.art-trove.com

Chan hampe galleries @ Raffles Hotel328 North Bridge Road#01-04 Raffles Hotel ArcadeSingapore 188719T: +65 6338 1962

@ tanjong pagar21 Tanjong Pagar Road#04-02Singapore 088444T: +65 6222 1667www.chanhampegalleries.com

DaTang Fine Arts Singapore177 River Valley Road, Liang Court , #02-09A Singapore 179030 T: +65 9846 2098 / +65 9721 3718www.9911art.com

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gallery reis 390 Orchard Road #03-01/02

hhaKaren 19 Tanglin Road #02-43heng Artland 290 Orchard Road #04-08

iimpress galleries 1 Kim Seng Promenade #02-07/08indigo Blue Art 33 Neil Road instinC 12 Eu Tong Sen StreetipreCiAtiOn 1 Fullerton Square #01-08

KKArtestUdiO 181 Orchard Road #B2-23/29

Kwan hua 19 Tanglin Road #02-09

ll2 space 39 Keppel Road #02-02Alarasati www.larasati.com

linda gallery 15 Dempsey Road #01-08 light editions gallery 39 Keppel Road #02-02Bliving portraits 31 Tanjong Pagar lukisan Art gallery 110 Faber Drive

MM gallery 51 Waterloo Street #03-03B/04Metakaos 1 Kaki Bukit Road 1 #03-22Mulan gallery 36 Armenian Street #01-07

li fine Art19 Tanglin Road#03-32 Tanglin Shopping CentreSingapore 247909T: +65 6235 3306www.lifineart.com

Ken Crystals6 Eu Tong Sen Street#03-72 The CentralSingapore 059817T: +65 6339 0008 E: kencrystals@yahoo.com.sg

OOde to Art 252 North Bridge Road #01-36E/FOoi Botos gallery 11 One Tree HillOpera gallery 2 Orchard Turn #03-05

p

rredot 39 Keppel Road #02-06red sea 9 Dempsey Road #01-10

ss.Bin Art plus 140 Hill Street #01-10/11/12

sun Craft 19 Tanglin Road #02-08

pop and Contemporary fine Art390 Orchard Road#03-12 Palais Renaissance Singapore 238871T: +65 6735 0959www.popandcontemporaryart.com

sunjin galleries 43 Jalan Merah Saga#03-62 Work Loft @ Chip Bee Singapore 278115T: +65 6738 2317www.sunjingalleries.com.sg

galerie sogan & Art33B Mosque StreetSingapore 059511T: +65 6225 7686Hp: +658138 0277www.soganart.com

OvAs Art gallery9 Penang Road#02-21 Park MallSingapore 238459T: +65 6337 3932 www.ovas-home.com

The Gallery of Gnani Arts1 Cuscaden Road#01-05 The Regent Singapore 249715T: +65 6725 3112www.gnaniarts.com

Muse the Art gallery268 Upper Bukit Timah Rd #03-09 @ The Old Fire StationSingapore 588210T: +65-8388 0044www.musetheartgallery.com

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MUseUMs

Asian Civilisations Museum www.acm.org.sgChangi Museum 1000 Upper Changi Road NorthMAd Museum of Art & design 333A Orchard Road #03-01Mint Museum of toys 26 Seah Streetnational Museum of singapore 93 Stamford Roadperanakan Museum 39 Armenian Streetpost Museum 107/109 Rowell Roadthe private Museum 51 Waterloo Street #02-06red dot design Museum 28 Maxwell RoadrsAf Museum 400 Airport Road singapore Art Museum 71 Bras Basah RoadsAM at 8q 8 Queen Streetsingapore Coins and notes Museum 2 Trengganu Street Level 3singapore navy Museum 32 Admiralty Road Westsingapore philatelic Museum 23B Coleman Stree

venUes / AssOCiAtiOns / grOUps

Alliance française de singapour 1 Sarkies RoadArt retreat (Wu guanzhong gallery) 10 Ubi Crescent #01-45/47Artsingapore www.artsingapore.netArtspace at royal plaza hotel 25 Scotts RoadCOMBinArt 27 Woodlands Industrial Park E1 #01-08esplanade 1 Esplanade Driveemily hill 11 Upper Wilkie Roadgive Art 65 Spottiswoode Park Roadgnani Arts space 190 Middle Road #02-03/31jalan Bahar Clay studios 97L Lorong TawasjendelA (visual Arts space) 1 Esplanade Drive Level 2la libreria 50 Kent Ridge Crescent Level 3little red shop www.littleredshop.org

