The Covid crisis has shaken up the world—and along with it, the art world. The pandemic has disrupted business as usual. Art world professionals, collectors and enthusiasts have had to learn to operate without the fairs, exhibition openings and travel that have sustained the industry.

In anticipation of Singapore Art Week, we sat down with Singapore curators, gallerists, an artist and a collector to talk about the lessons of the past year and how we can chart the way forward to insure the visual arts in Singapore thrive. We filmed these casual conversations in order to preserve a record of this unprecedented moment in time and ignite discussion about how we can continue to create, share, exhibit and collect art in this challenging environment.

There was a consensus that isolation and social distancing have resulted in welcome time to reflect, slow down and recalibrate. Although most everyone missed face-to-face interaction, no one seemed to miss the frantic travel and fair attendance that have become art world staples. Despite the real financial challenges resulting from the closures and travel bans, most everyone agreed that technology has been successful in filling the gap. There was little doubt, however, that technology isn’t a replacement for the pleasure of experiencing art in person.

“We should be creative and we should not be hoping to go back into our comfort zones. That will not work, not in the next five years and probably not in the next 10 years.”
~ Ute Meta Bauer, Founding Director of NTU CCA Singapore

Click the video to watch conversation highlights. They were moderated by Dr. Marius Kwint, an Oxford-educated academic and curator based in the U.K.

Credit: “The Big Picture: Where Do We Go From Here? What’s Next For the Arts in Singapore?” by Sundaram Tagore Gallery