The Art Fair That’s Putting Southeast Asia In The Spotlight

 

 

Southeast Asian contemporary art holds tremendous potential for global recognition, with increasing interest from international collectors. This is reflected in the growing presence of global art enthusiasts at events like Art SG, alongside the rise of a new generation of collectors eager to invest in the region’s artists. Young galleries featuring emerging artists working across diverse disciplines are on an exciting trajectory. Notable names include Bangkok CityCity, presenting work by Korakrit Arunanondchai, Alex Face, Nawin Nuthong; FOST Gallery showcasing Kray Chen, Lec Cruz, Nilo Ilarde, Jodi Tan, Wyn-Lyn Tan, Eng Tow, Ian Woo, Yeo Tze Yang; Cuturi Gallery, featuring four young Singaporean painters: Aisha Rosli, Faris Heizer, Shen Jiaqi and Khairulddin Wahab; and Haridas Contemporary, presenting a new work by Melissa Tan, in addition to paintings by Jeremy Sharma and a new body of work by Esmond Loh.

 

 

Art SG is vital in connecting local and regional artists and galleries with international audiences. By bringing together leading international galleries and a strong Southeast Asian presence, the fair offers local artists a direct platform to engage with collectors, curators and art lovers worldwide. The alignment with Singapore Art Week further boosts exposure, drawing a global crowd of art professionals to the event. The fair’s diverse programming, including the sectors for public art and education – Platform, Film and Talks – provides in-depth engagement opportunities with contemporary art. Platform, dedicated to large-scale, site-specific installations, offers a prominent stage for bold and impactful artworks, often featuring rising talents. Film and Talks, which feature curated discussions and presentations, provide a focused platform for examining Southeast Asian art within a broader global context. The inclusion of institutionally recognized curators and thought leaders, including Stefano Rabolli Pansera, Director of Bangkok Kunsthalle and Khao Yai Art Forest and Artistic Director of the St. Moritz Art Film Festival, who will curate Art SG’s Film sector, and Aaron Cezar, Founding Director of the Delfina Foundation, who will help to shape our Talks program, elevates the presence of regional artists on the world stage.

 

 

 

For Art SG’s third edition in January 2025, visitors can expect a fascinating array of programming highlights that showcase a range of contemporary art practices across multiple disciplines and demographics:

 

Lehmann Maupin (New York, London, Seoul) will feature a selection of works from across the gallery’s program, foregrounding Asian and diaspora female artists including Tammy Nguyen, Mandy El-Sayegh, Lee Bul and Kim Yun Shin.

 

Ames Yavuz (Singapore, Sydney) will present acclaimed artists from Southeast Asia in a thematic show titled “Kindred Spirits”. Works by Abdul Abdullah, Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan, Elmer Borlongan, Ayka Go, Alvin Ong and Samak Kosem will explore how memories and materials accrue over time to form complex local identities.

 

Gazelli Art House (London, Baku) will display a dynamic group exhibition titled “Unknown & Uncontained” featuring six pioneering artists who explore the intersection of digital media and emerging technologies. Centered on speculative communication with other forms of life – whether biological, machine or data-based – the theme of the presentation will invite viewers to experience newly generated worlds through various mediums, including video, sculpture, framed prints and neon. The presentation will include works by acclaimed artist Jake Elwes, while new works by Entangled Others, Xin Liu, and 00 Zhang will be showcased in Singapore for the first time.

 

Southeast Asian contemporary art holds tremendous potential for global recognition, with increasing interest from international collectors. This is reflected in the growing presence of global art enthusiasts at events like Art SG, alongside the rise of a new generation of collectors eager to invest in the region’s artists. Young galleries featuring emerging artists working across diverse disciplines are on an exciting trajectory. Notable names include Bangkok CityCity, presenting work by Korakrit Arunanondchai, Alex Face, Nawin Nuthong; FOST Gallery showcasing Kray Chen, Lec Cruz, Nilo Ilarde, Jodi Tan, Wyn-Lyn Tan, Eng Tow, Ian Woo, Yeo Tze Yang; Cuturi Gallery, featuring four young Singaporean painters: Aisha Rosli, Faris Heizer, Shen Jiaqi and Khairulddin Wahab; and Haridas Contemporary, presenting a new work by Melissa Tan, in addition to paintings by Jeremy Sharma and a new body of work by Esmond Loh.

Art SG is vital in connecting local and regional artists and galleries with international audiences. By bringing together leading international galleries and a strong Southeast Asian presence, the fair offers local artists a direct platform to engage with collectors, curators and art lovers worldwide. The alignment with Singapore Art Week further boosts exposure, drawing a global crowd of art professionals to the event. The fair’s diverse programming, including the sectors for public art and education – Platform, Film and Talks – provides in-depth engagement opportunities with contemporary art. Platform, dedicated to large-scale, site-specific installations, offers a prominent stage for bold and impactful artworks, often featuring rising talents. Film and Talks, which feature curated discussions and presentations, provide a focused platform for examining Southeast Asian art within a broader global context. The inclusion of institutionally recognized curators and thought leaders, including Stefano Rabolli Pansera, Director of Bangkok Kunsthalle and Khao Yai Art Forest and Artistic Director of the St. Moritz Art Film Festival, who will curate Art SG’s Film sector, and Aaron Cezar, Founding Director of the Delfina Foundation, who will help to shape our Talks program, elevates the presence of regional artists on the world stage.

 

For Art SG’s third edition in January 2025, visitors can expect a fascinating array of programming highlights that showcase a range of contemporary art practices across multiple disciplines and demographics:

 

Lehmann Maupin (New York, London, Seoul) will feature a selection of works from across the gallery’s program, foregrounding Asian and diaspora female artists including Tammy Nguyen, Mandy El-Sayegh, Lee Bul and Kim Yun Shin.

 

Ames Yavuz (Singapore, Sydney) will present acclaimed artists from Southeast Asia in a thematic show titled “Kindred Spirits”. Works by Abdul Abdullah, Isabel and Alfredo Aquilizan, Elmer Borlongan, Ayka Go, Alvin Ong and Samak Kosem will explore how memories and materials accrue over time to form complex local identities.

 

Gazelli Art House (London, Baku) will display a dynamic group exhibition titled “Unknown & Uncontained” featuring six pioneering artists who explore the intersection of digital media and emerging technologies. Centered on speculative communication with other forms of life – whether biological, machine or data-based – the theme of the presentation will invite viewers to experience newly generated worlds through various mediums, including video, sculpture, framed prints and neon. The presentation will include works by acclaimed artist Jake Elwes, while new works by Entangled Others, Xin Liu, and 00 Zhang will be showcased in Singapore for the first time.

 

Goodman Gallery (Johannesburg, Cape Town, London, New York) will show a group presentation that reflects their artists’ institutional program across this year, with an emphasis on works by Yinka Shonibare, who will examine the relationship between Africa and Europe, speaking to the persistence of colonialism and its legacy. Shonibare had a major solo show at the Serpentine last year, the first at the institution in 20 years.

 

Additionally, the Delfina Foundation, led by Director Aaron Cezar, will collaborate with Art SG to present a series of programs focused on collecting, philanthropy and private foundations, based on the Foundation’s Collecting as Practice program, further enriching the fair’s dynamic cultural exchange.

 

There will also be insightful talks from prominent Southeast Asian artists, such as Mandy El-Sayegh, a London-based, Malaysian-born painter and mixed media artist, and Korakrit Arunanondchai, a Thai multi-disciplinary artist, most recently featured in major institutional presentations in Bangkok and Jakarta. These discussions will offer invaluable insights into their creative processes and perspectives on contemporary art in the region.