Setting the stage
Art Stage Singapore, one of the region’s highest-profile flagship art events, made waves as it announced plans to cross waters to Jakarta. The satellite event was held alongside the annual Singapore edition in August this year.
As one of South East Asia’s largest and most dynamic art markets, Indonesia is a crucial pillar of the regional art scene. The organisers looked to put forth a platform that would allow collectors and gallerists to tap into the extensive resources of their influential Indonesian counterparts in order to grow the market synergistically.
To that end, 49 galleries took part in Art Stage Jakarta, which saw over 15,000 visitors come through its doors.
On The Global Stage
Founder and president of the two events, Lorenzo Rudolf, reveals that the seed for the boutique art showcase in Jakarta was first planted in 2008, when he was introduced to the Indonesian art world. Rudolf believes the satellite showcase is a necessary progression of the fair’s platform and one that will serve to bring more collectors through the region.
Rudolf also alleviates concerns that the extension of the Art Stage brand overseas will result in art collectors bypassing Singapore. Formerly a director with Art Basel, he created the successful Art Basel Miami Beach. He says then too, there were fears there would be attrition in terms of collectors returning to the Swiss headquarters. However, this proved to be without merit.
Rudolf assures, “The absolute contrary happened. We opened up the American market and as a consequence, more American collectors than ever came to Basel. And, boosted by the big success, Art Basel has now also set up a branch in Asia. The same thing will happen in Singapore. Collectors go to art fairs they are interested in.”
Curating Artistry
Contemporary art and artists hailing from Asian markets have been attracting increasing attention in recent years. South-east Asian modern and contemporary art have become noteworthy categories in blue-chip auction houses and international galleries.
The role of contemporary art is critical to the growth of the regional and global art market. This sentiment is reiterated by art adviser and dealer Guillaume Duhamel. “It is crucial; in fact, it has actually made the Asian market. If you look at auctions, it is nearly exclusively contemporary Asian. In fairs, it is more equilibrated between Asian and Western – but still very Asian regardless. Classical masters are more difficult to find, as contemporary art still produces and feeds the market.”
Besides China, Indonesia is the biggest market in Asia’s art trade today, making it a firm contender for a significant portion of the hundreds of millions of dollars that flow through the high-stakes contemporary art market.
Art Stage Jakarta fair director, Leo Silitonga, says the region’s art is on the threshold of exponential growth. “Worldwide, the interest in South East Asia and especially in Indonesia is increasing, but we are only at the beginning. What Indonesia needs is an international platform that will enable Indonesian art and galleries to make the leap into the international art world, enabling also the global art world to have greater interaction with Indonesia. It is thus important that Art Stage Jakarta creates these opportunities.”
On the back of its maiden foray into the Indonesian market, this is the litmus test for whether the brand will find its footing in Jakarta, as it has in Singapore. While that will be pegged to its resonance with the art world over time, there is little doubt that its showcase this year will help incubate an already evolving ecosystem, in order to raise the profile of South-east Asian art in general.
