Cover image: Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Two Planets,
Manet's Luncheon on the Grass and the Thai farmers
(detail), 2008, video 16 minutes, Singapore Art Museum
collection
Photography on pages 6, 15, 41, and 46 (bottom image)
are courtesy of Werkz Photography.
All information is correct at the time of print.
Please refer to www.singaporeartmuseum.sg for the latest updates.
The Museum reserves the right to make changes and modifications to the programmes without prior
notice. The views and opinions expressed by speakers, facilitators or artists in the talks, workshops
and performances do not represent the position of Singapore Art Museum.
The Quarterly is published by the Marketing and Corporate Communications Unit of the Singapore Art Museum. All rights reserved.
Materials in this publication may not be reproduced in part or in whole without written consent of the Museum, the publisher.
© Copyright 2011.
Contents
About SAM
Page 2
Director’s Message
Page 3
Calendar
Page 4
Exhibitions
Page 6
Public Programmes
Page 16
School Programmes
Page 28
Recent Acquisitions
Page 31
SAM Publications
Page 34
SAM Collectibles
Page 37
Dining
Page 39
Support SAM
Page 40
SAM Moments
Page 42
About SAM
The mission of the Singapore Art
Museum (SAM) is to preserve and
promote contemporary art practices
of Singapore and the Southeast Asian
region. Opened in January 1996
as a museum under the National
Heritage Board of Singapore, SAM
has amassed one of the world’s
largest public collections of modern
and contemporary Southeast Asian
artworks, with a growing component
in international contemporary art.
Since 2009, SAM has focused its
programming and collections development initiatives around contemporary Southeast Asian art
and art practices. Through strategic alliances with arts and cultural institutions and community
organisations, SAM facilitates visual arts education, exchange, research and development within the
region and internationally. SAM is also the organiser of the Singapore Biennale 2011.
SAM Board (until 30 July 2011)
Chair
Ms. Jane Ittogi | Partner, Shook Lin & Bok LLP
Members
Ms. Audrey Wong | Programme Leader, MA Arts & Cultural Management School of Integrated
Studies, LASALLE College of the Arts
Dr. George Quek | Chairman, BreadTalk Group Limited
Mr. Kenneth Choe | Executive Director, Goldman Sachs (Singapore)
Dr. Kwok Kian Woon | Associate Professor, Associate Chair (Academic) and Head, Division of
Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University
Mr. Qi Yu Wu | MediaCorp Artist, MediaCorp Raintree Pictures
Mr. Quek Tse Kwang | Partner, RT & Q Architects
Mr. Ronny C T Tan | Chief Country Officer and General Manger, Deutsche Bank AG
Mr. Suhaimi Sukiyar | Chairman, APAD Youth Development & Programmes, Angkatan Pelukis Aneka
Daya (Association of Artists of Various Resources)
Mr. Wee Teng Wen | Founder and Principle Partner, The Lo & Behold Group Pte Ltd
Dr. Winston Ang Wee Kern | Assistant Professor, Visual and Performing Arts Academic Group,
National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University
2
Director's Message
We bade a fond farewell to
Singapore Biennale 2011: Open
House and SAM flagship exhibition
Negotiating Home, History and
Nation as they drew to a close in the
last quarter. These two high profile
events had set the stage for the kind
of contemporary art that SAM seeks
to present - cutting-edge, thoughtprovoking, yet centred on the here
and now, firmly rooted and rooting
for the contemporary art of the
Southeast Asian region.
Many people in Singapore remain curious about contemporary art and with the rising tide of Asian
artists, there are also those who want to know more about Southeast Asia's unique approach to the
genre. Works from this part of the world reflect the social conditions and current realities that people
in this region face and are also influenced by its traditional cultural practices and artisan skills. Hence
Southeast Asian contemporary art posesses a unique aesthetic that also tells compelling stories
about circumstances visitors can relate to.
So we continue to inject a regional flavour into the shows we present at SAM. For instance, visitors can
contrast the more technologically-driven approach of Western video artists such as Bruce Nauman,
Bill Viola, Tony Oursler and Peter Campus, with the moving or stirring narrative styles of Southeast
Asian artists such as Lee Wen, Dinh Q. Lê, Jun Nguyen Hatsushiba and Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook
at the exhibition Video, an Art, a History 1965-2010.
We have also observed that children perceive and take to contemporary art differently from adults:
they do not try to categorise or assess what they see as an artwork. The open-ended nature of
contemporary art and its ability to draw varied reactions from people thus make it an ideal tool to
stimulate creative thinking and open one’s mind and awareness of the environment.
So at Art Garden this year, besides presenting more interactive installations, we also commissioned
four Singaporean artists to create works for children. As Art Garden stimulate learning through play
and give children many hours of fun with installations, we also hope the exhibition will endear young
visitors to SAM and those artists whose works they have encountered. As they grow up with the
museum and come to know who the artists of their time are, we look forward to welcoming them
regularly in our galleries.
This quarter, SAM will present a special visual feast for night owls. Night Lights is a nine-evening
outdoor light installation showcase that is part of Night Festival 2011. Do join us to see the precinct,
literally in a new light, and get ready to be dazzled!
Tan Boon Hui
Director
Singapore Art Museum
3
Calendar
EXHIBITIONS
PROGRAMMES
Notable Acquisitions Exhibition 2011:
Featuring works by Tan Oe Pang
Runs through 21 August
SAM
July
Fri, 1 Jul | 7pm – 8:30pm
Photography Talk Sessions
Art Around SAM:
DystoUtopia by ZERO
Runs through 26 August
SAM at 8Q
Art Garden at SAM
Runs through 30 August
SAM
Video, An Art, A History 1965 – 2010
A Selection from the Centre Pompidou and
Singapore Art Museum Collections
Runs through 18 September
SAM & SAM at 8Q
Art Around Singapore:
Life after Death by Justin Lee
Runs through 16 October
Asian Civilisations Museum
Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebration
29 July to 16 October
SAM
Yellow Ribbon Community Art Exhibition
9 to 25 September
SAM
Seeing the Kites Again
又见风筝：吴冠中捐赠作品展
Runs through 12 November
SAM
Learning Gallery
On-going till November
SAM at 8Q
Fridays, 1 & 8 Jul | 7:30pm | Moving Image
Gallery, SAM at 8Q
Artist Films: Women Without Men by Shirin
Neshat
Fri, 8 Jul | 7pm – 9pm | SAM at 8Q
Originals Only Open Mike
Fri, 8 Jul | 7pm – 9pm | Level 2, SAM
Open Studio:
Imagery and Mindfulness A Self-discovery Art Workshop
Sun, 17 Jul | 1pm – 5pm | SAM & SAM at 8Q
Art Garden at SAM Family Sunday
Fri, 22 Jul | 7:30pm | Moving Image Gallery,
SAM at 8Q
Home Movies:
Intimate Stranger and Nobody’s Business
Sat & Sun, 23 & 24 Jul | 2pm – 5:30pm | SAM
Singapore HeritageFest 2011
Recreational Community Drumming Circle
& Quilt Craft
Fri, 29 Jul | 7:30pm | Moving Image Gallery,
SAM at 8Q
Home Movies: The Danube Exodus and
Free Fall – Private Hungary 10
August
Fri, 5 Aug | 7pm – 8:30pm
Photography Talk Sessions
Fri, 5 Aug | 7pm – 9pm | SAM at 8Q
Originals Only Open Mike
4
Fri, 5 Aug | 7:30pm | Moving Image Gallery,
SAM at 8Q
Fri, 9 Sep | 7:30pm | Moving Image Gallery,
SAM at 8Q
Artist Films / Home Movies:
Walden – Diaries, Notes and Sketches
by Jonas Mekas
Home Movies: Oxhide II
Sun, 7 Aug | 8am – 5pm | Istana Grounds
Istana Art Event
Tue, 9 Aug | 10am – 7pm | SAM & SAM at 8Q
National Day Open House
Fri, 12 Aug | 7:30pm | Moving Image Gallery,
SAM at 8Q
Home Movies: Mother and Tarnation
Fri, 19 Aug | 7:30pm | Moving Image Gallery,
SAM at 8Q
Home Movies: Bare and I for India
Fri – Sat, 26 Aug – 3 Sep | 7:30pm – 2am |
SAM & various locations along Bras Basah
Road and vicinity
Night Lights (Part of Night Festival 2011)
Fri, 16 Sep | 7:30pm | Moving Image Gallery,
SAM at 8Q
Artist Films: Films by Amar Kanwar
Fri, 16 Sep | 7:30pm – 9pm | Glass Hall, SAM
Modern Sounds
Sun, 18 Sep | 1pm – 5pm | SAM at 8Q
Video, An Art, A History 1965 - 2010
Family Sunday
Sat, 24 Sep | 1pm – 5pm | Glass Hall, SAM
Yellow Ribbon Community Art Exhibition
Programme
SCHOOL PROGRAMMES
Every Thu & Fri, 10am – 11:30am or
2:30pm – 4pm | SAM
Art Trail
Tue, 30 Aug | 10am – 7pm | SAM & SAM at 8Q
Hari Raya Puasa Open House
Every Thu & Fri, 10am – 11:30am or
2:30pm – 4pm | SAM
Art Talk
September
Fri, 2 Sep | 7pm – 8:30pm
Photography Talk Sessions
Every Mon & Tue, 10am – 12:30pm or
2pm – 4:30pm | SAM
Everyday Life
Fri, 2 Sep | 7pm – 9pm | SAM at 8Q
Originals Only Open Mike
Every Mon & Tue, 10am – 12:30pm or
2pm – 4:30pm | SAM
Everyday Food
Fri, 2 Sep | 7:30pm | Moving Image Gallery,
SAM at 8Q
Home Movies: Oxhide
Every Mon & Tue, 10am – 12:30pm or
2pm – 4:30pm | SAM
Everyday Objects
Thu, 8 Sep | 4pm | SAM
Tours and Talks for Teachers
Every Wed, 10am – 12pm | SAM
Get Smart with Art Series: Auction Time
Weekdays | 10:30am – 12pm | SAM
Deutsche Bank Art Bus Programme
5
6
Credit Suisse: Innovation In Art Series
Video, An Art, A History 1965 - 2010
A Selection from the Centre Pompidou and
Singapore Art Museum Collections
Runs through 18 September 2011
SAM & SAM at 8Q
Video, an Art, a History 1965-2010. A Selection from the Centre Pompidou and Singapore Art
Museum Collections presents Centre Pompidou’s well-received new media travelling exhibition with
an added Southeast Asian touch. Its Singapore and Southeast Asia debut will feature an expanded
exhibition, showcasing SAM’s own collection of video works and installations by Southeast Asian
artists, such as Lee Wen, Dinh Q. Lê, Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba and Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook,
alongside Centre Pompidou’s collection by internationally renowned artists such as Nam June Paik,
Bill Viola, Bruce Nauman, Jean-Luc Godard, Pierre Huyghe and Isaac Julien.
