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ARTY ASIA
Be it at art fairs or auctions, south-east Asian contemporary artists are slowly gaining recognition on the world stage. read on to find out why
Champion Seekers
THAI ARTISTS ARE MAKING WAVES INTERNATIONALLY. NOW THEY JUST NEED TO FIND A COLLECTOR BASE, WRITES SONIA KOLESNIKOV-JESSOP
At the 2009 Venice Biennale, Att Poomtangon’s interactive artwork, Keep Something for a Rainy Day, attracted attention with its colourful structure and encouraged passersby to consider environmental issues. As one person operated a pump, the installation filtered and then distributed clean water to others via a visually stimulating system of pumps, jets, muzzles and buckets.
“Although the process of creation might begin with the artists, it is the art enthusiasts, other artists, critics, collectors, dealers and curators - who further the cycle of creation by giving meaning to the projects on display,” the 36-year-old Thai explained in his artist’s statement.
The work was part of Making Worlds, the central international exhibition curated by Daniel Birnbaum, who had also asked another Thai artist, Rirkrit Tiravanija, to conceive a library and reading room for the visitor centre. The 2004 winner of the prestigious Hugo Boss Prize, a biennial award given out for achievement in contemporary art, Tiravanija is best known for his interactive projects and is considered a “father” of sorts for many young contemporary artists in Thailand.
“Rirkrit shows young Thai artists that art is not just about painting, but about ideas and being able to translate those in very accessible ways. Performance is one way to remove the commercial aspect of art. It’s more idealistic, but you communicate your ideas better,” explains Valentine Willie of Valentine Willie Fine Art, which has galleries across the region.
Tiravanija’s early installations in the 1990s in New York involved cooking for gallery-goers, and at the Liverpool Biennial in 2002 he showed Apartment 21 (Tomorrow Can Shut Up and Go Away), a representation of his New York apartment constructed in plywood,
complete with a working bathroom and kitchen. Visitors were invited to drop in for tea and a chat.
Over the past 10 years, a number of contemporary Thai artists have been making a name for themselves around the world. For example, Sakarin Krue-On, who played a key role in setting up the media department at Bangkok’s Silpakorn University, famously planted a terraced rice field with a team of Thai farmers at 2007’s documenta, a reputable contemporary art exhibition that occurs every five years in Kassel, Germany.
But back home, artists and galleries feel they’re still not getting the support they need: that of a genuine collector base. “I think that’s because Thai artists are very strong in new media, installations, performances and videos. But these works are more difficult to sell, more difficult to appreciate for a general public,” says Jorn Middleborg, MD of Thavibu Gallery in Bangkok.
Daniel Komala, president of Larasati Auctioneers, agrees, noting that, “Thai contemporary artists, despite their huge potential, truly lack exposure. It’s so hard for instance to find a gallery in Singapore showcasing Thai artists. Some auction houses have tried to promote these artists, but so far nothing significant has been achieved. Only when the domestic market starts recognising its own artists, then, and only then, auction houses can effectively help them make a real impact on the international market.”
Independent curator and critic Iola Lenzi believes Thai artists are actually producing some of the best works in the region. “The current generation of Thai artists manages to combine a strong sense of form and aesthetics, which comes from a tradition of craft-making, with a very strong semantic presence. This combination is to me the epitome of excellence in contemporary art,” says Lenzi. “They’re very under-appreciated, but as a curator looking at the whole of contemporary South-East Asia, I think Thai artists are at the top.”
The most interesting and sought-after artists
are those commenting on social and political issues, which remains something of a rarity in Thailand. Internationally established photographer Manit Sriwanichpoom has worked for several years on a ‘Pink Man’ series that features a rotund Asian man wearing a pink satin suit pushing a pink shopping cart (see page 59). The unusual combination symbolises what the artist sees as the Westernisation of Thai society; the flashy pink satin personifying conspicuous consumption. “Art should be able to lead audiences out of the dark tunnel of greed, self-interest and conflict,” says Sriwanichpoom.
