National Gallery of Singapore
It’s easy to think of Singapore as an island of consumers. On first glance this nation does not seem to produce much. Its harbors are full of container ships bringing everything from food to cars to the latest electronics and high-end fashion. Even their water is imported from Malaysia. But if you look a bit deeper you’ll discover innovative thinking and creativity expressed in many ways.
It’s true that they receive their water from Malaysia via a pipeline, but it arrives untreated. Singapore treats the water and sells much of it back to Malaysia. Interestingly, Singapore’s portion is treated a second time before it arrives at the tap. It’s delicious and would be a big seller if bottled and shipped to California.
Singaporeans love their food options, but since most of the original farmland has been replaced by the massive infrastructure needed to support a population of 6 million, it is nearly all imported. Despite this, there are people and organizations that are investing in a homegrown movement to support the small agricultural industry with ideas like vertical farming.
The Arts are another area in which there is a modest, but vocal population of talented individuals that share varied and numerous cultural traditions and history who express themselves in myriad ways. I was able to spend a full day exploring the massive Singapore National Gallery and thought I would share some of that experience in photo essay format. Although photos of the art in many of the galleries was restricted, I was able to capture a few of the current Minimalism Exhibition works. Also view the videos below as they offer a peek inside two current exhibitions.
The museum is in itself a work of art. Originally it was built and used by the government of Singapore in the early days of its history to house the Supreme Court as well as other government offices. Several galleries have been placed inside the old, exquisitely beautiful and richly detailed wooden court chambers. Today, much of the old is connected to and embraced by the new, in a beautiful blending of history, architecture, and art.
Siapa Nama Kamu?:Art in Singapore since the 19th-Century
Between Declarations and Dreams: Art of Southeast Asia since the 19th Century
