National Museum of Singapore’s Opening Festival- Wellspring
2 – 31 December 2006 In celebration of its Official Opening
ABOUT THE OPENING FESTIVAL
In the rapidly globalising world of today, cultural traditions and history take on a new urgency, not as fixed, unchanging constants from the past but rather, as vibrant sources of ideas for the creation of new forms and practices in the contemporary world. With this dynamic stance on cultural heritage and renewal as our curatorial theme, we invite all to Wellspring, the National Museum of Singapore‟s Opening Festival 2006. The artistic works in Wellspring explore the varying perspectives and even controversial stances that contemporary artists have adopted towards complex issues of cultural traditions and their relevance. They demonstrate how each generation of artists create cultures anew by deconstructing or reconstructing- often at times in startling wayspractices and forms we sometimes take for granted. In turn, these works become platforms for audiences to draw from and form new ideas. Look out for concurrent workshops, demonstrations and talks that will deepen your discovery of the influence of cultural traditions in our contemporary culture. The Museum‟s exhibition galleries will be officially open to the public from 8 December 2006 onwards.
ON-THE-HOUSE PROGRAMMES
Opening Performance Hydromania By Avanti Display (Manchester, UK) Supported by British Council Sat 2 Dec 06 – Sun 3 Dec 06, 8pm Garden, Stamford Entrance Duration: approximately 40 mins Free The dance of sinuous arcs of water. Beautiful lighting that bursts into colourful rainbows when meeting water sprays. Hydromania is a fun and delightful outdoor spectacle that animates the museum‟s building and grounds, and will enchant audiences with its lyrical beauty of the interplay between water and light. Hydromania builds on Avanti Display‟s world-famous living fountain, The Spurting Man, one of the most successful street theatre shows in recent years. Performers and architectural structure are transformed into living fountains of water jets with splashes of light and colour. Leave your raincoats at home, bring the kids and join in the fun! Avanti Display was formed by Bill Palmer and Mike Lister in 1985. They have produced more than ten original shows with performances in European street theatre festivals and also in Thailand and China. The artists strive to create entertaining works of art that have a strong sense of originality and artistic vision.
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Performance Cocoloco (UK) Sat 2 Dec 06 – Sun 3 Dec 06, 12pm, 2pm & 4pm Glass Atrium & Concourse Duration: approximately 30 mins Free Be surprised and tickled by these roving and engaging performers! Eye-catching, quirky and befuddling, these characters will mingle with you and amuse you by juxtaposing strange personalities or scenes with everyday normal situations. Or, just enjoy the mirth as they infiltrate the commonplace with increasingly obvious peculiarities. Cocoloco is a performance company based in London, run by Trevor Stuart and Helen Statman, who have experience in performing, directing, writing, producing, choreography and design for theatre, film and television. They specialise in place-to- place performances and site-specific work. Performance Three Little Pigs By Mascots & Puppets Specialists 2 Dec 06 – 3 Dec 06, 2pm & 5pm The Atelier Duration: approximately 30 mins Free Gather round and play a part in this interactive puppet show of the classic, Three Little Pigs with a twist!