Chatchai Puipia, who rose to attention in the mid-90s with his ‘Siamese Smile’ series, has painted large portraits of himself as a deranged lunatic, grinning with clenched teeth and glaring eyes in a satirical twist on the ‘Land of Smiles’, the tagline used by the Thai tourism board, while the young award-winning artist Lampu Kansanoh also paints with a caricature technique to satirise current Thai lifestyles.
Politically engaged painter Vasan Sitthiket, one of the rare few Thai artists to appear at auction, uses crude representations to focus attention on the exploitation of the poor, as well as to protest the corruption among bureaucrats. “Vasan doesn’t do subtlety,” says Willie, “He thinks that you need to whack people on the head because things… are too bad and too urgent.”
But most of the time, Thai artists opt for a subtle approach in their commentary. Nipan Oranniwesna has explored the notion of nationalism by using talcum power to write the lyrics of patriotic songs. The words are deliberately difficult to read in a bid to prompt the viewer to question the intent and effectiveness of such anthems.
But whichever way they choose to express themselves, Lenzi believes Thai artists’ interest in political and social commentary is not superficial: “Social and political art has become fashionable, but not in Thailand. And it has never been about that. It’s something the artists are very passionate about, rather than a promotional tactic.
Going… Going… Gone!
THESE ARE TURBULENT TIMES FOR ASIAN ART AT AUCTION, REPORTS SONIA KOLESNIKOV-JESSOP
After the economic turmoil of the last two years, confidence in the art market collapsed and prices fell on average 20 to 30%, while many lots remained unsold. But the market has started to recover as sellers have adjusted their prices to the new environment, and while volumes sold at auction are still lower than in boom time, prices have now stabilised.
Quality has become the name of the game, and many buyers have been focusing their attention on more classical pieces with a provenance. Where does this leave Asian contemporary art? So far, it is still trailing, though Andy Foster, president of Christie’s in Asia, is confident it’s only a matter of time before the market picks up, given the rising might of Asian collectors and the rebounding state of Asian economies. “The recovery in the contemporary segment will likely happen faster than any of us could have guessed six months ago,” he says.
Still he’s advising collectors to focus on pieces they like, instead of trying to speculate. “You should buy to hold. If you buy wisely and can hold art for five to 10 years, or even longer, then indices and our own anecdotes show this can be a very successful strategy. You don’t want to have art that you have to sell in a year,” Foster says.
Foster points out that in recent years the South-East Asian art market has actually been much more stable regarding price appreciation, and as a result prices have not suffered as much in the downturn as more speculative markets, though sellers have been cautious about entering the market.
Do it in public
WHO NEEDS A MUSEUM WHEN THERE ARE AMAZING WORKS OF ART ALL OVER TOWN? RACHAEL NONIS ROUNDS UP SOME OF THE BEST WORKS OF PUBLIC ART AROUND THE NETWORK
SINGAPORE
Brushstroke Sculpture Roy Lichtenstein’s six brushstroke sculptures go perfectly with the futuristic design of the Millennia Walk.
Famous for his cartoon-like pop art, the pieces depict six happy brushstrokes, and were sculpted in Rhode Island in 1997. They were moved here shortly before Lichtenstein’s death, fulfilling his wish of displaying his art in Singapore.
Exit at the right side of the Service Desk at Millennia Walk, Sculpture Plaza, 9 Raffles Boulevard
SHIMMERING PEARLS
Shimmering Pearls Singaporean sculptor Han Sai Por’s signature style is to capture the beauty of nature. Inspired by the glistening movement of water, Han’s design utilises a fountain, showing us, in a bustling city, just how breathtaking nature can be.
Capital Land Tower, 168 Robinson Road
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA
Bird of Peace sculpture Made out of destroyed arms, this was part of Peace Art Project Cambodia, which aimed to turn weapons into art as an expression of peace. Twenty-three students from The Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh meticulously crafted the sculpture.
