City of Others: Asian Artists in Paris, 1920s-1940s @ National Gallery Singapore - A Major Exhibition

City of Others 

Asian Artists in Paris, 1920s-1940s

National Gallery Singapore

2 April - 17 August 2025

Itakulla Kanae 

《赤衣の女》(Woman in Red Dress), 1929 

Oil on canvas, 116.8 x 80.3 cm 

Collection of Matsudo City Board of Education 

Image courtesy of Matsudo City Board of Education.

Yun Gee 

《莫伯特广场》Place Maubert, 1929 

Oil on canvas, 73 x 60 cm 

Private collection 

Image courtesy of Tina Keng Gallery 

National Gallery Singapore presents City of Others: Asian Artists in Paris, 1920s-1940s, the first major comparative exhibition dedicated to Asian artists in the French capital city during this dynamic period in modern art history. Challenging conventional art history narratives, this groundbreaking exhibition places Asian artists at the centre of focus, highlighting the relationship, interactions, and influences between the local and migrant artists, as well as the Parisian community. City of Others explores themes of identity, belonging, cultural exchange, creativity, and resilience through the lives of Asian artists who exhibited, worked, and lived in Paris as they navigated the culturally vibrant yet challenging time in interwar Paris.

Over 200 artworks – including paintings, sculptures, lacquerware, and decorative arts – along with 200 archival materials and images are on view at the Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery of the National Gallery Singapore, showcasing the presence of Asian artists in Paris during a period of global migration. City of Others offers visitors a glimpse into the experiences of these artists, highlighting their diverse journeys and creative exchanges. For the first time, visitors can uncover new connections and comparisons across diverse practices and perspectives.

Amrita Sher-Gil 

Untitled (Woman Wearing Shawl). c. 1932 

Oil on canvas, 42 x 33 cm 

Collection of the Dabriwala family

Mai Lan Phuong

Autoportait aux lunettes (Self-Portrait with Glasses), c. 1950 

Colours on silk, 45 × 32 cm 

Collection of Mai Lan Phuong

Dr Eugene Tan, Chief Executive Officer and Director of National Gallery Singapore says, “We are excited to present City of Others, a groundbreaking exhibition that challenges traditional assumptions in art historical narratives. As the Gallery celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, we seek to deepen our exploration of our region's art history within a global context by reframing narratives through a distinctly regional lens. City of Others continues our commitment to present fresh perspectives on modern art by highlighting often-overlooked figures who played important roles in shaping this significant period in art history. We are grateful for the support of our partners and sponsors who have made this exhibition possible.”

Delving into the stories of how Asian artists lived, worked and exhibited in Paris, City of Others examines what it meant to be the ‘other’. Spread across three gallery spaces in multiple sections – Preface, Workshop to the World, Theatre of the Colonies, Spectacle and Stage, Sites of Exhibition, Studio and Street, and Aftermaths – the exhibition examines the diverse experiences of these artists.

Examining the Asian artists’ experience in Paris

Georgette Chen 

Self Portrait, c.1923

Oil on Canvas. 35 x 27 cm 

Collection of National Gallery Singapore

The exhibition opens with Preface, introducing visitors to the different ways Asian artists in Paris, often regarded as ‘other’ or outsiders, presented themselves to European audiences. Through portraits and self-portraits by modern artists like Lê Phổ, Mai Trung Thứ, Georgette Chen, Liu Kang, and Pai Un-soung, visitors see how these artists used art to present themselves as creative individuals grappling with their identities as migrant artists while navigating public expectations and perceptions.