Film Screening
Young Cinema A National Museum Cinémathèque Programme Sat 2 Dec 06 –Sun 3 Dec 06, 10.30am Sat 9 Dec 06 – Sun 10 Dec 06, 10.30am Sat 16 Dec 06 – Sun 17 Dec 06, 10.30am Sat 23 Dec 06 – Sun 24 Dec 06, 10.30am Sat 30 Dec 06 – Sun 31 Dec 06, 10.30am The Salon Duration: approximately 60 mins Free Treat yourself and your family to a fantastic selection of free screenings for children at the National Museum of Singapore during this holiday season. Young Cinema features a diverse selection of classic and award-winning children‟s films and animation from Singapore, Morocco, Finland, Argentina, India, Korea, Hungary and many other countries. Highlights include films by master Canadian animator Co Hoedeman, a special Christmas Eve themed screening and a selection of films made by kids for kids. For details, log on to www.nationalmuseum.sg
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Performance HomeMade – A Celebration of Singapore Music Sat 9 Dec 06 – Sun 10 Dec 06, 5pm Sat 16 Dec 06 – Sun 17 Dec 06, 5pm Sat 23 Dec 06 – Sun 24 Dec 06, 5pm Sat 30 Dec 06 – Sun 31 Dec 06, 5pm The Platform Duration: approximately 60 mins Free Come celebrate the sheer fun and creativity of Singapore music makers in HomeMade and discover a whole range of Singapore music in more styles than you have ever heard of. The performers in HomeMade will present their works in new and surprising ways at the museum‟s intimate and accessible space The Platform. Free Performance Sat 9 Dec 06, 5pm Harmonica virtuoso Yew Hong Chow, Cultural Medallion recipient guitarist Alex Abishaganden and harpist Wong Kae Chee will kick off HomeMade with a special performance of evergreens and a medley of popular Singapore songs. Free Performance Sun 10 Dec 06, 5pm What happens when you combine drums and traditional Indian percussion instruments? Don‟t miss this one-of-kind performance where 7-year-old Ethan Ong, Singapore‟s youngest busker and drum prodigy performs with percussionists from local arts group Bhaskar‟s Arts Academy for a rousing beat battle. Free Performance Sat 16 Dec 06, 5pm One of the most talented composers and arrangers for local musicals, Babes Conde has written for acclaimed productions like Teenage Textbook, My Lonely Tarts, 24 Hours and godeatgod. For HomeMade, Babes will be performing a selection of her original compositions and songs from local musicals. Free Performance Sun 17 Dec 06, 5pm Be enthralled and entertained by the young performers from the Xinmin Opera Troupe and NCHS Chinese opera and their performance of popular opera plays Phoenix Egg and Magic Lotus Lantern. Free Performance Sat 23 Dec 06, 5 pm One of the most popular Singapore indie groups, local surf-punk rockers Force Vomit will perform their unique renditions of Malay rock classics by Lovehunters, Kembara and Sweet Charity.
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Free Performance Sun 24 Dec 06, 5pm Wayne Liu, better known as DJ Koflow and winner of the 2003 Singapore DMC Championship, will perform a special set with DJ NDC and Melvin Wong, drummer from local Chinese rap outfit Chou Pi Jiang. Free Performance Sat 30 Dec 06, 5 pm Join us for a nostalgic trip down memory lane as artistes from the Music Dreamer Café perform popular local Xin Yao songs from the 1980s and tell us the story and evolution of this unique Singapore music genre. Free Performance Sun 31 Dec 06, 5pm Described by DJ and music critic X‟Ho as “a young Yoko Ono whose mentor is Leila,” The Analog Girl is a local musician with an international reputation, who recently toured her latest album in New York. She will be the closing act for HomeMade with her mesmerising mix of live vocals and improvisation on her laptop, effects box and Gameboy. Special Event Public Power An interactive wall mural By Sculpture Square (Singapore) Sat 2 Dec 06 – Mon 25 Dec 06, 10am – 6pm Concourse Free Public Power is Twardzik Ching Chor Leng's fourth public installation in Singapore. It addresses her ongoing investigation of the dynamics of art and public space. An interactive work, the objects on the steel wall are mobile, beckoning each viewer to take on the creative role of the artist. Viewers can arrange and rearrange the objects, transforming the formal qualities in the art piece each time an object is moved. The public wall becomes an on-site study of social behaviour, attitudes towards property, and the possibilities for positive interaction among community members. Participants are encouraged to feel free to put themselves on display as they interact with elements of sculpture. By installing art works that involve audience participation and interaction in varied spaces such as neighbourhood