Art Fair Report: Art Stage Singapore
By The Editors with Marybeth Stock
The third edition of Art Stage Singapore (January 24–27) coincided with Singapore Art Week and the first “public showcase” of the Centre for Contemporary Art at Gillman Barracks prior to its long-awaited opening later in the year. January thus became a merry onslaught of openings, special exhibits, artist talks and performances across the island-city. Despite the full calendar, Art Stage Singapore (ASS) commanded the attention of its audience by continuing to assiduously promote art from Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region, increasing its vistor numbers to 40,500, up from 32,000 in 2012. Singaporean art was at the core of the fair, with the 18 local galleries representing the largest number of participants from any country. Following up were China, Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom. A total of 131 galleries exhibited, 75 percent of which were from the Asia-Pacific region; the remainder comprised prestigious Western galleries such as Haunch of Venison, Hilger Modern / Contemporary and White Cube. Participation from Australian galleries also increased, underscoring the country’s growing importance in the market.