Cartier Paris

Portique gravity clock, 1927

Onyx (base), nephrite (columns and lintel), with platinum, 

gold, coral, jade, diamonds, rubies and enamel, 

23 x 12.1 x 7 cm, Cartier Collection 

Credit: Nils Herrmann, Cartier Collection 

© Cartier

Jean Dunand 

La forêt (Forest). 1930 

Gold and silver lacquer and hinges; 12 panels, total 300 x 600 cm 

Collection of Mobilier National 

Image courtesy of Mobilier National; 

Photo by Isabelle Bideau, GME-7196-000

Workshop to the World focuses on the growing presence of Asian artists and artisans who contributed to the Art Déco movement in Paris after the 1920s. This section highlights the active involvement of Asian artists in France’s decorative arts workshops, including artists who successfully sold and exhibited under their own names and those who remained uncredited workers. The influence of Asian artisans on the Art Déco movement is shown through jewellery and objects from the Cartier Collection (the heritage collection of the Maison), as well as lacquerwares from the atelier of leading designer Jean Dunand. Newly uncovered archival documentations reveal the profiles of highly skilled artisans and labourers from Vietnam who were part of Dunand’s atelier workforce.

Theatre of the Colonies, the second section, explores Paris as a simultaneous site for colonial propaganda and anti-colonial resistance through art and visual culture. Using stills from the International Colonial Exposition of 1931 as the exhibition backdrop, visitors are transported to the government-initiated Expositions, which showcased the products of colonial empires. This provided a platform for Asian artists to present their work to an international audience. At the same time, as the capital city of a sprawling French colonial empire, anti-colonial activists often displayed their resistance by employing images, texts, and exhibitions to expose the violence and exploitation in the colonies.

The third section expands the narrative beyond the visual arts to highlight the presence and influence of Asian dancers in Paris. Spectacle and Stage showcases the significance of Asian dance in the dynamic cultural scene of the 1920s to 1940s, exploring how dancers navigated accessibility, experimentation, and exoticism to find success in Paris. In a theatre-like setting, visitors may watch dance archives, film clips, and archival images of prominent dancers such as Raden Mas Jodjana from Indonesia, Komori Toshi from Japan, and Uday Shankar from India, who developed new dance forms during their time in Paris.

Lê Phổ 

Le peigne blanc (The White Comb), Undated 

Ink and colour on silk, 33.5 x 24 cm 

Collection of Sunseal Asia Limited 

Photo © Aguttes

Lê Phổ 

L'Âge heureux (The Happy Age). 1930 

Oil on canvas, 126 x 177 cm 

Private American collection 

Photo © Aguttes

Occupying the entirety of Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery 2, Sites of Exhibition delves into the diverse platforms through which Asian artists exhibited their works in Paris, including nationally themed exhibitions, commercial galleries, and salons. Being in Paris at the height of its public “salon” exhibitions offered these artists opportunities to exhibit their work, receive critical feedback, secure sales, and attract commissions. These exhibitions served as a stage for constructing narratives of identity balancing artistic expression with public appeal. The section also presents artworks originally displayed at special exhibitions of Japanese and Chinese modern art at the Jeu de Paume museum in Paris during the 1920s and 1930s.

Liu Kang 

View of Sacré-Coeur, 1931 

Gouache on paper, 25 × 16.5 cm 

Collection of the family of Liu Kang 

© Liu Kang Family

Montparnasse, which was known as an artistic hub in Paris, attracted artists and creatives from all over the world. Filled with art studios, informal art schools, and cafes, Asian artists would have had daily exchanges and interactions with other artists and creatives – many of whom were also migrants, often from other parts of Europe – such as Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, and Moise Kisling. The fifth section, Studio and Street, highlights the impact that the bohemian social and artistic life of Montparnasse had on artists, notably Foujita Tsuguharu, who was a central figure in that scene. It also profiles several long-term artistic migrants to Paris – including Sanyu and Pan Yuliang – who also chose to settle in the Montparnasse area.