cafes, office spaces, underground tunnels, shopping malls, museums and galleries, Chor Leng underscores the theory that art can exist anywhere and that indeed as German artist/shaman Joseph Beuys has said, “Every man is an artist.” Twardzik Ching Chor Leng has been practising Installation art and Land art for more than 10 years. She has exhibited extensively in group and solo exhibitions internationally and locally. Founder of the arts group Landing Space that is active in promoting Land Art in Singapore, she is also an independent curator as well as a member of WITA (Women in the Arts). A regular recipient of meritorious awards and scholarships including the Hanna Kristmanson Ceramic Scholarship, the Ceramics
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Canada Award, and the Crown Life Entrance Award, Chor Leng‟s work is included in numerous public and corporate collections. Chor Leng holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree from University of Regina, Canada, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics and a Diploma in Ceramic Arts from Alberta College of Art and Design, Canada. She is currently Head of the Fine Arts Program in NUS High School of Math and Science. Special Event Giant Games Sat 2 Dec 06 – Sun 3 Dec 06, 12pm – 6pm Sat 9 Dec 06 – Sun 10 Dec 06, 12pm – 6pm Sat 16 Dec 06 – Sun 17 Dec 06, 12pm – 6pm Sat 23 Dec 06 – Sun 24 Dec 06, 12pm – 6pm Sat 30 Dec 06 – Sun 31 Dec 06, 12pm – 6pm Circulation area outside The Salon & Concourse Free Four Giant Games will be created for children namely, Snakes and Ladders, Jigsaw Puzzle, Who Wants to be a Director and Flip Chart games. Recommended for children aged 4 -10 years old. Special Event Fun with Craft! Sat 2 Dec 06 – Sun 3 Dec 06, 10am – 6pm Sat 9 Dec 06 – Sun 10 Dec 06, 10am – 6pm Sat 16 Dec 06 – Sun 17 Dec 06, 10am – 6pm Sat 23 Dec 06 – Sun 24 Dec 06, 10am – 6pm Concourse Free Engage your kids in our hands-on activities specially designed for children aged 4 to 10 years old. Have fun learning to make paper puppets and Christmas craft activities with your kids in the museum. Special Event Make Your Own Sock Puppet By Mascots and Puppets Specialists Sat 2 Dec 06 – Sun 3 Dec 06, 2.30pm & 5.30pm Duration: approximately 30mins The Atelier Admission Fee: S$5 (includes materials) Maximum of 20 participants per session Calling all children aged 4 to 10 years old. Learn how to make your own sock puppets from old socks (washed ones only!)
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Special Event FUN WITH SCULPTURE WORKSHOP By Sculpture Square Sat 2 Dec 06 – Sun 3 Dec 06, 11am & 1pm Sat 9 Dec 06 – Sun 10 Dec 06, 11am & 1pm Sat 16 Dec 06 –Sun 17 Dec 06, 11am & 1pm Sat 23 Dec 06, 11am The Lab Duration: approximately 1hr Admission Fee: S$5 (includes materials) Maximum of 30 participants per session 11am to 1pm (4 - 8 yrs) 1pm to 3pm (9-12 yrs) Thinking of the perfect Christmas present for mom and dad? Here‟s an opportunity for kids, 4-12 years old, to create their unique Christmas gifts. For a few weekends in December, we will have children‟s workshops conducted by artist, Tay Bee Aye, to teach kids the art of making puppets, soft sculpture and more. Using materials such as paper, cloth and recycled materials, your kids will be allowed to explore their creativity, let their imagination fly, to make the perfect gift from the heart. Special Event The Wonder Years! & Family Tea Dance by iTheatre Sat 9 Dec 06 – Sun 10 Dec 06, 2pm & 5pm – Performances Sat 9 Dec 06 – Sun 10 Dec 06, 1pm – 7pm – Family Tea Dance The Atelier Duration of Performances: approximately 30 mins Free Grab your partner „cos it is time to boogie! Make your silky dance moves to a mix of wellknown local songs. It is family cabaret for all ages with lots of drama, singing and dancing and a little bit of history thrown in! An event not to be missed for families and grandparents! Performance Kurt Wenner, Master Artist (USA) The first artist to bring the technique of anamorphic perspective to the art of street painting. Fri 15 Dec 06 – Tue 19 Dec 06, 10am – 6pm Glass Atrium Free Observe a master artist at work as he draws over a period of five days. Master Painter Kurt Wenner, famous for his stunning large-scale original anamorphic drawings will create an original anamorphic drawing, live, at the National Museum of Singapore. Viewers who have encountered any one of Kurt Wenner‟s unforgettable street painting pieces have been stunned and amazed by their visual effect. When viewed from a particular angle or perspective, the large-scale image‟s painted surface, in combination with its surroundings, appears to be three-dimensional. An event not to be missed!