ngee Ann Cultural Centre 97 Tank Roadnight & day 139 A/C Selegie RoadOsage 11B Mount Sophia #01-12post-Museum 107+109 Rowell RoadPublic Art Space (Pan Pacific) 7 Raffles Boulevardsculpture square 155 Middle Roadsinema 11B Mount Sophia #B1-12 singapore Art society 10 Kampong Eunossingapore Contemporary young Artists www.contemporaryart.sgthe Art gallery 1 Nanyang Walkthe Arts house 1 Old Parliament Lane

ttasa gallery 89 Short Streettembusu 140 Hill Street #01-05the gallery of gnani Arts One Cuscaden Road #01-05the peach tree 129 Tanglin Roadthe tolman Collect 82 Cairnhill Road

U

vvalentine Willie fine Art 39 Keppel Road #02-04vitriA 17 Chee Hoon Avenuevue privee 20 Cairnhill Road

WWai’s Art gallery 6 Eu Tong Sen Street #02-64Wetterling teo gallery 3 Kim Yam RoadWhite Canvas gallery 78 Guan Chuan Street

xxuanhua Art gallery 70 Bussorah Street

yyang gallery 19 Tanglin Road #02-41 yAvUZ fine Art 51 Waterloo Stree #03-01

your MOther gallery 91A Hindoo Road

#2902 gallery 11 Mount Sophia Block B #B2-09

Art AUCtiOneers / deAlersBlack earth Auction 367 Joo Chiat RoadBorobudur www.borobudurauction.comMasterpiece www.masterpiece-auction.comy2Arts 140 Hill Street #01-0233 Auction www.33auction.com

yisulang Art gallery6 Handy Road#01-01 The Luxe Singapore 229234T: +65 63376810www.yisulang.com

Mercedes-Benz Center301 Alexandra RoadSingapore 159968T: +65 6866 1888www.mercedes-benz.com.sg

the luxe Art Museum6 Handy Road#02-01 The LuxeSingapore 229234T: +65 6338 2234www.thelam.sg

Utterly Art llp229A South Bridge RoadSingapore 058778T: +65 9487 2006 +65 6226 2605www.utterlyart.com.sg

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the gallery (sMU) 90 Stamford Roadthe picturehouse 2 Handy Roadthe substation 45 Armenian Streetthird floor – hermès 541 Orchard Roadvictoria theatre & Concert hall 11 Empress Placevolvo Art loft 249 Alexandra Road72-13/theatreWorks 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Road

Art serviCes

frAMers

Ace framing gallery 226 River Valley Roadframe hub gallery 46A Lorong Mambongpeter’s frames 19 Tanglin Road

COnservAtiOn / restOrAtiOn

Benaka Art Conservation private ltd 64 Taman Warna

Art sChOOls

Bhaskar’s Art Academy 19/21 Kerbau RoadlAsAlle 1 McNally Streetnanyang Academy of fine Arts 38/80/151 Bencoolen StntU (school of Art, design & Media) 81 Nanyang DrivenUs Museum 50 Kent Ridge Crescentschool of the Arts (sOtA) 1 Zubir Said Drivesotheby’s institute of Art 82 Telok Ayer Streetthe republic Cultural Centre 9 Woodlands Avenue 9the singapore tyler print institute 41 Robertson Quay

Artist stUdiOs

Barrosa studio 4 Woking Road #01-02

geeleinan Art gallery & studio 1 Whitchurch Road #02-03jeremy ramsey fine Art 16 Bukit Pasoh RoadKelly reedy - studio Arts 27 Woking Road #01-01Ketna patel 35 Jalan Puteh Jerneh

Marisa Keller 28 Woking Road #03-05sealey Brandt photography studio 1 Westbourne Road #01-02 telok Kurau studios 91 Telok Kurau Lorong J

tOUrist spOts

Armenian Church 60 Hill StreetBattle Box 51 Canning RiseBotanic gardens 1 Cluny Road +65 6471 7361Buddha tooth relic temple 288 South Bridge Road

foundation Oil painting(conducted by Mr Wee shoo leong)155 Waterloo Street#01-04 Stam ford Arts CentreSingapore 187962+65 9726 2028www.foundationoilpaintingclass.com

Chieu sheuy fook studio Studio 102 91 Lorong J Telok Kurau Road Singapore 425985+65 96690589email: chieusf@gmail.com

dreamspace Art studio艺术创作，专业绘画教育。19 China Street#03-04/05 Far East SquareSingapore 049561+65 9168 7785www.hill-ad.com.sg

ray’s transport & servicesArtwork Installation & Delivery ServicesAll other Art related services+65 91522511artswithray@gmail.com

m’a ArtsTransportation & Installation of Art Works Other art related services.+65 8611 5280alfred@maarts.com.sg

