Bukit Brown: Our Roots, Our Future

Bukit Brown: Our Roots, Our Future
(In Mandarin and English)
29 Jun - 7 Jul 2013
9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Venue: Chui Huay Lim Club,
190 Keng Lee Road, Level 4, Singapore 308409
For media enquiries, please email a.t.bukitbrown@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/bukitbrown.today


This is an event for heritage and nature enthusiasts to look out for. All Things Bukit Brown and Chui Huay Lim Club will be presenting an exhibition and a series of talks on the Bukit Brown Cemetery tracing its history and significance to the development of Singapore.

Bukit Brown Our Roots, Our Future has four themes: history, our pioneers, tomb culture, the living cemetery.

For more information, please visit: Bukit Brown: Our Roots, Our Future by a.t Bukit Brown
For the full programme of the talks, please visit: Our Roots, Our Future: The Talks by a.t Bukit Brown

Places: A visit to Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb

On 18 May 2013, I visited the exhibition Mummy: Secrets to the Tomb held at the ArtScience Museum. It is an interesting exhibition for people who are curious about the world of the ancient Egyptian. I would have gladly visited this exhibition more often if the admission rates had been more affordable for repeat visitors.

In the meantime, please sit back and take a peep to find out more about my visit to this exhibition: Places: A visit to Mummy: Secrets of the Tomb.

Places: My visit to Enlightened Ways

If you like Buddhist art, especially those in Thailand, you may find this exhibition, Enlightened Ways: The Many Streams of Buddhist Art in Thailand, to be interesting. Here is an account of my recent visit to this exhibition: Places: My visit to Enlightened Ways: The many streams of Buddhist art in Thailand.

Enlightened Ways: The Many Streams of Buddhist Art in Thailand 
30 Nov 2012 - 17 Apr 2013 
Special Exhibitions Gallery
Asian Civilisations Museum Empress Place
1 Empress Place
Singapore 179555
Tel: (+65) 6332 7798, (+65) 6332 3275

Places: From the private collections: Weight of History

Some time ago, I visited the Singapore Art Museum to catch the exhibition: The Collectors Show: Weight of History. This art exhibition showcases contemporary artworks from private collections in Asia. It was interesting for me to get a glimpse of the kind of artworks that would interest private collectors.

Here's an account of my visit to this exhibition: From the private collections: Weight of History.

Places: The President's Young Talents 2013

A snapshot of a scene from Boo Junfeng's Mirror.

An incidental visit to an exhibition at the Singapore Art Museum has given me a number of pleasant surprises. Find out what some of Singapore's most promising young artists hope to communicate through their art by attending the exhibition, President's Young Talents.

Here's an account of my recent visit to the exhibition: President's Young Talents 2013.

Credit Suisse: Innovation in Art Series

President's Young Talents

25 Jan - 15 Sep 2013

Singapore Art Museum
71 Bras Basah Road
Singapore 189555

Awaken the Dragon Festival 2013: The exhibition

Awaken the Dragon Festival 2013: The Exhibition is here.

Here are the details:

Awaken the Dragon Festival 2013: The Exhibition
10 - 24 Mar 2013
National Museum of Singapore
The Concourse
Admission is free.

For more information, please visit a post on one of my visits to the exhibition: Places: Awaken the Dragon Festival 2013: The exhibition.

The Art of Lee Kian Choong

Source: Haozhen Gallery's Facebook Page.
Oath of Joy, by Lee Kian Choong.
One of my favourite artworks from the exhibition.

The Art of Lee Kian Choong
Haozhen Gallery
231 Bain Street, #03-39 Bras Basah Complex, Singapore 180231.
Tel: 63344661.
1 Mar 2013 - 15 Mar 2013
Opening hours: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. daily.


Thanks to the strong recommendations of one of the conductors whom I know of, I had the pleasure to check out an art exhibition yesterday at the Bras Basah Complex. I have found the artworks by this artist, Lee Kian Choong, to be refreshing, optimistic and beautiful. It seems like Nature and life were two of the key sources of inspirations for the artist.

Lee Kian Choong is possibly one of the up-and-coming budding contemporary artists who specializes in Chinese ink and watercolours paintings to look out for.

The exhibition ends today (i.e. 15 Mar 2013). Do check it out. Admission is free.

