The Next Stage
Art Stage Singapore 2017 is into its seventh year and aims to hold an artistic mirror to today’s society 20
private viewing on january 11 marks the start of Art Stage Singapore 2017, which will be held at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre from January 12 to 15. The most popular art fair in the region promises innovative content that addresses contemporary issues relevant to world affairs. With a focus on Southeast Asia, the art expo emphasises the importance of developing a cohesive Southeast Asian art market by bringing together individual markets into a single bloc to make it more competitive as regards more developed global art markets. Here, Lorenzo Rudolf, Founder and President of Art Stage Singapore, shares the details.
Now that it’s into its seventh year, how do you position Art Stage Singapore in the global art world?
Art Stage Singapore takes its role of being a key player in the contemporary art scenes of the region very seriously. Acknowledging today’s challenging economic and sociopolitical situations, we continue to be committed to strengthening the art ecosystem of Southeast Asia by way of innovative content that encourages a more involved art scene.
As a meeting point between the diverse regional and global art scenes, what are the plus points of Art Stage Singapore 2017?
Last year, we introduced the Southeast Asia Forum. This year, the Forum, which is entitled “Net Present Value: Art, Capital, Futures”, will focus on the theme of capitalism and aims to emphasise the balance between art, commerce and content by taking discussions beyond the artistic and into larger society. Through exhibitions and a series of lectures, we will position ourselves as an engaged art fair that looks beyond the markets.
Net Present Value: is it related to investments?
Simply put, it is a future value expressed in today’s terms. This year, the Forum seeks to explore the values of art, imagination and progress and the price of doing “business as usual” in the global capitalist system. It examines relationships between money, ideals and some of the fault lines in the present financial age, including the Forum’s immediate sphere of influence—the art market and the value of art.
Specifically, what’s new this year?
For the first time in Singapore, we will present the Collectors' Stage: a project/ collaboration between Art Stage Singapore and The Artling that features the collections of six leading Singapore-based collectors. This follows in the footsteps of the very successful Collectors' Show exhibiting works from the collections of six leading Indonesian collectors held at the inaugural edition of Art Stage Jakarta in August 2016.
01 Rocket Man
The Elton John Experience, the internationally acclaimed Elton John tribute show starring Greg Andrew as Sir Elton John, will shake up the Island of the Gods. Venue: Azamara Journey Cruise Ship moored at Benoa Harbour, Bali. Showtime: 7pm.
Rave On
Dance the night away in the old quarter of Jakarta. Los Angelesbased American DJ Thomas Wesley Pentz will ensure a stomping night. Venue: the Colloseum Club on Jl. Kunir 7, Tickets: Rp 500,000.
13 Park Life
Park Bo Gum, the South Korean actor who has garnered much acclaim with diverse roles in both film and television, including playing a psychopathic lawyer in Hello Mister (2015), will hold a fan gathering at The Kasablanka Hall, Jakarta. Tickets range from Rp 750,000 to Rp 2,550,000; showtime: 7:30pm.
16 Bryan Adams Live
The Ritz-carlton Pacific Place Jakarta is the perfect venue for Bryan Adams’ solo concert “The Get Up Tour”. The musical soiree at The Grand Ballroom is to promote Bryan’s latest album Get Up and highlights his evergreen hits “Heaven”, “Summer of 69” and “Run to You”. Tickets: Rp 805,000, Rp 1,150,000 and Rp 3,000.000; showtime: 7pm.
80s Extravaganza
The National Gallery of Indonesia will stage a monthlong Jakarta Contemporary Ceramic Biennale 4: “Ways of Clay” at Hall A and Hall B. 21 Indonesian and international artists share a three-month residency programme with curators Nurdian Ichsan and Rizki A. Zaelani. Doors open from 9am-4pm; free of charge.
21 Knowledge is Power
The Island of the Gods celebrates Saraswati: a festivity dedicated to the goddess of knowledge. It is a day where children pray and bring offerings to the temple of their school and a special occasion when the Balinese pay homage to the goddess Sarasvati and sprinkle holy water on books.
Freeze Frame
The last day of the photo exhibition featuring the works of Isabelle Boon, a photographer from Amsterdam, on display since November 2016. She has freezeframed details of everyday life: how people make a living, run a family, and spend the day off. Venue: The Gallery Gedung Tjipta Niaga at Jl. Kalibesar III, Pinangsia Tamansari; open 10am-7pm.