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Kurt Wenner grew up in Santa Barbara, California, USA. His first artistic commission came to him at the age of 16. From that time forward, Wenner has worked as a professional artist while continuing to study classical drawing and painting. He attended Rhode Island School of Design and Art Centre in Pasadena, but eventually travelled to Europe in 1982 to continue his training on his own through the study of the great master painters. Early in his European years, he began to work on the street as a madonnaro (street painter), paying his expenses from the small change dropped in his collection box by passers-by who admired his work. In 1984, Kurt invented a new illusionistic street painting technique by combining the geometry of anamorphic perspective and the classical drawing style of the great masters. Wenner became known around the world for his revolutionary new style, won every major street painting festival and the title of Master Painter. This new style revolutionized the art of street painting and every artist attempting this technique today can trace its beginning to Kurt Wenner. Wenner‟s work has been the subject of a National Geographic Documentary Masterpieces in Chalk and his work commissioned by private and commercial patrons, including Disney, ABSOLUT, Good Morning America, Microsoft XBOX for E-3 2006, Pope John Paul II‟s visit to Mantova, Italy, and the Kennedy Centre. His work has been seen throughout Europe, in Japan, Canada, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa and the United States. As an educator, Kurt has worked with the Smithsonian and developed workshops for the prestigious Music Centre Education Division in Los Angeles. Wenner currently makes his home in Italy, where he continues find daily inspiration for his work which has now expanded to include the design of extraordinary estates, sculpture and other architectural elements as well as permanent murals for private homes. www.KurtWenner.com
Public Talk
Conference: Change & Innovation in Chinese Opera Sat 16 December 9.30am - 6pm Gallery Theatre Free (Booking is required; admission is by ticket only) Tickets can be booked via www.nationalmuseum.sg. (In Mandarin & English) This full day conference explores different facets of Chinese opera, from the development of Chinese opera in the 21st century, to the challenges it faces. It brings together experts in Chinese opera, both local and overseas, including Dr Chua Soo Pong, Director Chinese Opera Institute, Prof Tsai Hsin Hsin from Taipei amongst others. Performance Opera Divas Featuring Phan Wait Hong with Bai Yan (Singapore) & Featuring Joanna Wong (Singapore) Sat 16 Dec 06, 3.15pm (Phan Wait Hong with Bai Yan) Sun 17 Dec 06, 3.15pm (Joanna Wong) Gallery Theatre Duration: approximately 20 – 45 mins
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Free (seating is on a first-come, first-served basis) Beijing and Cantonese opera fans, rejoice! Cheer Singapore‟s very own Cultural Medallion recipients and grand dames of opera at these two special performances. Be enraptured once again as Singapore‟s most celebrated Beijing opera doyenne, 93year-old Phan Wait Hong, takes to the stage with special guest, Bai Yan in Diao Jing Gui, a story about an unfilial son. On Sunday, Joanna Wong will reprise scenes and provide glimpses of what goes on behind the scenes from her most famous Cantonese opera performances. Phan Wait Hong specialises in Beijing opera and has devoted more than 60 years of her life to her craft. Her farewell performance in 1995 at the age of 82 is still remembered for its rousing applause and cheers. The multi-talented Bai Yan excelled as an actor, dancer, singer and magician. He was awarded the prestigious Special Achievement Award in the Star Awards 1996. Joanna Wong started performing at the age of 12. In 1981, with her husband, Leslie Wong, she started the Chinese Theatre Circle which has produced over 2,000 shows in 20 countries. Performance SQUIRT By Linsey Pollak (Australia) Sat 16 Dec 06 – Sun 17 Dec 06, 7pm – 9pm Garden, Stamford Entrance Free Action – reaction. Interaction – ribbit ribbit! And in surround sound no less. A sure hit with the young and the young at heart, Squirt is an interactive and performance installation that uses water squirted from bottles to trigger the sounds of Australian frogs. It certainly creates more fun as the performance & workshop will be conducted at the greenery patch. Visitors will be able to play with the bottles to squirt water at 12 two-dimensional, 1m x 1m, fluoro-acrylic frogs. The frogs are touch-sensitive, and when triggered by the squirted water, will produce a soundscape of Australian frogs‟ calls. Play with this special frog chorus to your heart‟s delight! Also, watch out for a short 10-minute musical performance by two performers at intervals of 20 minutes. Linsey Pollak is well known all around Australia as a musician, instrument maker, composer, musical director and community music facilitator. He has worked as a musical instrument maker for over 20 years and has designed a number of new wind instruments as well as specialising in woodwind instruments from Eastern Europe (having studied Macedonian bagpipes in Macedonia). He has specialised in designing and making marimbas and other tuned percussion. His ongoing obsession combines much of this: making music more accessible to the Community through musical instrument making and playing workshops. Performance I am a Demon By Pichet Klunchun (Thailand) / Revitalising Monkeys & Giants By Amrita Performing Arts (Cambodia) & Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)
