While i am away...11/365

Before I joined the  House three years ago, I had been more than clueless about art, and painfully oblivious to its existence. When I moved to London, things changed, it was everywhere. There they were, calling me, in the museums, in the studios, in warehouses, on the streets, on walls, in pop-up shops, at work, in beautiful homes, on people, on bags, on shoes, in store windows, I even have one in my flat! Oh I could go on...it is in the air here in London.

Where has this been all my life? In my very plebian uncultured mind, art to me was limited to the shading of peanuts, and sunday mornings painting fruits in watercolour. Contemporary art? Simi contemporary art? With heavy penalties on expressionism and graffiti, a big hooha on painted postboxes and MRTs, street art has made little progress in Singapore. Of course, the restriction is not without merit as there are some hideous, and  ometimes inexplicable works about.

That said, I buzzed in a little excitement today as I read the news that the inaugural Art Stage Singapore, a contemporary art fair is making its debut this week in MBS. There will be no scrawlings on the walls, no spray painted figures on the ground, but boy will there be some fantastic pieces up for all to see!

Most notably, there has been alot of talk about David LaChapelle, who created the the portrait of Alexander Mcqueen below,

credit: http://www.lachapellestudio.com

Also, how could I forget, Mr Takashi Murakami who probably is a much more familiar name given that he collaborated with Louis Vuitton in their most memorable cherry blossom print all those years ago?

credits: http://www.bbc.co.uk

Ahhh....it could almost be a happy ending going home at some point, there could one day be some real change in this city, and believe you me, when that day comes, my smile will be wider than that of Mr Murakami's little flowers.

:)