Set amidst Singapore’s lush tropical greenery and iconic historical sites, Gillman Barracks is a contemporary arts cluster in the south of the bustling Asian centre. It takes its name from the colonial British military barracks in which it is based. Built in 1936, these barracks were the site of one of the British army’s last stands against the Japanese invasion during the Second World War. Named after general Sir Webb Gillman, the barracks are now occupied by leading Singapore-based and international art galleries including ShanghART Singapore and Sundaram Tagore Gallery; art organisations such as Art Outreach and Playeum – Children's Centre for Creativity; and a selection of fine dining establishments.
Read MoreThe site is also home to the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore (NTU CCA Singapore). Robin Peckham, writing for Art-In-Sight states that NTU CCA Singapore ‘is maybe best described as a curatorial research institute and has become Singapore’s foremost hub for art among international networks.’ NTU CCA Singapore’s combination of research, education, exhibitions, and international artist residencies creates a ripple effect in the Singapore art world, breathing in a range of influences and inspirations, and exhaling new, more powerful forms. Gillman Barracks sits at the heart of this ripple, feeding from and off this creative energy.
The redevelopment of the 6.4-hectare site, which was taken over from the Singapore Armed Forces for Gillman Village in 1996, was a joint public-private undertaking between government agencies, the National Arts Council, Singapore Economic Development Board, and the JTC Corporation. With the aim of fostering cultural and intellectual exchange, and new research as well as showcasing innovative art to increase Singapore’s standing as a Southeast Asian contemporary art hub, Gillman Barracks officially launched in September 2012 with 13 galleries from 10 countries.
The Barracks art scene
Prominent established and emerging artists exhibit in shows at Gillman Barracks, making it a hotspot of Singapore’s visual arts landscape. The contemporary art enclave has attracted international names such as Ai Weiwei, Yayoi Kusama, and Sebastião Salgado. In addition, Gillman Barracks creates a space for home-grown talent such as Sarah Choo Jing and Charles Lim Yi Yong, and hosts programmes such as the annual S.E.A. Focus platform. S.E.A. Focus, organised by STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, seeks to explore the multitude of voices in the Southeast Asian art scene. In 2017, Gillman Barracks also hosted an exhibition tied to Singapore’s participation in the Venice Biennale—Zai Kuning’s Dapunta Hyang: Transmission of Knowledge (2017) was previewed as a work-in-progress at Gillman Barracks before travelling to the 57th Venice Biennale.
What to watch out for at Gillman Barracks
Gillman Barracks will host a large number of works from the 2019 edition of the Singapore Biennale, themed Every Step In The Right Direction. Special exhibition pop-ups in Gillman by artists from Singapore, Southeast Asia and beyond, such as Constellation by Futura, Adaptations by independent gallery Supernormal and Shooting an Elephant and The Leader by Arin Rungjang also help to reinforce the precinct’s standing as a haven for contemporary art. In addition to S.E.A. Focus, Art After Dark is the flagship annual event of Gillman Barracks, held in conjunction with Singapore Art Week every January. Galleries stay open late to debut new shows amidst live music, performances, and general revelry. Together with these shows, galleries introduce additional performances or light-based installations, like Robert Zhao Renhui’s Trying to Remember a Tree (iii)—The world will surely collapse light box, which featured in the 2019 edition.
Ocula Report At Singapore Biennale, Artists Rework the World By Stephanie Bailey, Singapore The sixth edition of the Singapore Biennale, Every Step in the Right Direction, brings together works by 77 artists and artist collectives to consider how artistic practice can 'rework the world' while exploring how a biennial exhibition might facilitate such a reworking.
Ocula Conversation Emi Eu: ‘We have to look at Southeast Asia as one market’ By Stephanie Bailey, Singapore STPI's Emi Eu reflects on S.E.A. Focus, an STPI project platforming artists and galleries from Southeast Asia, in the wake of Art Stage's decline in 2019 and ahead of the launch of Singapore's new art fair, Art SG, in October 2020.
Ocula Report Singapore Lowdown: Shows to See By Tessa Moldan, Singapore Singapore Art Week returns from 11 to 19 January 2020 with a host of island-wide events, at the centre of which is the second edition of S.E.A. Focus (16–19 January 2020) at Gillman Barracks, showcasing the best of contemporary art in Southeast Asia.
Ocula Insight Arin Rungjang Connects Diasporic Narratives at ShanghART, Singapore By Sherry Paik, Singapore Arin Rungjang was born in Bangkok in 1975, a time of political turmoil in Thailand. Two years prior, student demonstrations led to the fall of military dictator Thanom Kittikachorn, who returned from exile in 1976. That year, students gathered at Thammasat University to protest and the military opened fire; 46 died, 167 were wounded, and over...
Related Press A nocturnal fiesta of art and music 17 September 2019, Singapore Times Art After Dark, a one-night fiesta at Gillman Barracks, returns on Friday with exhibitions by the arts enclave's galleries, live music, food and more till late. The biannual event off Alexandra Road was last held on Jan 25 during Singapore Art Week.
Related Press Singapore: Karen Knorr’s exhibition at Sundaram Tagore Gallery pays an ode to majestic India 26 August 2019, Architectural Digest American/British photographer Karen Knorr has over the years developed a critical and playful dialogue with photography. From investigating patriarchal values of the English upper classes to the role of animals and their representation in art,...
Related Press PH contemporary artists feted in Singapore’s visual arts enclave 25 August 2019, The Manila Times Filipino contemporary artists take the spotlight this month as one of Singapore's most popular art enclaves, Gillman Barracks, hosts their works. Keb Cerda opened a solo exhibition entitled _Dahli_a while artist collective The Working Animals Art Projects brought their group exhibition Seabound in Singapore. Both exhibitions opened on August...
Related Press Noise GIF Fest 2019 opens at Gillman Barracks with over 150 GIFs and free entry 27 March 2019, cna Lifestyle You can't get onto social media without encountering a GIF or two. Short for Graphical Interchange Format, these endless loops of images or soundless video are like bite-sized demands of your attention.
Related Video & Audio Gillman Barracks Corporate Video 2019 24 September 2019, Gillman Barracks Set amidst Singapore's lush tropical greenery and iconic historical sites, Gillman Barracks is a contemporary arts cluster in the south of the bustling Asian centre. It takes its name from the colonial British military barracks in which it is based. Built in 1936, these barracks were the site of one of the British army's last stands against the...
Related Video & Audio Gillman Barracks Corporate Video 24 July 2017, Gillman Barracks Set in a former military barracks dating back to 1936 and surrounded by lush tropical greenery, the Gillman Barracks visual arts cluster was launched in September 2012. Gillman Barracks' vision is to be Asia's destination for the presentation and discussion of international and Southeast Asian art. Gillman Barracks is now home to leading...
Related Video & Audio Art After Dark at Gillman Barracks x Singapore Art Week 2017 24 July 2017, Gillman Barracks Gillman Barracks' signature programme, Art After Dark, returned for its flagship edition on Friday 13 January 2017 during Singapore Art Week.