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(Double bill) Fri 22 Dec 06 – Sat 23 Dec 06, 8pm Gallery Theatre Duration: approximately 120 mins with interval Admission Fee: S$28 Dance Master Class by Pichet Klunchen (Thailand) Sat 23 Dec 06, 11am Gallery Theatre Duration: approximately 2hrs with no interval Admission Fee: S$20 Talk on Revitalising Monkeys & Giants by Amrita Performing Arts (Cambodia) 23 Dec 06, 3pm Gallery Theatre Duration: approximately 60mins with no interval Free I am a Demon by Pichet Klunchun highlights the essence of traditional Khon dance for modern audiences. It explores different facets and searches for the wisdom that is hidden behind the dance structures and movements of the Demon, one of the four characters in classical Thai Khon dance. Pichet Klunchun combines the language of classical Thai dance with a contemporary sensibility, while retaining the heart of the tradition. He trained from the age of 16 with Chaiyot Khummanee, one of the most renowned Khon masters in Thailand and has earned domestic notoriety for his efforts in contemporising Khon. What happens when classical masked dancers abandon their masks and traditional costumes? From this starting point, Cambodian and Thai artists worked together to explore common and distinctive aspects of their arts – called Lakhon Khaol in Khmer and Khon in Thai – to create contemporary pieces from traditional forms for today's artists and audiences. The result was the three-part Revitalising Monkeys & Giants in which the traditional moves are deconstructed and the musical structure reworked, revealing the powerful physicality of human form, motion and sound. Choreographed by Pichet Klunchun, Revitalising Monkeys & Giants is performed by Cambodian artists from the Royal University of Fine Arts and the National Theatre, who gave their everything to create and refine three pieces in under a month.
Performance The Really Christmas Show Concert by iTheatre 23 Dec 06 – 24 Dec 06, 2pm & 5pm The Atelier Duration: approximately 30 mins Free
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Take a sneak peak into a Singapore Christmas which suggests that Christmas may be a little bit more than just another public holiday or a chance to get gifts. Get into the festive mood with a mix of Christmas songs that are well-known in Singapore, along with games and drama activities for the whole family! Performance LOFT! An Evening of Selected Works By Project Bandaloop (Oakland, USA) Fri 29 Dec 06, 8pm Sat 30 Dec 06, 4pm & 8pm Sun 31 Dec 06, 11pm Concourse & Glass Atrium Duration: approximately 30 mins Free Be awed by the breath-taking moves of dancers suspended from the National Museum‟s glass extension building. Exploring the boundaries of dance and site-specific structures and space, the choreographed works – conceived and directed by Amelia Rudolph – employ aerial, vertical and horizontal movement in honouring nature, culture and community. Be part of this special experience that will stimulate your awareness of the relationship between movement and gravity, and between natural and constructed environments. Be inspired by the flexible, graceful moves within the arena of concrete forms. Project Bandaloop, under the direction of Amelia Rudolph, creates a blend of dance, sport, ritual and environmental awareness. The dancers, climbers and riggers have enjoyed bringing their form of aerial dance to new audiences and have performed for close to half a million people at major city landmarks and outdoor sites such as Yosemite Falls, California, USA. www.projectbandaloop.org
Public Talk
Talk on Nanguan by Chen Mei-O (Taiwan) Sat 30 Dec 06, 3pm – 4pm The Salon Duration: approximately 60 mins with no interval Free The Han Tang Yuefu Music Ensemble was founded in 1983 by Chen Mei-O of Nanguan fame. The ensemble strives to energise the lifeblood of the ancient tradition of Nanguan by confirming its major role in Chinese music history, and by training singers and instrumentalists in the proper art of performing Nanguan music. Hear from the founder as she shares about Nanguan, the oldest existing musical form of the Han people in China. Special Event Countdown Party at the National Museum of Singapore Featuring Loft! An Evening of Selected Works by Project Bandaloop
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Sat 31 Dec 06, 9pm to 2am Glass Atrium Free Welcome the New Year at the National Museum with our spectacular laser show and projections and catch the closing highlight for the Opening Festival by Project Bandaloop at 11pm. Party the night away and dance like you mean it as DJs spin wicked music with an uplifting pulse ushering in 2007!
