Indonesian sets up Singapore's first private museum

Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Singapore

Amid the growing number of art collectors in Southeast Asia, Indonesian born Tjahyadi Kamala alias Kwee Swie Teng -- said to be one of the most important collectors of contemporary and modern Asian Art -- takes a special place. In his collection are 1,500 art works by 135 artists that he amassed in barely 15 years.

Tjahyadi is special because his vision -- to share with others the art works that have given him so many precious moments of reflection, happiness and joy -- goes beyond the vision of the usual collector.

Undeterred by constraints at home, he managed to open his private museum in Singapore on Oct. 12 through the Guo Art Foundation that he founded earlier. Located within Singapore's recently developed Ubi Techpark, Art Retreat comprises of a 4,600-square-foot main gallery on the ground floor of Block C and the 2,500-square-foot Wu Gunanzong gallery on the fifth floor of the same block.

Art Retreat is the only private museum in Singapore. It is receiving significant support from the Singapore Tourism Board, which includes Art Retreat in their Singapore-arts-promotion; the National Heritage Board through the Singapore Art Museum, which has been instrumental in helping Art Retreat develop its programs; the National Arts Council and Chua Soo Bin of Soobin Gallery.

For Singapore -- already home to many museums, galleries, and art auctions -- Art Retreat is seen as a major boost to its ambition of becoming an arts hub in the region.

The opening of Art Retreat provides another new reason for regional art lovers to visit Singapore, said Singapore's Acting Minister for Education Tharman Shanmugaratnam at the opening ceremony.

National Heritage Board Professor Tommy Koh finds that Art Retreat is "a wonderful example of how a collector's private passion has benefited the public". It will contribute significantly to the cultural vitality of Singapore and the region, he added.

Experts see the strength of the Guo Art Foundation that maintains Art Retreat in its diversity, including the works of outstanding Indonesian painters, Affandi, Basoeki Abdoellah, Lee Man Fong, S. Soedjojono, Raden Saleh and Hendra Gunawan; famed European painters who lived and worked in Indonesia, Le Mayeur, Theo Meier, W.G. Hofker and Rudolf Bonnet; and Chinese masters like Pan Yuliang, Chen Wenshi, Shi Hu, Zhang Xiaogang, Xu Beihong and Wu Guanzhong. The collection also includes works by such European artists as Karel Appel, Picasso, Amadeo Modigliani, Jean Baptiste Corot and Henri Fantin Latour.

Art Retreat wants to highlight visual art derived from the magnificent cultures of the world. At the same time it aims to promote art appreciation, not only by having exhibitions but also through educational programs. Scholarships to do art research; workshops and lectures by artists, art collectors and curators, are all part of the museum's role in fostering art development and appreciation in the region.

A retrospective exhibition -- which is also the inaugural exhibition of the works of the now 84-year-old Chinese artist Wu Guanzhong -- has been especially curated to mark the launch of the museum. Why Wu?

Tjahyadi explains the decision by saying, "For me it is significant that the inaugural show for the museum is one dedicated to Wu Guanzhong, for he is not only a great artist, but a good friend as well."

He added that, it was a fascination in his (Wu's) work that inspired him to become a serious art collector and sparked in him an interest in developing a true understanding of art.

"The late Joseph Sulaiman of Santi Gallery introduced me to Wu Guanzhong in 1980, confessing that it took him almost a decade before he bought his first ink painting."

Titled Shore to Shore, the Wu Guanzhong Retrospective runs until May 2, 2004 and features works that are said to be classic; realist oils from his younger days and abstract-ink-paintings, some of which are reminiscent of the works of Jackson Pollock. They represent the best of Wu Guanzhong, says Christine Kohr of the Singapore Tourism Board, a connoisseur of Chinese art. Included are paintings that the artist made during a visit to Bali in 1994.

For Tjahyadi, Art has become an important retreat that allows him to balance his hectic life in business and a haven where he has found his inner self. "Art has given me insights into life and a renewed interest in my own history and culture," he admits.

Collecting 1,500 art works in barely 15 years -- a rate of 100 pieces a year -- suggests not only an extraordinary passion, but also a well-filled pocket. Tjahyadi, however, acknowledges that not all of the works are of the best quality.

Tjahyadi, who divides his time between Jakarta and Singapore, revealed he had wanted to build a private museum on a piece of land he owns in the Nusa Dua hotel-area in Bali. But the process was difficult and he decided to follow the advice of an old friend -- also chairman of the Singapore Art Museum -- to set up his museum in Singapore, where he receives technical assistance in the running and maintenance of the museum.

Art Retreat maintains six staff, including four Indonesians. They all received training from the Singapore Art Museum. "Once our people are well-skilled I will transfer them to Bali," said Tjahyadi, revealing that his plans for a private museum in Bali have not altered and will probably be realized in one or two years.

If that happens, his museum may be a model for other museums. For now, Tjahyadi has shown the way for private art collectors and philanthropers to do their part in promoting and stimulating art appreciation and development in the region.

Shore to Shore Until May 2, 2004 At Art Retreat 10 Ubi Crescent, Ubi Techpark, Lobby C, #01-45/4 Singapore 408564 Open from Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 7pm Free admission Tel. 65 6749 0880 or info@artretreatmuseum.com