Art Expo Malaysia

AEM celebrates its nine years in 2015 as the longest running art fair in Southeast Asia, a rainbow package of art from the East and West and also from the South and Central America apart from Central Asia

It was started in 2007 by entrepreneur-impresario Datuk Vincent Sim Tiak Choo. The AEM was largely funded from proceeds of sales of Datuk Vincent Sim's Chinese art collection of over 40 years. It was to fulfill his dream of having an art fair to bring together some of the finest artworks from all over the world to Kuala Lumpur, all under one roof. He also knew the importance of having an art fair in Malaysia, which could contribute to the development of the visual arts industry, bringing the art scene a big leap forward.

In the Art Expo Malaysia is also served a specially curated exhibition emerging artists called Breaking Down The Wall. 

The artists selected must not be among those featured in the respective paying galleries in the Art Expo Malaysia.  Breaking Down The Wall is looking for want with something new and unusual, even radical to show. This group of artists can hopefully break new grounds in art-making and presentation.

CORE DESIGN GALLERY & ARTCUBE

An exhibition that brings together explosively talented and critically acclaimed contemporary Malaysian artists.The Great Malaysian Contemporary Art Show, or GMCA as it is affectionately named,  was launched for the first time in 2012 in Art Expo 2012. Curated by The Core Design Gallery and Artcube Gallery, The Great Malaysian Contemporary Art Show brings together explosively talented and critically acclaimed contemporary Malaysian artists. GMCA aims to foster the concept of handpicking artists based on their critical value and showcasing a manner of mediums from painting to installation. 

Thailand's art galleries

Bangkok has embraced the endless possibilities of the contemporary art scene in recent years. Holding a handful of major galleries including the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), many more independent galleries with great initiative have emerged around the city.

Whitespace Gallery

Founded in 2006 by American architect David Mayer and Thai artist Maitree Siriboon, Whitespace Gallery is Thailandʼs independent art gallery that has successfully introduced and promoted extraordinarily talented young contemporary Thai artists through a series of mainly solo exhibitions. These exhibitions served for many artists as an important platform for the launch of their careers helping them to gain recognition and opportunities to exhibit their work throughout Asia and Europe.

Whitespace Gallery responds and supports a range of exhibitions/projects from painting, sculpture, photography, installation, to new media and conceptual art. More importantly, the Gallery encourages significant artistic visions that challenge, excite, engage and delight. Whitespace Gallery also provides art consultancy and management to business clients, cultural organizations and individual collectors.

Kathmandu Photo

Kathmandu Photo Gallery was modeled on photographers’ shops of old, where one could walk in and sift through folders of signed prints for sale.

This is no idle pose, since its owner, Manit Sriwanichpoom, is Thailand’s best known photo-artist in the international art world. Downstairs, the antique green walls display framed prints of Manit’s own work.Many of his black and white prints from his travels are on display, and the 1st floor plays host to current temporary exhibitions by local and international photographers. The gallery is housed in a restored pre-war shophouse located near the Indian Temple (Sri Mariamma) in Bangkok’s financial district.

Owned by American H. 

H Gallery is one of Asia’s leading venues for regional and international art. Established in 2002, the gallery began with a focus on emerging Asian artists and has since established a program of exhibitions and installations that aims to generate critical dialogues on contemporary art practices for the global context.

In 2011 saw the inauguration of H Project Space, on the second floor of the H Gallery Bangkok, as an experimental space that functions adjunct to the main program. In June 2012, H Gallery Chiang Mai opened with an exhibition by Mit Jai Inn.

H Gallery maintains an extensive inventory of paintings, sculpture, and photography in Bangkok and in Chiang Mai by many of the artists who’ve exhibited here over the years. These can be viewed on request at either gallery.

Bangkok Art & Culture Centre

A past lack of public art and culture in which Bangkok lead to the creation of the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (BACC). BACC is a new mid-town facility for the contemporary arts. Programmes for art, music, theatre, film, design, and cultural/educational events take place in a friendly and recreational atmosphere - with cafe, restaurants,bookshops, and an art library being part of the facility. The BACC aims to create a meeting place for artists, to provide cultural programmes for the community giving importance to cultural continuity from past to contemporary. It aims to open new grounds for cultural dialogue, networking, and create new cultural resources from both the public and the private sectors. It is intended as a venue for cultural exchange in terms of content, curatorial and cultural management, giving Bangkok an operational base on the international art scene. 