EXHIBITIONS & INSTALLATIONS
Exhibition
Thunder Pens! By Miel Prudencio Ma, Otto Fong & Edmund Wee (Singapore) Thunder Pens! Exhibition Sat 2 Dec 06 – Sun 31 Dec 06, 10am – 6pm Outside The Atelier Free The pen provides the masterstroke of the sword. Outstanding works from 30 new generation of comic artists in 30 finalists who were selected to participate in creative shops conducted by three masters: Miel Prudencio Ma, Otto Fong and Edmund Wee will be on display. selected works by a new generation of comic artists in Singapore, after their workshops with three masters: Participation in the workshops was through selection of sample works by students were conducted to promote the development of a new generation of comic artists in Singapore by sharpening their skills under the guidance of three masters conducted these workshops, which was followed by an exhibition showcasing thirty selected pieces alongside works of the three masters. Miel‟s high-flying career took off when he became the Chief Editorial Cartoonist at The Philippine Star newspaper. In 1992, he uprooted his family to Singapore to join The Straits Times as Assistant Art Editor/Cartoonist. His works have been published in international publications such as International Herald Tribune, Newsweek, Asiaweek, Foreign Policy and Japan Times. In 2002, Miel was presented with the Reuben Award for newspaper illustration by the New York-based National Cartoonists Society, which is the world largest and most prestigious organisation of professional cartoonists. Otto Fong has been a playwright, film-maker, engineer and at present, a Physics teacher and comic artist. He first discovered his love for drawing while storyboarding for the Beijing Film Factory production of Monkey King. In 2000, Otto won the 1st and 3rd prize in the first nationwide comic drawing competition, Toon Craze Toon Grace held by the People‟s Association. This year, Otto published Sir Fong 2, his third solo comic publication after Buddy Buddy in 1998, and Sir Fong in 2005. Edmund Wee See Heng has been working in the local comic field for over 15 years and teaching comics for about 10 years. He has published his own comic book, The Great Pugilistic Family and many other titles. He is also involved in producing comic strips for local Chinese papers Lianhe Zaobao and Friday Weekly on a regular basis. Special Installation (Outdoor) Amozozo
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By Architects of Air (London, UK) Supported by British Council Sat 9 Dec 06 – Tue 12 Dec 06, 5pm – 10pm (Last admission time 9.40pm) Garden, Stamford Entrance Free Visitors below 16 years old must be accompanied by an adult Structure is wheelchair-accessible A unique spatial, light, colour, air and sound experience awaits you. Explore the labyrinthine paths of Amozozo and immerse your senses in this huge inflated plastic structure. Inspired by Islamic architecture, the internal atmosphere and light effects alter according to the external changing weather and light. Colours blend, sounds resonate and even faces and clothing are transformed by the plastic geometry that echoes and glows with lights. British artist, Alan Parkinson, created the Architects of Air company to build and tour his luminaria – monumental installation works that people enter for unique experiences in light and space. Since 1992, over 1.5 million visitors in 34 countries have been enchanted by these works of accessible, ephemeral sculptures inspired by pure forms of geometry and nature, Gothic cathedrals, Islamic architecture and modern architectural innovators such as Gaudi and Frei Otto. www.architects-of-air.com Interrogating Time, Hidden Histories These projects are commissioned under the National Museum of Singapore‟s Interrogating Time, Hidden Histories series for the opening festival. Artists are invited to explore the process of conceptualising history through visual means and to respond to the physical environment and architecture of the new museum. Installation (Video)- Interrogating Time, Hidden Histories Waking the Fluorescent Lion By Brian Gothong Tan (Singapore) Sat 2 Dec 06 – Sun 31 Jan 07, 6pm – 9pm Glass Rotunda Free Shot on the HDV (Hi-definition Video) format, Waking the Fluorescent Lion