Gillman Barracks

Gillman Barracks — the «798» of Singapore.
If you;re familiar with the art scene, then you’ll know that 798 is a hip art district in Beijing with hundreds of galleries that houses thousands of artwork from around the world. But, of course, you cant compare Singapore with China. We are a small country with very limited space. That being said, we DO have a beautiful art cluster /​neighborhood with pre-​war buildings in a former military camp. The buildings were beautifully preserved and converted into art galleries now.
There are a couple of galleries scattered around the area — with more famous ones like Sundaram Tagore Gallery (presence in New York and Hong Kong besides Singapore), Pearl Lam Galleries (Shanghai and Hong Kong) to the more smaller and niche galleries like Arnoldii Arts Club, YAVUZ gallery and so forth.
It was my first visit to Gillman Barracks yesterday and I was pretty impressed with the space and the quality of exhibition happening right now. Sundaram Tagore Gallery is currently hosting Steve McCurry (the godfather of photography who works for TIME and National Geographic) photo exhibition and it runs until February 21^st. Take your time to slowly walk around and see if you can decipher what he’s trying to tell you from his photographs. Absolutely mesmerizing.
The location is a little off from the public transport but you’ll get there eventually. Alternatively, a short taxi ride from Orchard will get you there in 20 mins or less. Definitely worth a visit. Here’s a quote from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe that I live by. It reads —
«A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul»

Galleries on galleries housed in old converted military barracks.
If the white walls and thought explosions of contemporary art are your thing, this place is a must-​come.
A very quiet and serene place to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Gillman Barracks is one of those places where I always ask myself, «Why do I not come here more often?!»
If you’re into contemporary art and renovated historical buildings, you will love Gillman Barracks. I remember visiting this space when it had a few galleries back in 2012. Now it’s bustling with more occupied spaces and lots of art, both inside and sometimes on the outside of buildings.
I recently attended their Art After Dark event which celebrated Singapore Art Week, and I thought they did a great job in bringing a crowd and showcasing the venue. Since they have some land to play with, they had a dedicated lot for food trucks and live music, while people were able to walk along the roads and visit all the blocks for different art installations.
I also liked how they came up with temporary art installations along the walkways, which also doubled as interactive art displays– visitors were encouraged to add their own creations to the canvas, which was really neat!
Though it is a bit difficult to get to Gillman Barracks via public transportation, I do believe they’re working on making easier to access. Looking forward to the day contemporary art is accessible to everyone!

Interesting and odd modern art exhibit space. The old military barracks have been converted into art space. Its a bit hard to find the exact exhibit you may be looking for. The art here is pretty awesome with exhibits like Anne Leibowitz. Cool space to walk around too.

Directions: Enter by Malan road (off Alexandra road), not via Lock road. Nearest MRT is Labrador Park.
Visitor info:
— Operating hours for Gillman Barracks may differ from gallery hours. Check the website if you want to get an early start.
e.g. On a Sunday, Gillman Barracks itself opens at 10am, but most of the galleries open at 11am or noon. Closed on Mondays.
— Pair with a walk at Henderson Waves!
— Bring an umbrella and bug spray for drizzly/​rainy weather.
* * *
I came here last Sunday with a visiting friend. We started at Fost Gallery, where we were given maps and recommendations by the friendly assistant. A few galleries weren’t open, even at 12.15pm, so I assume they were just slow to open. I suspect this will change once Gillman rises in popularity; we were there for a few hours but encountered probably twenty visitors at most.
Personal favorites, of the ones I saw:
— «(Foster) The Prefabricated Faith» by Jogja artists Indieguerillas — Block 37 (Equator Arts)
A gorgeous installation with floor-​projected motion graphics by Bandung-​based studio Rolling Glory and music by electronic artist Ari Wulu (also from Jogja). It was hard for us to leave the space.
— «Kontakthope» by Ming Wong (Berlin-​based Singaporean?)
A two-​channel video installation documenting a Tanztheater («dance theatre») workshop that use everyday gestures to explore the dynamics between men and women. It’s interesting because the participants were artists and curators, but you don’t need to work in the art world or be familiar with Tanztheater or Pina Bausch to appreciate the work. On a basic level, I found the juxtaposition of practice vs. performance utterly compelling.
— «Love Forever» by Yayoi Kusama (til 20 Dec 2012) — Block 23 (Ota Fine Arts)
Black-​and-​white marker drawings, silkscreen on canvas. Obsessive and beautiful, as you might expect.