Thu, 21 Sep 2000

RI galleries to take part in ArtSingapore 2000

JAKARTA (JP): Four Indonesian galleries, along with another 17 galleries from Asia, will take part in ArtSingapore 2000 next week.

The Darga Gallery, Embun Gallery, and the Graha/Siont Gallery will present contemporary artworks by Indonesia's best-known artists in the art fair that will open on Sept. 28 and run until Oct. 3, 2000.

Organized by the Art Galleries Association of Singapore, supported by the National Arts Council and sponsored by the Singapore Tourism Board and American Express, the five-day event is boasted as the world's first fair focusing on contemporary Southeast Asian art.

Twenty-two exhibitors will present a variety of visual art in various media, especially paintings, ceramics and sculpture from across China to Southeast Asia, East Asia and America at the newly refurbished MITA Building on Hill Street.

"Asian Art has been increasing greatly in popularity in recent years as evidenced by well-received international events such as the Asian Art Fair in New York. It is entirely right that an art fair for contemporary Southeast Asian art be held in this region. This is the source from which the art springs and our galleries are more than competent experts in this field," Tommy Koh, the fair's patron, said in a media statement.

The Darga Gallery, which is based in Bali, presents works by Indonesian artists such as Affandi, Jeihan, S. Sudjojono, Ahmad Sadali and Made Wianta.

It also showcases the works of the world's greatest painters such as Pablo Picasso, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Marc Chagall and George Braque.

Known as a pioneer in the cross-cultural dialog between artists, the Darga Gallery welcomes artists of all origins to study and work in Bali, and now also welcomes the works of European artists.

The Graha/Siont Gallery was founded by a family of collectors in Indonesia in 1990 and is a major art dealer in the country. It has an extensive collection of artworks, antiques, ceramics and furniture.

In its collection are artworks by prominent artists like Lee Man Fong, Affandi , Basoeki Abdullah, Hendra Gunawan and Sudjojono. It also promotes up-and-coming young artists.

The galleries have participated in major auctions like Christie's and Sotheby's.

The Embun Gallery was founded in January 2000 in Yogyakarta by Cherry Salim with the mission of supporting young artists and the arts industry in Indonesia.

Among the artists featured in the gallery are Bilaningsih, Sekar Jatiningrum and Jerry Thung. The gallery is also promoting young artists like Dede Eri Supria, Heri Dono, Agus Suwage, Nasirun and Entang Wiharso.

The fair will feature other best works of famous painters like Ang Kiukok of the Philippines, Chen Kezhan of Singapore, Chinese artists from Paris Yang Pei Ming , Tin Tun Hlaing of Myanmar, Romulo Olazo of the Philippines and ceramicist Iskandar Jalil of Singapore.

Among the Singaporean galleries scheduled to take part in the art fare are Art-2, Art Focus, Plum Blossoms Gallery, SooBin Art Gallery and Wetterling-Teo Gallery.(pan)