is a short, looped film that is projected onto the unique curved surface of the Museum‟s Glass Rotunda. It consists of three genres of film and video art – seamlessly merged to make it a coherent experience for the viewers – and functions as a cinematic, as well as a sculptural installation. The Contemporary Dance Video segment explores local culture, history and identity. The piece pays homage to the dance styles of Maya Deren, Mats Ek as well as MTVaesthetics in a cutting-edge and contemporary way. The Text-Based Animation segment makes use of complex computer-generated techniques. Think of it as a visual haiku. Lastly, the Experimental Piece uses 3D animation graphics and functions as a sculptural piece. It showcases the sculptural qualities of the architecture through a specific
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vocabulary of images or movement that integrates it with the surroundings, the history of the space, and other site-specific issues. Installation - Interrogating Time, Hidden Histories Singa Merlionus By David Chan (Singapore) Sat 2 Dec 06 – Wed 31 Jan 07, 10am – 9pm The Balcony Free In the spirit of the various developmental periods in history of the National Museum of Singapore, come and witness the familiar and yet new features and qualities of a reinvented local icon in the form of Singa Merlionus. Singa Merlionus, the assigned technical name for this new Merlion model, is the project‟s title. It draws on cultural heritage in the form of the Merlion, a local icon, and reinvents or renews it as a genetically modified animal, thus imbuing it with new forms, meanings and identity. This modified creation is actually a combination of other animals, such as the seal, the hippopotamus, the lion and sea anemones. The intention is to create a balance, or tension, between a creature that is related to the local icon and yet uncanny enough to be seen as raw combinations between known animal species. Installation Contours of a Rich Manoeuvre 2006 By Suzann Victor (Singapore/Australia) Presented by Singapore Press Holdings Foundation Sat 2 Dec 06 – Sun 4 Mar 07, 10am – 9pm Link Bridge Free Be enchanted by this assembly of eight chandeliers that adorn the length of the link bridge. Installed at three metres above the floor of the bridge and one and a half metres apart, each chandelier swings across the bridge‟s width in sequence or in a staggered pattern. The lights on each chandelier intensify to maximum brightness on the inward arch and dim on the outward arc. View it from different positions and take in the different qualities offered by the project. For example, when viewed from below, only the outermost arch away from the bridge will be visible. This lends it an attractive elusiveness. When viewed from the side, the chandeliers present themselves more individually. From the Canning Entrance, their choreographed swinging will be highly apparent. Installation- A Public Art Sculpture Seeds By Han Sai Por Year: 2006 Dimensions: Big Seed – 1.5m (L) x 1m (W) x 1m (H) , Small Seed – 1m (L) x 0.60m (W) x 0.60m (H)
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Medium: Sandstone Location: Glass Atrium A true original in its conception, Seeds was created using the base rock excavated from Fort Canning Hill during the construction of the National Museum of Singapore‟s new extension building. Han Sai Por explores possibilities and growth through Nature‟s form, much like the Museum‟s development that delved into Fort Canning Hill to give birth to its new extension. Seeds captures the essence of growth, possibilities and creativity of the Museum in its transformation.
TICKETING
Ticketing Information : 6332 3659
Tickets are on sale from 1 November (Counter sales at the Museum) 8 November (Internet booking) National Museum Box Office Address: 93, Stamford Road, Singapore 178897 Nearest MRT Station: Dhoby Ghaut Stamford Visitor Services Counter from 10am-8pm Canning Visitor Services Counter from 10am-5pm For Internet Booking, please go to www.nationalmuseum.sg Media Enquiries Glenn Lim Deborah Ngiam Dorothy Ng
96229551/glenn.lim@commsdna.com 90052542/ deborah.giam@commsdna.com 96315500/ dorothy_ng@nhb.gov.sg
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