Sanyu 

《仰卧裸女》Reclining Pink Nude with Raised Arms, 1930s/1940s 

Oil on canvas, 80.5 x 129.5 cm 

Collection of Leo Shih 

Image courtesy of Leo Shih

The exhibition closes with Aftermaths which signals the impact of World War Two and subsequent decolonisation movements on the art world of Paris. Struck by the traumas of war, artists experimented with new visual language to break from the past, prompting a shift in artistic styles as artists reckoned with the cultural and geopolitical changes of the post-war world. Migrant artists sometimes faced difficult decisions about whether to return to their countries of origin. Meanwhile, decolonisation also brought a new energy to modernisms elsewhere in the world.

NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE

1 St Andrew’s Road, Singapore 17895

www.nationalgallery.sg

Minimalism: Space. Light. Object @ National Gallery Singapore

Minimalism: Space. Light. Object.
National Gallery Singapore
Through 14 April 2019

National Gallery Singapore's Facade

(c) National Gallery Singapore

Organised by National Gallery Singapore in collaboration with ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, Minimalism: Space. Light. Object. is the first survey of Minimalist art held in Southeast Asia, and the first major Minimalism exhibition to include artists from this region as part of an expanded global perspective on the movement.

One of the most influential art movements of the 20th century, Minimalism offers a powerful new way of experiencing art. Rather than referencing the world outside, its simple forms invite us to contemplate what’s physically before us in the present moment. This fundamental shift was inspired by the questioning of the role of art during the 1960s amidst great social change. It spurred a search for new forms of consciousness, with important inspirations being Asian spirituality such as Zen Buddhism and the I Ching, and emerging ideas on perception.

Minimalism contributed to the transformation of how artists use materials and space, and how they involve the viewer. This has been fundamental to the development of contemporary art forms including installation and performance art.

Dr. Eugene Tan, Director of National Gallery Singapore, said, “While Minimalism has had a significant impact on contemporary design and lifestyle in Asia, its relationship to art in the region has been less well understood. This exhibition will examine the relationship of Minimalism to art in Asia, as well as the influence that Asian spirituality and philosophy had on its origins. In so doing, the exhibition will re-evaluate the received understanding of Minimalism as a development of the Euro-American paradigm of formalist modernism. The exhibition will further examine the connections and the legacies that this important movement has had on contemporary artists today. This is in keeping with the Gallery’s perspective of modern art as a global phenomenon that results from complex and interconnected developments happening all around the world.”

The exhibition features around 150 works of art by over 80 artists and 40 composers spanning two venues. Visitors can trace the development and rich legacies of Minimalist art and ideas from the 1950s to the present day at the Gallery, before delving into key aspects of the artistic tendency including colour and spirituality at the ArtScience Museum. The exhibition will also shed light on the ongoing engagement of Minimal art with Asian art and philosophy, and the contribution of Asian artists to a wider discourse of Minimalism.

Honor Harger, Executive Director of ArtScience Museum noted, "Playing to our strength as a museum of art and science, we have also chosen to present artworks which meditate on the notions of the cosmological void, emptiness and nothingness—principles which resonate with both Minimalism and science. The exhibition at ArtScience Museum creates dialogue between the scientific notion of the vacuum and the Zen Buddhist idea of the void. Sound and silence also form a major part of the exhibition, with 40 musicians and composers presented in our Sound Room, which acts as an auditory counterpoint to the visual explorations of Minimalism presented within the galleries."

Featuring many iconic works that have never been shown before in Southeast Asia, the exhibition begins with a focus on ­how Minimalism moved from colour-field painting to Minimalist objects in series and geometric shapes in the 1960s. Subsequent artistic tendencies in favour of more open, expressive forms emerged, including Land art, Process art, Performance, and the use of light and cutting-edge technologies to transform the space and alter viewers’ perception and experience.

The exhibition also features a range of contemporary works from around the world that employ Minimalist forms and ideas to advance social engagement and commentary. These include three major new commissions, by artists Sopheap Pich from Cambodia, Jeremy Sharma from Singapore and Frederik De Wilde from Belgium.

