Surprises in store at Singapore Art Fair October 2008 – Asian Art News

ART FAIR SINGAPORE

ARTSingapore 2008 has some important surprises in store says Asian Art News. There will be a new focus on art from Korea, India and Japan, first time gallery participants, a collector’s show of art never before displayed in public and specially featured emerging artists to watch.

 “This year’s event will highlight a sizeable representation from India Korea and Japan” says fair director, Chen Shen Po. Alongside 22 new Korean fair participants ARTSingapore will also welcome 13 Japanese art galleries including Megumi Ogita Gallery, Shonandai MY Gallery, Arte Gallery and Shinsedo Hatanaka. This marks a new milestone in the development of the fair which has historically been a showcase for South East Asian art.

First time gallery participants include Sundaram Tagore Gallery (USA), Cais Gallery (Korea), Hwas Gallery (China), Silverlens (Philippines) and Bruno Art Group (Israel). Click here for full gallery list.

Jirapat Tatsanasomboon

Rising artists to be featured at the fair include:

• Wu Jianjun (China)
• Kengo Nakamura (Japan)
• Jirapat Tatsanasomboon (Thailand)
• Dang Xuan Hoa (Vietnam)
• Wayan Sujanda (Indonesia)
• Thota Vaikuntam (India)

This year the popular Special Collector’s Showcase section is curated by Masanori Fukuoka owner and founder of Japan’s Glenbarra Art Museum and who according to Asian Art News is ‘recognised as the world’s top collector and connoisseur of Indian contemporary art’. Fukuoka has arranged a solo show of Jogen Chowdhury (b 1939), one of the foremost artists of post-Independent India which will contain 18 ink pastel and watercolour works never before displayed in public.

As well as the Collector’s Showcase there will be another important exhibition. Kim Soo Keong a leading collector in Korea and a director of Kwangju Biennale Foundation has agreed to loan the Fair a group works from her collection of more than 100 pieces of Nam June Paik’s works, some of which including TV Repair Man and Blue Buddha have never been shown in public. Kim Soo Keong’s Nam June Paik collection is widely regarded as being amongst the most important in the world.

In total the fair will feature 110 galleries and institutions from 16 countries who will showcase more than US$30 million of artworks before an expected 15,000 visitors. Despite the fair’s growth from just 19 galleries in 2000, the Singapore fair remains ‘one of the most friendly and accessible’ fairs in the region says Asian Art News.

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• Emerging artists

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Larasati is Asia’s first auction house to hold sale outside Asia

AMSTERDAM MARKET WATCH Larasati makes history as Asia’s first auction house to hold an international art sale outside the region.

The passion for contemporary Southeast Asian art has hit Europe as the world’s first auction outside of Asia by an Asian-based auction house, Lasarati Auctioneers was held in Amsterdam June 2 2008 featuring a diverse collection of European artworks, Asian and Southeast Asian contemporary art paintings.

Close to 80% of the 22 lots of Asian and Southeast Asian artworks were sold out at the Amsterdam auction, most of them by up-and-coming artists from the region.

Of this, 40% went to European collectors, proving that there is a growing interest in contemporary Asian and Southeast Asian art and increased support for work by new and emerging artists. Over 20% of total sales came from the Asian collection, which amounted to €120,000 as numerous lots were bidding at prices significantly above their estimates.

Top performing Asian artists at the auction include Indonesian Tommy Wondra whose artwork “Yearning for Answer 3 (no. 9) – Imbalance”, sold at €8,750, 219% above estimates; Vietnamese Dang Xuan Hoa’s “My Family” fetched €6,875, 172% over estimate; Indonesian Ugy Sugiarto’s “Mystery” sold for €9,375, 156% over estimate and Indonesian Saftari’s “Natural Room I” fetched €11,875, 148% over estimate.

The auction set another ‘high’ for Ugy Sugiarto, after a series of record prices achieved at Larasati auctions in Singapore, confirming the artist’s status as a new rising star.

Highest bids went to Malaysian artists – Ahmad Zakii Anwar’s “Seated Figure 6”, at €13,750 and Chang Fee Ming’s “September 27th” at €13,750.  (All prices include premium).

Daniel Komala, CEO of Larasati Auctioneers said, “More and more international art collectors are falling under the spell of the mystical charms of Asian art. I am very proud to say that we are breaking new ground here with Larasati’s inaugural show outside of Asia. Although this is the first international show for an Asian auction house, response has been very encouraging with most of the Asian artworks on display sold. Southeast Asian art, in particular, is growing in popularity and influence as the artworks by artists in this region exceeded sales estimates and secured very high bids.”

To sustain and promote the interest in Asian contemporary art, Larasati plans to hold more auctions in Hong Kong and Singapore later this year.

Source: www.larasati.com