Based on the video and multimedia installations of the Centre Pompidou and SAM, the exhibition
recounts the history of this very contemporary field punctuating the main phases of contemporary
art from 1965 to 2010. The exhibition is curated by Centre Pompidou chief curator of New Media
Christine Van Assche and co-curated by SAM assistant curator Patricia Levasseur de la Motte.
The exhibition materialised from a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Governments
of Singapore and France to enhance cultural cooperation.
Co-organiser
Presenting Sponsor
With support from
A series of Home Movies programmed in conjunction with the exhibition will be presented
at the Moving Image Gallery at SAM at 8Q. Please refer to pages 21 to 23 for details.
Facing page: (top) Installation of The Farmers and the Helicopters (2006) by Dinh Q. Lê.
(bottom) Artist Lee Wen (extreme right) discussing his video installation, World Class Society (1999).
7
Art Garden
at the Singapore Art Museum
Interactive contemporary art for children
Runs through 30 August 2011
SAM
Mummy Dearest by Justin Lee
Walter by Dawn Ng
Go by Twardzik Ching Chor Leng
Building on the success of its inaugural edition in 2010, the well-loved Art Garden at the Singapore
Art Museum: Interactive contemporary art for children returned this June with a total of ten creative
works. The only exhibition in Singapore that showcases engaging art works suitable for children, this
year’s Art Garden features more works than last year and runs for a longer duration of almost three
months. SAM has also used this opportunity to commission four Singapore artists to create works
for its next generation of art audiences.
Contemporary art appeals to children as the artworks often address issues that are topical and
open ended. The interactive nature of contemporary art makes Art Garden an inviting and engaging
exhibition for the young to explore and see the world in new and different ways.
In conjunction with
8
Sponsored by
Featured Artists & Artworks
Walter by Dawn Ng
Discover the extraordinary in our everyday lives
with Walter, a curious colossal bunny that pops
up in various places in Singapore, bringing
surprise and delight to the people he meets.
Paramodelic-Graffiti by Paramodel
Explore the intricate urban geography and
topography of this dream-like universe - built
entirely of modular toy train tracks that create
spontaneous, whimsical colour patterns
covering the gallery space.
Tree of Love by Ben Puah
Papier-mâché animal dolls, created by children
and particpants from non-profit organisations
with the artist, decorate the Tree of Love to
inspire social harmony. Visitors are invited to
add on to the work by penning their hopes,
thoughts and feelings on the trees.
Fruits by Wit Pimkanchanapong
Step into this colourful fruit market and create
your favourite paper fruit! Choose from six fruits
common in Southeast Asia and learn the name
of the fruit in different languages. When you
have completed fruit, keep it as a souvenir or
exchange it for a real fruit.
Dancing Solar Flowers by Alexandre Dang
This lively installation of solar-powered
mechanical flowers nod, or rock gently, in
response to indoor lighting conditions in the
gallery environment.
Elephant Sitting and Elephant at Rest
by Elephant Parade Singapore 2011
Come up-close to two baby art elephants and
decorate them with colourful stickers. The
baby elephants are part of Elephant Parade
Singapore 2011 which is dedicated to saving
the Asian elephant.
Tree of Love by Ben Puah
Mummy Dearest by Justin Lee
It is Mummy's day off in this fantasy candycoloured world of giant dolls, complete with a
wardrobe of clothes, shoes and an enormous
three-tiered cake. Boys and girls can help dress
up the dolls and decorate a cake for Mummy in
this playroom inspired by old-fashioned cut-out
paper dolls.
Go by Twardzik Ching Chor Leng
Climb onto this giant installation and work
together with fellow visitors to form a huge
picture using large coloured discs. Inspired by
the ancient Chinese game of Go or weiqi, and
the idea of motion and activity conveyed by the
word 'go', you can photograph your completed
picture and pin up a printout of it in the gallery.
SUPERHIGH by Dawn Ng / Hello Sunshine
Play with colours and shapes in this toddlers'
playroom installation, inspired by the magical
and mystical qualities of the rainbow that reflect
hope and happiness.
Lightning Action by Bertrand Planes
Is this a child's playroom, or a bare, white
installation? Let game technology and a special
video mapping process change your perception
as everyday objects and spaces are given new
life.
A series of Animated Shorts programmed in conjunction with the exhibition is also
presented at the Chapel. Please refer to pages 16 to 17 for details.
9
Art Around SAM
DystoUtopia by ZERO
Runs through 26 August 2011
SAM at 8Q
ZERO, DystoUtopia, 2011, mixed media, variable dimensions
Are we using material goods and wealth in higher pursuit of emotional and intellectual development
and happiness? Commenting on the consumerist society, DystoUtopia is the manifestation of Zero’s
idea of a dysfunctional utopia in which consumerism has been mistaken as the answer to all our
worries, needs and desires.
His installation integrates elements and bastions of consumerism such as the Louis Vuitton brand
inspired logos and monogram, as well as silhouettes of shopping malls. Artefacts such as old
photographs lie forlornly in the discarded shelves and crates littering the installation, cracked and
forgotten in the light of shiny new consumerism.
A skilled graphic artist, Zero's artistic practice investigates societal issues on several levels, integrating
the function of design and advertising within the framework of conceptual and fine arts.
10
Learning Gallery
Ongoing till November 2011
Programme Space, SAM at 8Q
Students from Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary) at the Learning Gallery.
The Learning Gallery is dedicated to presenting artworks from SAM’s collection for the young
visitor. Besides nurturing an appreciation for art, the works are specially selected to encourage lively
discussions and develop creative and analytical thinking among our young visitors.
The current show, Everyday Objects, invites you to take a second look at the familiar things around
you through the eyes of artists from Singapore and Southeast Asia, where everyday things we know
and sometimes take for granted are portrayed in a different light, making us think twice about their
function and their relation to other objects.
Education programmes inspired by the artworks on display have also been specially developed
for schools to offer students a multi-disciplinary and holistic contemporary art experience at the
Learning Gallery. These programmes range from learning specific art techniques to speech-anddrama puppet shows that encourage originality and the development of language skills and selfconfidence.
Learning Gallery Education Programmes are for school bookings only. Please see page 29
for details.
11
Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebration
29 July to 16 October 2011
SAM
Liu Kang, Life by the River, 1975, oil on canvas, 126 x 203 cm, National Heritage Board collection
Liu Kang (1911–2004) is widely regarded as one of Singapore’s most important artists, and a guiding
figure in the development of Singapore’s art scene.
