CEBU, Philippines - One thing is for sure. I will forever be a fan of art, regardless of its form, its shape, its medium. That must be why, for some reason, I always seem to have a unique sense of serenity when I am surrounded by good music, good books, and all the more, great paintings.
I guess this is one of the reasons why Singapore has had a special place in my heart. More than just the home of the famed merlion and a host of architectural wonders like the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore is a melting pot for artists ready to unveil their life's works to an international audience.
Singapore's art scene has grown to epic proportions in the past years and really, I could not think of a more fitting place for artistic minds to converge than this island city south of the Philippines.
More recently, art enthusiasts will be thrilled to find themselves in one of Singapore's newest artistic hubs-The Gillman Barracks.
Dubbed as Asia's emerging destination for contemporary art, the Gillman Barracks is as rich in history as it is in creative pursuits. A good half of the day, and no less, should be dedicated to this sprawling collection of galleries set in white colonial buildings amidst lush greenery and tree-lined paths. Named after the British General Sir Webb Gillman, the Gillman Barracks was formerly a stronghold of the First Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment.
Now a far cry from its colonial past, the Gillman Barracks has been transformed from an army house to an art hub that will feature a vast and diverse collection of contemporary art masterpieces from a slew of international artists from Singapore to the Philippines, and even as far as Japan and Belgium.
On a trip to Gillman Barracks, here are some of hippest galleries you shouldn't miss:
Equator Art Projects
Intelligent, quirky, contemporary. Those are only three words that can best describe one of Indonesia's top art galleries that seeks to promote cultural exchange through the visual arts. Home to some of the most prominent names in art in Indonesia, the Equator Art Projects is a showcase of the constantly evolving Southeast Asian art.
Silverlens
One of the two galleries that will make you proud to be Pinoy. Silverlens started out as a photography gallery only to embrace other visual arts media later on. Its vase collection of art in Manila, New York, and Singapore has made it a favorite among contemporary art enthusiasts. The main goal of Silverlens is simple and that's to put Pinoy at in the center stage of international art dialog.
Partners &Mucciaccia
There is nothing like a healthy doze of contemporary and modern art from Europe and the United States than the collection in the gallery that was first established by Massimilliano Mucciaccia. Founded in a 16th century palace in Rome's AraCoeli, the interesting collection of projects houses works from acclaimed artists like Picasso, Robert Rauschenberg and Marco Tirelli.
Drawing Room
Do not let the simplicity of the Drawing Room fool you. Behind the iconic paintings and installations lies a deeper social meaning that the artists behind the Drawing Room wish to examine. First established by Cesar Villalon Jr., in Manila, the Drawing Room is a collection of contemporary Pinoy art that gives an interesting take on Pinoy pop culture elements from an installation art of cardboard skyscrapers to a guitar made entirely out of spoons, forks, and colanders.
Sundaram Tagore Gallery Singapore
Visitors to the Gillman Barracks will find this one of the galleries that will leave an imprint in their minds. Dedicated to cross-cultural exchange and the unique marriage between the East and the West, the Sundaram Tagore Gallery has gone beyond the visual arts and into other art forms like music and poetry, to show the intermingling of these polar cultural divisions. Its current exhibit, the Big Picture, showcases a collection of photo masterpieces from iconic lensmen who have changed the world.
Fit for an afternoon of art, the Gillman Barracks is bent on becoming a busy beehive for contemporary artists and art enthusiasts with its vast collections juxtaposed against a quirky colonial setting.
At the Gillman Barracks, people are bent on making art not war. (FREEMAN)