After Hours at STPI Gallery

I finally did something I’ve been trying to do since moving here!

When we first arrived in Singapore and were sorely in need of some friends, both Tim and I did some research on different groups or social clubs we could join. TT joined two softball teams (one with the US Navy!) and a basketball team and we also joined the American Association of Singapore (AAS). I browsed for some arts or culture groups hoping to find people that might remind me of my friends back home…

but I couldn’t find any!

Neither National Gallery of Singapore, Singapore Art Museum, nor National Museum of Singapore offered any type of young donor program.

Interestingly enough, I think this is because most of them are government funded! As they are not fully “non-profit”, I guess they really don’t have as pressing of a need to cultivate donor groups. There are options to make a donation to the institutions, of course, but nothing to “join” short of becoming a docent or volunteer.

There were a few art interest groups that I found and a MEETUP group here or there but nothing of what I was searching for – a group where young professionals from all different industries are brought together through a common love of art and culture and a driving curiosity to learn more and greatly broaden their horizons. A group where young people could come meet like-minded people, learn something new, and enjoy a glass or two of wine in the process.

With a clear mission outlined in my head (and in my bullet journal!), I set out to create the group I was craving and pre-emptively named it After Hours. After months of email back and forth, playing schedule tag, and some resounding “no’s”, I finally set up our first event!

STPI Creative Workshop and Gallery welcomed the group for our inaugural event on Wednesday. I was so excited to partner with STPI because they are actually a really, really cool space that focuses on printmaking (awesome!).

Well known for their Artists In The Studio program, STPI invites artists from around the world to come live in artist apartments behind the gallery and create art in the space for a few months using the studio and full printmaking workshop below the gallery. The roster of participants is large, with representation from around the world and varying degrees of fame. So far, STPI has collaborated with over 90 artists in the sixteen years it has been open! Some works created during these collaborations have even been acquired by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in NYC (#tbt to my past life)!

Our After Hours event was a guided walkthrough of the current Aaron Curry exhibition at the gallery. Tickets went for $25 a pop and seventeen people came! Three of whom I didn’t know! An absolute thrill. We were treated to an incredible walkthrough of the exhibition Fragments from a Collective Unity and an even deeper look into the actual printmaking studio below the gallery. It was so cool and so, so interesting.

Aaron Curry is an L.A. based artist who known for his works in sculpture and painting. His pieces are uniquely recognized for their combination of painting, sculpture, and collage. The exhibition was filled with large brightly colored and texture pieces. A lot of skateboard and bone representation as well.

Guests were treated to a few glasses of wine and some cheese and crackers after the walkthrough. Everyone enjoyed meeting each other and the #exclusiveaccess that the event offered the group. I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out and I cannot wait for the next event!

Stay tuned for more from After Hours!

and a special thanks to my babel who always believes in my ideas and helps all my dreams come TRUE.