Art Stage Singapore on the way to becoming a southeast asian art hub

Lorenzo Rudolf's move to corner the southeast asian segment of the art market seems to be paying off with reports of deep-pocket collectors from the region turning up for Art Stage Singapore. But one of his new moves has drawn flak. Rudolf's decision to set up an Indonesian pavilion and to represent many of the artists has upset galleries representing Indonesian artists. They believe the fair is competing with them for sales, but Rudolf remains convinced the pavilion is necessary because of the lack of a proper Indonesian art infrastructure, including a well-established network of commercial galleries.

Rudolf is also staying on song about Art Stage Singapore having its own identity and not going head-to-head with Art Basel in Hong Kong. "Southeast asia will be the next big trend," he said. "It is important that both are close to each other but not copy each other; that both have their own identities. This will mean that if Hong Kong is successful, we profit; and it we are successful, Hong Kong profits."

Image: Memory of Nature, a performance by Arahmaiani at the Indonesia Pavilion, Art Stage Singapore

Art Stage Singapore makes a surprising new move

At Art Basel Miami, Lorenzo Rudolf championed Latin America's contemporary art scene and helped raise its profile. Now as director of Art Stage Singapore he aims to do the same for Indonesia. The 2013 edition of his fair will include dedicated space for Indonesian galleries and an exhibition of about 30 Indonesian artists. And in an unusual move for an art fair, Art Stage Singapore will represent about two thirds of them. "We only want to show the best, but many Indonesian artists don't work with galleries," he said. "The infrastructure is not there."

But how will participating galleries feel about Art Stage Singapore competing with them for sales?

On the final day of the fair in 2012 Rudolf took a small group of collectors to artists studios in Indonesia and some galleries complained they were cut out and said the move took collectors away from the fair. Rudolf acknowledged it caused some friction, but says the Indonesian pavilion will help them this time by atrracting collectors."It is the best promotion for them," he said. "If Indonesaia is here then there is no need to go to Indonesia."
Image: Arahmaiani's Lobsangnima, A Young Tibetan Monk in Yishu (2011). He is one of the indonesian artist at Art Stage Singapore 2013

Lorenzo Ruldolf likens his experience of Art Stage Singapore to his early days at Art Basel

The inaugural edition of Art Stage Singapore drew 32,000 visitors and favourable press and seems set to take its place alongside ART HK and ShContemporary as one of the region's leading art fairs. You can read more on Art Stage Singapore here and here.

The continued presence of Lorenzo Rudolf is likely to be a critical factor in Art Stage Singapore's attempts to grow its reputation in the years to come. But as the Wall Street Journal reports, given the fair is backed by four prominent Singaporean government agencies, including the Singapore Tourism Board and the Economic Development Board - deeming it the "flagship" effort to turn the city-state into a contemporary arts hub - it's likely that Rudolf has been offered strong incentives to stick around.

Image: Lorenzo Rudolf at Art Stage Singapore, 2011

Lorenzo Ruldolf on Singapore as the new Asian outpost of the international art market

Lorenzo Rudolf, the art fair impresario who changed the way art is consumed with Art Basel and Art Basel Miami Beach, will present the first edition of Art Stage Singapore from 12 - 16 January 2011. He is also working with the Singapore Art Museum on an exhibition of works by artists such as Subodh Gupta and Ai Weiwei, drawn from a cache of notable collections in the region, that will be a special feature of the new art fair.

In a recent interview with Mayo Martin he ranges across the state of the international art market, art fair developments in the Asia/Pacific region and why Hong Kong and Singapore will lead the way, art fair "bling-bling", and the relationship between the holy trinity of the art market - the auction houses, biennales and art fairs.

Image: Lorenzo Rudolf, director of Art Stage Singapore

Another Asia/Pacific fair

The former director of Art Basel, ShContemporary and creator of ArtParis+Guests, Lorenzo Rudolf, has launched a new art fair in the Asia/Pacific Region. The first edition of ART STAGE SINGAPORE takes place from 12 - 16 January 2011.