In the fast-evolving Southeast Asian art market, trust remains the currency of long-term value. An art gallery’s role is not simply transactional, it is custodial. As spaces of visibility and provenance, galleries are expected to uphold professional and ethical standards that support both the artists they represent and the private collectors or public museum collections, that sustain them.
Recent matters call that standard into question. In one case involving an upcoming Korean artist, pitched for multiple times by gallery representatives, whose international exhibition record includes Tang Contemporary, Gallery BK and 313 Art Project, a gallerist agreed to name him in a collaborative exhibition — only to quietly retract that promise without disclosure or documentation. For seasoned collectors, this kind of erasure isn’t a minor oversight. It jeopardises provenance, artist equity and buyer confidence. These issues underscore what Art Gallery Association of Singapore (“AGAS”) and its members must require, as baseline gallery practice.
Clarity and Commitment
Last-minute removals or omissions are more than administrative lapses, they damage artist trust and create uncertainty for collectors.
Transparency in Provenance
Buyers rely on documentation. Any deviation from agreed-upon representation not only impacts the artist’s market presence but also undermines the legitimacy of the works presented.
Respect Builds Market Strength
Galleries that respect their artists — especially when navigating group exhibitions — help foster a stable, respected collecting environment. Disregard, even in small forms, ripples outward.
By contrast, Tang Contemporary Art’s newly announced Singapore opening offers a model of transparent, artist-centered gallery practice. Launched on 28 June 2024 at Delfi Orchard, Tang’s debut exhibition at the gallery titled Ambiguous Yesterday, Fated Tomorrow, features 17 regional and international artists — including Woo Kukwon — and highlights thoughtful curation by Art Director, Sue Oh.
Founded in 1997 in Bangkok by Zheng Lin, Tang’s expansion across Asia — and soon, possibly to Paris and New York — is built not just on market ambition, but on rigorous artist representation and programmatic excellence. From Ai Weiwei and Zhao Zhao to emerging voices like Atreyu Moniaga and Tiffany Lafuente, Tang’s model reflects what regional galleries can aspire toward: international standards, local insight, and institutional trust.
As the Singapore market continues to grow, AGAS and its gallery members have the opportunity and responsibility, to codify ethical practices.
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