Celebrating a decade in contemporary arts, the four-day fair will feature cutting-edge works curated by prestigious galleries like Artêria (Canada), Caldwell Snyder Gallery (US), Shonandai Gallery (Japan) and Other Criteria (UK); spoiling us art addicts for choice. I-S suggests the following itinerary to make sure you don’t miss out.
ARTSingapore Main Show (Oct 8-11)
This is a rare opportunity to view a vast collection of the world’s newest artistic pieces under one roof. With over $5 million worth of sales recorded last year, the fair attracts serious buyers from all over the world. The high prices are not restricted to works from world-renowned artists like Yang Tao’s “A Toy that Wishes to Fly” (HaKaren Art Gallery); many emerging artists make their name here. A special area titled “New Finds” is where you can bear witness to the talents of local and international artists. From the likes of Dutch photographer Brenda Reimers’ vivid landscapes and commercial work, Malaysian born painter Soon Lai Wai’s realistic traditional Chinese paintings and Chennai-based photographer K.R. Santhana Krishanan’s inventive illusionary approach towards common images; ARTSingapore is more than an art fair, it’s a place of discovery.
A Rough Guide To (The Meaning Of) A Life 3.0 at SONY New Media Space (Oct 9-10)
Having been named “The Most Promising Young Artist” at the UOB Painting of the Year Award at the tender age of 18, and received both the San Francisco International Film Festival Golden Gate Award and the New Visions Video Merit Award in 1998, Singaporean artist Tan Kai Syng is no stranger to the art scene. Her interactive multimedia presentation at this year’s fair explores the meaning of life through her digital alter-ego, Kaidie. The installation will include a film of Kaidie’s adventures as she runs for 1,000 days through multiple levels of life in search of its meaning. Visitors can also participate by interacting with Kaidie in her virtual city, Nondon, via a live web-chat (Oct 9, 4pm; Oct 10, 6:30pm).
Art Conversations (Oct 9-10)
Some of the most respected and distinguished speakers in the art industry have graced this occasion in the past. This year sees Director of Sotheby’s Institute of Arts, Phil Whitaker, chairing the session “Conversation with Art Connoisseurs: Contemporary Asian Art as Investment—Its History. Its Future.” Also on the list is renowned Chinese artist, Yang Shaobin, who will discuss his personal artistic journey. This is an important session to attend if you’re interested in a deeper understanding of both the business and creative aspects of art.
ARTSingapore 2010 is on Oct 8-11. 4/F Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Raffles Blvd., 6337-2888. $10 per entry, $20 seasonal ticket (unlimited entries).
