“Money Suit” by Vincent Leow
This excellent residue from Leow’s 1992 performance art show Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous: The Three-Legged Toad comprises a shirt, tie, jacket, shoes and a top hat. Laminated with mock American bills (and lacquered after the performance), Leow wore the outfit, where he impersonated a toad leaping around with a mouthful of dollar bills. The piece mocks Singaporeans’ obsession with wealth and superstition.
“National Language Class” by Chua Mia Tee
Chua’s works are reflections of human and social conditions during the ’50s and ’60s. One of Chua’s most iconic works, “National Language Class” captures a moment that reveals an important stage of Singapore’s history. Painted in 1959, the work is charged with nationalist sentiment and commemorates Singapore’s long-awaited attainment of self-governance in the same year.
“The Noveau Rich, The Elephant, The Foreign Maid or The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie” by Wong Hoy Cheong
This brilliantly satirical piece by Wong Hoy Cheong reflects a slice of contemporary life in urban Malaysia. Be enthralled by the riot of colors as the work bombards viewers with an assortment of partygoers posing and frolicking amidst the trappings of middle-class consumerism.
