Art cities of the future

Today the art world is more of a world in

every sense, with a larger population, a

wider territory and a greater number of

nationalities. A new book, Art Cities of the

Future: 21st Century Avant-Gardes,

uncovers twelve cities from around the

world which are thought to become

important artistic hubs in the years to

come.

These cities have emerged in the recent

years as centres of interest in cultural

activities. They have been chosen based on

their impact on contemporary art, history of

artistic importance, and overall cultural

climate. This new generation of artists seem

to gain prominence on the international art

circuit, with a variety of photography,

painting, sculpture, installation, video,

performance and new media works.

Cluj-Napoca and Singapore among these cities

Since we have offices in Singapore and Cluj-Napoca, these cities are very close to our hearts.

When we’ve stumbled upon this news, we felt very proud that both of them have been

included on this list of art cities of the future. Cluj made it surprisingly for the podium, listed

third, while Singapore keeps itself on the first half, listed sixth.

Here are the artistic hubs mentioned in the book for both cities:

Cluj-Napoca

The National Museum of Art – it holds a very valuable Romanian and universal

heritage (XV-XXI centuries) with over 13,000 artistic pieces (painting, sculpture,

graphic arts, decorative arts and a collection of documents). Educational and cultural

programs are organised here often, for the better understanding and appreciation of

the Romanian and Transylvanian culture.

The Paintbrush Factory – this is a collective space for contemporary arts in Cluj. The

project started as an independent initiative to bring together ideas, events and

projects of cultural organizations, galleries, producers and independent artists in the

City.

Singapore

The Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore – it is devoted to the exhibition and

research of international and Asian contemporary art.

The Singapore Art Museum – it advocates and presents contemporary art practices

of Singapore and the South-East Asian region. SAM has amassed one of the world’s

largest public collections of modern and contemporary South-East Asian artworks,

with a growing component in international contemporary art.

The National Art Gallery – it hopes to strengthen Singapore’s role as a regional and

international hub for visual arts. South-East Asian art, including Singapore art, from

the 19th century to present day will be displayed in the new premises.

Thanks to this ground-breaking book, these cultural centres will gain even more attention

from new artists, collectors and art critics.