SINGAPORE’S NEWEST GALLERY
We spoke to Australian expats URSULA SULLIVAN and JOANNA ST R U M P F about their recently opened Sullivan+ Strumpf gallery space, and what we can expect from this month’s exhibition, Home.
When did you two meet, and how did you decide to start a business together?
Joanna: We met 20 years ago in Sydney. I had just started working for art dealer Eva Breuer at her tiny gallery in Woollahra, and Ursula was working there on the weekends while finishing her degree. Within months of meeting, we started buying contemporary art together – and had even decided on the business name! We went on to work in all aspects of the industry, from auction houses to contemporary galleries, learning from the bottom up, before finally taking the next big step – actually opening our own gallery in Sydney in 2004.
Ursula: We both come from families with businesses, so there was that foundation, and the ambition was there to have our own space, and to be our own bosses. Our friendship was always based around art and collecting art, so there was a lot of trust between us, as well as a desire to be working with living artists and exhibiting great contemporary art.
What inspired you to open a gallery in Singapore?
Joanna: We have been exhibiting at Art Stage Singapore since 2011. Over the years we have built up a good following, and we knew there was room for a gallery like ours, and a demand for our artists. Singapore is a hub for Southeast Asia – it’s a friendly city with boundless potential and passionate collectors (as well as excellent food and good shopping!) – all essential ingredients when setting up a gallery.
Tell us about this month’s solo exhibition, Home.
Joanna: In her exhibition, Perth-based artist Joanna Lamb presents the banality of urban life to us in a unique and considered way. Utilising an array of mediums, from traditional painting and collage, to neon wall sculpture and Laminex jigsaw puzzle paintings, Lamb’s vibrant combinations make us more receptive to the repetition of daily existence.