The Wall Street Journal’s SceneAsia Blog zeroes in on Art Stage Singapore. Commenting on the confluence of art sales and luxury merchandizing, Katherine Ryder says,

The snobbiest of regulars on the art-fair circuit may be a little put-out that Singapore’s debut contemporary art fair is taking place in the basement of a giant mall. But last night, at the fair’s preview, the affair was far from subtle: Two women were wearing the same white Chanel dress, which was also hanging in the store’s display window two floors up.

Meanwhile, Ryder reports there are 50 Picassos sprinkled among the Asian and European contemporary artists on offer. But the real measure of the fair’s success will be sales. Here are the first she has to report:

de Sarthe Fine Art, which will open a gallery in Hong Kong this year, is participating in its first art fair in more than 20 years and has already sold five LaChapelle pieces, at prices ranging from US$50,000 to US$180,000

Michael Shultz Gallery held a large Huang He piece on reserve for an interested buyer at US$85,000

Art Stage Singapore Opens (SceneAsia/Wall Street Journal)