Eugene Tan
is participant at
Where is Art Contemporary? The Global Challenge of Art Museums II
Abstract
New Art Environments in Singapore and Southeast Asia
Globalization has significantly transformed the art environment in Southeast Asia over the past decade. The Asian Economic Crisis of the late-1990s caused by the massive out-flows of speculative capital from the region, possible only in the age of globalization, resulted in, among other things, the waning of interest in art of the region. However, in spite of the potential dangers of globalization, attracting foreign capital and investment to their countries is still an important priority for governments in Southeast Asia and art is often seen as an instrument in the attainment of this goal. In Singapore, for example, art and culture is used as a means to make the country more attractive to foreign investors. One result is that the museums and institutions established in these countries are based on models derived from the west, often with the aim of making these museums and institutions recognized internationally in the same way as the original museums they are based on. The failure of state institutions and initiatives in these countries has resulted in the emergence of private and artist-led organizations and initiatives which have taken on the role in driving the development of art in Southeast Asia. My paper will examine some of the anachronisms resulting from globalization for art in Singapore and Southeast Asia followed by a study of some of the institutions and organizations that have played, or are playing, an important role in the development of art in the region.