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Haozhen Gallery's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HaozhenGallery
Haozhen's Gallery's website: http://www.haozhengallery.com.sg

Places: A visit to Defence Science Revealed

This exhibition, Defence Science Revealed, at the Science Centre Singapore would possibly intrigue anyone who is curious about Defence Science. In A visit to Defence Science Revealed, I share some of my experiences at this exhibition.


Defence Science Revealed
20 Oct 2012 - 17 Feb 2013
Annexe, Science Centre Singapore
(Please click here for information on ticket prices.)
http://www.science.edu.sg/exhibitions/Pages/DefenceScienceRevealed.aspx
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DefenceScienceRevealed

Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the Founding of Singapore

There is one exhibition to consider especially if you are interested in the history behind Sir Stamford Raffles' Founding of Singapore. Read about my experiences at the exhibition, Raffles' Letters, here:
Raffles' Letters: Intrigues behind the Founding of Singapore. So intriguing that I would make more visits.

Raffles' Letters:
Intrigues behind the Founding of Singapore.
29 Aug 2012 - 28 Feb 2013.
10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
National Library Gallery, Level 10.
National Library Building.
100 Victoria Street, Singapore 188064.
Free Admission.

Official website: http://raffles.nl.sg
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SirStamfordRaffles

Harry Potter: The Exhibition

Some magic must have cast a spell on me. I do not consider myself a fan of the Harry Potter. As best as I can recollect, I have only watched less than half of the movies from the Harry Potter film series. In addition, I have only read two of the books from the Harry Potter series. Why on earth did I find myself visiting the ArtScience Museum to catch Harry Potter: The Exhibition?

Curiosity had propelled me to make my way to Harry Potter: The Exhibition. The exhibition allows its guests to get a close up look at the craftsmanship and artistry that went into creating the props and costumes that appeared throughout the Harry Potter films. I was curious to simply experience what had made the Harry Potter films so popular and well-loved.

When I reached the ArtScience Museum on 30 Jun 2012, I could sense that Harry Potter: The Exhibition is a popular exhibition. There was a long queue for the tickets at the box-office at the ArtScience Museum.

The queue to buy tickets!

Some tips for visitors:
The tickets to Harry Potter: The Exhibition are for timed (single) entry. Ticket holders are to strictly observe the entry and admission time that is printed on their tickets. The official notice recommends that visitors make reservations early for their preferred entry date and time.

Visitors may wish to take note that readmission into the exhibition is not allowed, unless a guest purchase yet another ticket. There is no restroom inside the exhibition hall, so it may help to plan a visit to the restroom before visiting Harry Potter: The Exhibition.

As the ArtScience Museum may be closed from time-to-time for private functions, please check the ArtScience Museum's website before your visit to determine if there is any closure of the museum on the day of your visit.

Visitors may also like to know that tickets to the exhibition can be purchased online from Marine Bay Sands Ticketing Portal and from any one of the Marina Bay Sands Box Offices.


Please set aside at least two hours to view this exhibition. Do consider renting an audio guide at S$6 each.

Audio guide for rental.

Consider bringing a sketch-book to sketch:
Photography and filming are strictly prohibited in Harry Potter: The Exhibition. I could at best take some photographs outside the exhibition. The craftsmanship of the sets from the Harry Potter films were so inspiring that I figured that if I should visit this exhibition again, I shall bring along a sketch book and a few drawing pens.

At the exhibition, I saw a lady who was sketching one of the exhibits. If I had brought along a sketch-book and some basic sketching materials, I would have been able to sketch some of the interesting designs that I had seen at the exhibition.

On the side, there are some wonderful images from the exhibition that can be viewed from this site: http://www.harrypotterexhibition.com/images_gallery.php

Before the exhibition
Please be prepared to queue to get into the exhibition. I strongly recommend that visitors to the exhibition consider renting one of the audio guides at the exhibition entrance. It will enhance a visitor's experience of the exhibition. The audio guide includes interviews with various members from the team who had worked on the films. Through listening to the recordings of these interviews, I was better able to appreciate how the various props, sets or costumes were conceived and produced. The fee to rent one of the audio guides is S$6. It is available in English and Mandarin.

Before entering the exhibition, all visitors will be asked to pose and take a souvenir photograph. The organizers were thoughtful to provide visitors with temporary uses of scarfs and wands for the purpose of photo-taking.

