Arts administrator, curator, and writer Constance Sheares played a key role in the development of visual arts in Singapore.

When space became available at the National Museum during the early 1970s, the museum decided to use it for an art gallery, Contance, who was then the museum’s curator of anthropology, became the curator of art and supervised the design of the art gallery and the acquisition of art.

She was well-equipped for this role. After 10 years at Raffles Girls School, she went to a boarding school in the UK. She then studied at the Courtauld Institute at the University of London, graduating in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in European art history. After this she returned to Singapore and in 1970 obtained her Master’s degree in Asian art history at the University of Singapore.

Constance joined the National Museum in 1971. The museum’s extensive natural history collection was moved in 1972 to the University of Singapore and work began to convert the vacated space into an art gallery. At that time, art galleries were few and far between in Singapore.

Work on the art gallery began in 1973, and Constance worked with the museum director and architects on the design of the space. She also began to acquire artworks. The museum then had an annual budget of just $3,000 for acquiring art, so they depended a lot on donations by collectors. Artists were also very generous and readily donated their works.

In 1976 the National Museum Art Gallery opened. The inaugural exhibition, titled ART 76, was curated by Constance and showcased works by Singapore artists such as Ng Eng Teng, Goh Beng Kwan, Thomas Yeo, Teo Eng Seng, and Anthony Poon.

One feature of the exhibition that generated much discussion was its “big white-shed” design – white walls with lighting tracks and power points on the floor. It was a design popularised in Europe and led to some lively debate about art in Singapore.

Soon after the exhibition, Constance left the museum when her husband’s job took him abroad for six years. She returned in 1982 and rejoined the National Museum as its curator of Southeast Asian Ethnology. In 1985 she resumed her role as curator of Art.

In 1987 it was announced that with St Joseph’s Institution moving to new premises, the old school building at Bras Basah Road, just across from the museum, would be turned into an art museum.

Commenting on the news then, Constance said to The Straits Times: “Since the early eighties we have been lobbying for bigger space. At last, a building has been offered.” But she added that while the 5,000 square metres of the SJI building was at least six times larger than the 800 square metres the art gallery had at the museum, in 10 to 15 years even more space would be needed because “the art collection will grow very quickly.”

In 1988 Constance left the National Museum to pursue an independent career as an art critic, writer, curator, and consultant to buyers of art. She helped organisations such as Deutsche Bank, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the National Library acquire art for their offices and for exhibitions.

One notable project was the Land Transport’s Authority’s Art in Transit programme, which started in 1997 with the MRT’s Northeast Line. Constance was the first curator invited to help LTA select the art. She recommended Singapore artists such as Tan Swie Hian, Chua Ek Kay and Teo Eng Seng. The Art in Transit programme has been extremely successful in generating interest in public art.

Constance served on the acquisition committees of the Singapore Art Museum, the National Museum and Changi Airport Terminal 3. She also served on the judging panel of the Art Competition and Exhibition for the Ministry of Communication and Information in 1989, a visual arts advisory panel for the development of the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, and the display of art in places such as the Istana and Parliament House.

Books written by Constance include Contemporary Art in Singapore: Where East meets West, Trimurti: 10 Years and After, and Bodies Transformed: Ng Eng Teng.

Arts administrator, curator, and writer Constance Sheares played a key role in the development of visual arts in Singapore.

When space became available at the National Museum during the early 1970s, the museum decided to use it for an art gallery, Contance, who was then the museum’s curator of anthropology, became the curator of art and supervised the design of the art gallery and the acquisition of art.

She was well-equipped for this role. After 10 years at Raffles Girls School, she went to a boarding school in the UK. She then studied at the Courtauld Institute at the University of London, graduating in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in European art history. After this she returned to Singapore and in 1970 obtained her Master’s degree in Asian art history at the University of Singapore.

Constance joined the National Museum in 1971. The museum’s extensive natural history collection was moved in 1972 to the University of Singapore and work began to convert the vacated space into an art gallery. At that time, art galleries were few and far between in Singapore.

Work on the art gallery began in 1973, and Constance worked with the museum director and architects on the design of the space. She also began to acquire artworks. The museum then had an annual budget of just $3,000 for acquiring art, so they depended a lot on donations by collectors. Artists were also very generous and readily donated their works.

In 1976 the National Museum Art Gallery opened. The inaugural exhibition, titled ART 76, was curated by Constance and showcased works by Singapore artists such as Ng Eng Teng, Goh Beng Kwan, Thomas Yeo, Teo Eng Seng, and Anthony Poon.

One feature of the exhibition that generated much discussion was its “big white-shed” design – white walls with lighting tracks and power points on the floor. It was a design popularised in Europe and led to some lively debate about art in Singapore.

Soon after the exhibition, Constance left the museum when her husband’s job took him abroad for six years. She returned in 1982 and rejoined the National Museum as its curator of Southeast Asian Ethnology. In 1985 she resumed her role as curator of Art.

In 1987 it was announced that with St Joseph’s Institution moving to new premises, the old school building at Bras Basah Road, just across from the museum, would be turned into an art museum.

Commenting on the news then, Constance said to The Straits Times: “Since the early eighties we have been lobbying for bigger space. At last, a building has been offered.” But she added that while the 5,000 square metres of the SJI building was at least six times larger than the 800 square metres the art gallery had at the museum, in 10 to 15 years even more space would be needed because “the art collection will grow very quickly.”

In 1988 Constance left the National Museum to pursue an independent career as an art critic, writer, curator, and consultant to buyers of art. She helped organisations such as Deutsche Bank, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the National Library acquire art for their offices and for exhibitions.

One notable project was the Land Transport’s Authority’s Art in Transit programme, which started in 1997 with the MRT’s Northeast Line. Constance was the first curator invited to help LTA select the art. She recommended Singapore artists such as Tan Swie Hian, Chua Ek Kay and Teo Eng Seng. The Art in Transit programme has been extremely successful in generating interest in public art.

Constance served on the acquisition committees of the Singapore Art Museum, the National Museum and Changi Airport Terminal 3. She also served on the judging panel of the Art Competition and Exhibition for the Ministry of Communication and Information in 1989, a visual arts advisory panel for the development of the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, and the display of art in places such as the Istana and Parliament House.

Books written by Constance include Contemporary Art in Singapore: Where East meets West, Trimurti: 10 Years and After, and Bodies Transformed: Ng Eng Teng.