The long dormant Art Galleries Association of Singapore will hold a joint exhibition to include representations from its members at Artspace@HelutransJuly 19 to 28.
The non-profit association was first set up in 1995 to help promote professional gallery practices, however, in recent years the organization had become rather inactive. It is now being revitalized and will soon re-launch with a new official website, a Facebook page to which its 21 members can post, and has plans for an Art Walk during the Singapore Biennale.
“We don't have a title just yet, but the theme will be exploring processes of cultural convergence,” curator Kamiliah Bahar told ARTINFO referring to the planned joint exhibition.
“The intent of the exhibition is to hopefully breakdown ideas of discrete national and cultural identities, of authenticity, of a linear past, present and future, to highlight the fluidity, flexibility, and creativity of various actors and agents, including the artists, to respond to changes and influences,” she explained, adding, “As the exhibition can't explore everything, we've narrowed it down to convergence in relation to the formal elements of art, e.g. styles, mediums, etc., and convergence of socio-cultural factors.”
The Association members currently include: Art-2 Gallery, Art Forum, Art Galleries At Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Art Seasons, Cape of Good Hope, Gajah Gallery,HaKaren Art Gallery, Indigo Blue Art, Linda Gallery, Red Sea Gallery, Singapore Tyler Print Institute, Soobin Art International, Wetterling Teo Gallery, Art Plural Gallery, Collectors Contemporary, Chan Hampe Galleries, Galerie Steph, Ikkan Art Gallery, Richard Koh Fine Art, iPreciation, and Partners and Mucciaccia. Each gallery will provide two to three works for the exhibition.
“Singapore has a lot of galleries and we can do a lot more working with different partners. (The opening of) Gillman Barracks has really prompted us to realize we do have a gallery landscape here with a lot of young galleries,” says Emi Eu, director of STPI and the Vice-President of the association. “We want to promote good ethical practices as dealers and accountability, and we also want to nurture and pave the way for young people to open galleries,” she added.