SPARE No EXPENSE

Fine art to fabulous fashion, only the very best for Singapore’s ultimate socialite—Susanna Kang. By Zarelda Marie Goh. Photographed by Gan. Styled by Windy Aulia

Susanna Kang needs no introduction. Often seen at luxury events rubbing shoulders with the who’s who of the fashion industry, the socialite has been dubbed “a fashion chameleon” by industry insiders for her everchanging dress sense. It is a moniker she readily embraces. “I don’t stick to a fixed style. I see beauty in different styles from classic to quirky,” says Susanna. Her outfits are, at times, bold and brow-raising, but always memorable—who can forget that she dressed up as Kaiser Karl himself during the Chanel cruise 2014 show in Singapore?

Similarly, her weekend home at Sentosa Cove, a two-storey bungalow with a basement, is awe inspiring, with its modern exterior and unique interior—making it an apt location for the photo shoot for this story.

The sole purpose of the house is to entertain, and Susanna affectionately calls it the “party house.” Every part of it lends itself to this purpose. Every floor has a bar, and there is an open-concept kitchen— “it is every chef ’s dream kitchen,” says Susanna. The decision to decorate the house with easily movable furniture was deliberate, so that different set-ups for different types of parties could be achieved effortlessly. An avid art collector as well, Susanna has placed contemporary art pieces all around the home as, to her, “art doesn’t separate itself from life and lifestyle.”

Paintings by French artist Patrick Rubinstein adorn the walls while stuffed peacocks from taxidermy specialist Deyrolle stand next to the lift landing on the first floor; a magnificent light feature made of Swarovski crystals hangs directly above the massive dining table, designed by interior architect Karim Rashid; “chilli” sculptures from conceptual artist Kumari Nahappan light up the basement. “Kumari’s pieces have organic form, flow and movement. They are all ‘fun’ pieces and there’s a sense of quirkiness and humour. She makes sculptures of everyday objects like nutmeg and pineapple,” says Susanna. The works from varied artists come together as a tasteful curation with an edge, much like Susanna’s personality and outlook.

Susanna shares that her interest in art started from a young age. She recalls visiting museums in Spain and France as a student. “That was when I was exposed to European art. I didn’t have the aptitude to produce art but I did appreciate it,” she says. Collecting art, however, was a hobby that was developed later in her life, after marriage. Her very first piece of art was a handcrafted wooden screen from Chiang Mai. “It was old, but I saw beauty in it and shipped it back to Singapore, [we used to live in a Balinese style house], and had it restored. It cost me a lot more to restore it than what I paid for it,” she says, with a laugh.

Her eye for art is apparent, and since moving to her Cluny Road home eight years ago, Susanna and her husband have been buying art works that catch their fancy. “A nice house needs good art. Thankfully, my husband and I have the same taste in art,” she says. Both of them are fans of Chinese contemporary artists, more so than of American and European artists. “We feel a stronger sense of connection with Asian artists. They are more relatable.”

This includes local artists as well, and one artist who Susanna and her husband particularly like is Henri Chen KeZhan, an abstract ink and wash painter. “I first noticed his works on display at the Singapore Marriott Hotel. I thought his pieces were beautiful,” she shares. Chen does calligraphy and paints scenery, and Susanna describes his works of the latter as vivid as “you see all the colours.” She has a series of eight of his paintings and has had the privilege of meeting the artist at his home. Having a connection with the artists and art works she collects is extremely important to Susanna. In addition, she looks for artists who have strong ideology and who take utmost pride in producing their work. A fan of Taiwanese artist Ju Ming, she has several pieces from his internationally renowned Tai Chi Series. “When I look at Ju Ming’s sculptures, I can feel the aura… the organic softness in his works,” she says. Some artists have even become personal friends, such as Kumari who changed her travel plans just so she could be present at the photo shoot.

Both homes reflect Susanna’s personality. While her Sentosa Cove weekend home contains fun contemporary pieces, her Cluny Road home pays homage to many a Chinese artist. Other than Ju Ming, she has works from the likes of Cheong Soo Pieng, Wu Guanzhong and Li Chen, who she describes as “the oriental Botero.” “Li Chen’s philosophies attracted me. He is very organic. His baby sculptures are so peaceful and serene, almost Buddha-like. You feel that peace just looking at them,” she adds.

It comes as no surprise then when Susanna shares that her favourite art medium is sculpture. She says, “You can literally feel and touch sculptures as they are three-dimensional. With paintings, you can’t and they require walls to hang them on. There is a bit of distance in that sense.” The process of looking for art works to purchase is organic, and often, Susanna and her husband have often found out about good artists via word of mouth and during their travels. “We were in Taiwan and saw some amazing collections when we visited people’s homes. One even had a selection of Andy Warhols on canvas. The best pieces are not in museums, they’re in homes,” she says. Susanna adds that interior designers are also an incredible source of knowledge. “They go to beautiful homes so they have a good idea of what’s out there. My interior designer from Design Bases, who has done all my houses, also goes to all the art shows.”

Perhaps the ultimate test for any ardent art collector lies in how easily they can be persuaded to sell pieces from their collection. For Susanna, this is something that she has already thought through. She says, “I told my husband that if I had to choose between selling jewellery or art works, I’d sell jewellery anytime. I really love my jewellery, it’s my passion, but I can buy another rock. I just have to pay more. It is much harder to replace another piece of art.” We couldn’t agree more.

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