Dawn Of A Digital Age

The millennial generation is coming into its own, not least of all in the world of art. Rachel Ang speaks to art aficionados to discover the reasons behind this phenomenon.

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AGAINST THE BACKDROP of a starry indigo sky with a large white super-moon peering in, a party is in full swing. There are balloons, fairy-lights, stained plates, bottles, popcorn and a mountain of canned baked beans. A silvery, effervescent stream winds through the party, interlinking the 14 characters in this diverse crowd, some drunk and asleep, some deep in thought, some dancing in euphoria

This vibrant scene of Moon River, painted by artist Casey Tan during Singapore’s circuit breaker, is reminiscent of a pre-COVID-19 world. Each character, vividly coloured, is connected within the party, but upon closer examination, each is also isolated in their own bubble.

Moon River is a commentary on what 2020 should have been. Instead, we’ve been restricted from meeting large groups of people, and brick-and-mortar establishments are still reeling from the effects of the three-month lockdown. Art galleries, of course, were no exception. As a result, gallery sales went down by an average of 36 per cent in the first half of this year, with a third of galleries downsizing their staff.

Yet amid this tragic backdrop, a new generation has risen up to keep the market afloat: the millennials. A wide-ranging generation grouped under a category that has in recent times drawn a mixture of amazement, scorn, admiration and criticism, millennials have remained persistently engaged and, more importantly, active in their collection of art, even during this trying time.

The Internet and art

One obvious reason for this persistent engagement is that when offline avenues went under lockdown, the art market flocked online.