The National Gallery opened recently, but it’s not the only major space to look at art. There are lots of exhibitions going on this month, ranging from pondering profound concepts like the five national values and oohing and aahing at Singapore’s nighttime landscape.
Check out an exhibition of Singapore at night
We’re fans of Darren Soh’s work, and his new exhibition, In the Still of the Night (While You Were Sleeping), is on at the Esplanade Tunnel. This is the sequel to a series that he shot a decade ago using a film camera, and Soh captures the surreal, often overlooked landscapes that exist in Singapore. You can read more about it in this interview with him here. Until Jan 3
Ponder the future at The Gardens by the Bay
The Future of Us exhibition, a final part of the SG50 celebrations, shows how people may live, work and play in the future. It’s a multi-sensory one, with lots of thought-provoking scenarios about Singapore’s evolution. You can also share your hopes and dreams for the future at the showcase as well. Mar 8
Marvel at art pieces along the Downtown Line 2 stations
Beauty World station
The Downtown Line 2 opens on Dec 6, with some cool local artwork at the train stations along the route. Look out for Zi Xi Tan quirky and elborate mural of what Singapore will look like in the future—complete with flying cars. There are sari patterns at Little India station by artist, Grace Tan, who was inspired by the traditional dress’s intricate patterns. Lastly, the most complex mural could be found at Beauty World Station—created by Indonesian born Singaporean Boedi Widjaja, it is made up of Chinese, Tamil, Latin and Jawi letters.
Get educated on Southeast Asian art at the National Gallery
Portrait of Eugene Chen by Georgette Chen
The National Gallery’s celebrations may be ending on Dec 6, but this doesn’t make the place any less hype-worthy. Check out the Singapore Wing, with works by the late artist Georgette Chen, who is known for her still lifes and self portraits, or Chua Mia Tee’s famous painting, National Language Class. Another artist to look out for is Cheong Soo Pieng’s Drying Salted Fish—he’s famous for depicting life in rural kampongs.
Stroke your chin and think about “universal humanist values”
5 Stars – Ho Tzu Nyen
The Singapore Art Museum’s ongoing exhibition, 5 Stars: Art Reflects on Peace, Justice, Equality, Democracy and Progress, has five contemporary Singaporean artists interpreting five national values like peace, justice, equality, democracy and progress. Ho Tzu Nyen, T.K. Sabapathy, Suzann Victor, Matthew Ngui and Zulkifle Mahmod tackle what these abstract concepts mean in their works and what they mean for Singapore’s future. Expect lots of mixed-media mediums and videos in this one. Until May 2
