Southeast Asian Art and Collectibles
The Singapore Art Museum is a wonderful art museum based in the heart of Singapore. Established in 1938, it is today one of the country’s leading art museums. Formerly a Catholic Church, it was converted into a modern, multi-purpose public art museum. It includes an enormous art gallery as well as a permanent exhibition area. Many famous paintings by local and foreign artists are on display. In addition, there are also a large number of exhibits dedicated to Asian art.
This wonderful museum is home to a large number of South-East Asian and Western art forms. Exhibitions included include ‘Stones From the Stone: An Indian Portrait’ by Sukhumvit Soffer and ‘Museums: A South-East Asian Exhibition’ by Prabhakar Murthy. The museum is dedicated to educating visitors about the significance of art. It hopes that visitors will develop a love for the culture and art of Southeast Asia. Some of the renowned South-Eastern art include ‘Sumerian Reflections’ by Sumerian artist Teri Matsuda, a replica of an ancient Hindu temple, ‘Indian Tribal Costume’ by Subodh Gupta, a beautiful eight-petal flower arrangement made by Chinese artist Huang Xian, and ‘Thiruvallar’ by Indian painter S.S. Raja.
Another popular Singapore Art Museum is the restored 19th century Mission School of Painting. Once a boarding school for foreign teachers and students, the school was revamped in 1998. Today the museum presents a fine collection of paintings by various South-East Asian artists, including works from the renowned Indonesian artist Wony Belau. It also features work by Japanese artist Chujiro Hyashi. Other notable exhibitions in this section include ‘Scenes from Singapore: A Portrait’ by artist Chua Soon Kaik, and ‘The Art of Chinese Folk Art’ by Dr Seetoh Koo.
One of the country’s most prominent museums is the National Museum of Singapore built inwart Memorial Hall in Central Business District (CBD). It is home to a wide selection of both local and foreign works. Exhibitions included in the permanent gallery include ‘The Master of Modern Art’ by Rembrandt, and ‘Jurassic Park’ by Asher Edan. In addition to these major exhibitions, the museum has several smaller exhibits, including works from the Pre-Raphaelites, the British Tattooist John Wright, and American artist Jasper Johns. The permanent section includes a Singapore Philatelic Museum, Singapore Historical Study Centre, and Singapore Art Museum.
Two other museums in Singapore that are regularly visited are the Singapore Art Museum and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The former features contemporary art works, while the latter houses botanical specimens. Both of these museums are frequently featured in art review articles and in art guides. Other minor museums here include the Singapore Art Museum, the Jurong Bird Museum, and the Traditional Arts Museum. All these museums also regularly hold promotional events, such as pop-up shows and exhibitions.
For travelers interested in collecting art, Singapore is an ideal place to visit. There is a large selection of public and private galleries, both national and local, which are suitable for both regular and monthly visitors. There are also numerous small private galleries and museums, which may be more preferable for a specific visitor. One of these is the Singapore Art Museum, which is housed in a beautiful manor house on the outskirts of the city. The permanent collection here consists of sculptures from the Southeast Asian region, including wall carvings, paintings, pottery, and glass.
