The Singapore art market that had exploded onto the scene near the 50th birthday of the nation has now slowed to a crawl, plagued by a small audience, growing pains, and the closures of a recently opened art museum and a number of small galleries. While some in the art world are worried about the state of affairs for the creative market in Singapore, others say there’s still reason to be hopeful.
Though Singapore itself is only 50 years old, expectations for a grand art scene were high, particularly with the opening of National Gallery Singapore, a behemoth of an art museum occupying the two buildings that formerly housed Singapore’s city hall and supreme court. Art festivals, fairs, shows, and galleries abounded, encouraged by various initiatives and promotions from art and culture committees within the government. However, art museums and galleries that opened during this time period had a singular challenge: attracting more business in an audience that was already small.
That led to the shutting of a recently opened art museum, the Singapore Pinacotheque de Paris, on the grounds of poor attendance and criticisms about management of exhibits. The facility had only been open for two years prior to folding. In addition to this artistic loss, a number of galleries closed, many of the owners opting not to renew their leases in an art commons on the basis of a lack of business. Once popular art fairs, such as the Singapore Art Fair, have also disappeared from the scene.
Some in the art world say that art in Singapore isn’t quite in crisis despite these worrying signs. Because Singapore is a country that is only 50 years old, developing a lasting and sustainable art world might take time. Some of the existing art events, such as Singapore’s Affordable Art Fair, can act as a springboard for future art investment. The Affordable Art Fair is geared toward fans of art who might not have started collecting art yet because they’re intimidated by the prices or the actual operation. The most recent iteration of this event even organized a “speed dating” opportunity for participants to get to know several galleries and receive a primer on just what it takes to collect art.
Art isn’t going anywhere yet in Singapore. Help support the arts today by enrolling in an art class via SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is an informative website that tells you everything you need to know about art as well as organizing a comprehensive listing of art classes in every genre. You can take a class on everything from charcoal drawing and acrylic landscape painting to nail art and making art videos. The expert teacher leading your class will be open to developing a curriculum with you for projects you are most interested in, and will tailor lessons to your level of artistic expertise.
To read more about the state of the art market in Singapore, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/growing-pains-for-singapore-art-market.