What are your top highlights for Art Stage 2012? What galleries/ projects/artists/events should we watch out for?

Despite a big increase of applications, our focus has always been quality over quantity. There has been a substantial jump in the quality of presentations and the level of presenting exhibitors. This year’s applications had to pass even more stringent and rigorous admission criteria, so there is a definite difference and improvement in the quality of works and projects. Only in its second year, the fair has managed to attract new, prestigious international exhibitors such as Berlin's leading gallery Eigen + Art – this is the gallery representing the worldwide highly praised Leipzig School painters like Neo Rauch – New York’s top gallery Lehmann Maupin, London’s powerhouses  Victoria Miro Gallery and White Cube, etc.. But also leading Asian exhibitors such as Seoul’s Gana Art Gallery, Gallery Hyundai, 313 Art Project or Leeham Gallery, Tokyo’s Mizuma Art Gallery and Ota Fine Art, or important Tang Contemporary Art with branches in Bangkok, Beijing and Hong Kong, etc. are new on the set; as well as Takashi Murakami’s vibrant Kaikai Kiki Gallery (Tokyo, Taipei).

Jumping from 30 positions last year to 40 this year, the fair’s Project Stage platform is the go-to place for the discovery of rising Asian stars in the world. For the 2012 edition, the works here will be even stronger and more impressive than in the year before –several of which feature site-specific projects, stunning installations and innovative concepts. Art Stage Singapore is definitely not a typical art fair showcasing only small and easily sellable art works. Visitors can expect to see – and to participate in – performances and interactive projects such as the Gao Brothers’ “World Hug Day”; many spectacular large-scale installations like the specially created works by world renowned Antony Gormley; Tibetan artist Tenzing Rigdol is showcased with a solo exhibition; and Project Stage has its first Kazak artist, Almagul Menlibayeva.

Do you have any favourite pieces that will be shown?

Art Stage Singapore 2012 will show a lot of outstanding presentations and works: For example, big one-man shows with Japanese rising star MR or China’s big painter Yang Pei-Ming, inclusive a huge painting of over 10m; a wonderful installation by Chinese artist Zhu Jinshi, playing with the role of the bicycle in Chinese traditional society; two immense paintings by the Chinese painters THEY, presenting on 8 and 10m the two metropolis Beijing and Shanghai; an outstanding poetic video installation by Indian artist Ranbir Kaleka; a very seldom, 7m long ash painting by Zhang Huan; incredibly stunning multimedia installation by Indian artist Bose Krishnamachari, playing with the overwhelming impressions you get in the traffic of Bombay; an impressive, 25m long work by Thai artist Rikrit Tiravanija; and, last but surely not least, a unique installation by Indonesian emerging artist Aditya Novali, presented by Gallery Canna. The cherry on top is a 12m long painting by Thai artist Navin Rawanchaikul, who impressed by our publicity campaign with the slogan “We are Asia!”, created especially for Art Stage Singapore a work showing the “who’s who” of the continent.

What is the difference between your first and second edition?

Don’t change a winning concept, but develop it! It’s obvious that we analyzed the market and all its tendencies in an in-depth manner before we created the concept of Art Stage Singapore. We are glad that we can base on a very successful first edition of the fair. But we also know that we have consequently to develop the event; resting is rusting. Despite a big increase of applications, our focus has always been quality over quantity. There has been a substantial jump in the quality of presentations and the level of presenting exhibitors. This year’s applications had to pass even more stringent and rigorous admission criteria, so there is a definite difference and improvement in the quality of works and projects. Only in its second year, the fair has managed to attract new, prestigious international exhibitors such as Berlin's leading gallery Eigen + Art – this is the gallery representing the worldwide highly praised Leipzig School painters like Neo Rauch – New York’s top gallery Lehmann Maupin, London’s powerhouses Victoria Miro Gallery and White Cube, etc.. But also some leading Asian galleries are new on the set including Takashi Murakami’s vibrant Kaikai Kiki Gallery (Tokyo, Taipei). Art Stage Singapore is definitely not a typical art fair showcasing only small and easily sellable art works. Visitors can expect to see – and to participate in – performances and interactive projects such as the Gao Brothers’ “World Hug Day”; many spectacular large-scale installations like the specially created works by world renowned Antony Gormley;, and, inspired by the fair’s eye-catching publicity campaign, established Thai artist Navin Rawanchaikul created especially for Art Stage Singapore a new 12 m long painting, titled, “We are Asia!”

Where do you think the Southeast Asian art scene is headed? Is the quality of work getting better? What do you think of Indonesian art and its impact on the region?

The first time when I got into contact with the Southeast Asian art scenes I was totally surprised and impressed. And since then, becoming also more familiar with the scene my opinion didn’t change, in the contrary, my respect even increased. You have totally interesting and stunning artists who are absolutely competitive with their Western colleagues. Especially in Indonesia, I met a variety of top artists and a richness of the art scene, which is unique. There are not many countries, especially in Asia, with such a strong art scene. It was a revelation for me when I was Yogyakarta and visited the studios of all the leading as well as some emerging artists. It is obvious that Indonesia, which such outstanding artists, is in a certain way the locomotive of Southeast Asia. The problem of Southeast Asia is not the quality and the strength of its artists, the problem is the lack of professional institutions. There are no (strong) public museums, there are very few competitive galleries, most of them only active in Southeast Asia. What Southeast Asia really needs is a strong infrastructure, strong museums and especially strong, professional and internationally-competitive galleries. Thank God there are the big collectors who are taking over this role in Indonesia; it’s mainly also because of them that the Indonesian artists get the support and the promotion they need and merit, in Indonesia as well as abroad.

With so many art fairs in the region now, how do you differentiate your fair from the rest?

It’s true, there are absolutely too many art fairs, especially too many similar art fairs. But Art Stage Singapore is not a regional event, it’s a fair of global importance; its market is entire Asia and also the West. And in contrast to other art fairs in Asia, Art Stage Singapore is not a copy of a Western show, but Asia’s necessary top event with its own strong (Asian) identity.  Art Stage Singapore supports and defends the interests of Asian artists and galleries by elevating them to a level of international importance, by positioning them as strong and competitive players in the global market. Therefore the heart of the fair will be the best and most exciting of Asia’s artistic creativity, the most important, most interesting and most stunning artists and galleries of the entire continent. The Asian galleries are juxtaposed against carefully selected Western galleries, which will complement and not conflict. They will add an additional value and will make a special effort. It makes absolutely no sense to blow up an art fair in Asia with countless occidental galleries presenting and offering what they were not able to sell in the West. And in contrast to other art fairs in Asia, Art Stage Singapore also is a show, which puts the art in a context. The main criteria for the fair are not trends and easy saleability. Art Stage Singapore showcases the art in an Asia Pacific context, by presenting interesting and stunning artistic positions and galleries from all over the region and supporting the best Asia Pacific emerging galleries. And it showcases art in an artistic context, by supporting many very impressive special projects and presentations. Art Stage Singapore offers you a unique artistic experience and innumerous emotional, intellectual and sensual encounters.

Caption:

They, Lost in Paradise, 2009-2010, oil on canvas, 1000 x 380 cm

Courtesy of Art Stage Singapore 2012