Koeh sia yong 许锡勇10 Kampong Eunos Singapore 417774 +65 9671 2940e: koehsy@singnet.com.sgwww.yessy.com/koehsiayongwww.koehsiayong.artfederations.com

DIRECTORIES

JUNE 2011 / 67

Bukit timah saddle Club 51 Fairways Drive +65 6466 2782ChijMes 30 Victoria Street +6336 1818Chinatown heritage Centre 48 Pagoda Street +65 6221 9556Chinese garden 1 Chinese Garden +65 6261 3632Crocodilarium 730 East Coast Parkway +65 447 3722escape theme park 1 Pasir Ris Close +65 6581 9112fort Canning park 51 Canning Rise +65 6332 1302goethe-institut singapur 163 Penang Road #05-01johore Battery Cosford Road +65 6546 9897jurong Bird park 2 Jurong Hill +65 6265 0022Kranji War Memorial 9 Woodlands Roadlim Bo seng Memorial Esplanade ParkMalay heritage Centre 85 Sultan Gate +65 6391 0450Malay village 39 Geylang Serai +65 6748 4700Mandai Orchid garden 200 Mandai Lake Road +65 6269 1036Marina Barrage 8 Marina Gardens Drive +65 6514 5959Marina Bay sands 10 Bayfront Avenue +65 6688 8868Masjid sultan Kampong GlamMerlion park Fullerton Mount faber +65 6270 8855national Archives of singapore 1 Canning Rise +65 6332 7909national library singapore 100 Victoria Street +65 6332 3255national parks Board 1800 471 7300night safari 80 Mandai Lake Road +65 6269 3411parliament house 1 Parliament Place +65 6336 8811Raffles’ Landing Site North bank of the Singapore RiverReflections at Bukit Chandra 31K Pepys Road +65 6375 2510resorts World sentosa 39 Artillery Avenue +65 6577 8888st. Andrew’s Cathedral 11 Saint Andrew’s Roadscience Centre singapore / Omni theatre 15 Science Centre Road +65 6425 2500sentosa 1800 736 8672siA hop-on +65 9457 2896singapore Botanic gardens 1 Cluny Road +65 6471 7361singapore Cable Car +65 6270 8855singapore City gallery 45 Maxwell Road +65 6321 8321singapore discovery Centre 510 Upper Jurong Road +65 6792 6188singapore expo 1 Expo Drive +65 6403 2160 singapore flyer 30 Raffles Avenue +65 6734 8829singapore turf Club 1 Turf Club Avenue +65 6879 1000singapore Zoo 80 Mandai Lake Road +65 6269 3411sKi360° 1206A East Coast Parkway +65 6442 7318snow City 21 Jurong Town Hall Road +65 6560 2306sri Mariamman temple 244 South Bridge Roadsun yat sen nanyang Memorial hall 12 Tai Gin Road +65 6256 7377supreme Court 1 Supreme Court Lane +65 6336 0644sungei Buloh Wetland reserve 301 Neo Tiew Crescent +65 6794 1401taxis - Comfort/YellowTop +65 6552 1111- CityCab +65 6552 2222- Premier +65 732 2516- Smart +65 6485 7777- Tibs +65 6555 8888- Transcab +65 6555 3333thian hock Keng temple 158 Telok Ayer Streettouristline 1800 736 2000 Underwater World 80 Siloso Road +65 6275 0030Universal studios 8 Sentosa Gateway +65 6577 8888War Memorial park Bras Basah Road & Beach Road intersection

MAlAysiA Art gUide+Wondermilk Art gallery www.theclickproject.com12 (Art space gallery) www.12as12.comA2 gallery www.a2artgallery.comAnnexe gallery www.annexegallery.comArt Case galleries www.artcase.com.myArt expo Malaysia www.artexpomalaysia.comArt house gallery www.arthousegallery.bizArt loft www.artloftgallery.netArt salon @ seni www.theartgallerypg.comArtseni gallery www.artseni.com ChAi (instant Cafe house of Arts and idea) www.instantcafetheatre.comCity Art gallery edi.A Art gallery www.ediarts.blogspot.comgaleri Chandan www.galerichandan.comgAleri petrOnAs www.galeripetronas.com.mygaleri shah Alam www.galerisa.comgalleriiizu @ shangri-la hotel www.galleriiizu.comhenry Butcher Art Auctioneers www.hbart.com.myhouse of Matahati (hOM) www.matahati.com.myislamic Arts Museum www.iamm.org.mylookiss www.lookissgallery.comlost generation space www.lostgenerationspace.blogspot.comMalaysia national Art gallery www.artgallery.gov.myMerAh: Mansion for experimentation, research, Arts and horticulture www.facebook.com/pages/MERAH/148050170487Metro fine Art www.metro3gallery.comnn gallery www.nngallery.com.mypace gallery www.pacegallery.netpelita hati www.pelitahati.com.mypinkguy gallery www.pinkguymalaysia.comrichard Koh fine Art www.rkfineart.comrimbun dahan www.rimbundahan.orgrougeArt www.rogueart.asiashalini ganendra fine Art www.shaliniganendra.comthe gallery @ star hill www.starhillgallery.comvalentine Willie fine Art www.vwfa.netWei-ling gallery www.weiling-gallery.comy 2 s Art space www.y2sart.com.myZinC www.zinc.com.my