The exhibition
At the start of the exhibition, visitors would be ushered into a room where sorting by a sorting hat would take place. Be prepared to experience a lot of excitement in the room. A few lucky visitors would have the privilege to experience how it would be to be sorted by a sorting hat. I observed that the sorting hat was very respectful of the preferences of the visitors.

Subsequently, the exhibition can be divided into several sections:

Hogwarts Arrival
Here, visitors will see a replica of Hogwarts Express. I briefly glanced and learnt about Hogwarts' castle. Yet the weekend crowd did not make it  very conducive to read the exhibition notes on display.

Gryffindor Common Room
In this section, I learnt that the lion is the Gryfiddor mascot. The room is decorated in the Gryfiddor's colours of scarlet and gold. When I saw Hermione's Grangers, I was reminded of various scenes from the Harry Potter films.

Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory
This is the section where visitors can learn about the props used by Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. I learnt about how much effort was put in to come up with the right pair of glasses for Harry Potter.

The Boys' Dormitory.
© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
(Source: http://www.harrypotterexhibition.com/images_gallery.php)

Hogwarts Classes
Be prepared to lift battery-operated mandrakes at the Hogwarts classes. I did not like the screeching screams of the mandrakes. However, children may love lifting these mandrakes.

At this section, visitors can also learn about how the costumes and sets of the various characters were conceived to reflect the personality of the individual characters. To be able to appreciate this, it would be helpful to rent an audio guide.

The sets that made up Professor Umbridge's office would probably delight anyone who loves pink. Somehow, from the way the sets looked, Professor Umbridge does not seem to be a friendly professor to be with. Was she an unfriendly professor?

On the other hand, it was interesting for me to find out why the costume for Professor Snape was about the same throughout all the Harry Potter films. If you want to find out why, visit the exhibition and rent an audio guide.

Quidditch
When it was Quidditch time, it was time for interactive activities! Quidditch is one of the most popular sports in the wizard world. Visitors can throw Quaffles through golden hoops. Please pardon me, the ignorant yours truly have yet to figure out what Quaffles are!

Quidditch uniforms and equipment.
© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
(Source: http://www.harrypotterexhibition.com/images_gallery.php)

Hagrid's Hut
Hagrid is a half-giant. As best as I had figured out from the exhibition, Hagrid was a teacher of the Care of Magical Creatures class. In such classes, students learn how to care for magical beasts. Visitors will have a chance to sit on Hagrid's chair. I sat on it, and it was pretty huge!

The Forbidden Forest
In this mysterious looking Forbidden Forest, visitors can find life-size models of magical creatures like a Centaur and a Thestral.

Admittedly, even though I had the pleasure of using an audio guide, I had wished that I could have the luxury to have a fan of the Harry Potter films whom I could ask questions from. What on earth are these magical creatures? What are their significance in the film?

Dark Forces
This is possibly the most eerie and dark section of the entire exhibition. Evil and more evil was all that I can imagine. In this section, visitors can see the costumes of Lord Voldemort.

The most outstanding exhibit that caught my eye was the exhibit of a petrified Colin Creevy. The amount of details that were put in for petrified characters were simply amazing. Life-size silicon models of the petrified characters were made, and there was a lot of attention being put in to do the skin of the petrified characters. This was yet another time when I had wished I could have a personal guide by my side to ask questions from. Who was Colin Creevy? I had to keep my question to myself during the exhibition.

I was also intrigued by the designs of the masks of the Death-eater. I learnt that the masks were inspired by a 16th century Tudor period technique. This technique involves making a plaster, wax or metal casting of a face. Subsequently, a mask is made from the cast.

 The menacing Death Eater robes and masks as seen in the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire film.
© Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
(Source: http://www.harrypotterexhibition.com/images_gallery.php)

Great Hall
I learnt that the Great Hall is the place to share food. It is the main meeting place for the students of Hogwarts. I simply remembered the grandeur of the Great Hall.

Nearby the Great Hall, I saw the Godric Gryffindor's sword. It simply caught my attention with its intricate design.

Exhibition Shoppe
At the end of the exhibition, visitors can look forward to purchase a range of merchandise. The hot favourite appears to be the Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. The Chocolate Frogs appeared to be very popular too. Visitors can also look forward to collecting house scarves, wands and more.

