Kickstarting 2024’s calendar of major art events in Southeast Asia is Art SG, which takes place from 19 to 21 January at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands, with a VIP preview and Vernissage on 18 January. Running concurrently with Singapore Art Week (19 to 28 January), the contemporary art fair’s second edition will spotlight environmental themes and issues through 115 international and regional galleries from 33 countries and territories, including Gagosian, Sullivan+Strumpf, Taro Nasu, and Richard Koh Fine Art; new players such as Kaikai Kiki Gallery, Bastian and Nadi Gallery; and events from installations to film presentations, panels, and activations across the country.
Here’s what to look out for at Art SG 2024.
Sectors and programmes
The fair will be organised into three sectors—Galleries, Focus, and Futures—highlighting multi-artist exhibitions, solo or duo artists programmes or thematic presentations, and presentations by galleries under 10 years old, respectively. At the same time, the events will fall into one of three programmes—Platform, Film, and Talks—comprising large-scale site-specific installations by artists such as Boedi Widjaja and Gordon Cheung, a screening series hosted in collaboration with ArtScience Museum and curated by former National Gallery Singapore curator Sam I-shan, and presentations led by thought leaders in art and curated by in-tangible institute founder and director Zoe Butt, respectively.
Eko Nugroho for UBS Art Collection
The UBS Art Collection, run by Art SG founding and lead partner UBS, is set to present artwork by Indonesian contemporary embroidery artist Eko Nugroho: We Are Here Now, an interactive project that highlights the environmental and social issues that result from uncontrolled waste production, in the UBS Art Studio, and Hands With Sunrise, in the UBS Lounge, a commissioned installation crafted with upcycled materials and embroidered paintings.
The Hour Glass, MB&F, and Smith & Winken
Art SG’s associate partner The Hour Glass presents Ukrainian art duo Smith & Winken’s Endless Movement series, in collaboration with the watch brand MB&F. Out of the series’ 20 bionic kinetic sculptures, seven will be on display at Art SG—Hover, Tessen, Gemini, Christopher, Flipper, Skipper, and the unique creation Spero.