Reflecting Minimalism’s involvement of audiences in the experience of art, British artist and Turner Prize winner Martin Creed presents Work No. 1343 for the first time in Asia at the Gallery’s Gallery & Co cafeteria. This is a new edition of his well-known restaurant project in which no single item is the same, from utensils to crockery to furniture.

Minimalism also had an extraordinary influence on music, the performing arts, cinema, literature, design and fashion. Visitors are invited to experience the experimental and collaborative aspects of Minimalism through a changing programme of performances and moving image works. They include a one-night only dance presentation by the acclaimed TAO Dance Theatre from China, at ArtScience Museum, and performances by students from LASALLE College of the Arts, and visionary pianist Margaret Leng Tan – a recipient of Singapore’s Cultural Medallion - at the Gallery. ArtScience Museum also presents Minimalist music and sound art by over 40 composers, including a new composition by Singapore-based Malaysian musician, Adeline Wong. These special programmes, that introduce artists and scholars from diverse backgrounds, enrich our understanding of Minimalism’s impact on today’s art and lifestyle.

Minimalism: Space. Light. Object. is curated by Eugene Tan, Russell Storer, Silke Schmickl and Goh Sze Ying from National Gallery Singapore, and Adrian George and Honor Harger from ArtScience Museum.

NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE
1 St Andrew's Rd, Singapore 178957
www.nationalgallery.sg

The Worlds of Georgette Chen: Docudrama on Singapore’s pioneer artist - Commissioned by the National Gallery Singapore

The Worlds of Georgette Chen
The first-ever docudrama on Singapore’s pioneer artist

National Gallery Singapore presents a three-part docudrama on GEORGETTE CHEN (1906 - 1993), one of Singapore’s most loved artists. Commissioned by the Gallery in the run up to its opening, the docudrama will give the dramatic worlds of Georgette Chen a contemporary relevance. Produced by Channel NewsAsia, the series will feature MediaCorp’s top actress, Rui En, as the iconic artist.

Shot on location in Europe, China and Southeast Asia, the docudrama is set in three periods: the French period from 1927 to 1933; the Chinese/Hong Kong period from 1934 to 1948; and the Penang/Singapore period from 1950 to 1980. Set against the tumultuous years of the Second World War, the storyline mirrors Georgette Chen’s artistic oeuvre. Born in 1906, Georgette Chen received her art education in Paris, New York as well as in Shanghai. Immensely inspired by her surroundings, she produced still lifes, portraits and landscapes from each phase. Her portraits of her first husband and more importantly, of herself, are painterly windows to her cinematic life.

Georgette Chen eventually found her home in Singapore and taught at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts until her retirement in 1981. Regarded as an important artist who contributed immensely to the burgeoning Nanyang school of painting and to Singapore’s art movement for over four decades, Georgette Chen was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 1982.

“Given the important position that Georgette Chen occupies in Singapore’s art history, which is a key focus of the National Gallery, the enactments in the form of drama will allow us to further the appreciation and understanding of Singapore’s art historical development among a new generation,” says CEO of National Gallery Singapore, Ms Chong Siak Ching. “And we will continue to explore new avenues of marketing, including digital and social media, to communicate the Gallery’s offerings to a wide audience.”

Managing Director of Channel NewsAsia, Debra Soon, adds, “There are many significant moments and people in Singapore’s history that are not sufficiently made known. For Channel NewsAsia, we want to help tell these stories for audiences as part of the record of Asia’s artistic history. We are delighted to work with the National Gallery in this ambitious project. We want to be able to bring the story of Georgette Chen to life, not to just capture her story, but to make it one that resonates with all viewers, in Singapore and beyond.”

Actress Rui En sees portraying Georgette Chen as a rare and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. “The more I read about her, the more I realise how important the role is. In her day, it was rare for women to paint professionally. She was a pioneer on many fronts and her quiet strength and love for life will certainly inspire women today.”

