More than 43,000 art lovers headed to the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre for the first edition of ART SG. Launched in January 2023, the fair brought together 164 galleries from 35 countries – making it the largest art event in Southeast Asia in a decade.
“This is Singapore’s moment”1 says co-founder Magnus Renfrew. With a global gallery roster, the fair brought together a diverse range of art; from a cluster of powerful South-Asian inspired miniature paintings displayed by New Dehli’s Shrine Empire Gallery, to a hypnotic display of works by artists Mr Doddle and Philip Colbert, brought by Pearl Lam Galleries.
The PLATFORM sector - dedicated to large-scale and site-specific installations - included a group of geometric sculptures by artist Isamu Noguchi which played tricks on the senses, displayed by White Cube, alongside iconic bronze portrait sculptures by artist Jaume Plensa, displayed by GRAY.
August Hatecke Co head Global Wealth Management APAC and Country Head Singapore at UBS said “Having a long and substantial record of contemporary art patronage, UBS is proud to be the Founding and Lead partner of ART SG a new international art fair and the largest ever held in Southeast Asia with over 160 leading galleries. Against the backdrop of an increasing global interest in the arts scenes across Asia and the growth of Singapore's collectors, we are delighted that this new forum will serve as a critical meeting point for international galleries and collectors, providing access to the most important artworks being produced today. Our collaboration is in keeping with UBS s support of cultural endeavors and sponsorships of art fairs globally, providing a platform for our clients to make further connections through art by drawing on our global e cosystem of partners, clients and communities to share ideas, bring opportunities to life and make a real impact.”
Alongside the gallery booths, the fair featured an insightful talks program, and connected leading cultural institutions for an exciting outward program of exhibition openings, artist performances, and special events.
As proud Founding and Lead Partner, UBS’s public booth at the fair - titled ‘Connecting Through Art’ - asked visitors to explore what art means to them. In the UBS Lounge, the UBS Art Collection proudly presented works by Singaporean artist Dawn Ng. Watch an interview in the artist’s studio here.
The first edition of ART SG marks a strong new addition to the art world calendar and puts a spotlight on the growing local art scene in Singapore. Discover the latest collecting trends in the region here.