hOng KOng Art gUideAmelia johnson gallery www.ajc-art.comfabrik Contemporary Art www.fabrik-gallery.comgagosian gallery www.gagosian.comgalerie huit www.galeriehuit.com.hkhanart tZ gallery www.hanart.comi/O input Output www.inputoutput.tvKarin Webber gallery www.karinwebbergallery.comKing’s gallery www.kingsgalleryhk.comMAdhOUse Contemporary www.madhouse.com.hkMadhouse Contemporary www.madhouse.com.hknew gallery on Old Bailey www.newgalleryonoldbailey.comshin hwa gallery www.shinhwagallery.comyan gallery www.yangallery.com

lOndOn Art gUideAiCOn gAllery London 8 Heddon Street, London W1B 4BU Chinese Contemporary The Studio House, 7/9 Edith Grove ,London, SW 10 0JZdanielle Arnaud contemporary art

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123 Kennington Road, London SE11 6SF hai gallery 46a Harrowby Street, Marble Arch, London W1H 5HThalcyon gallery 24 Bruton Street, London W1J 6QQjealous gallery 27 Park Road N8 8TE Crouch End LondonKings place gallery 90 York Way, London N1 9AG lisson gallery 52-54 Bell Street, London, NW1 5DArichard green147 New Bond Street, London, W1S 2TSserpentine gallery Kensington Gardens, London W2 3XAsouth london gallery 65 Peckham Road, London SE5 8UHthe Air gallery 32 Dover Street, London W1S 4NEthe Brick lane gallery 196 BRICK LANE, E1 6SA Londonthe hart gallery 113 Upper Street, Islington London N1 1QNWalton fine Arts154 Walton Street, Knightsbridge, London SW3 2JJ

eUrOpe Art gUide

United stAtes Art gUide

petrA gAllerie1151 S. Robertson Blvd.Soro, LA, CA. USA 90035Tel: (310) 247

Art fAirsArt fair tokyo www.artfairtokyo.comChina international gallery exposition (Cige) www.cige-bj.comArt Beijing www.artbeijing.netArt revolution taipei www.arts.org.twArt Melbourne www.artmelbourne10.com.auyoung Art taipei www.youngarttaipei.comhong Kong international Art fair (Art hK) www.hongkongartfair.comArt indonesia www.artindonesia.net

flO peters gAlleryChilehaus CPumpen 820095 Hamburg, Germany+49 40 3037 4686www.flopetersgallery.com

© Elliott Erwitt/MAGNUM Photos

l & M Arts45 East 78 StreetNew York 10075+1 212 861 0020www.lmgallery.com

gAlerie ChristiAn lethert Antwerpener Strasse 4D - 50672 Köln (Cologne) Germany+49 (0)22 1356 0590 www.christianlethert.com

Art daegu www.artdaegu.comMelbourne Art fair www.artfair.com.au/fairAuckland Art fair www.aucklandartfair.co.nzAsia top gallery hotel Art fair seoul (AhAf) www.hotelartfair.krArt taipei www.art-taipei.comsh Contemporary www.shcontemporary.infoshanghai Art fair www.sartfair.comArtsingapore www.artsingapore.netfine Art Asia www.fineartasia.comArt Canton (Canton international Art & Collection fair) www.artcanton.comArt expo Malaysia www.artexpomalaysia.comAffordable Art fair (Singapore) www.affordableartfair.sgContemporary istanbul Art fair www.contemporaryistanbul.comArt stage singapore www.artstagesingapore.comindia Art summit www.indiaartsummit.comArt dubai www.artdubai.aeContemporary istanbul Art fair www.contemporaryistanbul.com

DIRECTORIES

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JUNE 2011 / 71

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