31st August 2015
Tan Boon Hui will be transitioning from his role as head of the art museum in Singapore to leading the Asia Society Museum in New York City. In that capacity, Tan will also be the second in command for a worldwide art and culture program, organizing activities and managing collections for the group.
The Asia Society aims to create a deeper understanding between the United States and Asian countries through art and culture. In that vein, Tan is the perfect candidate to bridge the cultural gap between the different regions of the world. His love of and passion for Asian artwork — particularly Buddhist masterpieces — as well as his strong connections in Singapore’s art world, will serve him well in his new leadership role abroad.
Tan says he’s thrilled about landing the job with the Asia Society Museum. The New York location of the company has hosted several thoroughly modern shows celebrating the cutting edge of Asian art. Tan added that he recognized a global interest in and acceptance of Asian artwork, meaning that now is the perfect time to push the genre to the forefront and gain even more worldwide attention.
Tan’s past history in Singapore includes a long period of studying and analyzing art — though he never formally studied art. Never letting that stop him from being interested in creative pursuits, it is probably his other interests that helped Tan approach art so differently and successfully. He is the person to be thanked for one of the most successful Singapore Biennale events in the history of the artistic celebration, drawing hundreds of thousands of attendees and gaining approval for showcasing art with a strong regional flavor. He has also promoted art from Singapore in a traveling show through France.
During Tan’s tenure at the Singapore Art Museum, many people lauded his leadership nature of being a person who wasn’t afraid to take risks. He pushed for the museum to accept and show more contemporary art, helping to modernize Singapore’s approach to creative pursuits. Though he might not have been enormously popular with traditionalists, he did a lot to push contemporary art to the center of creative dialogue in Singapore.
The president of the Asia Society, Josette Sheeran, also complimented Tan’s leadership style, saying that he will bring fresh vision and a creative spirit to help helm the organization and promote its goals throughout the world.
With Singapore’s art scene livelier than ever, now is the time to ride the wave of art and culture by signing up for an art class via SGArtClass.com. Even if you’ve never dabbled in any kind of art before, our different classes are tailored for students of all skill levels — from beginning to advanced. Enroll today to explore a brand new hobby that you could soon become passionate about.
For more about Tan Boon Hui’s move from Singapore to New York, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/singapores-tan-boon-hui-appointed-asia-society-museum-director.