It was rather crowded on a weekend, so I decided not to get anything from the Exhibition Shoppe.

Overall, I think this exhibition showcases the artistry behind the sets from the Harry Potter films. I marvelled at the amount of thought and attention to details behind each and every set. This exhibition is likely to delight all fans of Harry Potter and any one who wishes to learn about the design of film sets. Be prepared to be entertained by the magic of Harry Potter. However, it may help to enhance your experience by visiting the exhibition on a day when there are relatively less visitors.

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Harry Potter: The Exhibition
2 Jun - 30 Sep 2012
Art Science Museum
Marina Bay Sands
10 Bayfront Avenue
Singapore  018956

Opening hours:
10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. daily
Last admission at 9.00 p.m.

Nearest MRT station: Bayfront Station (Circle Line)

http://www.artsciencemuseum.com.sg/harrypotter
http://www.harrypotterexhibition.com
http://www.marinabaysands.com/Singapore-Museum

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Other reviews:
Harry Potter: The Exhibition - review by Dejiki
Sneak Peek at Harry Potter: The Exhibition by Alvin Chong
Preview of Harry Potter: The Exhibition by Mary-Ann Soh
The Harry Potter Exhibition at Singapore's Art Science Museum by bookjunkie
Harry Potter The Exhibition At Art Science Museum, Singapore by superadrianme
Step into a world of wizards, spells and strange creatures by Jerome Lim
Harry Potter: The Exhibition by Time Out Singapore
Review: The Harry Potter Exhibition at ArtScience Museum by hpility
Yo Potter head! Harry Potter - The Exhibition is in Singapore!! by Paula Robinson
A Chunk of My Weekday: Harry Potter: The Exhibition at the ArtScience Museum on Monday, 9 July 2012 AND MY HARRY POTTER LOOT!!! by Jade

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition

Recently, I visited the exhibition Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. Here's a simple post on my visit: Experience Titanic the safe way.

This exhibition will be held at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands from 29 Oct 2011 - 29 Apr 2012. Singapore residents can request for special discounts to this exhibition. For more information, please visit http://titanic.sg and http://www.marinabaysands.com/Singapore-Attractions/ArtScience-Museum/

Simple ideas to enjoy the exhibition "Dreams and Reality" better

With an overwhelming number of more than 140 paintings, photographs and drawings from the collection of the world renowned Musée d’Orsay, an art museum in France, what could a visitor do to better appreciate this exhibition?

In this post, Simple ideas to enjoy the exhibition "Dreams and Reality" better, I shall attempt to share some suggestions that may guide a visitor, especially one who is totally new to visual art, to enjoy this exhibition like a seasoned visual art-lover.

Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebrations

Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebration
29 July 2011 to 16 October 2011
Singapore Art Museum
(Organised by the National Art Gallery, Singapore. Supported by National Heritage Board. Held at Singapore Art Museum.)

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure to visit the Singapore Art Museum on two consecutive days to view the works by pioneer Singapore artist, Liu Kang. I was first introduced to Liu Kang and his works when I was a young teenager. During those years, I was only introduced to some of his works.

When I visited the "Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebration" at the Singapore Art Museum, I realised that Liu Kang was very proficient in the use of pastels. I was very drawn to most, if not all, of his pastel works. One of the most captivating works done using pastels by Liu Kang was perhaps "My Young Wife" (1944).

My Young Wife (1944) by Liu Kang.

There was a self-portrait of Liu Kang which was done in pastels that was shown at the exhibition. I have found that it was sensitively executed. From the explanatory notes, I learnt that during period of the Japanese Occupation in particular, art materials such as oil paints were scarce. Liu Kang turned to using pastels during that period. Visitors to the exhibition has the privilege to catch glimpses of some of the tools that Liu Kang had used as an artist, thanks to the generosity of Liu Kang's family for the loan.

At the exhibition, visitors had the privilege to view a number of Liu Kang's masterpieces. These include "Life by the River" (1975), "Siesta in Bali" (1957), "Offerings" (1957) and more.

For visitors who would like to learn more about Liu Kang's philosophy and beliefs on art, Liu Kang's Essays on Art and Culture that was recently published is one book to read. I understand that there is also a monograph titled Asian Artists Series - Liu Kang: Colourful Modernist that explores Liu Kang's way of seeing and art making.

