Third Floor at Art Plural Gallery

Third Floor is a new project developed by Art Plural Gallery. Located at the third floor of their four floors gallery space, it is a contemporary art lab of 250 square feet devoted to the expression of emerging talents addressing young collectors eager to engage their collection in a more contemporary feel. Third Floor will be inaugurated with Chinese artist Tian Taiquan’s solo exhibition from October 2 to November 3.

Let’s learn more about it with Frédéric de Senarclens, founder and director of Art Plural Gallery.

Can you describe the Third Floor project? Why did you decide to develop Third Floor?

Third Floor is an open ground for expression dedicated to emerging talents. It is a new project, independent from the gallery. On this dynamic platform located on the third floor of our gallery, we will present solo and thematic exhibitions, art talks, guided tours, events and publications. The idea is to guide young collectors through the passion of contemporary art.

The project was born with the assessment that Singapore art scene is becoming more and more mature. There are an increasing number of young collectors interested in building a collection and keen to acquire works by emerging artists and rising stars.

As an art gallery presenting mostly “blue chip” artists we felt it was also our role to defend up-and-coming talents and our commitment to help them in the development of their career. So we have decided to offer them a structure where their work could be defended in the right way.

What do emerging talents represent for you?

Emerging artists are the voice of our society, they evolve in the midst of a boiling art scene and are constantly trying to define an artistic identity, differentiate and position themselves. They represent something more current, more uncertain and in motion. Everything remains to be created. In this sense, they give us a better understanding of the world in which we live in.

As a gallery owner, I think it is also my role to keep an eye open on promising artists. They are the talents of tomorrow. If they manage their career well , balancing the equation between artistic creativity and a good understanding of the art world and if they are represented by serious galleries, they can make a name for themselves in this highly competitive world.

How is Third Floor linked to the identity of Art Plural Gallery?

Art Plural Gallery celebrated its second anniversary in May this year. We have established a strong reputation in presenting international artists, bridging East and West. Our identity is about the plurality of genres, the quality and consistency of artistic languages. Third Floor is following Art Plural Gallery’s aesthetic line but it is a younger and more innovative project in constant evolution. Having established a gallery with a clear and defined identity and values of excellence, I wanted to devote a floor to promote emerging artists and new media with the same enthusiasm. 

Which artists do you have in mind for Third Floor?

Third Floor will be inaugurated with the solo exhibition of Chinese artist Tian Taiquan from October 2 to November 3, 2013. Tian Taiquan has developed a very consistent artistic vocabulary thanks to his sensual photography, which makes him unique. His message is provocative, subversive and conveys a very strong political statement on the Cultural Revolution. It is interesting to offer him the possibility to express himself outside China, in a space of freedom.

After this solo exhibition, Third Floor will welcome solo and thematic exhibitions. Another artist who will be part of Third Floor is Adriana Molder. A Portuguese artist living in Berlin, her work eternalizes cinematic characters and portrays the density of their being on tracing paper. She was featured in RISING: Young Artists to Keep an Eye On! and her work was recently shown at Casa da Cerca Contemporary Art Center, in Portugal. I have been following her career for a long time and I am impressed by her stylistic consistency and her strength.

Why is Third Floor specifically addressed to young collectors?

Being a young collector is not a matter of age. A young collector is someone young at heart with a keen eye for contemporary art, a curiosity to discover new talents and who remains in an open and multi directional approach towards collecting. Third Floor explores various avenues and offers collectors the ability to broaden their spectrum of choice.

How will you advise young collectors?

The best way to learn is to see as much art as possible, to visit art fairs, galleries, to travel to art destinations. But above all, in order to start a collection, one should find the right advisor, a gallery owner in harmony with your taste and whose advice you respect. At the end of the day, collecting is always about oneself, one’s emotional journey through art. I can only encourage people to build their own taste and follow their instinct.

Third Floor is definitely an interesting destination for a young or new collector and I hope it will fulfil the objective that we have set:  engage and nurture young collectors in their research and collecting process.