The Gallery features icons from the sporting world with a dedicated area for sporting memorabilia as well as a separate display of music inspired art (album cover art work, fine art prints, photography). In this respect they are opening with an exhibition of Soundwaves by UK artist Tim Wakefield. Tim Wakefield creates dazzling sound artworks of iconic songs for his company Soundwaves Art. Using audio technology, Tim captures the digital beat of a musical track as a visual recording an energetic, multi-coloured image totally unique to the song. He listens to the music, the lyrics and the tempo of before capturing the song as a "static" soundwave.
Each soundwave is a limited-edition from only two of each print up to an edition of 50. His first collection was created to help fundraising efforts for Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy, which is the UK’s largest specialist music therapy charity.
A new type of gallery has opened in Singapore. Call it nomadic in concept, Artemiss Contemporary takes art to the people by holding exhibitions in unusual places, restaurants, shops, salons, hotels, flats, as well as its own gallery space. They propose a wide variety of original artworks, in limited editions, different styles and at affordable prices.
Popular in Europe, this is the first time the idea of a roving art gallery for European art is being launched in Singapore. Clementine de Forton, the brainchild of gallery owner explains she wants to display the artworks they love in living interiors, that way anybody can see and appreciate the pieces in a friendly environment. They share their passion for amazing European arts, photography, painting, mixed media, sculpture, with the widest group of people possible.
Her partner, Gaetane Prinselaar. thinks of these spaces as a totally different atmosphere to galleries. The buzz of a venue filled with people having a good time lends an extra dimension to artworks. That’s particularly true of their first exhibition, the urban muse, which focuses on the world’s great cities, and the dynamism, drive, humour and trauma of the urban environment. An unexpected encounter with an artwork is like a moment out of time, and that’s exactly the emotion the artists in our exhibition are trying to achieve.
The urban muse comprises several original artworks by four artists: Christian McManus, Christophe Jacrot, Caroline Benech and Joel Odesser. Through photography and mixed media each artist explores the city in surprising and original ways. Shanghai, Hong Kong, New York, Paris, London and many more are re-imagined and embellished, revealing their beauty and diversity.
Clementine de Forton regularly travels to Europe to meet exceptional new artists and select their finest work for exhibition in Asia, often for the first time. As well as the roving shows, Artemiss Contemporary has a collection of work by the artists it represents, which can be seen at its permanent gallery in Singapore by appointment.
As well as exhibiting and selling the artworks, Artemiss Contemporary’s services include leasing, art counseling for interior design projects, creating public artistic events and corporate gifts such as signed art books.
Complementing Singapore’s position as the Asian hub for business, finance and education is Singapore’s growing importance as a centre for contemporary art in Asia. Events such as the Singapore Biennale, Art Stage Singapore, complemented by public museums, non-profit spaces and commercial galleries, have created a vibrant arts scene that is making waves in the region and beyond. The contemporary arts scene has seen steady growth in the last 10 years, with increasing local and regional interest in events, exhibitions and education. As the number of venues dedicated to contemporary art increases, more international artists are choosing to unveil their new works to the world from Singapore, thus cementing its position as the centre for contemporary art in Asia.
The deliberate development of the local contemporary art industry in the past decade by the state has resulted in a vibrant arts scene that has been propelled by growing commercial activities including gallery exhibitions, art fairs and auctions. Coupled with Singapore’s strategic position within Asia and an extensive infrastructure of support services, there is no better place to establish your contemporary art gallery in this region.
Gillman Barracks will be the new contemporary art destination in Asia. Distinguished as a creative and intellectual centre, it will become a centre for the production, discussion and distribution of contemporary art in Asia. Complementing the local and international galleries and creative industries will be several new initiatives designed to grow the visual arts ecosystem in region, particularly in the areas of exhibition, residencies, and research.
Anchored within Gillman Barracks will be the newly established Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) Singapore which will be one of the key programming platforms in this new contemporary art destination in Asia. Through its diverse exhibition, residency and research programmes, CCA Singapore aims to be the centre for the production, presentation and interpretation of the arts of our times as well as a catalyst for the exchange of ideas and creative expressions.
Exhibition Centre
Devoted to the presentation of innovative and groundbreaking exhibitions of contemporary art, CCA Singapore’s exhibition programmes embrace a global, multi-disciplinary, and diverse approach towards the presentation and interpretation of contemporary art, showcasing the latest developments through exhibitions, as well as new projects by significant and emerging Singapore, international and Asian artists.
International Artist Residency Programme (IARP)
The International Artist Residency Programme (IARP) will be Singapore’s first internationally-tiered offering that will facilitate the production and creation of works by significant established and emerging international and Asian artists and establish Singapore as a centre for contemporary art creation in the region.
Centre for Contemporary Art Research
The Centre for Contemporary Art Research will be a centre of excellence for the study and research for contemporary art in the region. It will contribute to the discourse and knowledge on Asian and international art production as well as informing the context of cultural production today.
Complementing these core programmes will be year-round dedicated programmes focused in the areas of education, community outreach and audience engagement. The former military barracks are slated to open in the second quarter of 2012 as an international destination for contemporary art with the following galleries confirmed to open thus far:
Nu Artists Gallery are a small art gallery started by two persons' love for paintings.
Nu Artists Gallery aims to be a platform for emerging artists, a place for likeminded souls to buy affordable pieces and a chill out place for all who want to enjoy and create art.
Their current focus is on contemporary Burmese artists. Though Burmese art tends to be synonymous with religious subjects such as temples, monks and Buddha paintings in the minds of many; modern Burmese art is in fact far from homogenous. They have personally sourced the pieces, some from the private collections of their artists, to showcase a side of Burmese art seldom seen.
