Dr. Ryan Su

Ryan’s strategic practice spans the worlds of art, cultural property, intellectual property (IP), luxury, entertainment and general dispute resolution.

Ryan represents museums, artists, curators, galleries, art consultants, collectors, creators, entrepreneurs, social media personalities, celebrities and HNW individuals. His work helps his clients navigate the art business, luxury and entertainment landscape and advance their overall interests in litigation, mediation, negotiation, advisory and non-contentious matters. Ryan’s practice is based in Singapore with an international reach.

Ryan’s work in the field is cutting-edge, pioneering and fast-paced. He was Lead Counsel in an IP law matter in the Singapore High Court for an action against a toy manufacturer for primary and secondary infringements of an artist’s copyright, passing off, misrepresentation and breach of contract. Ryan was also Lead Counsel in an art law matter in the Singapore High Court where he successfully resisted in an urgent mandatory injunction involving a suite of modern Southeast Asian paintings.

Ryan successfully obtained the first interim interlocutory injunction against an art exhibition in Singapore (since discharged). More recently, he has acted for an immersive exhibition organiser in multiple proceedings regarding breach of contract, negligence, defamation, breach of confidence, trespass, conversion against a luxury hotel group and other service providers.

Ryan also represents clients in general litigation matters where he is adept at focussing on areas of the law and strategising for his clients. His cases include trademarks and trade secrets of sauces used in the restaurant business, to representing litigants in insolvent collective investment schemes and defending claims in defamation over statements made on social media. He is also sought after in multijurisdictional matters, and organises and leads international litigation teams.

On the non-contentious front, Ryan has negotiated licensing of artists’ IP rights, including artworks with digital and Augmented Reality (AR) components for a world-wide campaign. He has also advised on agreements for aspects of the art business, including arts logistics, sale and purchase agreements, artist representation agreements and agreements relating to international biennales and exhibitions.

Ryan frequently writes about art and the law, including on ArtAsiaPacific, an industry publication where he is Contributing Editor. Ryan has been interviewed by The Straits Times, The Business Times, The Peak, High Net Worth, CNBC, Reuters and Channel News Asia on his work in the creative industries and the law. Ryan lectures on Building Careers & Managing Collections: Artists and Collectors and Law & Crisis: Recent Legal & Ethical Issues in the Global Art Industry for Christie’s Education. He is Adjunct Lecturer at several tertiary institutions where he teaches art law.

Ryan is a member of our Blockchain Working Group. He writes and speaks regularly on Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), the Metaverse and Artificial Intelligence (AI) – including issues of resistance, restitution and healing, and the intersections between tech, art and the law. He had also advised on the first issuance of NFTs by a performing arts company in Singapore, and of which AI had been used in their creation.

Ryan holds an LLB (Hons.), an LLM in International Dispute Resolution & Economic Law (Lond.) and is completing his PhD in international dispute resolution in the arts. He is an accredited mediator with the Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (New York) and a panel arbitrator with the Court of Arbitration for Art (The Hague). Ryan was awarded the Patron of the Arts Award in 2017 and 2020, and the Patron of Heritage Award in 2020 by the Singapore Government.

Helping you succeed in tomorrow's world

As an art lawyer, I represent museums, artists, curators, galleries, art consultants, collectors, creators, entrepreneurs and HNW individuals in navigating the art business landscape and advancing their overall interests in litigation, mediation, negotiation, advisory and non-contentious matters.

Like other alternative asset classes, consumption of the arts will naturally increase as people become more open to and educated in the arts.

“Notable Practitioner” Rating by Managing IP, IP Stars 2023