“Collectors’ Stage, Asian Contemporary Art from Private Collections”

This exhibition of contemporary Asian art gathers together “iconic works” that belong to private collections and are thus not usually accessible to the public. Given the relatively small number of contemporary art museums on this continent, private collectors have played an important role in the development of local scenes here, as is clearly evident in the show and the two related exhibitions presented off-site.

SAM’s exhibition includes a simple but effective piece by Ai Weiwei titled Table with Three Legs, 2008, an ornamented geometric construction that features three legs from a traditional Chinese table. The wood dates to the Qing dynasty, and the work thus infuses Chinese tradition with contemporary art, or, one could say, imbues Minimalism with a Chinese aesthetic. Also exploring cultural references, an installation by Delhi-based artist Anita Dube titled Silence (Blood Wedding), 1997, is a disturbing highlight of the show, consisting of human bones wrapped in red velvet and made to look like jewelry and other accessories (a necklace, a fan) that evoke femininity. These small, delicate forms are displayed in Perspex boxes, and overall the work speaks to a deathly desire to possess beauty.

“Collectors’ Stage” goes on to highlight a number of other issues, such as the use of technology and its benefits. Despite the fact that painting is widely practiced throughout Asia, the medium is not the strongest part of the show; the sculptures and installations provide a better glimpse at some of the themes and concerns of contemporary Asian artists. The off-site show at Tanjong Pagar Distripark is the most impressive part of the exhibition, hosting works that present an apocalyptic vision of humanity, including T. V. Santhosh’s Howndingdown, 2007: a group of thirty steel German shepherds carrying LED countdown clocks on their backs. The work recalls the use of dogs as suicide bombers in World War II, but it also merges history with more contemporary concerns––and not just Asian ones at that.