As the long-awaited inaugural edition of ART SG opens its doors at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore this Wednesday, droves of dealers, exhibitors, collectors, and industry observers from around the world will congregate upon the tropical island. Blue-chip galleries such as WOAW and Whitestone opening for the first time in Singapore are likely to draw visitors. However, it would seem rather pointless to come all the way to this scenic port city and miss out on the latest curatorial and artistic offerings from its ambitious yet adolescent local art scene.
In fact, ART SG happens during the same time as the eleventh edition of Singapore Art Week, running from January 6–15. While the annual art week calendar can seem intimidatingly packed, here are five highly diverse exhibitions worth checking out in various locations across the island, beyond the usual museums and galleries.