Liu was actively involved in various areas of the visual arts field, from the creation of artworks to
playing a central role in education and criticism. Liu also played a leading role in the Society of
Chinese Artists and the Singapore Art Society for many years. In recognition of the artist’s lifetime
accomplishments and contributions to Singapore’s visual art community, he was conferred the
Public Service Star in 1970, and the Meritorious Service Medal in 1996.
This exhibition is held in commemoration of the artist's centennial year of birth. Featuring 100 works
by Liu, this exhibition invites visitors on a journey of exploration into the life and mind of the artist.
The Liu Kang: A Centennial Celebration is a special research exhibition organised by the National
Art Gallery, Singapore, supported by the National Heritage Board and held on the premises of SAM.
12
Notable Acquisitions Exhibition 2011:
Featuring works by Tan Oe Pang
Runs through to 21 August 2011
SAM
The Notable Acquisitions Exhibition is an ongoing exhibition featuring recent acquisitions and
donations. Featuring a selection of Tan Oe Pang works, drawn from a donation collection received
by the museum, this exhibition showcases a variety of Tan’s works in the ink and oil media.
Singapore artist Tan is one of Singapore’s established ink artists. His daring use of ink and vivid
composition in art pushes the boundaries of Chinese ink practice, and marks him as one of the most
innovative practitioners in the medium today. Tan was a participant in the prestigious International
Biennial of Arts Valparaiso and the International Biennial of Arts Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Seeing the Kites Again II
Runs through 12 November 2012
SAM
This exhibition, entitled Seeing the
Kite Again, is inspired by the late
master Wu Guanzhong’s metaphor
of a kite and how it expresses the
connection between an artist, his
life and the people around him.
By bridging Chinese and Western
aesthetics, Wu blazed the trail
for the modernisation of Chinese
art. In 2008, the internationally
acclaimed artist donated his
largest gift of 113 important
Wu Guanzhong, A Lotus Flower Island, 2003, oil on canvas, 41 x 60 cm, National
works to the National Heritage
Heritage Board collection
Board. Selected paintings from
the donation has been presented since 2009 by the National Art Gallery, Singapore. The current
exhibition showcases some of Wu’s most outstanding works produced from 1960s to 2000s in the
oil and ink medium.
These are special research exhibitions by the National Art Gallery, Singapore, held on the premises
of SAM.
13
Yellow Ribbon Community Art Exhibition
9 to 25 September 2011
SAM
Winning entry from Yellow Ribbon Art Competition 2010 (detail)
The Yellow Ribbon Community Art Exhibition is an annual event organised by the Yellow Ribbon
Project to showcase original artworks by inmates and ex-offenders to the community. This year's
exhibition theme is Tomorrow is My Reality. The winning entries from the Yellow Ribbon Art
Competition and the finest selections of art from the Singapore Prisons will be featured. There will
be an array of free and engaging hands-on activities for families on 24 September from 1pm to 5pm
in the Glass Hall.
Free admission to this exhibition. Visit www.yellowribbon.org.sg for more information.
14
Art Around Singapore
Life After Death by Justin Lee
Runs through 16 October 2011
Asian Civilisations Museum
Placed at the entrance to the galleries of
the Asian Civilisations Museum, Life After
Death by Justin Lee transports visitors
into a dream-like night scene. Based
on the artist’s previous installation East
& West, which was acquired by SAM in
2010, the dramatic new setting sees
Lee’s stylish terracotta army flanked by
graceful fairy-like maidens armed with
modern technologies. Graphic symbols of
contemporary Singapore emblazon flags
that rise above the quirky army. Each flag
is bordered with Lee’s signature motif, the
Chinese character for Double Happiness:
this too represents the successful
marriage of East and West.
Justin Lee, Life After Death, 2011, dimensions variable, mixed media installation
Life After Death blends Western pop art
with traditional Eastern imagery, giving
rise to a new reading of a work that is a
mix of many cultures, and thus decidedly
Singaporean. Although the terracotta
warriors are tomb figures, Lee’s playful
use of colour and light suggests that life
after death might not be so bad after all.
This contemporary installation accompanies the special exhibition, Terracotta Warriors: The First
Emperor & His Legacy from Xi’an, China, and is organised by SAM and Asian Civilisations Museum.
15
Moving Image Screenings
Animated Shorts
This special selection of animated films presented in conjunction with the exhibition Art Garden draws
viewers into gorgeously rendered magical universes populated by mysterious penguins, confused
dogs, slippery lizards, forlorn machines and cities made of Rubik’s cubes. Suitable for all ages, this
line-up includes films by young directors as well as BAFTA and Academy Award-winning works.
Until 30 Aug | Daily, from 10:30am | Chapel, SAM
Included in museum admission. Each set of film screening is approximately 30 minutes. Visit www.
singaporeartmuseum.sg for more information including directors’ biographies.
Lost and Found
Flats
Set 1 – Recommended for Ages 2 and up.
Daily at 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm & 4:30pm. Additional screening at 6:30pm on Fridays.
Laughing Moon
Kiyoshi Nishimoto, 2002, Japan, 6 minutes
Twelve geometric pieces of a tangram puzzle
combine to form different shapes and figures,
and act out elegantly simple scenes.
The Swedish Meatballs
Johan Hagelbäck, 2010, Sweden, 5 minutes
A young meatball, with the loving support of
his family, learns more about the wider world
around him.
Magic Cube and Ping-Pong
Ray Lei, 2009, China, 4 minutes
In a city of Magic Cubes, a Cube boy goes in
search of a lost ping pong ball. He meets and
falls in love with a Cube girl.
Nulbür
Sylvain Gignac, 2007, Canada, 3 minutes
A cute and friendly robot goes on a journey to
seek enlightenment. This animation is inspired
by the aesthetics of Super Mario.
Hu Lulu Hong Longlong Hua Lala
Ray Lei, 2010, China, 6 minutes
A storm overtakes a small village, interrupting
the people's peaceful lives. A brave child swims
into the universe to save the world.
The Seed
Johnny Kelly, 2008, Ireland, 2 minutes
The trials and tribulations of a humble apple
seed are depicted in this animated voyage
through nature’s life cycle.
16
Set 2 – Recommended for Ages 4 and up.
Daily at 11am, 1pm, 3pm & 5pm. Additional screening at 7pm on Fridays.
Thought of You
Ryan Woodward, 2010, USA, 3 minutes
Lost and Found
Philip Hunt, 2009, UK, 24 minutes
This beautiful contemporary dance animation
is drawn in a style of conte on newsprint,
and portrays a relationship between a pair of
dancers.
A little boy finds a penguin on his doorstep.
At first he is unsure what to do, but becomes
determined to help the penguin find his way
back home. This magical tale of friendship and
loneliness is based on the best-selling picture
book by Oliver Jeffers.
Set 3 – Recommended for Ages 6 and up.
Daily at 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm & 5:30pm. Additional screening at 7:30pm on Fridays.
The Fish and the Ring
Ervinna Cahyadi, 2010, Singapore, 4 minutes
A hungry fish devours the ring of an old man
sitting by the jetty reminiscing. Meanwhile, an
old lady marooned by a shipwreck is reflecting
on her life. What can the fish do to help?
The Dog Who Was a Cat Inside
Siri Melchior, 2005, UK, 3 minutes
In this parable about inner conflict, a dog
struggles with his "inner cat." This short is
delightfully animated in a style inspired by
Cubism.
Slip
Scrawl Studios, 2009, Singapore, 4 minutes
Slip is a common house lizard with a problem: his
feet are not sticky! Forced to wear special shoes
in order to walk like a lizard does, Slip is ridiculed
by everyone. Will something happen to make
Slip overcome his fears about being different?
The Lost Thing
Andrew Ruhemann and Shaun Tan, Australia/
UK, 2010, 15 minutes
A young man finds a strange creature on a
beach, and decides to find a home for it in a
world where everyone believes there are far
more important things to pay attention to.
Set 4 – Recommended for Ages 8 and up.
Daily at 12pm, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm. Additional screening at 8pm on Fridays.
My Father is a Washerman
Srinivas Bhakta, 2009, Singapore, 8 minutes
A washerman struggles with a dirty scarecrow
who tries to snatch a kite from his son in this
moving animation about familial love and
change.
Dear Fatty
Hsin-I Tseng, 2008, USA, 7 minutes
In this beguiling tale, a little girl writes a tender
letter to her lost hamster.
Procrastination
Johnny Kelly, 2007, Ireland, 4 minutes
Why do we put things off? Sometimes the only
way to get something done is to do two dozen
other things first!
