Anmari Van Nieuwenhove talks about how her experiences with Singapore Art Museum and Telok Ayer Arts Club shape the way she approaches her clients’ collections in this new chapter of her career as a Metis Consultant for Singapore.
1. You spent a large part of your early career at the Singapore Art Museum managing their digital strategy. Can you say a little bit more about your role and experience there?
I was in the Marketing and Communications department and took to social media quickly, because believe it or not, SAM had a very small social media presence then, with no dedicated team or strategy. I ran with it instinctively, approaching it with a content-driven, people-oriented strategy. It was rare to see a state-run institution like a museum adopt such a friendly, open voice on social media and that’s what helped it grow at the pace it did, accumulating over 30,000 followers in just two years.
Anmari Van Nieuwenhove
2. You later on became an Arts Manager at multi-concept spaces, one of which is Telok Ayer Arts Club (TAAC). What does ‘curating’ mean for you and what is it like to curate in such non-traditional spaces?
By ‘curating’, it means that I manage the programme, work with other curators and artists to create exhibitions or events that work for the unique space that is TAAC. It’s about mediating an art experience for a varied, non-traditional audience. In all my roles thus far, I’ve always had to bridge gaps of understanding between a variety of audiences, for all to understand and appreciate art.
Dawn Ng, ’11’, 2019 at Telok Ayer Arts Club. Image courtesy of the artist.
3. After conceptualising for these spaces to now taking on the role of an art consultant, how has your curatorial background influenced the way you approach the collections of your clients?
Having worked at SAM, I’m most familiar with Singaporean and Southeast Asian artists. I also personally value and enjoy the ideas in contemporary practices. While challenging, this is a direction I’d always try to direct newer collectors toward — to collect local or regional, situating them in a specific, relevant context. At Telok Ayer Arts Club, I started to work even closer with artists, so the artistic process is rather close to my heart and I’ve encouraged clients to take their time to understand an artist’s practice.
Jason Lim, ‘Topographies’, 2019 at Telok Ayer Arts Club. Image courtesy of Telok Ayer Arts Club, Singapore.
4. A core tenet of Metis’ vision is to pave the way for the next generation of art collectors and also a future of arts philanthropy and patronage. Do you envision the audience that you previously engaged with in spaces like TAAC perhaps starting their own collections? Or, more broadly, who is art collecting for?
Yes, I think there is a growing number of people who purchase art who don’t necessarily identify as collectors. There is an even larger group of people who enjoy visiting museums and seeing art shows who don’t realise how simple it could be to buy a piece you enjoy. I started collecting a few years ago and never thought it would become something serious, but all it takes is getting your first piece to realise how meaningful it can be.
Albert Samreth, ‘Anaheim Street Parade’, 2017 as part of Anmari’s collection. Image: Marisse Caine
5. What can we expect from your journey with Metis from here on out and what are you most looking forward to?
I’m looking forward to spreading the collecting bug, and mostly being able to inspire people to collect their first piece of art — there’s no feeling quite like it. I’m also really looking forward to engaging with new people through the courses, dialoguing about art and its role and potential in building a new world.
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