S U N D AY
neighboring Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines, can look forward to a rich storytelling of Southeast Asian art history through a remarkable 8,000 art pieces in total.
“We will be the only museum dedicated to and focused on art from Singapore and Southeast Asia—our key highlights. These two permanent galleries will show the art histories of Singapore and Southeast Asia through long-term and comprehensive exhibitions,” Tan explained. “They start from the 19th century until the present, so it will be the first time anywhere in the world that visitors can come and see the art histories of this side of the world.”
In addition to these permanent displays, The Gallery will also run continuous special exhibitions where they aim to explore the links and connections between the art of Southeast Asia and other parts of the world.
“You can see that we have set two clear goals, one is to further the appreciation of art among Singaporeans, and the other is to further the understanding and the appreciation of art from Singaporeans and Southeast Asians internationally, Tan enumerated.
“I think myself and all our curators have traveled widely to see many museums around the world so we kind of have a good sense of how museums operate, the levels and standards that we try to adhere to internationally. But, at the same time, we have also realized that each institution has to be rooted locally and it has to kind of grow on its own local conditions and be relevant within its more local context. So what we aim to do at The Gallery is not to copy what other museums around the world but making sure that it’s relevant in the context in which we are operating.”
PH in The Gallery
Further explaining his role as gallery director, Dr. Tan related, “As director, I oversee areas relating to the exhibitions, the research, the programming, education, as well as our visitor experience—anything that our visitors come face to face with.
“The area regarding the exhibition and the research take most of my time— working with the curators to plan and organize types of exhibitions that we will have, as well as developing our art collections, while also making sure that our education team and program team device the appropriate types of programs to engage our audiences.”
It is this very task that actually took The Gallery’s director to Philippine shores.
“As the focus of our museum is the art of Singapore and Southeast Asia, the Philippine art is very much included in our exhibits, which is why we are often here for meetings,” he enthused.
Dr. Tan and his team are in continuous collaboration with seven institutions in the Philippines dedicated to art including the National Museum, Central Bank, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Ateneo Art Gallery, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, UST Museum, and Ayala Museum.
One of the more notable artworks The Gallery has borrowed for exhibition is a painting by National Artist Jose Joya from the National Museum.
“We borrowed ‘Hills of Nikko’ by Jose Joya, so if you go there [at the National Museum] now, there’s an empty space on the wall with the label that says the work is out,” Tan jested.
Aside from these institutions, The Gallery has also been in touch with private Filipino art collectors—six to be exact—for future exhibits.
“We are very pleased that these institutions and individuals see the value that the National Gallery will bring and, we are all the more pleased that they are very supportive of our exhibits,” he added.
Asked how these collaborations began, Tan replied, “We first identified key works by Filipino artists we wanted to show in the exhibition and then we approached the institutions and the collectors and explained to them how their pieces played a part in the Southeast Asian art history we want to tell.
“I think the Philippines is one of the most vibrant and dynamic art scene in Southeast Asia and has one of the longest histories well,” he continued. “And in saying that, it is definitely an important part of the region’s art history as a whole.”
On a side note, Dr. Tan also excitedly shared that there is a Filipino curator in their pool at The Gallery by the name of Clarissa “Lisa” Chikiamco.
Asian art appreciation
“I think we’ve come a long way since the government decided that art is something important and since it invested a lot in the arts back to 1989,” Tan said of Singapore’s support for the arts.
“There was a policy paper put forward by the Advisory Council on Culture and the Arts (ACCA) on how Singapore should develop our art scene over time. As result, they set up the National Arts Council, the National Heritage Board, which in turn resulted in Singapore Art Museum and the Asian Civilisations Museum. It was after that—in 1989—that they all said we should plan for national gallery as well.”
Despite the support of government, however, Tan still does not consider Singaporeans to be among the biggest art patrons in the world.
“There’s still work to be done [in terms of art appreciation in Singapore], but I think people are more aware about art now than before. This awareness has come primarily through the market and through contemporary art, through biennales like the Singapore Biennale for example, through galleries, art fairs and auctions.”
While awareness is growing, what Singaporeans—and Asians—lack in terms of art appreciation is knowing the history behind the cultures of art within the region.
“When the public learns about art through biennale and art fairs, they don’t really get the sense of how the art developed to get to the state where we are today—and I think that’s where The Gallery comes in.”
Aptly, he took this point to round up his hopes for the National Gallery Singapore from the day it officially opens next month: “I hope The Gallery will become a catalyst for further development of art in Southeast Asia. I hope we will be able to promote Southeast Asian art in a bigger way internationally, and bring more focus, understanding and appreciation for what it is and how it got here.”
With such lofty goals and so much work to do, Dr. Eugene Tan’s parting shot proved he too is where he should be: “Working everyday with art and artists is something that is very fulfilling. Beyond that, in my role as a director now, I think what I find most fulfilling is when the curators come up with really interesting ideas, either for exhibition or for research, that reveal new areas about art that we never knew before. And finally, to see their work ultimately engage the public, that is what makes our work immensely fulfilling.”
The National Gallery Singapore opens its doors to the public on November 24. Entrance to the gallery for the first two weeks, from November 24 to December 6, is free.
For more information about The Gallery and its upcoming shows and exhibitions, visit