Flats
Scrawl Studios, 2010, Singapore, 2 minutes
Two siblings embark on an adventure through
their HDB estate after school. This film is a
paean to our living Singapore landscape.
My Way
Svjetlan Junaković and Veljko Popović,
2010, Croatia, 7 minutes
In this charming parable about growing up,
a child learns to live with an invisible pebble
in his shoe. The discomfort it creates brings
awareness and meaning to his existence.
17
Artist Films
SAM presents a series of exceptional film and video works by artists that explore the relationship
between art and the moving image and promote dialogue and exchange on contemporary practices
in visual culture.
Fridays, 1 & 8 Jul, 5 Aug and 16 Sep | 7:30pm | Moving Image Gallery, SAM at 8Q
$10 for each film screening day. $5 concession for students with valid ID, senior citizens and full-time
NS men. Limited seating. Tickets can be purchased from SAM and SISTIC (from 11 July onwards).
For ticket purchase at the door, please call 6332 3200 ahead for ticket availability.
Visit www.singaporeartmuseum.sg for full synopses and ratings.
Film still from Women Without Men (2009) directed by Shirin Neshat
1 & 8 Jul
Women Without Men
Shirin Neshat, 2009, Germany/Austria/France/Iran, 99 minutes, M18 (Sexual scenes and nudity)
In her feature film debut, artist Shirin Neshat chronicles the intertwining lives of four Iranian women
during the 1953 coup d'état of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, and reinstalled the Shah to
power. Adapted from Iranian author Shahrnush Parsipur's magical realist novel of the same name,
this film won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the 66th Venice Film Festival in 2009.
Shirin Neshat is known for her hauntingly beautiful explorations of Islam, political violence, gender
relations and the human form. She is well known for her award-winning photographic series Women
of Allah (1993–97), the video installation Turbulent (1998), Rapture (1999), and Fervor (2000).
Neshat’s work has been exhibited at the Tate Gallery, Guggenheim Museum, Serpentine Gallery,
London, the Kunsthalle Wien and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Hiroshima.
18
Film stills from Walden - Diaries, Notes and Sketches (1969) directed by Jonas Mekas
5 Aug
Walden – Diaries, Notes and Sketches
Jonas Mekas, 1969, USA, 180 minutes
Lithuanian-born New York artist Jonas Mekas was an integral part of the underground film movement
and the avant-garde intelligentsia of mid to late sixties New York. Made between 1964 to 1968, this
film features his life in New York and encounters with icons like Stan Brakhage, Allen Ginsberg,
Norman Mailer and Andy Warhol, and events such as John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1969 Montreal
bed-in for peace, and the Velvet Underground’s first public performance. The soundtrack features
poetical spoken word musings by Mekas, musical excerpts by Chopin and sounds from the street
and countryside.
Mekas is considered by many to be the godfather of American avant-garde cinema. Credited for
developing the diary form of filmmaking, he is known for films such as The Brig (1964), Lost Lost Lost
(1975) and As I Was Moving Ahead Occasionally I Saw Brief Glimpses of Beauty (2000).
19
© Amar Kanwar
16 Sep
A Season Outside
Amar Kanwar, 1997-8, India, 30 minutes
A Night of Prophecy
Amar Kanwar, 2002, India, 77 minutes
To Remember
Amar Kanwar, 2003, India, 8 minutes
Amar Kanwar’s films are a mix of documentary, poetic travelogue and visual essay. A Season Outside
(1998) is a poignant meditation on the source of violence—inspired by events surrounding India’s
northern border with Pakistan. A Night of Prophecy (2002) features the poetry of tragedy and protest,
and gives a stunning glimpse of the diversity of India’s ethnic groups and landscapes. To Remember
(2003) is a meditative and ambivalent portrait of Birla House, the site of Gandhi’s assassination in
1948.
Amar Kanwar lives and works in New Delhi. His richly contemplative films and installations connect
intimate personal histories with the wider politics of power, violence, sexuality, and justice. He has
exhibited at the Marian Goodman Gallery, New York, the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, and the
Haus der Kunst, Munich and participated in Documenta 11 (2002) and Documenta 12 (2007) in
Kassel, Germany.
Screening rights courtesy of Amar Kanwar and Marian Goodman Gallery, Paris and New York.
20
Home Movies
Film still from I for India (2005) directed by Sandhya Suri
With the emergence of portable film and video cameras, and smaller film formats such as 16mm and
Super 8, video art emerged as a distinct medium in the 1960s as conceptual and performance artists
expanded their explorations with experimental film. Independent filmmaking saw a fresh resurgence
in the 1990s with the advent of consumer-friendly digital video formats. The history of video art and
independent film thus has an important parallel story: a great many ordinary people used these new
video and projection technologies to film droll, trivial or unlikely aspects of their lives, creating home
movies to share with their family and friends and even making serious forays into amateur cinema.
The films in this series, presented in conjunction with the exhibition Video, an Art, a History 19652010. A Selection from the Centre Pompidou and Singapore Art Museum Collections, are notable
for their unique takes on the themes of home movies, amateur film, and found footage. In these 11
films, questions of identity and self-representation, family and kindred, and the individual in society
emerge again and again. Private histories unfold amidst inconceivable historical backdrops, old
feuds are excavated and new relationships documented. These are all captured by the intrepid
individual wielding his or her camera to create compelling and often emotional personal cinema that
is impossible to look away from.
Fridays, 22 Jul – 9 Sep | 7:30pm | Moving Image Gallery, SAM at 8Q
$10 for each film screening day. $5 concession for students with valid ID, senior citizens and
full-time NS men. Limited seating. Tickets can be purchased from SAM and SISTIC (from 11 July
onwards). For ticket purchase at the door, please call 6332 3200 ahead for ticket availability. Visit
www.singaporeartmuseum.sg for full synopses and ratings.
21
22 Jul
Intimate Stranger, Alan Berliner, 1991, USA, 60 minutes
Alan Berliner’s grandfather, Joseph Cassuto, was a Palestinian Jew who worked in Egypt as a cotton
buyer for the Japanese before WW2. Despite reuniting with his family in the US, a restless Cassuto
moves to Japan to pursue his business and his lifelong affair with the culture. Examining his curious
legacy, the film juxtaposes the love and admiration of his Japanese associates with his family’s
resentment.
Nobody's Business, Alan Berliner, 1996, USA, 60 minutes
Determined to discover the mythic dimension to his reclusive and cantankerous father Oscar
Berliner’s seemingly ordinary life, Alan Berliner investigates family stories and connections, creating
an inventive and witty tapestry of interviews, live action sequences and archival material. This
essayistic film defies conventional definitions of the documentary feature.
29 Jul
The Danube Exodus, Péter Forgács, 1998, Hungary, 60 minutes
In this travelogue, Péter Forgacs uses footage from the amateur films of a ship captain documenting
the Jewish exodus just before WW2 as Slovak and Austrian Jews tried to reach Palestine via the
river Danube. At the end of this journey, a reverse exodus takes place as Bessarabian Germans fled
to the Third Reich. The film is a moving meditation on the displacement of and connections between
ethnic minorities.
Free Fall – Private Hungary 10, Péter Forgács, 1996, Hungary, 75 minutes
Artist Péter Forgács reworks and assembles footage from the archive of musician, photographer and
businessman, György Petö, who made many 8mm films from 1938 onward. Against the backdrop of
Fascist Europe and the impending Holocaust, this film frames the happy moments of the Petö family
against the cruel Hungarian Jewish laws.
5 Aug
Walden – Diaries, Notes and Sketches, Jonas Mekas, 1969, USA, 180 minutes
Artist Jonas Mekas was an integral part of the underground film movement and the avant-garde
intelligentsia of mid- to late sixties New York. This film is also screened as part of the Artist Films
series (see page 19 for details).
12 Aug
Mother, Royston Tan, 2002, Singapore, 6 minutes
After ten years, a son returns home to reconcile his relationship with his mother. Using Super-8 found
footage, this film explores the love/hate relationship between mother and son with an ironic mix of
nostalgic sentimentality and contempt.
Tarnation, Jonathan Caouette, 2003, USA, 88 minutes
Created by Caouette from over 20 years and hundreds of hours’ worth of Super-8 and VHS home
movies, found footage, photographs, and audio recordings, this film tells the story of his life, transition
into young adulthood, and his relationship with his mother Renee. This film delves into what it means
to grow up queer with a schizophrenic mother. 22
Film still from Oxhide II (2009) directed by Liu Jiayin
19 Aug
Bare, Santana Issar, 2006, India, 11 minutes
Over the backdrop of 20-year old home movie footage of a blissful family unit, phone conversations
play. We realise that the family that we see enjoying themselves is not as happy as it seems. In this
poignant short film, Santana Issar seeks to understand the impact of her father’s choices on her
mother’s, her sister’s and her own life.