I strongly recommend this exhibition to anyone who is interested in Singapore art and/or in the development of Singapore's art scene.

For more information on this exhibition, please visit the National Gallery of Singapore's webpage: http://nationalartgallery.sg/liukangexhibition

I like them even if you may not. Noteworthy artworks at Singapore Biennale 2011

Following my blog post titled Noteworthy artworks to enjoy at Singapore Biennale 2011, I realised that I did not mention some of the works that I like. These works may not suit the preferences of many people, yet I have a positive response to each of them perhaps because of my personal experiences and preferences.

If you wish to take a glimpse of more of the works from the Singapore Biennale 2011, I welcome you to explore with me. You may not like any of the works that I would soon be sharing, yet I do!

Sketches of buildings galore! Fine architecture and buildings seem to captivate me, particularly after I have taken a short course to appreciate the "History of Western Architecture" a few months ago. I was immediately drawn to Charles LaBelle's Corpus, 2010 - ongoing (from Buildings Entered 1997 - ongoing).

It surprised me when I learnt that the motivation for this project was for the artist to overcome his fear for entering into buildings. It was admittedly not easy for me to appreciate the fear that a person may experience when he walks into a building since I do not have such experience on a regular basis. I am impressed and inspired by Charles LaBelle's efforts to face and to conquer his fears.

From the exhibition guide, I learnt that Charles LaBelle has been keeping records of over 12000 buildings that he has physically entered since Sep 1997. He would take a photograph of the building before entering it where possible. Then he would keep a record of the date, time and the building location. This archive became the source from his drawings.

Perhaps you may not like Corpus because it seems to lack colour. However, I like it because it is a document of an artist's attempts to overcome his fears and transform his inner fears into beautiful sketches that inspire.

Charles Lim's All lines flow out (2011) did not catch my attention immediately. However, when I sat down to watch his video recordings taken of the drain system in Singapore, the obscure passages began to bring me fond memories of a time when I walked along the Singapore river and the related drains associated with it.

I was reminded that from the ordinary things, we could find hidden realities.

I have a feeling that my parents would not appreciate why I like an artwork which seems to just make up of lots of dried and forsaken leaves. Anyway, I like them because these leaves do add up to tell a very interesting and fascinating story.

For reasons I cannot fully explain, I have a liking for the Old Kallang Airport. Life seems to be wonderfully tranquil at this venue. I could not help but to admire it as a fine piece of art as well.

Scribbles and scribbles on the window panes. You may have thought that these were works of vandalism since we are living in such an orderly Singapore. Thankfully, Gosia Wlodarczak's work involving 'frost drawings' are here to stay, at least for the Singapore Biennale 2011. She looked through as well as on the window panels and translate her experiences of the Kallang Airport into drawings on glass.

I like the maturity in her lines which are at the same time playful and spontaneous. Go and take a look at this work and you may be amazed by the sheer size of it!

I love the idea of how Gosia Wlodarczak's work juxtaposes against the beautiful spaces of the Old Kallang Airport.

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At the Singapore Art Museum, Julian Gothe's work caught my eyes. I love the simplicity of the lines. It was interesting how Julian Gothe had dervied an angular sculpture from his rope drawings on the walls. I like this work for its seemingly theatrical effect. It somehow reminded me of the Baroque style of architecture.











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At the National Museum of Singapore, while it was not aesthetically pleasing at first sight, after some moments of understanding the concepts behind the work, I was pretty drawn into Jill Magid's Evidence Locker (2004). Interestingly, in her performance-based practice, she uses institutional structures, rules and language as her media.

In Evidence Locker, she wrote in to request for security camera footage of her movements. Please take some time to read her letters.

I have found it thought-provoking that she could actually walk with her eyes closed through a city, led by a policeman who was watching her via the security cameras and speaking to her through a earpiece. Should we put our trust upon the security cameras to keep us safe or should we be wary that they are watching us even when we do not wish to be watched?

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Our preferences and tastes are likely to differ. You may not like what I like, and this is perfectly fine.

The Singapore Biennale 2011 is held from 13 Mar - 15 May 2011 at various venues. These are the Singapore Art Museum and SAM@8Q, National Museum of Singapore, Old Kallang Airport, and Marina Bay.

