Two young siblings who are part of an art collective formed by their family have been disappointed by the sudden closure of their exhibit that was to be held in a cafe housed inside the newly opened National Gallery Singapore.
The cafe in question, Gallery & Co, says that a misunderstanding and mishandling of the exhibit, primarily the stipulation that National Gallery Singapore must approve any and all exhibits that are displayed on its property. Gallery & Co cafe apparently did not secure that approval prior to inviting the brother and sister duo to display their joint art pieces inside the cafe space.
In a Facebook message, Gallery & Co apologized for the abruptness of the show’s cancellation and explained that while National Gallery Singapore had approved the theme of the exhibit, which explored the siblings’ relationship and how they inspired each other creatively, the gallery hadn’t approved the format of the exhibit, which included canvas artworks hanging on the wall.
Many people in the art community, including the siblings’ artistic parents, decried the treatment of the exhibit, calling National Gallery Singapore’s actions authoritarian and criticizing the fact that the gallery had refused to be flexible and allow the exhibit, which had to be taken down after just a few days of being installed. The exhibit had initially been scheduled to be on display throughout January. Critics also brought up the fact that the children, Renn and Aira, had been working very hard on the exhibit, juggling their artwork with schoolwork. Renn was even splitting his time with important exams at his school
Gallery & Co is a boutique retailer that also features a cafe that sells food products. National Gallery Singapore said that the cafe space is actually not permitted to display art, and that Gallery & Co failed to properly communicate with the museum on just what was taking place there. As a workaround, officials at National Gallery Singapore suggested that the siblings transform their exhibit into a workshop for anyone interested to attend, which would still include the opportunity for the brother and the sister to sell their handmade art. However, officials said that the family instead decided to remove the art exhibit altogether.
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For more about the miscommunication that led to the show’s closing, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/cafe-at-national-gallery-singapore-apologises-for-closing-art-exhibit-by-young.