Here’s something fun and exciting for art lovers – ART LOFT, an online platform where you can buy or rent Asian contemporary artworks for as low as S$20 a month!
Art, for years has been perceived to lag behind the digital revolution. Traditionally sold offline though exhibitions and fairs, Artists work with galleries to tap their database of clients and sell their art pieces.
“There is a surprising paradigm shift on how people buy art. The Internet has revolutionized the way we experience and interact with art, and is reshaping and transforming the art business as we know it,” says Tian Qiuyan, co-founder and seasoned technopreneur.
According to a study conducted by Hiscox, one of the largest global insurers of fine art, 64% of established art collectors are buying online based on a digital image.
ART LOFT, an online art platform and initiative, launched it’s site earlier this year to facilitate international appreciation, coupled with the buying and renting of Asian contemporary art. Headquartered in Singapore, ART LOFT showcases artists that have a distinctive creative practice to highlight the nuances and diversity found in contemporary art around the region.
Last month, ART LOFT held a launch event for media and art lovers, to promote their online art platform and services. The event took place in a restored conservation shophouse – a quaint development designed to house several self-‐contained apartments as well as communal spaces. For the event, Art Loft decked out its interior space with a diverse range of represented artworks, allowing guests to experience a night with art in an intimate home setting:
All the artworks showcased at the launch event are available for ONLINE PURCHASE, directly from ART LOFT.
By building their online presence, together with a stream of partnerships and collaborations, ART LOFT sets its sights on an international arena to throw spotlight on the region’s talented art community.
The idea was formed when Tian Qiuyan visited co-founder, Michelle Chan, at her family run gallery in Singapore.
“I was admiring a work when Michelle shared the story of the Laotian artist behind the work. The artist worked as a policeman in the day and painted at night, fueled by his talent and passion for art. Hearing the inspiring story sparked the idea of bringing this artist’s story to a global audience via the Internet. “ says Tian Qiuyan.
ART LOFT’s Chief Curator, Michelle Chan, works with her team to curate and source for interesting artworks from the creative talents around the region. She says, “We believe in bringing talented emerging artists, with previously only a localized impact, to an international audience. Asia is a fascinating region with so much undiscovered talent, and we’re fortunate to be based right in the midst. We want to help the community through our platform and strive to be the ultimate destination for anyone looking for Asian contemporary art online. Working with both artists and galleries, we provide an easy solution to showcase their works to a much larger audience.”
Creative and Marketing director, Alexandra Eu says, “We believe in pushing the traditional boundaries of art appreciation by encouraging everyone to experience art in their homes. Working directly with our artists, we allow users to rent art for as low as $20 a month. Currently, only a handful of artworks are available for rent but we hope to beef up our rental selection over time. If any of our customers are interested in renting an artwork that is only available for sale, we’re happy to help work something out with the Artists.”
“The rental concept is relatively new in the region and so far we’ve garnered good feedback and interest. It allows users to take their time and live with a piece of art to decide how convicted they are about the work in the context of where it will be displayed. The best part is, you can always return the piece and replace it with another which you feel might be more suited to your space.”
About ART LOFT
ArtLoft.co is a curated platform that features emerging talents of the Asian contemporary art scene and gives you preferential and direct access to their diverse collections. It believes in their stories and inspirations, and interweaves these into a narrative, which shines a spotlight on the amazing artworks they create.
ART LOFT’s presence spans both online and physical spaces, enabling you to discover, appreciate and invest in the works of promising Asian artists from early on in their careers, before they take their bow on the larger stage.
ART LOFT hopes to bring Asian art into every home and bridge the gap between art and the online space.
The Team
Tian Qiuyan, Chief Executive.
Qiuyan has had extensive experience running an ecommerce start-up for the last three years. Using her technical know-how, the business maven is at the helm, navigating new waters to bring art online. A tennis enthusiast and dog lover, she was previously in finance at Goldman Sachs.
Michelle Chan, Chief Curator.
Michelle comes from a background of design and art gallery experience – giving her the eye for curating the gems found on Art Loft. She has organized and curated exhibitions for emerging Asian Artists via M Gallery the last six years. Graduated in Art History and Visual Art from Brown University, Michelle was also previously a designer in architecture and interiors.
Alexandra Eu, Marketing & Creative Director.
In her five years experience as a strategic planner in DDB and the Events & Marketing manager at UOB Private Banking, Alexandra has worked with Corporate and Retail clients to develop multimedia marketing campaigns and strategies. She is also an avid art enthusiast from a family of collectors. Alex graduated in Communications and Photography from Boston College.