I for India, Sandhya Suri, 2005, India, 70 minutes
This film documents Sandhya Suri’s immediate and extended families’ lives since their move from
India to England in 1965. Shot over 40 years, the Super-8 footage filmed by Suri’s father in Darlington
as well as the family back in India unravels as a deeply emotional story of separation and loss. A
time capsule of alienation, discovery, racism and belonging, this film is a chronicle of immigration in
1960s Britain and beyond.
2 Sep
Oxhide, Liu Jiayin, 2005, China, 110 minutes, PG
Oxhide’s subject is the director’s immediate family—her father, mother and herself. Shot entirely
in their tiny Beijng apartment, this film is made of 23 tightly focused, precisely arranged scenes,
each shot in one continuous take from a stationary camera. The family discusses their leather bag
business, their financial issues, their daughter’s height and other matters, and their interactions
reveal much deeper concerns about self-respect, artistry, modernisation, and existential fears in a
changing world.
9 Sep
Oxhide II, Liu Jiayin, 2009, China, 132 minutes, PG
Liu Jiayin once again casts herself and her parents in scripted versions of their life in their tiny Beijing
residence. All the action is set around the family dinner table, which is also her father’s leather-making
station. The family prepares and consumes a dinner of dumplings as the camera catches every
meticulous detail of the action in real time, cutting only eight times and pivoting 45 degrees in an
intimate circle with each cut. Small moments between family members reveal deep insights into the
mysteries of family relations and the art of everyday living.
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Night Lights
Night Festival 2011
Facade projection by Electric Canvas at Night Festival 2008.
Night Festival goers can indulge in an outdoor extravaganza of live music, film and dance, and
experience the new and delightful Night Lights, a nine-evening outdoor showcase of light installations
created in and around the Bras Basah-Bugis cultural precinct.
Fri – Sat, 26 Aug – 3 Sep | 7:30pm – 2am | SAM & various locations along Bras Basah Road
and vicinity
Night Festival 2011 is set to dazzle with two weekends of spectacular performances, open air
cinema and contemporary art exhibitions.
Fri & Sat, 26 & 27 Aug and 2 & 3 Sep | 7pm – 2am and 7:30pm – 2am | National Museum of
Singapore, SAM, Peranakan Museum, Singapore Management University Campus Green and The
Substation
Night Lights is held in conjunction with Nuit Blanche Paris and supported by:
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Fridays at SAM
Singer-songwriter Gabriel Lynch
Photography Talk Sessions
Open Studio
Open to all photography enthusiasts, the
Photography Talk Sessions is a platform where
participants can discuss reviews and share
tips on the use of digital cameras and camera
accessories.
Imagery and Mindfulness:
A Self-discovery Art Workshop
Take a break from your hectic lifestyle and
embark on a unique and relaxing experience
in visual expression. The workshop is a joint
collaboration between the Art Therapists'
Association, Singapore, and SAM.
1 Jul, 5 Aug & 2 Sep | 7pm – 8:30pm
Registration required.
Originals Only Open Mike (OOOM@SAM)
Enjoy contemporary expression through music
at SAM. Catch Singapore’s very own budding
singer-songwriters in action as they showcase
their original compositions at the Originals Only
Open Mike sessions (OOOM@SAM), a joint
collaboration between SAM and Singapore Art
Cafe.
8 Jul, 5 Aug & 2 Sep | 7pm – 9pm
SAM at 8Q
Registration required for interested performers.
8 Jul | 7pm – 9pm | Level 2, SAM
Limited to 25 participants. Registration required.
Modern Sounds
Explore exciting new worlds of sound and music
with Ang Mo Faux, an ensemble specialising
in improvised and experimental music using
acoustic and computer-processed sounds.
16 Sep | 7:30pm – 9pm | Glass Hall, SAM
Admission to Fridays at SAM events is
free. Visit www.singaporeartmuseum.sg
for event updates and more information.
For registration and other enquiries, please
email [email protected].
25
Istana Art Event
The Istana Art Event is an annual outreach event organised by the National Heritage Board and led
by SAM. The event seeks to cultivate a greater appreciation of the arts and our national heritage
during the nation’s birthday, through an On-The-Spot Art Competition, Arts and Heritage Village,
and an installation of art birthday cards contributed by students nation-wide. The Arts and Heritage
Village will feature art and craft-making activities by all National Heritage Board Museums and some
Museum Roundtable members.
Sun, 7 Aug | 8am – 5pm (Arts and Heritage Village activities start from 10am) | Istana Grounds
Free admission to the Istana grounds for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, and $1 for others.
Entrance to grounds is via the main gate at Orchard Road. Visit www.singaporeartmuseum.sg for
more information.
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Open House at SAM
National Day, 9 Aug
Hari Raya Puasa, 30 Aug
Join us to celebrate special occasions and the public holidays with free entry to all SAM galleries and
a series of fun, hands-on activities for everyone in the family. Activities will be held from 1pm to 5pm.
Visit www.singaporeartmuseum.sg for more information.
Family Sunday
Spend a Sunday afternoon with your family at SAM! Explore an exhibition through an engaging tour
and create a craft inspired by the artworks.
17 Jul Explore Art Garden.
18 Sep Explore Video, an Art, a History 1965-2010.
Family Sunday activities start from 1pm to 5pm. They are complimentary with purchase of admission
ticket. Each session is limited to 20 participants on a first-come-first served basis and children
should be aged 4 and above. Visit www.singaporeartmuseum.sg for more details.
Singapore HeritageFest at SAM
Sat & Sun, 23 & 24 Jul | 10am – 7pm | SAM & SAM at 8Q
Free admission and activities.
Recreational Community Drumming Circle at SAM highlights synchrony through playing different
instruments and tunes—an analogy of how our multi-racial society ticks.
2pm – 3:30pm & 4pm – 5:30pm
Each session is limited to 50 participants.
Quilt Craft teaches your kids to combine different shapes and colourful pieces of cloth into a
patchwork masterpiece!
2pm – 3:30pm & 4pm – 5:30pm
Each session is limited to 30 participants.
Singapore HeritageFest (15 – 31 Jul) is a fun, educational and interactive annual celebration of
Singapore’s diverse, unique and untold stories and aspects of our heritage and shared culture. Visit
www.heritagefest.sg for more information.
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School Programmes
Tours and Talks for Teachers
Tours and preview talks are held to give educators an overview of SAM’s exhibitions. SAM curators
and exhibition managers will explain key concepts and highlight selected works on either tours of the
galleries or preview talks on upcoming exhibitions. Recommended for teachers preparing to bring
students for a visit.
Preview Talk for Teachers on upcoming exhibitions:
• Amanda Heng (7 Oct 2011 – 1 Jan 2012)
• Hyung Koo Kang (14 Oct – 25 Dec 2011)
Thu, 8 Sep | 4pm
For teachers only. Free admission. Registration required. Please email your name, school, contact
number, the subject you teach and the age of your students to [email protected].
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Learning Gallery
Art Trail
This workshop engages students in active
art discussions through creative story-telling.
Participants will learn more about artists and
their artworks and create their own craft works
inspired by the artworks in the gallery.
Every Thu and Fri, 10am – 11:30am
or 2:30pm – 4pm | SAM
For 4 to 12 years old
$18 per student, per lesson
Art Talk
This workshop aims to stimulate the students’
creativity through interactive puppet shows
and speech and drama activities. Using the
artworks as inspiration, students will be guided
to develop their own narratives and perform
their own puppet shows.
Every Thu and Fri, 10am – 11:30am
or 2:30pm – 4pm | SAM
For 7 to 12 years old
$28 per student, per lesson
Everyday Life
With discussion and quick sketching, students
will turn everyday tasks and objects into
interesting artworks by working with shapes
and forms, and learn oil pastel and watercolour
techniques like blending and bricking.
Every Mon and Tues, 10am – 12:30pm
or 2pm – 4:30pm | SAM
For 7 to 8 years old
$18 per student, per lesson
Everyday Food
Drawing inspiration from artworks that showcase
food as the main subject matter, this workshop
encourages students to explore the forms and
shapes of food and to learn about the role of
textures in their own art-making.
Every Mon and Tues, 10am – 12:30pm
or 2pm – 4:30pm | SAM
For 9 to 10 years old
$18 per student, per lesson
Everyday Objects
Through active art discussions, students will
share their initial thoughts and ideas of selected
artworks and learn to generate ideas about
objectifying personality traits through the use of
quick rough sketching. Students will then create
drawings based on concepts of cubism and
abstract art using acrylic painting techniques.
