Ex-SAM director to head museum in New York

SINGAPORE — Former Singapore Art Museum (SAM) director Mr Tan Boon Hui has been appointed the new director of the prestigious Asia Society Museum (ASM) in New York. He will also take on the role of vice president for global arts and cultural programmes.

Mr Tan, who became assistant chief executive for museums and programmes at the National Heritage Board (NHB) after his stint with SAM, will assume his new role in December. He replaces ASM’s long-running director Melissa Chiu, who left last year. 

He will be overseeing the museum’s collections of traditional and contemporary Asian and Asian-American art, as well as spearheading its exhibitions. He will also be directing the museum’s Asia Arts and Museum Network, and Arts & Museum Summit. Among the museum’s past exhibitions are shows on Asian artists such as Nam June Paik, Ai Weiwei and Yoshitomo Nara, as well as various survey shows of classical and contemporary works.

“The Asia Society Museum is renowned for its pioneering programming, for example, it was the first institution to introduce contemporary Chinese art to the USA,” Mr Tan, 45, told TODAY. “Many of the landmarks shows of Asian art have been organised by the Asia Society Museum, which is unique as its programming also extends into performing arts and film. This multidisciplinary way of presenting Asian art and culture is one of the great strengths.”

“We are delighted to welcome Tan Boon Hui to Asia Society’s global team,” said Josette Sheeran, Asia Society president. “He brings a unique blend of vision and creative leadership to our powerful footprint, built over 60 years, in Asian arts and culture. Boon Hui is one of Asia’s leading talents and his experience in Asia over two decades will invigorate both New York and global appreciation of Asia’s rising role.”

Tan will be bringing his wealth of experience in Asian art to the global stage. In his current role with NHB, he oversaw various exhibitions and activities in the board’s museums such as the National Museum of Singapore, Asian Civilisations Museum, Peranakan Museum and the Malay Heritage Centre. He also spearheaded the recent Singapore Festival in France as its artistic director, and was instrumental in bringing in an exhibition from the British Museum, which is slated to open at the National Museum of Singapore in December. 

Prior to his stint with NHB, he was the director of SAM from 2009, where he also had a hand in the Singapore Biennales in 2011 (as director) and 2013 (as director and co-curator). He had also managed the Singapore Pavilion at the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003.

NHB chief executive Mrs Rosa Daniel also lauded Mr Tan on the new appointment. “He is not only the right man for the job but the man with the big ideas. I am looking forward to Boon Hui establishing international ties and bringing his curatorial and programming expertise from Asia into this role. I am certain he will do Singapore proud and put us on the international arena,” she said. 

Tan is the latest Singaporean art administrator to helm a prestigious art organisation internationally after former Singapore Arts Festival and Singapore Biennale general manager Low Kee Hong, who became head of artistic development (theatre) at the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong, and artist-curator Khairuddin Hori, who was appointed deputy programming director at France’s Palais de Tokyo.