OPENING HOURS
10 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily
(Last entry 6.15pm)

ADMISSION
Adult	$10
Student	$5
Senior citizen 60+ years	$5
20% off adult admission for 20 or more people

Includes one-time entry to all venues, one complimentary Short Guide and one-time free audio guide rental at all venues.

FREE admission to Old Kallang Airport and The Merlion Hotel at Merlion Park, Marina Bay.

There will be free admission to the Singapore Biennale 2011 every Sunday from 3 Apr - 15 May and on public holidays, i.e. 22 Apr and 2 May.

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Singapore Biennale 2011
http://www.singaporebiennale.org/index.php

Noteworthy artworks to enjoy at Singapore Biennale 2011

The largest contemporary art exhibition held in Singapore, the Singapore Biennale 2011 brings visitors to see new works by leading contemporary artists from Southeast Asia, Asia and around the world. The third Singapore Biennale revolves around the theme of "Open House". Held from 13 Mar - 15 May 2011, "Open House" examines the artistic processes involved in exchanges and daily transactions. It also questions how people move across borders, view other perspectives and form connections with others.

In this post, I shall share with you my personal favourites from Singapore Biennale 2011 as well as highlight to you what I think are the noteworthy works that visitors could consider making time for.

My favourite venue of the Singapore Biennale 2011 is undoubtedly the Old Kallang Airport. I learnt that the Old Kallang Airport was opened in 1937 as Singapore's first civil airport. I was grateful for the rare opportunity to visit this space. The works exhibited at the Old Kallang Airport discusses the movement from one place or state to another. I have found many of the ideas and concepts behind the works at the Old Kallang Airport to be mind-stimulating.

These are my personal recommendations of the artworks to make time for at the Old Kallang Airport:

I was fascinated by Elmgreen and Dragset's German Barn (2011). In this work, the artists put a German barn in a Singaporean airport hangar. This created a mismatch and I like the idea how such a displacement forces me to see the familiar things anew.

Walk into the barn and if you are lucky, you may find some interesting surprises.

Old Kallang Airport airport hangar

On the side, I somehow enjoyed exploring the spaces of what had used to be an airport hangar of the Old Kallang airport.

Michael Lin's What a Difference Made lends an interesting take on how the entire contents of a hardware store could be transformed in unexpected and playful ways.

Now you see the hardware store, and if you do visit the Singapore Biennale 2011 at the Old Kallang Airport, you will see the hardwares and crates being assembled to form an art gallery showcasing everyday objects.

Arin Rungjang's installation inside the Old Kallang Airport has a clever concept to make exchanges come alive.

In this work, Thai migrant workers in Singapore are invited to exchange their old furniture for new Ikea furniture based on a certain system of exchange. It is interesting to realise how the installation would constantly be evolving over time.

Ming Wong's Devo partire. Domani. (2010) which is commissioned for the Singapore Biennale 2011 transforms Pier Paolo Pasolini's 1968 film Teorema by setting the film in contempoary Naples with Wong playing each of the male and female roles. I like Ming Wong's interesting techniques in exploring the shifting nature of identity though I admittedly still cannot fully appreciate comprehend the techniques. The entire five-channel video installation last about 13 minutes and parental guidance is recommended for young visitors.

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At the National Museum of Singapore, watch how the works at Singapore Biennale 2011 discusses about the transactions and transformations that take place within an urban landscape.

Beautifully done, Sopheap Pich's Compound (2011) is a work that is a response to the rapid urban development and its environmental effects. According the the Singapore Biennale 2011 short guide, Pich had expressed "Throughout history there's this endless cycle of building and destruction. Can we build without destroying?".

I like it because of the beauty of its form and structure. It simply looked beautiful against the backdrop of the museum's spaces.

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At the Singapore Art Museum and SAM@8Q, I very much enjoyed the treat to enter the private world of others. At these two venues, the works invited the visitors to look at private obsessions, personal histories and intimate experiences.

Many visitors may find it easy to relate to Roslisham Ismail's work titled Secret Affair. In this food installation whereby the perishables are replaced on a regular basis, the artist looks at the food in the refrigerators of six diverse Singaporean families to explore how we live and form connections with others.