Every Mon and Tue, 10am – 12:30pm
or 2pm – 4:30pm | SAM
For 11 to 12 years old
$28 per student, per lesson
Get Smart with Art Series: Auction Time
In this interactive, hands-on workshop,
students will be introduced to selected artists
and their artworks through the process of roleplaying and engaging in discussions set in the
context of an auction house. Students will have
the opportunity to work in teams and learn
skills such as negotiation, presentation, and
strategy formulation.
Every Wed, 10am – 12pm | SAM
For 13 to 17 years old
$18 per student, per lesson
Selected programmes are eligible for the Tote
Board Arts Grant subsidy. For enquiries, please
email [email protected].
Learning Gallery programmes are for school
bookings only.
Pre-school and Primary school:
min. 20 – max. 40 students per session
Secondary school:
min. 30 – max. 40 students per session
Please download and fill up the booking form at
www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/programmes/
learning_gallery.php and email it to nhb_sam_
[email protected].
29
Deutsche Bank Art Bus Programme
The Singapore Art Museum presents the Deutsche Bank Art Bus programme, a platform for
introducing art to schoolchildren. With content tailor-made for the age range of its audience,
each session lasts for one and a half hours and incorporates multi-disciplinary learning through
contemporary art. Complimentary bus transportation will be provided to and from the museum.
Weekdays* | 10:30am – 12pm* | SAM
For 7 to 12 years old
20 - 40 children per session
*Alternative day and time can be requested, subject to availability.
$10 per student for school bookings only. Limited to one session per school.
Free for charity / non-profit organisations.
Please email [email protected] for more information.
Sponsor
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Recent Acquisitions
Cloud Nine, 2005, dimensions variable, ceramic dogs, features, table, plates and plastic fruits, Singapore Art Museum collection
Cloud Nine
by Sakarin Krue-On
Stray dogs are a common sight in the streets of Thailand, and artist Sakarin Krue-On employs them
as a potent visual metaphor in this installation. By modelling these unwanted dogs into exquisitelooking porcelain figurines, poised in a kitschy nouveau-riche home setting, the artist alludes to the
social inequalities embedded in Thai society, as well as its class divides.
Cloud Nine illustrates the notion of “empty hope”, where Sakarin’s street dogs can only dream of
an alternative life of a more elevated status. By portraying the common stray as winged, angel-like
entities, yet bound by their instinctive nature, the artist presents a tragic and yet farcical parody of
Thai social realities. The work also reflects Sakarin’s Buddhist beliefs of the limitations and inherent
emptiness of dreams and self-delusion.
Sakarin's past solo exhibitions include Cloud Nine at 100 Tonson Gallery in Bangkok (2004) and
Yellow Simple at Open Arts Space in Bangkok (2001); other notable exhibitions in the international
arena includes his participation in the Venice Biennale in 2002 and 2009, as well as Documenta 12
in 2007.
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DisCONNEXION, ed. 8/15, 2002-2003, 76 x 62 cm each, 15 prints, C-print, Singapore Art Museum collection
DisCONNEXION
by Xing Danwen
DisCONNEXION features electronic waste, from tangled wires, circuit boards and broken cell phone
casings that have been sorted and separated by hand in China's Guangdong province. Xing’s
photographs of the technological rubbish of the world contain an abstract quality of beauty to them
even in their discarded state. But they belie an environmental and social nightmare to the Chinese
people who live in those areas and those who work directly with these materials, some of which are
hazardous to their health.
Xing is an accomplished Chinese artist originally trained in painting at the Central Academy of Fine
Arts in Beijing. A self-taught photographer, she uses photography as an observation tool to challenge
issues that touch on identity in a global context. Her photographs, through an abstract beauty, reveal
the dark reality of the twenty-first century and the economic reality of technology.
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Electricity, 2010, 300 x 830 cm, mixed media, Singapore Art Museum collection
Electricity
by :phunk Studio
Electricity pays homage to the contemporary city, and :phunk studio’s longstanding fascination with
the architecture and energy that pulses through modern metropolises such as Singapore, Hong
Kong and Tokyo. A collage of various urban motifs and distinctive architectural elements drawn from
cities all over the world, Electricity celebrates the global, cosmopolitan city as it details its diversity,
lit up and brought to life by the power of electricity—a reminder of how dependent we are on this
essential power source that fuels our contemporary urban lifestyles.
:phunk Studio is known for their design industry credentials, which heavily influence their aesthetics
in art-making. Their work draws on myriad aspects of popular and youth culture, from Japanese
manga and anime to British indie music.
33
SAM Publications
Video, an Art, a History 1965 – 2010
A Selection from the
Centre Pompidou and
Singapore Art Museum Collections
Negotiating Home History
and Nation: two decades of
contemporary art in Southeast
Asia 1991 - 2011
Hardcover, 272 pages
Retail Price: $80
ISBN: 978-981-08-8493-2
Paperback, 275 pages
Retail Price: $80
ISBN: 978-981-08-6692-1
This accompanying publication to the exhibition
Video, an Art, a History 1965–2010. A Selection
from the Centre Pompidou and Singapore Art
Museum Collections brings together studies on
video art from Western Europe, the Americas
and East Asia. It also introduces recent
investigations into video as an emerging artistic
practice in Southeast Asia. Ten essays in this
publication comprise critical studies alongside
country surveys. The fifty-three entries in this
publication, of which 41 are from the Centre
Pompidou and 12 from SAM includes the
selection of video projections and installations
featured in the exhibition. Extensively illustrated,
this rare gathering of some of the most definitive
works in video art is designed to address a
wide audience, ranging from specialists to the
general public.
Negotiating Home, History and Nation: Two
decades of contemporary art in Southeast Asia,
1991-2011 is supported by an extensive and
academically slanted research catalogue that
forms a variety of viewpoints and investigates
key themes in Southeast Asian art history
today. Curators and academics contributing
to the catalogue are predominantly Asianbased, offering new ideas about visual art
from a part of Asia that is not well known
beyond its own borders. This catalogue will
include, amongst others, original essays by Dr
Apinan Poshyananda, Dr Nora Taylor, Dr Susie
Lingham, Agung Hujatnikajennong, Eileen
Legaspi-Ramirez, Tash Aw, Tan Boon Hui,
Khairuddin Hori and Iola Lenzi.
34
Singapore Biennale 2011:
Open House
Special Bind with Slipcase, 306 pages
Retail Price: $60
ISBN: 978-981-08-8050-7
Open House invites you on a journey through
the exhibition's collective unconscious. It
includes curatorial notes and essays on
the artists and the works presented at the
Biennale. Glimpses of artists' studios, sketches
and notebooks jostle with works of art, source
images and text. Images relating to public
display are intermingled with those of a more
personal nature, providing insight into artists'
inspirations, motivations and processes.
All artists were invited, but not obliged, to
submit material for consideration. The intention
of these pages is not to be representative, but
to offer a range of evocative source materials
which are suggestive of the cultural force-field
within which the artists of Open House are
working.
Natee Utarit: After Painting
Hardcover, 171 pages
Retail Price: $60
ISBN: 978-981-08-6692-1
An exceptional painter whose career spans
over two decades, Thai contemporary artist
Natee Utarit’s stunningly vivid paintings have
for a long time been a series of dialogues and
debates with elements of established Western
painting traditions - his ultimate aim to develop
new possibilities for painting. The artist’s
recent work, however, has increasingly been
commentaries on Thai society and identity, and
helps place him among his fellow Southeast
Asian artists who continue to use visual art to
reflect the changing socio-political situations of
the region.
This book offers a comprehensive survey of
Natee Utarit’s practice from 1992 to 2009, and
is the first to trace the significant developments
and changes in the artist’s career. With more
than 70 beautiful full-colour plates accompanied
by detailed commentaries, essays and an
artist interview, readers can gain an intimate
insight into the artist’s practice as well as
new perspectives on the tradition of painting
in Southeast Asia today. Natee Utarit: After
Painting is also an ideal reference tool for both
researchers and art lovers and for exploring the
art of the region.
35
Manit Sriwanichpoom:
Phenomena and Prophecies
Singapore Contemporary Artists:
Vincent Leow
Paperback, 139 pages
Retail Price: $20
ISBN: 978-981-08-6693-8
Paperback, 139 pages
Retail Price: $49.90
ISBN: 978-981-08-6693-8
As one of Thailand’s foremost contemporary
artists whose works deal with the social
and political issues of Thailand, Manit
Sriwanichpoom has exhibited prolifically around
the world, including presentations at the 6th
Asia Pacific Triennial (2010), the 6th Gwangju
Biennale (2006), the 1st Pocheon Asian Art
Festival (2005), and the 50th Venice Biennale
(2003).
