Singapore’s contemporary arts cluster Gillman Barracks has three new retail offerings, including a designer label and an ice cream parlour.
As well as homegrown label Supermama and Creamier Handcrafted Ice Cream & Coffee, there is a new gallery, Sullivan+Strumpf from Australia, reports the Straits Times.
Supermama will retail its signature design products in Block 47 from July, in a space previously occupied by Japanese gallery Tomio Koyama. On the decision to move to Gillman, Supermama founder Edwin Low says the precinct combines art, history and nature – “the perfect fit for us”.
Known for its ice cream and waffles, the Creamier outlet opens in Block 5A in Lock Rd at the end of the month. This is the seventh food-and-beverage outlet for Gillman Barracks – up from three when the precinct opened three years ago.
Australian gallery Sullivan+Strumpf takes up the space previously occupied by Filipino gallery The Drawing Room in May. This brings the number of galleries in the cluster to 11, down from 17. Those that did not renew their leases cited a low traffic count, poor sales and a “slow start” as reasons for leaving, says the Straits Times.
Backed by the government, the art enclave aims to be a contemporary art hub in Asia like Beijing’s 798 District. About $10 million was spent to renovate the 6ha area off Alexandra Rd, which once housed British military barracks.