Art Again aims to make collecting art accessible to all

Art collecting has long carried the reputation of being the preserve of the wealthy — a pursuit for those with deep pockets, familiar names, and access to auction houses. Art Again, a local online marketplace for pre-owned art, is offering an alternative to that image.

Akin to e-commerce platform Carousell, but for the art market, Art Again’s digital secondary marketplace is designed to make collecting accessible to a wider community. The readily-available platform allows collectors and aspiring collectors alike the ability to browse, buy, and sell art works directly to each other — though the company on-boards each seller to ensure the quality of pieces featured.

In honor of SG60, Art Again curated Pasar, an exhibition to spotlight local artists. Its name, drawn from the pasar malams where generations of Singaporeans once shopped for daily necessities, linked art to sustenance and the everyday lives of people from the past. Works were grouped much like a market’s offerings: fruit with fruit, flowers with flowers, and depictions of people arranged together like a community gathering .

Singapore’s young history means its artistic lineage is not as extensive as in older nations. As a result, local artworks are comparatively rare, and their significance has only grown over time as we continue to look back.

Pieces created by individuals from minority groups such as women or queer artists are particularly special. These works offer perspectives that may not be as prominently featured in other forms, such as official records, yet are vital in understanding how different communities navigated Singapore’s past.

The exhibition featured a notable lineup of local artist works from the 1960s to the 2000s. Some notable pieces included a rare still life from Jimmy Ong, who is better known for his large charcoal sketches of people. The exhibition also displayed a number of works from Lim Hsin Hsin, one of Singapore’s earliest adopters of digital art, showcasing her varied body of work across mediums.

Visitors also encountered the paintings and prints of Chen Cheng Mei, the pioneering woman behind the Ten Men Art Group, whose members travelled across the region in search of artistic inspiration.

The exhibition also included watercolours by the late Ong Kim Seng, the first Asian artist outside the United States to win six awards from the American Watercolor Society. His dreamlike depictions of shophouses and skylines captured a Singapore on the precipice change.

The significance of Art Again

By fostering a marketplace for pre-owned art, the platform is not only recycling artworks into fresh collections, but also actively circulating cultural memory. Buyers gain access to transparent pricing and resources to make informed decisions; sellers benefit from liquidating their collection, and gaining access to an international marketplace.

“Having worked extensively in the art industry, we’ve witnessed firsthand how it often deters potential collectors,” says co-founder and COO Chingyi Chua. “The platform emerged from a shared vision to create a space where collectors of all levels can meaningfully find art, resources, and discourse that empower them to navigate the art world with confidence and on their terms.”

In addition to operating the marketplace, Art Again also offers appraisal services and can connect collectors to professional art restoration services. The company personally onboards every seller to ensure the artworks they have are primed for an international audience, so that their digital marketplace has a curated selection of artwork, while also having competitive pricing.

The company also hosts live drawing events, where their community can engage with the arts and improve their skills

The other co-founder, and Art Again CEO Milon Goh, adds: “The art world has shifted. Today’s collectors and consumers value autonomy, and their reasons for collecting are diverse. As a platform, we must equip users with the tools to navigate the market while promoting responsible art consumption: encouraging sustainability, supporting the art industry, and upholding standards from quality control to authenticity.”

Art Again emerges at a moment when appreciation for art is growing and younger generations are showing a desire to be collectors. By combining digital convenience with industry expertise, the platform is well placed to broaden the audience for art collecting and to nurture a more vibrant, circulating market where works continue to find new life and new owners.