The Singapore Contemporary Artists Series
documents and provides critical commentary
on the practice of significant contemporary
artists from Singapore. Enlarging discourse
and scholarship on contemporary art, it
introduces the vibrant contemporary art scene
in Singapore. Vincent Leow is the first book in
this series, documenting and charting the artist’s
career through essays and personal responses
from artists, curators and art historians on his
key works.
This book features essays from prominent
contemporary Thai thinkers and commentators
such as curator Ark Fongsmut and filmmaker
Ing K, and a critical selection of more than 100
photographs from his vast oeuvre from 1997
to 2007. Comprising both black-and-white
documentary photographs of social realities
and vibrant full-coloured images from his iconic
ongoing Pink Man series of work, Phenomena
and Prophecies traces Manit’s unique
practice of artistic strategies that are both
photojournalistic and highly conceptual, and
signature to his practice of the past decade.
All publications are available for sale at the Museum Shop at SAM. Please visit www.
singaporeartmuseum.sg for more details on the Museum Shop.
36
SAM Collectibles
Dawn Ng: Walter
A series of collectibles inspired
by Walter, a pet project by
Singaporean artist Dawn Ng for
SAM - a celebration of Singapore's
ordinary by where we see our city
anew as children again.
This Children’s Season, look out
for Walter in Art Garden at SAM
and bring home the special edition
huggable Walter!
Grab your very own Walter Colouring Storybook that tells of his curious adventures. Also available
are the limited edition Walter pencil case, tissue holder and pouch set, inflatable toy and postcards.
You will get a chance to participate in the colouring contest when you purchase the Colouring
Storybook, and stand to win the complete set of Walter collectibles!
The Walter collectibles are available at SAM, National Museum of Singapore and Asian Civilisations
Museum.
Justin Lee: Terracotta Warriors
An exclusive collection of merchandise, inspired
by Justin Lee’s artwork of a small army of terracotta
warriors and graceful fairy-like maidens from the SAM
collection.
Preview from 24 June 2011 at the Asian Civilisations
Museum in conjunction with the Terracotta Warriors.
The First Emperor and His Legacy exhibition.
Also available at SAM and National Museum of
Singapore.
37
MADE FOR SAM
Forty artists and designers were each given a brief with the task of reinventing an everyday object.
The result: An exclusive collection MADE FOR SAM, available at SAM. For online purchases, visit
www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/visitus/store.php.
Spotlight: MADE FOR SAM Piggy Banks
A Bag of Gold
Yong Jieyu, J.Yu Studio
Piggybank
B.A.L.L.S
Hungry <Pig> Happy
Basam Jabry, Chemistry
Made deliberately without a
release plug and with the words
“If I sold my soul for a bag of
gold”, it questions immediately
if one should break an object
of accumulated coins (and
memory) for something to buy.
The piggy bank is traditionally
named
after
the
Pygg
earthenware clay. For this piggy
bank design, it is presented in
its most natural form rather than
the cartoon-like depiction that
people are used to seeing.
When the piggy bank is empty,
it sits on its hind legs and as it
gets fed with coins, the weight
will eventually make it roll
forward, turning it from a hungry
pig to a happy pig, a tongue-incheek reflection of the joys of
eating in Asia.
Pigxel
Randy Chan,
Zarch Collaboratives
Piggyback
Wong Mun Summ, Richard Hassell
& Woha
The design is conceived from A desk organiser for pens, pencils and loose change, the idea
the idea of using a computer for the design came when the designers decided to combine the
software media as a tool to briefs for the piggy bank and pencil case.
construct and manipulate.
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Dining
DÔME 10% off regular menu price* | Sun - Thu &
PH, 8:30am - 10:30pm | Fri, Sat & Eve of PH, 8:30am 11pm | 6339 0792 | www.olio.sg A rustic coffee haven for
the executives on the go. Browse and select. Indulge in the
relaxing style with al fresco dining. Or choose a speedy take
away. Dôme offers a comprehensive range of freshly baked
breads, pastries, cakes and, pizzas which complement Dôme’s
range of gourmet coffees. Its signature items include Focaccia
Gourmet Sandwiches, Dôme Gourmet Pie, Caesar Salad
and Chocolates Brownies. Food for Thought Daily, 9am 10pm | 6338 9887 | www.foodforthought.com.sg It is all
about serving up Good food for a Good cause. You could just
come to nosh on their take on comfort food: root beer, braised
pork, homestyle marmalade cake and fresh baked goods.
Or do some ethical shopping in the merchandise section for
homemade jams, funky tee-shirts, reloved books and other
beautiful things from all over the world. Discovering how to
do ‘Good’ has never been easier - or tastier. Standing Sushi
Bar Daily, Lunch, 11:30am - 2:30pm, Dinner 6pm - 9:30pm
| www.standingsushibar.com Beautifully-sliced, perfectlyformed, deliciously-made…every sushi at Standing Sushi Bar is
a piece of art. Indulge in sake, enjoy a few sticks of robatayaki,
and enjoy the sushi selections. Fresh fish, everyday. Trattoria
Lafiandra 5% off all drinks* | Daily, Lunch, 11:30am - 3pm,
Dinner, 6pm - 11pm | 6884 4035 | www.lafiandra.com.sg
Owned by Chef Cataldo and Brenda Lafiandra, the 42-seater
Trattoria Lafiandra al Museo has an extensive selection of
antipasti, homemade pasta, risotto and main courses, offering
a wide selection of typically Italian fare Via Mar @ SAM 10% off
regular menu price* | Mon - Thu & Sun, 11:30am - 10:30pm
| Fri & Sat, 11:30am - 11pm | 6423 0900 Be enticed by the
signature paella dishes and delectable tapas menu, boasting a
wonderful variety of succulent appetizers, with delightful mains,
tempting desserts and a fine range of wines. With its elegant
indoor seating and alfresco dining area, Via Mar @ SAM serves
as the perfect place for business meetings, dinner dates or
simply catch up with loved ones and good friends.
* Present the SAM Admission Ticket to enjoy
these promotions.
39
Support SAM
Business Circle Partnership
A Singapore Art Museum Business Circle Partnership goes a long way to help us deliver quality
exhibitions and educational programmes to people in Singapore. Membership also promises
exclusive art experiences and branding opportunities for your company, staff and the people you
wish to reach out to. With a donation of at least S$50,000, be rewarded with:
- One complimentary use of the Museum Glass Hall and Courtyard facilities for your event,
complemented by a customisable after-hours museum tour or art programme.
- Personal invitations to 2011 Exhibition Opening Receptions for up to 10 pre-identified executives
or guests.
- Up to 200 complimentary museum passes OR complimentary admission for your staff and their
accompanying guests.
- Up to 50 complimentary exhibition catalogues.
- Corporate tax deductions up to 2.5 times the cash amount donated.
To contribute
Please make your donation cheque (minimum S$50,000) payable to “Singapore Art Museum” and
mail it with your business card to The Development Office, Singapore Art Museum Administrative
Office, 61 Stamford Road, #02-02 Stamford Court, Singapore 178892. For enquiries, please contact
our Development Office at 6332 6854 or email [email protected].
40
Credit Suisse Supports SAM
From left to right: Mr Giovanni Viterale, The Fullerton Heritage General Manager; Mr Lito Camacho, Credit Suisse Vice Chairman Asia
Pacific and Singapore Country CEO; Mr Tatzu Nishi, Singapore Biennale artist; Ms Jane Ittogi, SAM Chair; Mr Beat Streuli, Singapore
Biennale artist; Mr Tan Boon Hui, SAM Director; Mr Trevor Smith, Singapore Biennale 2011 Curator and Mr Matthew Ngui, Singapore
Biennale 2011 Artistic Director.
Credit Suisse AG announced the renewal of its 3-year partnership with SAM, effective from
9 March 2011 until 31 December 2013. Established in 2007, the partnership introduced Credit
Suisse: Innovation In Art Series (CSIIAS) to feature emerging talents and outstanding practices in
contemporary art. In addition to being the presenting sponsor for SAM exhibitions under this series,
the Bank also has the distinction of being the first long-term corporate sponsor of the Museum.
Singapore Biennale 2011 commissions, The Merlion Hotel by Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi and Story
Lines (New York, Singapore October November 2010) by Swiss artist Beat Strueli, were the first to
be supported under the renewal. This year, Credit Suisse AG also supports Video, an Art, a History
1965-2010, a Selection from the Centre Pompidou and Singapore Art Museum Collections for 2011.
More CSIIAS exhibitions are to come in the following years.
