now

Mizuma Gallery

With Mizuma Gallerys

expansion into
Singapore (it has
galleries in Tokyo and
Beijing), Japanese
founder Sueo Mizuma
hopes to bring in
more South Asian
art, with a focus on
Indonesian artists.
While we showcase
contemporary art,
the pieces are more
approachable than
avant-garde art,
says Mizuma, who
supports artwork
that critiques
contemporary
consumer society.
People come here
not just for art, but

art

42

Gillman
Barracks

Centre for
Contemporary
Art (CCA)

If youre as blank as a
white canvas when it
comes to understanding
art, a good place to start
is Gillman Barracks
where the galleries
are happy to share
their knowledge and
appreciation of art.
Made up of 15 art
galleries and three
restaurants housed in
former army barracks,
Gillman Barracks is
far from a snooty arts
district exclusive to art
connoisseurs and those
with deep pockets.
Located across
Hort Park along
Alexandra Road, its
our go-to destination to
escape the crowds and
immerse ourselves in
the art world. Heres our
pick of the friendliest
galleries, and what you
can learn from them.

Set up late last

year, the CCA is
an exhibition and
research centre put
together by Nanyang
Technological
University and
the Economic
Development Board,
aimed at showcasing
innovative artworks
and fostering
international cultural
exchanges. At the
moment, the CCA
is playing host to a
travelling exhibition
by the Guggenheim

also to learn about

the culture and
history of the
surrounding region.
The gallerys current
exhibition features
renowned Japanese
contemporary artists
such as Ohata Shintaro
and Ito Enpei.
www.mizuma.sg

t o p right

Founder Sueo Mizuma

is particularly interested
in artists who offer
a critical perspective
on consumer culture.
right

This series of mixed-media

pieces is by Indieguerilla,
a husband-and-wife pair
who started out as
graphic designers.

Michael Janssen
Gallery

UBS MAP Global Art

Initiative titled No
Country, featuring
works from 16 South
and South-east Asian
artists that delve into
the idea of cultural
and national identities.
The CCA holds talks
and gallery tours for
the public, and theres
even a shuttle service
between the Singapore
Art Museum and CCA
on Saturdays. For the
shuttle schedule, visit www.
gillmanbarracks.com/cca.
ab o v e

Singaporean artist Tang

Da Wus Our Children
explores issues about
filial piety.
left

Sheela Gowda focuses

on the violence that
plagues Kashmir in
a series titled Loss.

M as o ns
Need a break from gallery-hopping? Rest your feet and fill
your tummy at Masons, which cooks up a delectable spread of
salads, pasta, pizza and other Western dishes. Happy hour is
from 4pm to 7pm every day (yes, weekends included!), where
alcoholic drinks by the glass are half-price and free pizza
samplers are served.
www.masons.sg, tel: 6694-2216

Were here to broaden

peoples minds, says
Michael Janssens
gallery assistant,
Samantha Bok. The
Berlin-based gallery is
known for showcasing
edgy works, especially
of mid-career and
established artists from
North America, Europe
and South-east Asia
including local artist
Jeremy Sharma, whose
works were presented
in a solo exhibition
(pictured, right) recently.
For budding collectors,
Gillman Barracks is
a good place to get
educated about art,
Samantha says.
www.galeriemichael
janssen.de

43

now

kn o w b e f o r e
you go...
Visit Gillman Barracks website
to glance through whats new
and pick out a few galleries that
attract you this allows you to
better chart the days journey.
Approach the gallerists.
They are equipped with a wealth
of knowledge on whats offered
in the vicinity, and can help
suggest artists and galleries
suited to your taste and interests.

Dont fret about covering the

entire 6.4ha site focus
on a zone and spend more time
understanding each gallery at
a leisurely pace. You can always
come back another weekend to
cover more ground.
Galleries tend to hold smaller
shows in December, making it
a good period to pick up smaller,
more affordable works.

The Drawing Room

The Drawing Room

was founded in Makati
City, the Philippines,
in 1998 by Cesar
Villalon Jr, who
concentrated initially
on showcasing works
using paper hence
its name. The gallery
has now expanded its
collection to include

sculptures and
installations, but
with a focus on
Filipino artists.
It represents works
that explore themes
of globalisation,
diaspora and the
cosmopolitan
world, as can be
seen in John Frank

Sabados intricate
and mesmerising
drawings (pictured,
above) that depict
the struggle
between untouched
utopian lands and
the influence of
technology.
www.drawingroom
gallery.com

Fr e e G uid e d T o urs
Organised by Friends of the Museums, the Gillman Barracks Art & History Tour
sees rained docents dishing out insights on artworks, as well as the sites history.
Details and registration at www.gillmanbarracks.com/calendar.
Fost Galler y

Fost Gallery is the

only local gallery
within Gillman
Barracks, and has
held well-received
solo exhibitions by
reputed Singaporean
artists such as
Herman Chong,
Song-Ming Ang, and
Wyn-Lyn Tan. It has
also represented
international names,
including American
photographer Rodney
Smith and French
artist Vincent Olinet.
Its our duty to be
knowledgeable about
the art scene, and
we dont tell visitors

only what we have

to offer, gallerist
Andrea Fam explains.
We have a good
community at Gillman
Barracks, and we will
point people to other
artists and galleries
within the area.
www.fostgallery.com

left & top

Palimpsest by Phi Phi Oanh

features paintings on glass
slides, which are projected
onto the wall.
44

text mavis ang photography vee chin art direction & illustration KAffy tan