Art house
One thing is for sure: when the government here decides on a new policy, it goes full-steam ahead. A couple of years ago, creativity and the arts were pinpointed as keys to help move the city state into the 21st century and help it become a lively global city.
Performing arts have so far been the focus, with the construction of the Esplanade performance centre and the Drama Centre at the new National Library. But now authorities are turning their efforts towards the visual arts.
Next September, Singapore will hold its first biennale art exhibition, presenting contemporary artists from the region. The event is smartly timed to coincide with the International Monetary Fund's annual meeting, when thousands of business leaders will be in town. Meanwhile, from the end of this month, it will present the Singapore Art Show, a new national platform to showcase over 200 local artists and their works.
Packed with 22 exhibitions in various locations across the island, the inaugural Singapore Art Show seems to be providing something for everyone. This means traditional art forms like batik as well as contemporary installation works. Lee Suan Hiang, chief of the National Arts Council, said: 'Our idea is to make this art show a celebration of diversity, accessible to Singaporeans at large. And we hope that through the art show, we'll also attract visitors to Singapore and give [them] a good impression of Singapore as a vibrant art city.'
Meanwhile, Art Singapore, a private art fair now in its fifth year, will be held at the same time as the Art Show.
But if Singapore really wants to make a splash on the international visual art scene, it will need more than annual art shows. It will need a world-class museum ... and here lies a problem. While the Singapore Art Museum has been amassing an interesting and sizeable collection of Southeast Asian art, it does not have enough wall space to display it.
A few years ago, the previous chief of the National Arts Council mounted the idea of building an iconic museum, but the cost was too high. Now, there is a plan to renovate the old Supreme Court building, transforming it into a huge museum. Its location in the civic district, near the Asian Civilisation Museum and the Arts House, would reinforce the de facto art belt that has been created.
The downside is that we will have to wait several years for the renovation to be completed. Still, one bidder has proposed building a Guggenheim museum if it wins the right to operate the Marina Bay resort, so Singapore's art lovers have much to look forward to.
