In the highly polished corridors of Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre (MBS), ART SG opened its fourth edition on January 22, aligning with Singapore Art Week (January 22–31). Co-founded by Magnus Renfrew, Sandy Angus, and Tim Etchells, the fair seems to have found its rhythm: over 100 galleries from 30 countries and territories filled the halls, mirroring last year’s scale. The atmosphere was notably lighter—less guarded, more inquisitive—than the cautious tenor of the 2025 edition.
The fair’s program carried self-assured poise. SEA Focus, now fully integrated into the main event and curated by John Tung, offered a sharper representation of Southeast Asian practices. In the Platform section, large-scale installations by artists such as Lee Bae, Bingyi, and Jitish Kallat, along with performative works, also captivated audiences. Citra Sasmita’s Bedtime Stories, presented by Yeo Workshop, drew from her previous hanging installations created for the 24th Biennale of Sydney in 2024 and last year’s Hawaiʻi Triennale. Visitors were invited to recline on carpets and cushions while admiring two monumental kamasan scrolls hovering above, along with large mixed-media works lining the surrounding walls. As her hand-shaped textile remnant, Cosmic Dance 2 (2025), sold for SGD 32,000 (USD 25,360) at the VIP preview, there was further institutional interest in the main installation work priced at SGD 120,000 (USD 95,110). Projects like this anchored the section’s emphasis on scale, materiality, and conceptual rigor.
