As Art Stage Singapore struggles with dwindling attendance, participation, and purchasing power, Thai artists will be in the spotlight, hopefully drawing more interest from collectors and visitors alike.
One of the most visually arresting installations from the 2017 installment of Art Stage Singapore was from a Thai artist. The installation included a number of brightly painted automatic rifles suspended from a grid work ceiling. The shadows cast on the wall contributed to an otherworldly, almost ethereal experience. Each of the weapons was painted in different colors and patterns, many of them looking more like colorful sweaters or bright, woven blankets instead of deadly guns. The installation called to mind both the commodity of weapons as well as the personalization of the retail experience, making viewers of the piece carefully consider their own choices in life.
However, even with dynamic exhibits from artists from all over the world, Art Stage Singapore is still struggling. Established in 2011 from one of the minds behind the renowned Art Basel event in Switzerland, Art Stage Singapore has been in decline recently, most likely due to economic drawbacks. When the economy is challenged, art collecting often stymies. Many of the galleries that used to show work at previous installments of the festival declined to return, citing poor sales and a lack of growth of art collectors.
The founder of Art Stage Singapore also laid blame on Singaporean art collectors, saying that since they do not buy art in the country, Singaporean artists and other creative minds on display at festivals like Art Stage Singapore suffer. Though Art Stage Singapore was seen as a hub for Southeast Asian art, recent festivals from around the region could be to blame for an increase on art competition. Because of what is likely a combination of reasons, next year’s Art Stage Singapore will see less than one hundred galleries in attendance — the lowest since it was established.
Art Stage Singapore is not the only art festival in Singapore suffering from a lack of sales and collectors. The Affordable Art Fair, which was once so popular it was scheduled for twice every year, recently had to shrink again to an annual event. Sales were poor, even though the majority of the art averaged at a price designed to attract both first-time art collectors and new and emerging artists who had never sold or displayed their pieces before.
If you’ve always wanted to have a more creative life but weren’t sure where to start, visit SGArtClass.com at your earliest convenience to begin your art journey. SGArtClass.com connects talented art teachers with aspiring art students in a variety of different classes and educational opportunities. No matter what genre of art you pick, teachers are available to meet with you at a time and location of your convenience.
To read more about Art Stage Singapore and future plans for the festival, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/fewer-galleries-at-next-years-art-stage.