The docudrama, produced by Channel NewsAsia’s English Current Affairs team, will telecast in April 2015 on Channel NewsAsia and MediaCorp Channel 5. The series will also be adapted into Chinese for telecast on Channel 8. Artworks by Georgette Chen will be on display in the DBS Singapore Gallery when the National Gallery Singapore opens in 2015.

NATIONAL GALLERY SINGAPORE
www.nationalgallery.sg

Sumatra Isle of Gold Exhibition at the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore

Sumatra: Isle of Gold 

Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore

Through 7 November 2010

Sumatra: Isle of Gold, features over 300 objects that showcase the unique culture and identity of Sumatra, especially the cross-cultural influences that have shaped the island from ancient times to the present day.

Co-organised by the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), the National Museum of Indonesia and the Museum Volkenkunde (National Museum of Ethnology), Leiden, Sumatra: Isle of Gold is the first international travelling exhibition on Sumatran culture. The exhibition first opened in Jakarta last year and then travelled to Leiden. For the show in Singapore, the ACM has incorporated over 100 additional objects from its own collection and private collections. Sumatra Isle of Gold is also the highlight of the National Heritage Board’s Fokus Indonesia Festival.

“This cross-cultural exhibition is especially significant for Singapore. Sumatra was a point of arrival for new ideas and beliefs, which gives the island a significant place within Southeast Asia’s history. The exhibition reveals to our audiences Sumatra’s rich cultural legacy through an array of beautiful objects in many media,” said Dr Alan Chong, Director of the Asian Civilisations Museum.

Crossroads of Asia: As early as the 3rd century BCE, Indian records mention Suvarnadvipa or ‘Gold Island’ in reference to Sumatra and other parts of Southeast Asia. The island’s strategic location and wealth of natural resources, including gold, pepper and aromatics, made it a busy entrepot for trade. These interactions gave rise to the diverse cultures, customs and peoples found on the island today.

Early foreign influences came via trade with India, with Hindu-Buddhist traditions and beliefs influencing the island’s coastal communities. Sumatra would later become the seat of power for the mighty Hindu-Buddhist Srivijaya kingdom (7th to 13th centuries), which dominated much of island Southeast Asia for over 400 years. Chinese settlers had been coming to Sumatra over the centuries, resulting in sizeable Chinese communities by the 19th century, where they worked as artisans, businessmen, administrators and tax collectors, among other professions. Following the decline of Srivijaya, Islamic sultanates established themselves in the coastal areas from the 13th to 16th centuries, and with the spread of Islam came cultural influences in architecture, textiles and clothing, and the court arts.

Sumatra’s rich natural resources also attracted European traders who sought the much- wanted pepper, gold, and camphor and benzoin, ingredients for perfumery and incense-making. The Portuguese and the Dutch arrived in the 16th and 17th centuries respectively and European influence left its mark on both the courts as well as remote tribal communities who were converted to Christianity.

“The exhibition examines how the various cultures in Sumatra have been influenced, and in turn shaped others, through interactions with the many foreign influences that arrived at the island. This approach to looking at culture as a synthesis of many different influences complements the way the ACM has curated its own galleries and exhibitions over the years,” said Ms Heidi Tan, Senior Curator (Southeast Asia), Asian Civilisations Museum.

Sumatra: Isle of Gold - Exhibition Storyline and Highlights

The exhibition opens with an introduction to Sumatra’s pre-history, and then breaks into sections on Indian, Chinese, Islamic, European and regional influences. 

Pre-history
A key exhibition highlight is one of the oldest exhibits on show – a Bronze Age vessel from Jambi in East Sumatra. This vessel dates back over 2000 years and is elaborately decorated with motifs of hooks and spirals, which are iconic motifs found among many early Southeast Asian artefacts from that period.

Indian
The Hindu-Buddhist traditions of Sumatra’s Srivijayan rulers are reflected in a number of religious icons from Palembang, where the empire was based. An impressive sculpture of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, which weighs over 470 kilogrammes, is one of the highlights in this section.