Although the project started in 1995, due to complications the centre only opened to the public in 2008. Despite this, the BACC was well worth the wait, with the building an attraction in itself, designed by architect Robert G. Boughey and Associates. The architecture aims to compliment the art displayed, its modern design giving reference to traditional Thai shapes and forms. One example is the narrow window slits, which are a typical Thai form, that have been used with a modern variation in pattern and shape.

Lalanta

Lalanta' in Thai means "beauty in abundance".Located in the heart of Bangkok's most affluent districts, La Lanta Fine Art offers contemporary artworks by internationally acclaimed artists. The gallery also exhibits work by up-and-coming artists. 

Their YOUNG PROGRAMME initiative enables our gallery to identify and embrace new ideas and new art expressions undertaken by promising young artists from the Asian continent. 

La Lanta Fine Art's mission is to be a bridge. From one way, we connect young Asian contemporary artists to the international art audience. From the other way, we provide the local art audience with greater access to the leading edge of international contemporary art practice. 

The Queen’s Gallery

The Queen’s Gallery has been established since August 9, 2003 from the initiation of Her Majesty the Queen Sirikit in order to be a space which displayed the work of Thai artists. The Thai artists which the gallery will focus on exhibiting have been broken down into two categories: The new Thai artists which his/her work has not been known by the society and the work of senior honored artists.

There are four floors for displaying art exhibition and the 5th floor could be utilize as activities are in order to integrate the knowledge and publicize the precious Thai works of art to the society.

Art galleries in Singapore

In an attempt to establish itself as a cultural destination, Singapore has recently become fixated with fresh innovation in the arts. 

Many of the worlds finest galleries proudly call Singapore home. Here is a selection of the eclectic mix that Singapore has to offer.

The National Art Gallery

The largest Singapore gallery of arts is not yet officially open, the inauguration will be in November 2015 .The gallery aims to host all major art exhibitions in the country.

The National Gal­lery will focus on dis­play­ing South­east Asian art, including Singa­pore art, from the 19th cen­tury to present day. Through a com­pre­hens­ive col­lec­tion, the Gal­lery will present the devel­op­ment of Singa­pore and regional cul­tures, so as to tell the story of their social, eco­nomic and polit­ical histories.

While the body of works at the National Gal­lery falls largely within the area of mod­ern art, the Gal­lery strives towards under­stand­ing the col­lec­tion in new and var­ied ways – tak­ing on a con­tem­por­ary approach and inter­pret­a­tion of the devel­op­ment of South­east Asian art. The Gal­lery will look bey­ond national and regional bound­ar­ies of art, and take on a wider ambit of inter­na­tional visual arts cul­ture, research into our Asian her­it­age and cul­tural affil­i­ations, and engage with global cul­tures and discourses.

Art Seasons

The gallery caters to raw talents of Singapore. It aims to showcase the best of Chinese and Asian art amalgamation, something that the owners believe to be the true spirit of Singapore.

NAFA Art Galleries

Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts is the pioneer art school of Singapore. The best works of its students are showcased in the school’s gallery along Bencoolen Road a facing the pedestrian pavement, alongside work by other established local and international artists.

NAFA has three galleries located within its Campus 1 the three galleries offer an unrivalled insight into the future of the arts in Singapore.

Chan Hampe Galleries

The Chan Hampe Galleries are located within the famous Raffles Hotel. While their exhibitions vary widely, they tend to showcase imaginative interpretations of the mundane and familiar in Singapore.

The Chan Hampe Galleries exhibit artwork by Singaporean artists, with the aim of encouraging and promoting the development of the Singaporean visual arts community.Although the galleries exhibit a wide selection of art, many of the previous exhibitions have been centred on artwork that draws upon objects or cultural reference points from Singapore.

artCommune Gallery

The artCommune Gallery is Singapore’s first gallery where artists and artwork can be found in the same location. This allows visitors the opportunity to speak to the artists about their work, providing you with professional advice on art collection, conservation and investment in art pieces.

The Arts House

The Arts House is located within Singapore’s elegant Old Parliament House at City Hall. The former seat of government now hosts a plethora of multidisciplinary art within its three galleries.

The Print Gallery is dedicated to showcasing the artworks and exhibits of new Singaporean artists, while The Gallery is a multi-purpose hall that tends to showcase artwork from regional artists within its beautiful Tuscan interior.In addition to these two galleries is a Film Gallery, which features multimedia artwork within its Screening Room and posters pertaining to the featured film along the corridor outside. 

