Surprise! The Merlion has changed into a hotel!

How you visited the Merlion, one of Singapore's iconic landmarks, recently?

This imaginary creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish has transformed into a hotel!? Witness the temporary transformation of the Merlion into a Hotel. This project, The Merlion Hotel, is Tatzu Nishi's work for the Singapore Biennale 2011. This installation comprises a luxurious temporary hotel room built around the iconic Merlion.

This is our chance to see the Merlion from a unique and very intimate experience.

Admittedly, one has to be patient to queue to enter the Merlion Hotel. Thankfully, the friendly and helpful personnel from the Singapore Biennale offer temporary free use of umbrella to provide shade from the tropical sunlight.

Walk up the stairs and one enters a transformed space. The Merlion Hotel has a cosy reception desk that greets visitors in an elegant yet dignified way.

I was fascinated to get very close to The Merlion! How often does one have the chance to come so close to the back of the face of The Merlion which is 8.6 m high? Finally, for once in my life, I was able to see the details of the sculpted back of the head of the Merlion.

Non-flash photography is allowed, and most of the visitors looked delighted to have the special privilege to take a photograph with the Merlion.

As one walked about the cosy hotel room, one cannot help but to awe at the marvellous views that the room has offered. Even the bathroom had a great view. I wonder if the artist, Tatzu Nishi, thought it was good idea for one to enjoy a good bath in the bath-tub (perhaps with swim suit on) while enjoying the great view of the Marina Bay?

The Merlion Hotel's opening hours for public viewing are from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. daily (Last entry: 6.15 p.m.). Admission to the Merlion Hotel is free. Till 15 May 2011. For more information, please visit the Singapore Biennale's website:http://www.singaporebiennale.org/index.php

The Merlion, taken before Mar 2011.

The beautiful spaces of Old Kallang Airprt

This path to the Old Kallang Airport has brought me fond memories. When I was a student, I had the opportunity to perform at the nearby Kallang Theatre and this was the path that I had to take from the Kallang MRT station to Kallang Theatre if I do not wish to take a bus.

Thanks to the Singapore Biennale 2011, I have a great reason to visit the Old Kallang Airport. This Singapore Biennale 2011 venue was the former headquarters of People's Association. I learnt that this very location was the site of Singapore's first civil airport, opening in 1937. It was described as the finest airport in the British Empire in those days until it was replaced by a new airport at Paya Lebar.

Did you know that this very site was built on reclaimed swampland? Before the reclamation, the very location was swampland along the Kallang River. I suppose reclamation is one important technology that has greatly changed the physical environment of the main island of Singapore over history.

Even though there is limited air-conditioning facilities at the Old Kallang Airport, I have found this Singapore Biennale 2011 venue to be a beautiful space with a nostalgic feel to it. In this post, I shall share some of the photos that I have taken at this site. Please feel free to share your comments about the photos and the Old Kallang airport.

I was very attracted to what remains of the airport hangar.

I appreciate the fact that Toast Box has set up an outlet at this Singapore Biennale 2011 venue.  The best place for refreshment at the Old Kallang Airport!

I find the corridors of this block at the Old Kallang Airport to remind me of my days as a student. 

The windows reminded me of the windows at one of my former schools. I like its nostalgic design.

I think it is possibly beautiful to catch a glimpse of sunset from this place.

I suppose some may have memories working in one of these buildings when this place was formerly the headquarters of People's Association.

I cannot help but like the Old Kallang Airport. Don't you feel that life has slowed down to a satisfying pace there?

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Old Kallang Airport

9 Stadium Link
Singapore 397750
(Former People's Association headquarters)
enter via Geylang Road

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