Where to Buy Your First Art in Singapore
Buying your first piece of art can be intimidating. Foreign styles from unfamiliar periods, huge blank walls, artists who speak in a language you don’t understand—all of these can be overwhelming if you’re new to buying art. Several factors are also at play such as determining how far you are willing to stretch your wallet and what style fits you. But gallery owners and art dealers recommend exposing yourself to museums to figure out what you like. Although it won’t transform you into an art connoisseur overnight, educating yourself and learning about certain periods won’t hurt and might give you a perspective on where to start. Then again, you also don’t always have to give in to what’s familiar and comfortable, especially when talking about the arts!
To get you started, here are galleries and studios in Singapore where you can buy your first art!
Living With Art Singapore
Offering an extensive artwork collection in a range of mediums, Living With Art Singapore is a nice place to start for your first foray into art appreciation. Its flagship gallery in Tan Boot Lian Building on Outram Road houses more than 3,000 works of art that include sculptures, paintings, and vases. You can see creations from local artists such as Samantha Redfern, Tan Tui Gee, and Jaime Teo, as well as those from foreign icons like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring.
Their website is carefully curated and easy to navigate by any first-time buyer, with the pieces categorised according to the medium used. But we also recommend going to their physical gallery to get a feel of what you plan to purchase. If you spot something you like worth more than S$2,000, delivery is free.
Lumas
Lumas has physical galleries spread across the world, but their extensive online collection allows Singaporeans to browse art collections by theme, size, artist, and price and have them delivered to your home. You can also book a consultation with one of the members of their team if you’re unsure of where to start. Their collection puts the spotlight on photographic arts, including those taken by popular photo artists such as Takashi Murakami, Patrick J. Adams, and Isabelle Menin.
Ode to Art
This contemporary art gallery in Singapore represents a range of mediums that span photography, paintings, art installations, and sculptures. Its portfolio includes some of the household names in contemporary art such as Mauro Perucchetti, Fernando Botero, and Chen Wenling. Beyond selling art, this gallery helps promote awareness about contemporary art by holding talks and exhibitions, and offering art consultancy services.
Kult
If you’re into eclectic pieces, Kult along Race Course Road is your best bet. This multidisciplinary art studio specialises in the “conceptualisation, curation, and execution of interactive experiences using art, design, and technology.” It partners with international organisations for its interactive exhibits that toy with a range of concepts like politics and culture while focusing on Singapore’s homegrown artists.
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