The Substation Gallery

The Gallery features a wide variety of installation art that diverges from traditional art forms to engage visitors in a range of visual, auditory and tactile artworks.

The Substation Gallery is in fact part of a wider arts hub known as The Substation, which includes a theatre and a dance studio alongside the art gallery.

The artwork showcased in the gallery displays the influence of these mixed art influences, by combining visual, audio and even tactile elements. Many of the exhibits involve some degree of installation art, which has included a bubble-wrap walkway and the creation of sound gateways within the gallery.

Tunnel@Esplanade

The Tunnel@Esplanade is not much a ‘gallery’ in the traditional sense as it is a showcase of installation art along one of Singapore’s busiest pedestrian tunnels.

The Tunnel that connects the Esplanade, Singapore’s premier arts theatre, to the malls in the City Hall area has been made available for local artists to showcase their work for passers-by to enjoy. Most of the exhibits have showcased visual art in the form of wall mural, paintings and sculptures, but they have occasionally engaged with multimedia art forms that engage an elaborate use of sound and moving images to transform the Tunnel into a world quite apart from the bustle of the city outside.

Laos' art galleries

Laotian art is slowly evolving as the country gradually continues to open up and artists respond to new stimuli. Here is a sample of cultural venues showcasing the best of Laotian art, from cutting-edge contemporary art.

National Institute of Fine Art in  Vientiane

The National Institute of Fine Art (NIFA) exhibition hall is the place to go to discover the future of Laotian art, and perhaps pick up a painting at a bargain price. NIFA presents paintings, sculptures and installations made by its students and staff. For the past fifty years, the NIFA has seen many of the country’s most famous artists pass through its doors, either as students or as teachers, or both, and continues to nurture the country’s fledgling art practice.

M Gallery

Established in early 2008, M Gallery is a specialist in contemporary art. In particular, the gallery showcases one of the widest selection of works by Lao artists as well as works from Thailand and Vietnam.  

M Gallery is located both in Singapore and in Vientiane, Lao.  The  gallery also works with some of the brightest young  artists from Mekong region like Montree Moungkun,  Songwoot Kaewvisit, artist/sculptor Prasit  Wichaya and  Nguyen The Dzung.

The gallery seeks to contribute to the study and understanding of  South East Asian Art through its consistent representation of artists from the Mekong Region. The gallery regularly holds exhibitions, supports artists’ residency programmes, actively engages with public and private organisations and individuals and is also open to collaborative works/presentations in the name of Art.

Treasures of Asia

Treasures of Asia gallery is Lao PDRs oldest premier contemporary art gallery. Located in the heart of the capital city Vientiane, the gallery currently owns the largest and most diverse contemporary art collection in the Lao PDR. Founded in 2004, Treasures of Asia strives to develop Lao contemporary art in association with the National Faculty of Fine Arts in Vientiane, and the Lao Fine Arts Association.

Unique from other galleries in town, Treasures of Asia endeavours to provide a platform for Lao artist to exchange ideas and to develop their artistic expressions. The collective nature of Treasures of Asia creates an encouraging and upbeat space for artists to gather and display their work to the international community. Additionally, Treasures of Asia maintains a humble profit margin to secure the success of the Lao artists that the gallery presents.

i:cat gallery

The i:cat gallery is a small gallery in Vientiane opened in 2009. In it are shown contemporary art from local Laotian artists, as well as expats and foreigners. Since then, it has hosted a range of exhibitions and events, including visual art, music performances, poetry readings, design, installations and book launches. Come here for a fresh and exciting perspective on Laotian art.

Cambodian creative cafes

Cambodia's riverside capital (Phnom Penh)is on the rebound. After little more than a decade of peace following 40 years of war, the city of two million is recapturing some of its early 20th-century flair. Foreign visitors drawn to Cambodia by its ancient monuments are discovering a thriving contemporary cultural scene with arts cafes, clubs and galleries springing up all over town. Among all those places, two places stand out from the crowd. 

JavaArts is a cultural enterprise that was launched in partnership with Java Café & Gallery in the year 2000 in Phnom Penh, where it operates a gallery and arts lab.  Supported by the café and gallery activities, JavaArts is a platform for the development of contemporary visual arts in Cambodia.  It works to sustain arts practice for artists, researchers, curators and other creative practitioners and has provided a launching pad to many emerging artists who have since gone on to become prominent figures in the contemporary art world.

