'A comet that burnt out too quickly': Arts administrator Tan Boon Hui dies at 53 from stroke complications
SINGAPORE — Veteran arts administrator and Arts House Limited executive director Tan Boon Hui, died on Thursday (July 7) of complications from an earlier stroke. The 53-year-old has been remembered as a "stalwart champion of art and artists".
Amid an outpouring of sadness at Tan's death, Ms Mae Anderson, chairman of educational non-profit arts body Art Outreach, described him as "a wonderful source of empathy and encouragement".
Ms Anderson had some dealings with Tan early last year at an art collectors' show during Singapore Art Week as the local arts scene emerged from the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said Tan had not hesitated to draw upon his extensive network to help her organisation during a rocky period for the arts community.
This included assisting with access to artists, art patrons and private collectors. He even provided the name of the 2021 show, to capture the mood of the arts community: Leap of Faith.
Ms Anderson, 50, said her "heart took flight" when Tan provided the name.
She described Tan, whom she had known for more than 20 years, as a "stalwart champion of art and artists" who had a "lovely ability to galvanise people" and get them excited and committed to art initiatives.
"He said art requires a leap of faith, and these collectors certainly have made leaps in acquiring artworks of this nature," she said.
"More than that, however, he told us that we all needed to take a leap of faith together, and trust that with good intentions and hard work we'd be okay in spite of the pandemic."
Art was all encompassing for Boon Hui. He worked art, breathed art, his hobby was art.
In a press release on Thursday, Arts House Limited described Tan, who joined the organisation in February last year, as a "steadfast champion of creativity and the arts", who engaged extensively with local and international artists.
As executive director, Tan oversaw key national projects last year and this year, including the Singapore International Festival of Arts, the Singapore Writers' Festival, the management of Stamford Arts Centre, and the launch of Our Cultural Medallion Story, a showcase of achievements by local award-winning artists.
Tan obtained undergraduate and postgraduate degrees specialising in geography from the National University of Singapore, and forged his early career as an assistant curator with the Asian Civilisations Museum.
He went on to assume various leadership positions at that museum, the Singapore Art Museum and the Asia Society in New York, making significant contributions to arts platforms such as the Singapore Biennale and Singapore Art Week.
'A COMET THAT BURNT OUT TOO QUICKLY'
Mr Ong Keng Sen, the artistic director of T:>Works and founding festival director of Singapore International Festival of the Arts, also knew Tan for more than 20 years, describing him as a "huge fighter who wanted to live".
"So we have lost an ally in the arts, but also more importantly, I think we've lost a person with the passion, therefore it's a big loss. I think that he is a comet that burned out too quickly," added Mr Ong, 58.
He said Tan was "excited, voluble when it came to discussing art" with an infectious love of the arts world.
Tan could also deeply engage with the most difficult art and translate it into something that the layperson could understand.
"Art was all encompassing for Boon Hui. He worked art, breathed art, his hobby was art," said Mr Ong, adding that Tan was a rookie director of theatre works.
"He loved food. We would eat together and discuss everything under the sun about art. I will always remember his care for artists and for artwork."
Multidisciplinary artist Angie Seah, 43, who met Tan at the Singapore France festival in Paris and Lyon in 2015, described him as a very grounded person in spite of holding significant authority in his field.
"He's such a foodie you know. Boon Hui knows all the nice places for food around Arab Street, where our art house is."
She recalled the final time she met Tan for a meal at a coffee shop at the end of Aliwal Street on New Year's Eve.
"We had such a nice meal even though it's just duck rice. Along with being such a good storyteller, he always made me laugh," she said.
"I feel a sense of loss that I couldn't spend more time with him. I am going to miss him a lot."
Tan was unmarried. He died in hospital following a stroke in May this year.
A wake for him will be held at Singapore Casket, Level 4, Crystal Hall on Saturday, from 3pm to 9pm, and Sunday and Monday from 11am to 9pm.