Sanderson Park near Wat Phnom
KOMPONG THOM, CAMBODIA
World of Peace monument This sculpture is so named as it’s made out of 2,428 destroyed weapons which were voluntarily surrendered by the residents of Kompong Thom Province. The three catfish and a globe, balancing on the highest flying fish, were created by local artists Sophon Samkhan, Choup Sopheak, Khem Sambo, Tan Vanno, Yen Entareak and Vong Daravy. ‘Children’s park’ , Kompong Thom Provincial Town
HONG KONG
Hooves on the Move Jointly created by artists and teachers Francis Yu and Jaff a Lam, Hooves on the Move was an attempt to bring out the Olympic spirit in the community. The coloured rings of fibreglass complete with a running horse sculpture depict, rather successfully, a race being run. Planter at Hong Kong Arts Centre Main Entrance
KOH SAMUI, THAILAND
Secret Buddha Garden Also known as the ‘Magic Garden’ and located in the hills of Koh Samui, a Buddhist artist created sculptures here based on images from his dreams. Do not attempt to find this spot if you’re travelling alone, unless you have hired an experienced outdoor driver for the excursion. We suggest Mr Ung’s Magical Safari Tours, www.ungsafari.com
Art Preneurs
KNOWN FOR ITS BANKING AND TRADING HOUSES, SINGAPORE HASN’T TRADITIONALLY BEEN A HIGH POINT ON THE ARTISTIC MAP. SHARON ARIS PROFILES CHRISTINE PHIPPS, AN ARTIST AND GALLERY OWNER DOING HER BIT TO CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE
Emerging over the last few years in Singapore is an art scene that has artists and galleries making a virtue of their crossroads position in South-East Asia. Exemplifying this cross-cultural sensibility is Christine Phipps. Taiwanese born, educated in Australia, art trained in the US, and now settled in Singapore for four years, Phipps is positioned at the heart of this new dynamism.
A graphic artist with some high profile accounts, the move to Singapore gave Phipps the opportunity to pursue some long held dreams: musing to her husband that in the next life she would choose to paint, he responded, “Why wait until then?” “It happened very quickly after that,” she recounts. “I saw the shop for rent, made one circuit around it, came back and made an offer. Painting and art are my passions. I finally stepped forward and pursued it.”
The resulting Project 13 Gallery opened in April last year. Situated in the charming Kampong Glam district near the Arab Street textiles shops, which sell fibre art from Arabia, Turkey and Malaysia, the shophouse gallery fuses contemporary Asian art with an open studio concept, where any artist can pitch up with a paintbrush.
Project 13’s opening sounds spontaneous, but the seeds were planted five years ago on a trip to Bali. Buying seven paintings from an artist simply because she loved his work, Phipps was very affected by his coming over to personally thank her for the purchase, explaining it meant he could buy rice for his family. “For me, opening a gallery was a way of giving these artists exposure. I take Indonesian art to Singapore as well as support local artists. I collect, and if it sells, I’m
supporting those artists.” She also collects from Thailand, Vietnam and China. Challengingly for Phipps, the art market in Singapore is fragmented: some buy and collect art as an investment, others for decoration. The expatriate community likes contemporary art from across the region, but locals are mostly interested in European and Aboriginal art, the older generation still preferring traditional Chinese styles. Vietnamese art is already popular, while Indonesian and Malaysian contemporary art is underappreciated, something Phipps hopes to remedy not only with her collection but also her studio approach.
“Opening an art gallery is passive. If they like it they buy it; if not, they walk away,” she observes. “That’s why I started a studio where people can also come to paint. I do the coaching; I don’t want to be a teacher, I just introduce people to some different techniques and materials. It’s also a great motivation for me to paint.”
Phipps regularly puts on special workshops; recent ones have included Batik painting, and tea mornings on feng shui and art, the tea ceremony and kimonos. “It’s about sharing knowledge. I feel art shouldn’t just be a decorative form, but also a sense,” she says.
She hopes the raised awareness will also rub off on the artists. “It’s a bit sad. A lot of art is touristy. Artists have to feed themselves so they produce things tourists will buy. But they’ve lost their soul and the meaning of their art.
“There’s a fine line between selling and collecting art. All the things I sell in my gallery I love. I’m not very good at business, because if someone doesn’t buy something, I’m happy because I can keep it longer,” she laughs. “And I sneak them out. I say ‘it’s sold’ but it’s in my house. I think the stories behind the paintings are more important than things of dollar value.”
Project 13, 13 Bali Lane, Singapore, tel +65 6293 3314;
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