Java Café & Gallery is a neighborhood hub, and an “icon” of café culture in the capital of Cambodia, being one of the first to open in 2000. An alternative to the daily routine, it is a place where creatives, families, students and business people all come to feel at home and be inspired.

In response to the changing artistic climate in Cambodia, JavaArts launched the Arts Lab and Residency program in 2012 to formalize and expand the support for art production, providing grants, workspace and logistical support to Cambodian artists. Initially, the space was created to showcase emerging artists, but it became clear that it served the community best in a generative role. The space evolved to be a modular arts lab that functions as an office, a studio, a gallery and an incubator for contemporary concepts and ideas.

In January 2007, German filmmaker Nico Mesterharm and his Cambodian team opened Phnom Penh's META HOUSE in association with the International Academy at the Free University of Berlin. Located in the heart of the city, Cambodia's first art/communication/media center is just a few minutes away from the riverside and Royal Palace.

Boasting more than 200 square meters of art exhibition space, the three story META HOUSE gallery in Phnom Penh/Cambodia offers an excellent space for artists-in-residence and visiting artists to interact. The kingdom's first art/media/communication center promotes the development of contemporary art in Cambodia through local and international exhibitions, workshops, community-based projects, artist exchange programs and by fostering links with South East Asian and international universities, galleries, curators, non-governmental and governmental organizations.

META HOUSE has not only established itself as a meeting place for artists and art lovers, but also as an intercultural and interdisciplinary networking platform for Cambodian-based artists, Cambodian artists living overseas and their international colleagues.  

Singapore's art icons

Cheong Soo Pieng (b.1917, Amoy, China - d. 1st July 1983, Singapore), was one of Singapore's pioneer modern artists, and a key proponent of the Nanyang style of art. He is known for his paintings of Malay women depicted with elongated limbs. Having taught for many years at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, he has influenced many of his students as well.

Whilst known as a dynamic teacher, Cheong Soo Pieng's first commitment has always been to art-making. His innovative spirit has been recognised as a major influence on Singapore modern art. In a short span of time his works had progressed through several phases: From post-Impressionist to Cubist to abstract, semi-abstract and more. They showcase his versatility as an artist. He was especially fond of early Egyptian and primitive art forms, and liked to paint squirrels.

Cheong Soo Pieng was often said to be a man of few words, who valued his privacy, led a simple lifestyle and let his artworks speak for themselves.

He formulated his distinctive style of painting Malay women after a 1959 trip to the Dayak longhouses of Borneo. Besides painting both in the Eastern and Western techniques of Chinese ink and oils, Cheong Soo Pieng also sculpted and crafted metal installations. But it is his Nanyang-style paintings in particular that have received much attention. The techniques used are recognised as a creative blend of West and East, and the subject matter was inspired from his Southeast Asian surroundings hence the term Nanyang or South-Seas style. He was one of the first artists to paint in this theme

Lim Tze Peng.

Lim Tze Peng (b. 28 September 1923, Singapore -), artist, winner of the Cultural Medallion in 2003, first established his art practice in the early 1950s with a series of oil paintings on Chinese junks. He is best known for the significant number of Chinese ink drawings and paintings of Chinatown and the Singapore River he produced during the early 1980s when urban redevelopment focused on these two areas. Having a solid foundation in Chinese philosophy, art and culture, Lim also practised Chinese calligraphy, especially in the 1990s.  

Lim participated actively in artist field trips around the Southeast Asian region in the 1960s. From the 1970s onwards, he has participated in several exhibitions - solo and group. His first solo exhibition was in 1970. Since then, he has exhibited his works widely in Singapore and abroad. He held three solo exhibitions in the 1990s and  has participated in more than 20 group exhibitions to date. In the last four years, significant donations of his works have entered the Singapore Art Museum and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts through the artist and his collectors. For his contributions to art, Lim has received several awards including the Cultural Medallion in 2003.

Liu Kang (b. 1 April 1911, Yongchun County, Fujian Province, China - d. 1 June 2004, Singapore), also known as Liu Kai, was an oil painter, a member of a group of pioneer local artists, and a key player in establishing a local style in the visual arts. As a renowned artist, Liu Kang not only produced a wide portfolio of works but also, through his various positions in art schools, influenced the next generation of artists and painters in Singapore.