41
SAM Moments
Singapore Biennale 2011 Official Opening
(From left to right) Mr Russell Storer, Singapore Biennale 2011 Curator; Mr Tan Boon Hui , SAM Director; Mr Michael Koh, National
Heritage Board CEO; Mr Sam Tan Chin Siong, former Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Information, Communications and the
Arts; Mr Lui Tuck Yew, former Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts; Ms Jane Ittogi, SAM Chair; Mr Chan Yeng Kit,
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts; Mr Benson Phua, National Arts Council Singapore CEO;
Mr Matthew Ngui, Singapore Biennale 2011 Artistic Director and Mr Trevor Smith, Singapore Biennale 2011 Curator.
Mr Lui Tuck Yew, then Minister for Information, Communications, and the Arts opened the third
Singapore Biennale on 12 March at Old Kallang Airport. Guests stepped into an Open House of 63
leading contemporary artists from all over the world. The Opening Weekend bustled with an exciting
line up of artist talks, discussions and performances, where participants met the artists and curators,
and learnt more about the artistic processes behind the artworks. For the first time in 50 years, Old
Kallang Airport opened its doors to the public, this time to celebrate contemporary art amidst live
music, good food and great company.
Guests interacting at Martha Rosler's Proposed Helsinki Garden (left) and viewing Ming Wong's video installation.
42
Prime Minister Visits The Merlion Hotel
Prime Minister Mr. Lee Hsien Loong (second from right) visited The Merlion Hotel – one of the
comissioned works – on 11 March. Accompanying him were (from left to right) Mr. Giovanni Viterale,
The Fullerton Heritage General Manager; Mr. Tan Boon Hui, SAM Director and Mr. Matthew Ngui,
Singapore Biennale 2011 Artistic Director. Prime Minister Lee also became the first person to sign in
the Hotel's guest book with a note saying – "A novel and refreshing experience – and for the Merlion
too!"
The Merlion Hotel Official Opening
The Singapore Biennale 2011
Vernissage kicked off on 11 March with
a Welcome Reception at the Merlion
Park, that saw the Official Opening
of The Merlion Hotel by Guest-ofHonour Professor Edwin Thumboo.
Singapore's literary laureate and first
recipient of the Cultural Medallion
(Literature) Professor Thumboo was
also the first person in Singapore to
write a poem about the Merlion. It was
thus fitting and meaningful for him, to
launch the Hotel with a stirring recital of his seminal poem Ulysses by the Merlion (left), to the delight
of some 800 guests at the reception that night.
43
Visitors to the Biennale
After two months of warm hospitality and friendly exchanges over contemporary art, the Singapore
Biennale 2011 closed its doors on 15 May 2011. Organised by the Singapore Art Museum and
supported by the National Arts Council, this third edition was led by Artistic Director Matthew Ngui
along with curators Russell Storer and Trevor Smith. Some 200,000 of them stepped into the venues
to engage with the artworks, a higher number than the previous Biennale.
44
Negotiating Home, History and Nation: two decades of
contemporary art in Southeast Asia 1991-2011
Exhibition Opening
Ffrom left to right: Ms Iola Lenzi, guest curator; Mr Tan Boon Hui, SAM Director and exhibition curator; Guest-of-Honour Mr Ong Keng
Yong, Ambassador-At-Large and NUS Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Institute of Policy Studies Director; Mr Kenneth Choe,
SAM Board member; Mr Michael Koh, National Heritage Board CEO and Mr Khairuddin Hori, SAM Curator at the exhibition opening.
Negotiating Home, History and Nation: two decades of contemporary art in Southeast Asia 1991–
2011 opened on 11 March with over 70 of the region's iconic works of art.
At its opening, which coincided with the first day of the Singapore Biennale 2011 Vernissage, guests
became privy to the contemporary life of the region as told through works such as Flying Angels by
Heri Dono, History Class (Thanon Ratchadamnoen) by Sutee Kunavichayanont, Burned Victims by
FX Harsono and Strange Fruit by Lee Wen.
More pictures from the exhibition overleaf.
45
(Images above) Visitors to Negotiating Home, History and Nation exhibition.
LIVE Singapore! Exhibition opening
A project of SENSEable City Lab
and part of the Future Urban
Mobility research initiative at the
Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research
and Technology, LIVE Singapore!
opened on 8 April at SAM. The first
public exhibition of the project was
co-organised with SAM.
LIVE Singapore! is a convergence
of art, digital media and information
technology. Visitors saw, in the
museum’s central ‘chapel’ space,
five large-scale projections of multi-dimensional maps of Singapore, of moving crowds, transport,
commuters, the city’s fast changing microclimate, electricity consumption, and even containers
passing through the world’s largest seaport – all in real time. Visitors were fascinated and became
aware of how their city pulsates in response to their actions.
Image above: Project leader Mr Kristian Kloek (extreme right) introducing the exhibits to guests at the opening.
46
Ming Wong: Life of Imitation Down Under
(From left to right) Mr Trevor Dee, CAST Gallery Board member; Mr Michael Edwards, CAST Gallery Director; Mr Tan Boon Hui, SAM Director; artist
Mr Ming Wong and guest curator Mr Tang Fu Kuen.
Ming Wong: Life of Imitation opened in Tasmania, Australia on 24 March 2011 as one of the anchor
events of the Ten Days on the Island biennial festival. On display at the Contemporary Art Spaces
Tasmania (CAST Gallery), this travelling solo exhibition of Singapore artist Ming Wong was the result
of a partnership between Artistic Director Elizabeth Walsh, CAST Gallery Director Michael Edwards
and SAM Director Tan Boon Hui.
The exhibition started its international tour at the Frye Art Museum, Seattle, USA in January 2011
and ends its Asia-Pacific tour at the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, Japan from 25 June
to 28 August 2011.
47
Art Around SAM
Disarming The Lion by Ryf Zaini
Perched on SAM lawn from 18
March to 24 May, installation
artist Ryf Zaini’s Disarming the
Lion delighted and astonished
visitors and passers-by alike, with
its stark, shiny but abandoned
quality. Curious on-lookers were
challenged by the contradictory
message—of steel and valour
given way to surrender—as they
sympathised with the lion’s head
lying on its side, while watching
Singapore’s past through its LCD
eyes. Complex circuitry in the cross-section of the lion’s head mesmerised the audience, provoking
also humankind’s reliance on technology for strength and dominance.
Slow and Steady by Speak Cryptic
Visitors to Speak Cryptic’s Slow
and Steady at SAM at 8Q were
greeted by cut-out figures, each
engrossed in his or her thoughts
and poses. The installation
provoked
visitors’
thoughts,
motivating them to question
their own ideas of perception yet
becoming more self-aware. The
display was presented from 28
March to 22 May 2011.
48
General Information
OPENING HOURS
Mondays to Sundays | 10am to 7pm
(Last admission at 6:15pm)
Fridays | 10am to 9pm
ADMISSION
Adult
$10 Student, Senior Citizen 60 years and$5
above and Regular (with valid 11B pass) * 20% off admission tickets for 20 or
more persons. * Unless otherwise stated, admission is free for
visitors 6 years and below, Singaporean and
PR students and senior citizens, NSFs and
teachers from local schools.
Free admission to SAM every Friday from 6pm
to 9pm and on Open House days.
Admission ticket includes $1 SISTIC fee and
is available from SAM Information & Ticketing
Counters and SISTIC.
Please present proof of eligibility to enjoy
concessions or free admission.
MUSEUM TOURS AT SAM
Tours in English
Mondays | 2pm
Tuesdays to Thursdays | 11am & 2pm
Fridays | 11am, 2pm & 7pm
Saturdays and Sundays | 11am, 2pm & 3:30pm
Tours in Japanese
Tuesdays to Fridays | 10:30am
Tours in Mandarin
Fridays | 7:45pm
ADDRESSES
Singapore Art Museum is located at
71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555.
SAM at 8Q is located at
8 Queen Street, Singapore 188535.
SAM ONLINE
www.singaporeartmuseum.sg
www.facebook.com/singaporeartmuseum
www.twitter.com/singaporeart
www.youtube.com/samtelly
ENQUIRIES
6332 3222 or 6332 3200
[email protected]
HOW TO GET TO SAM
By bus
SBS 7, 14, 16, 36, 111, 131, 162, 175, 502, 518
SMRT 77, 167, 171, 700
By MRT
2-minute walk from Bras Basah MRT station.
10-minute walk from Dhoby Ghaut, Bugis or
City Hall MRT stations.
By car
Carparks available at Waterloo Street, Queen
Street, NTUC Income Centre, Plaza by the
Park, Hotel Grand Pacific and Singapore
Management University.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS/LOCKERS
Lifts provide easy access to galleries.
Lockers are available for visitors’ use. COMING SOON
Hyung Koo Kang
14 October to 25 December 2011
Singapore Art Museum
Hyung Koo Kang, Van Gogh in Red (detail), 2010, oil on canvas, 193.9 x 259 cm, private collection