WOAW Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of its fourth outpost in the island city of Singapore on January 12, 2023, adding to its locations in Hong Kong and Beijing. Located at 4 Ann Siang Hill in the vibrant enclave of Chinatown, the launch of the new space marks the contemporary art gallery’s first and only Southeast Asian outpost. In tandem with its opening, WOAW Gallery Singapore will host its inaugural exhibition As Friends & Partners at the newly minted space (January 12 – March 4, 2023), as well as participating in ART SG 2023 (January 12-15, 2023).
This foray into Southeast Asia introduces an exciting new chapter into the region’s art landscape with a series of dynamic events for art aficionados to look forward to. Nestled in Ann Siang Hill, a cross-cultural corner of ever-changing Singapore, the new space seeks to uphold the same energy as its galleries in Hong Kong and Beijing with a steady stream of international and regional artists who continue to push the boundaries of artistic excellence.
With this new station, the gallery ushers in a new chapter in WOAW Gallery’s never-ending pursuit for contemporary art and its makers. The Singapore outpost positions itself as a dynamic, flexible, and multifaceted hub for the artistic ecosystem, promising to engage with current and emerging collectors within the region, and assisting them to build world class contemporary art collections that showcases the prowess of Southeast Asian creators. The latest expansion to Singapore also represents WOAW Gallery’s ongoing concerted efforts to introduce new artists from different geographies in local and regional contexts and strengthen its connections to art communities by augmenting its programming across key Asian cities.
To celebrate the launch of the new space in Singapore, WOAW Gallery will host a cocktail reception from 5pm to 8pm on January 12, in partnership with Junior the Pocket Bar.
The inaugural show curated by the gallery founder Kevin Poon at WOAW Gallery Singapore, entitled As Friends & Partners, features a heady mix of emerging artists, all of whom are reflective of the dynamism and zeitgeist of contemporary art today. The title is a double entendre and a celebration of WOAW Gallery’s ethos: to welcome industry partners and artists from into a tight-knit community that marries both the professional and personal. Committed to going beyond the commercial to create a holistic relationship focused on elevating artists’ dedication to their craft, the new gallery aims to be both a nesting point and conduit for emerging and established artists to build authentic connections with the team and each other.
12 Featured artists include:
• Aryo Toh Djojo (b. 1984, United States)
• Cheung Tsz Hin (b. 1987, Hong Kong)
• En Iwamura (b. 1988, Japan)
• Evgen Čopi Gorišek (b. 1994, Slovenia)
• Jordy Kerwick (b. 1982, Australia)
• Kang Haoxian (b. 1989, China)
• Kila Cheung (b. 1986, Hong Kong)
• Marcela Florido (b. 1988, Brazil)
• Soimadou Ibrahim (b. 1989, France)
• Stickymonger (b. 1976, South Korea)
• Szabolcs Bozó (b. 1992, Hungary)
• UFO907 (b. 1973, United States)
The inauguration of WOAW Gallery Singapore also coincides with the first edition of ART SG during Singapore Art Week. Coming fresh off its participation at Untitled Art Fair in Miami, WOAW Gallery (Booth FC 33, FOCUS Sector) will present four artists from its acclaimed gallery roster: Charlie Roberts (b. 1983, Kansas), Drew Englander (b. 1985, California), James Goss (b. 1956, Maryland) and Jon Burgerman (b. 1979, United Kingdom). The throughline that runs between these artists is reflective of the work that WOAW Gallery is committed to bringing. This tightly curated line-up at ART SG 2023 illustrates the programmatic focus planned for the first year at the new gallery space in Singapore. “Despite our recent launches in Hong Kong and Beijing, my connection with Singapore and Southeast Asia runs deep. I have always long been fascinated by the region’s art scene and how it relates to and contrasts with that of Hong Kong and Greater China. Our mission is to contribute to the local cultural landscape through our exhibition programs and provide local visitors the opportunity to engage with different aspects of our artists’ practices in a way they couldn’t previously. The opening of our new gallery space timed to the inaugural edition of ART SG also signals growth in the art market. We hope to be able to engage with young and seasoned collectors within the region, and bridge them with the very latest cultural trends we are witnessing in America, Europe, Hong Kong, and Greater China.” – Kevin Poon, Founder of WOAW Gallery
