Ole Scheeren and William Lim of Hong Kong-based architecture studio CL3 were two of the speakers of Art Stage Singapore 2018’s discussion series, the Southeast Asia Forum. This wasn’t the first time Art Stage has invited a prominent name from outside the art industry to speak in its platform – the main draw of the forum’s inaugural edition during Art Stage Singapore 2016 was, after all, Rem Koolhaas.

This year the fair made its interdisciplinary reach official by taking the theme of ‘Interaction’, which branched out in three directions: artistic, geographical and personal. The artistic interaction manifested in its Southeast Asian Forum, titled ‘Art Meets Design: Cultural Trend or Fashionable Lifestyle?’, which sought to highlight how art is never static and examine the dissolving boundaries between creative disciplines.

The forum comprised a series of talks and discussions headlined by prominent and emerging names in architecture, design and art, including Scheeren, Lim, Thai artist Kamin Lertchaiprasert, Indonesian designer Alvin Tjitrowirjo and Filippino designer Lilianna Manahan. Meanwhile, a special exhibition curated by The Artling titled The Artling Collectible Design Showcase presented limited-edition products by Southeast Asian designers that exist at the intersection of art and design.

The geographical interaction manifested in a special country focus on Thailand, whose art scene has, said Art Stage founder Lorenzo Rudolf, grown tremendously in the last two years. Meanwhile, the personal interactions manifested as three selling exhibitions: an exclusive showcase by Colombian artist Fernando Botero, a showcase of late American artist Alexander Calder’s work on paper, and a showcase of top Asian contemporary works in collaboration with private art fund Tiroche DeLeon Collection.

Art Stage Singapore 2018 also debuted the Signature Collectors’ Visit, which saw prominent art collectors Teng Jee Hum, Michaelangelo and Lourdes Samson, and Richard and Lauren Nijkerk showcasing their private collection to the public. First held at Art Stage Jakarta last year, the Signature Collectors’ Visit aimed to bridge collectors and visitors, and foster dialogue and the exchange of insights that contribute to the discourse of contemporary art in Singapore and the region.

The fair will return with Art Stage Jakarta, which is slated to run from 7 to 8 September 2018 at the Sheraton Grand Jakarta.

Photography by Lucas Schifres, courtesy of Art Stage.