Of Dreams and Contemplation: Selections from the Collection of Richard Koh

Of Dreams and Contemplation: Selections from the Collection of Richard Koh

Exhibition Information

Opening Day22 January 2019, Tuesday, 6:30pm
Guest of HonourAssociate Professor Kwok Kian Chow, Senior Fellow, Wee Kim Wee Centre, Singapore Management University
Period23 January - 3 March 2019
Location 51 Waterloo,

In conjunction with Singapore Art Week 2019, The Private Museum is pleased to present Of Dreams and Contemplation: Selections from the Collection of Richard Koh. As part of The Private Museum’s Collector Platform, this exhibition features contemporary works of international artists from the private art collection of veteran gallerist, Richard Koh of Richard Koh Fine Art.

Presented as a whole for the first time, this is the inaugural showcase of 33 carefully-selected artworks from Koh’s collection spanning more than 20 years. A gallerist by profession, Koh’s distinctive way of collecting is informed by his quiet reflection and interactions with the art world. This collection is an exploration of his journey in the world of art and life, in public and in private, within Southeast Asia and internationally.

Of Dreams and Contemplation reflects a multitude of Koh’s ruminations, personalities and interests through the works of 30 artists. Often referred by Koh as ‘Landscapes of Memory’, each work evokes a specific memory, a tangible reminder of a fleeting moment in his life. Mostly abstract and monochromatic, the works offer rare insights into Richard Koh’s private contemplations—inviting the viewer to interpret and delve deeper.

Programme Documentation

Programme Media

About the Collaboration

An illustrious gallerist, Richard Koh (b. Malaysia) established Richard Koh Fine Art in 2005 with its first gallery space in Kula Lumpur, before augmenting into multiple spaces in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Beyond his private demeanor, his collection intimates personal anecdotes in the dyad between art and existential curiosity, underscoring his contributions in many of the region’s seminal private and public collections. Through his inception, Richard Koh directs an ongoing programme of exhibitions and residencies, purveying contemporary art from his abundant roster of artists to local, regional, and international assemblages.

Programme Outreach

Saturday, 26 January 2019, 3 PM

Patricia Chen and Richard Koh on what it means to present the private in public as a gallerist-collector, in the first public exhibition of his personal collection in Southeast Asia.

In this talk, Patricia Chen shares a conversation with Richard Koh on how his observations of the art world translate into what he collects, presents and sells, addressing questions about the realms between the private and the public.

Programme Publication

The Of Dreams and Contemplation exhibition publication features an essay by Patricia Chen.

$39.90

Press