We Are Asia’, roared the ad campaign for the second edition of Art Stage Singapore, and Japan was not short on representatives at the island nation’s second attempt to establish itself as a vital destination in the Asian art scene.
The sophomore edition of Art Stage Singapore drew 133 galleries from 19 countries and a swarm of 31,000 visitors who flocked to Marina Bay Sands’ Convention Centre by the sea to see some of Asia’s most exciting works. The exhibition ran for four days, from 12 – 15 January.
Azito’s three partner galleries, NANZUKA, Yamamoto Gendai and Mori Yu Gallery made a strong showing as well.
Another of Azito’s partners, Mori Yu Gallery, presented a more selective but visually captivating series of art pieces by the painter Sakae Ozawa.
Besides Azito’s partner galleries, a host of other Japanese galleries also exhibited at Art Stage 2012. The art pieces on display at Tomio Koyama Gallery had a distinctly pop art sensibility to them, which was right up my alley.
Osaka’s Tezukayama Gallery’s emotive series of photographs remembered the March 11 earthquake-tsunami that devastated the north-east coast of Japan, and inevitably came to dominate Japanese consciousness.
Ota Fine Arts’ exhibit was one of the few video installation in the whole Art Stage 2012, having brought in the work of Hiraki Sawa. The walls of its darkened, enclosed booth were used as a projection screen for two nameless films, while what seemed to be an old antique television ran a monochrome film on loop in a lit corner.
A favourite find of mine however, has to be the simultaneously cute and awe-inspiring wood statues by Yoshimasa Tsuchiya, on display at the booth by Megumi Ogita Gallery.
The Yoshiaki Inoue Gallery also put up an interesting variety of pieces, including a comic strip that when looked at from afar, formed the portrait of US sex siren Marilyn Monroe.
Last but not least, Gallery Cellar put up a vibrant collection by the artist Tetsutaro Kamatani, whose vibrant photos were a joy to behold.
text and photo by Hannah Koh
Exhibition Info
Date: Jan 12, 2012 – Jan 15, 2012
Place: Art Stage Singapore at?Marina Bay Sands Exhibition and Convention Centre
Address: 10 Bayfront Avenue. Halls D, E & F, Singapore (show)
44 Club Street, Singapore (office)