I have had fun peeping into the fridges.

Koh Nguang How's Artists in the News (2011) is a must-see for all who are interested in the Singapore art scene. Koh has established the Singapore Art Archive Project in 2005 and has an extensive collection of art news.

In this art installation, Koh has set up within the gallery spaces an active archival laboratory that replicates the configuration of his apartment where he keeps his collection of art news. I felt deeply grateful that Koh Nguang How have been making time to be present on specific days of the exhibition.

Candice Breitz' Factum (2010) lends visitors a peep into the private worlds of identical twins. I like the way it attempts to contemplate how identifcal twins relate to one another, how they are similar yet so different from one another. I have yet to finish watching all the seven dual-channel and one three-channel installations. Hopefully I could still make time to watch all of them one day.

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Last but not the least, you may wish to make time to visit Tatzu Nishi's The Merlion Hotel (2011). For the first and last time, watch how Singapore's iconic landmark, the Merlion, is being transformed to form part of a luxurious temporary hotel room.

Please be mindful that you may have to queue to visit The Merlion Hotel. The Merlion Hotel's opening hours for public viewing are from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. daily.

This blog author has written an excellent review on the Merlion Hotel that I have to share it here: http://prodigious.sg/the-merlion-hotel-on-site/

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My disclaimer is that our preferences and tastes may differ. As such, please take note that my recommendations are merely for your consideration.

There are many other noteworthy artworks at the Singapore Biennale. For the sake of brevity, I have to narrow down to a selection of less than ten in this post. I do urge that you spend time to view the other artworks that are not mentioned in this post too.

There will be free admission to the Singapore Biennale 2011 every Sunday from 3 Apr - 15 May and on public holidays, i.e. 22 Apr and 2 May. The opening hours are from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. (Last entry is at 6.15 p.m.). To further enrich your experience to the Singapore Biennale 2011, you may wish to either participate in one of the guided tours or hire an audio guide. I have found that these have given me a more indepth perspective to each of the artworks.

Do check out the Singapore Biennale's website before your visit: http://www.singaporebiennale.org/index.php

My experiences at Van Gogh Alive!

Photo courtesy of ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands. 

This is a photo of the projection at CATHEDRALE D’IMAGES, France, Provence.

Many thanks to the ArtScience Museum for the invitation to the media preview and exclusive preview to "Van Gogh Alive - The Exhibition" held on 14 Apr 2011. It is with great pleasure that I share about my experiences at this exhibition. Please read: Van Gogh Alive! For everyone!

Now in Singapore: Shipwrecked: Tang Treasures and Monsoon Winds

(source: http://www.youtube.com/embed/3askVFwNsPg)

The sailors and the merchants took the risks of sailing across the stormy and unknown seas. One particular ninth century Arab dhow that was on its trip back to its hometown found itself shipwrecked off the coast of Belitung, a small island in the Java Sea. Thankfully, as best as I am aware, no life was lost.

The shipwreck might have caused heavy losses for the crew. Yet, it brought about significant revelations and historical evidences for generations to come. The discovery of the shipwrecked Arab dhow off the coast of Belitung and the uncovered cargo provided the first physical proof of a maritime trade route between West Asia and China. Its discovery proved that as early as the ninth century, maritime trades existed between West Asia and China. Such maritime trades could have inspired the story of Sinbad the Sailor from the One Thousand and One Nights.

If you like the embedded video and this introductory post, please continue to read my post on my recent visit to the ArtScience Museum's Shipwrecked: Tang Treasures and Monsoon Winds exhibition. In the meantime, please maintain your balance.

Genghis Khan: The enlightened leader and the brave warlord

Please click on the photo right above to be linked to a YouTube video of

a performance by Khan Bogd Ensemble.

My recent visit to the ArtScience Museum brings me to learn more about Genghis Khan, one of the world's great leaders. In addition, I was captivated very much by the performances by the Khan Bogd Ensemble which brought to me beautiful music from Mongolia.

Many thanks to Shaun from the National Heritage Board and the ArtScience Museum  for the invitation. Many thanks to our wonderful host in Wendy from the ArtScience Museum too. It was a memorable experience.

Please read the post on my visit to Genghis Khan - The exhibition.This exhibition ends on 10 Apr 2011, so catch it soon if you are interested.