Do drop by soon to have a look at their collection.
Located in front of the Asian Civilization Museum, the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall is considered one of the most historically versatile buildings in all of Singapore. In the course of its nearly 150-year history, the Colonial landmark, which consists of two buildings and a clock tower linked by a common corridor, has served as a town hall, a hospital, and a war crimes trials court before becoming a focal point for arts and cultural entertainment.
The complex is now slated for a $180m makeover that will preserve its heritage elements while providing new and improved facilities and performances spaces for the artists.
The design, led by Mok Wei Wei, the managing director of the Singapore based W Architects, pays homage to the original colonial structure while imparting a contemporary feel to the complex, particularly to the performance space which will be reduced in size to seat 600 instead of 900 people to achieve a more intimate setting for theatre goers and to maximise the performers’ engagement with the audience. Much emphasis will be placed on inserting new technologies to improve acoustics.
The courtyard, which serves as the main entrance to the complex, will be wholly revamped with a new glass roof and the courtyard facades of both structures will be updated. The Concert Hall façade, with its rusticated columns, will be restored while the Theatre’s façade will receive new pre-cast panels. The project is slated for completion in October 2013.
Moving ahead, the MOE Heritage Centre, which is a part of the Academy of Singapore Teachers, will oversee the development of a repository housing materials on education heritage. The MOE Heritage Centre will also work with schools and other agencies to collect memories of school days from educators and all those who have been involved in education
The MOE Heritage Centre (MOE HC) was conceived within the auspices of the MOE History Project (launched in 2006) which had three key initiatives -- the MOE 50th Anniversary Commemorative Publication, a monograph series on Key Policies of MOE and the establishment of a MOE Heritage Centre.
Work on the MOE HC started in 2007 with the setting up of a research team to conduct research, conceptualise a framework and develop a storyline for the MOE HC. The Heritage Centre Unit (HCU) was set up in 2008 and housed temporarily at the Ghim Moh Language Centre before moving to its current site at the former New Town Primary School (Commonwealth Drive) at the end of that year.
HCU was also tasked to collect artefacts and historical information with a view of becoming a repository of educational heritage. In late 2008, since the eventual site of the MOE HC could not be secured yet, it was decided that an interim gallery is to be built within an old disused school building.
The conceptual framework of the interim gallery was finalised in 2008. In early 2009, a Vetting Committee was constituted to nuance and ensure the accuracy of the content of the gallery.
The gallery was conceived to inspire those aspiring to be teachers, affirm serving educators and to commemorate those in the service who have come before us. It was also planned to function as a training centre which could contribute to teachers' professional development.
Today, the MOE HC has three floors of galleries depicting five decades of education narratives. Historical artefacts, interactive stations and surround videos collectively evoke a sense of nostalgia and pride in educators visiting the galleries.
The Ministry of National Development (MND) recently unveiled further details of its plans for the redevelopment of Geylang Serai, including the new plans for the current Malay Village.
Under the Master Plan 2008, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced that Paya Lebar Central, which Geylang Serai is located within, will be developed into a lively regional centre with a distinct cultural identity. The area will be a pedestrian-friendly commercial hub with offices, retail, hotels, as well as attractive public spaces.
Plans are also in the pipeline for a new civic centre with a public plaza to be built next to the Geylang Serai Market. The working name for the new civic centre is 'Wisma Geylang Serai'. Currently, the 10,000 sqm centre is expected to house a Community Club, a Malay Heritage Gallery, Community Development Council offices and other community-related facilities. The civic centre will be developed by the People's Association (PA) together with other partners such as the National Arts Council (NAC) and National Heritage Board (NHB). The civic centre is expected to be completed by 2015/16.
There will be a 2,000 sqm public plaza beside the civic centre that will cater to cultural events such as performances as well as community events such as festive activities and bazaars.
To retain the annual Hari Raya festivities in the area, URA has also planned for wide pedestrian malls and attractive public areas along Geylang Road so as to provide high quality spaces for festive bazaars and community activities. URA will also be implementing street improvement works within the road reserve to support the annual Hari Raya bazaar while the development of the area takes place. The street improvement works are expected to be completed by June 2012.
In order to realise these proposals, some existing developments will have to be phased out for redevelopment to take place. One of these is the Malay Village, a private commercial development built in 1989, whose lease will expire at the end of 2011. Apart from the civic centre and a public plaza, the Malay Village site will host commercial developments, and an access road to serve new developments.
However, to ensure that Malay trades remain in the area and have the opportunity to slowly evolve into new developments in Geylang Serai, the lease of Tanjong Katong Complex will be extended for another 10 years after the building is upgraded in around 2013.
Launched in January 2011, the IHC architectural design competition attracted a total of 38 submissions out of which four where short-listed to proceed to Phase 2 of the competition. All four short-listed designs were showcased at a public exhibition held at the IHC site from 22-24 April 2011 and the URA Centre from 25-28 April 2011. In addition, the 4 designs were also at the IHC website during the public exhibition period.
From the four short-listed designs, the IHC architectural design competition judging panel selected Robert Greg Shand Architects (in collaboration with URBNarc Pte Ltd) submission as the winning design because it best translated IHC’s stated vision into an iconic, unique and sustainable building that blended both traditional Indian as well as modern architectural elements.
Mr Greg Shand of Robert Greg Shand Architects added "it a privilege to design a building in one of my favorite parts of Singapore. We see the Indian Heritage Centre as a metaphor for the Baoli, an Urban Forum, where the rich diversity of Indian culture is celebrated, nurtured and allowed to grow - a source of enrichment for Little India".
The Indian Heritage Centre will be located at the crossroads of Campbell Lane and Clive Street and scheduled to begin operations by end of 2013.