Chinese
Peranakan or ‘local born’ communities which resulted from inter-marriages between the Chinese and locals helped to spread their traditions, seen through the cross-adoption of both Chinese and local designs and techniques in textiles, clothing, jewellery and other materials on display in this section. The rebana, a type of local hand-drum, incorporates traditional Chinese symbols such as the Chinese phoenix and qilin motifs.

Islamic
A resplendent gold crown that once belonged to the Sultan of Siak is testament to the powerful Islamic sultanates of Sumatra. Set with diamonds and rubies imported from West Asia, this famous crown still retains Hindu-Buddhist influence in the form of three lotus flowers. Royal regalia, such as this crown, were treasured heirlooms that symbolised the sultans’ royal power and the right to rule.

Regional
While international trade flourished, regional trade also took place between the people of Sumatra such as the Minangkabau, the Nias and the Batak. A highlight in this section is a glittering gold necklace, which would have been worn by Nias nobility, who traded slaves for gold from mainland Sumatra.

European
Finally, with increasing European presence in Sumatra in the 19th century, items displaying a curious mix of European influences and local motifs were created for local use and for export. Of special note is a tirai, a ceremonial hanging with Mughal Indian origins, and full of surprising details drawn from various cultures. Its central motif is a European coat-of-arms, flanked by women in European dress and cavorting dogs. Floral motifs sewn in gold thread, typical of Islamic embroidery, decorate the entire hanging which is made of velvet, a popular local material.

“Just like Singapore, this ‘Island of Gold’ was a busy port and a meeting point for cultures from all over Asia. Through this exhibition, we hope that many Singaporeans will discover the richness of Sumatra’s history and culture, and the ancient links between Singapore and one of our closest neighbours,” said Ms Heidi Tan.

This travelling exhibition began at The British Museum in London. Previous venues includes The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Louvre Museum in Paris. At the Asian Civilisations Museum in Singapore, the exhibition makes its Asian debut.

Sumatra: Isle of Gold
Asian Civilisations Museum - Special Exhibitions Gallery
30 July - 7 November 2010

Also on view at the ACM: Supermighty! Heroes of Asia, 24 Jul 2010 - 13 Feb 2011 (Shaw Foundation Foyer) - ACM’s second exhibition curated especially for children, it featuring colourful displays and engaging artefacts from the museum collection. This exhibition explores the legends behind some of the well-known and well-loved characters of Asian myths.

2010 Previous exhibitions at the ACM

The Testament Of Tebaran: Borneo's Moment Of Truth, 19 Jun 2010 - 18 Jul 2010 (Shaw Foundation Foyer) - Held in conjunction with Month of Photography Asia 2010, this exhibition by acclaimed National Geographic photographer Mattias Klum is a powerful and revealing testimony of the devastation of Borneo’s tropical rainforests, which are among the oldest and most biologically diverse in the world. “Thoughtfulness begins with seeing. My job as a photographer is to make that seeing easier. What we appreciate and are fascinated by, we will also want to preserve.” – Mattias Klum

Treasury of the World: Jewelled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals (Special Exhibitions Gallery) - Organised by The al-Sabah Collection, National Council for Culture, Arts & Letters, Kuwait, in collaboration with the Asian Civilisations Museum. 

The Egawa Donation: A Collection of Japanese and Chinese Inspired Ceramics, 19 Dec 2009 - 13 Jun 2010 (Shaw Foundation Foyer) - A collection of European ceramics inspired by patterns and shapes of the Japanese and Chinese originals.

Land of the Morning: The Philippines and its People, 16 Oct 2009 - 10 Jan 2010 (Special Exhibitions Gallery) - About the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines, an eclectic blend of indigenous local cultures and Spanish, Chinese, Southeast Asia and Islamic influences. Organised in collaboration with the Ayala Museum, Manila.

Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555

www.acm.org.sg

Mexican Modern Painting Exhibition at Singapore Art Museum - Camino a la Modernidad - The Path to Modernity: Mexican Modern Painting

Mexican Modern Art Exhibition
Camino a la Modernidad

The Path to Modernity:
Mexican Modern Painting

Singapore Art Museum

15 November 2009 -3 January 2010

 
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954), Self-Portrait with Medallion, 1948
Oil on masonite, 50 x 40 cm - Private Collection
Courtesy of the Singapore Art Museum

The Singapore Art Museum and the Embassy of Mexico presents Camino a la Modernidad, The Path to Modernity: Mexican Modern Painting.   The exhibition examines the myriad artistic languages that constitute the formation of Mexican modernism. Camino a la Modernidad, The Path to Modernity: Mexican Modern Painting  is the largest Mexican art exhibition ever held in Singapore and Southeast Asia.

The exhibition was opened by the Spouse of the President of Mexico, Mdm. Margarita Zavala on Saturday, 14 November, at the Glass Hall, Singapore Art Museum. 

Camino a la Modernidad, The Path to Modernity: Mexican Modern Painting  traces major developments in  Mexican art from the 1900s to the 1950s, where Mexican society underwent tremendous changes in social and political spheres that impacted much of its artistic expression. The Mexican Revolution (1910) laid the foundation for a new artistic movement, Mexican Mural Renaissance, which attempted to bridge the class divide in the construction of a national identity and aesthetic, through bringing art to the masses in the form of highly accessible, outdoor public art murals. The exhibition features over 70 works  from important Mexican public and private collections, including works by renowned mural artists Diego Rivera (1886-1957), David Alfaro Siqueiros (1896-1974), José Clemente Orozco, Roberto Montenegro, Rufino Tamayo (1899-1991), Maria Izquierdo (1902-1955) and Frida Kahlo (1907-1954).

The exhibition is organised  in three sections: Agents of Change, Charting New Territories and The Graphic Arts.

Agents of Change highlight the aspect of artists being   conscious of their roles as agents of social change, and many of them were aware of the need for art to be socially-conscious. 

The second section Charting New Territories shows how the artists attempt to break new ground in their art.  We can see this in the exaltation of Mexican landscape as a hallmark of national identity, the development of industrial scenes as a new genre of Mexican landscape painting, as well as the exploration of abstract art by artists such as Germán Cueto, Carlos Mérida and Kishio Murata, as a means of crossing the boundaries of aesthetic definition.

The Graphic Arts section presents the artists‟ belief  in  the  idea of art as a communicative tool  to the masses, and many of the illustrations here attempt to highlight the issues of the working classes and farming communities.

Says Director, Singapore Art Museum, Tan Boon Hui,  “Camino a la Modernidad, The Path to Modernity: Mexican Modern Painting  is the largest Mexican Art Exhibition ever to be showcased in Singapore and Southeast Asia.  The exhibition examines the myriad artistic languages that constitute the formation of Mexican modernism.  Through the selection of the artworks in this exhibition, we see how different artists interpreted the notions of „modernity‟ and „progress‟, and quite significantly,  their mixed results.  The Singapore Art Museum is privileged to work with the National Institute of Fine Arts in Mexico and the Embassy of Mexico in realising this magnificent exhibition.”                      

Says Mr. Antonio Villegas, Ambassador-Designated of Mexico, Embassy of Mexico, “In 2010, Mexico will be celebrating the 200th Anniversary of its Independence and 100th Anniversary of the Mexican revolution, Camino a la Modernidad: The Path to Modernity: Mexican Modern Painting. This is an exhibition that portraits the long history of Mexico and the vastness of the Mexican culture and art. We, at the Mexican Embassy in Singapore are very proud to share this heritage with the people of Singapore.  This is the first time that such a magnificent collection of Mexican art, 25 of the artworks are National and Cultural Heritage and it is inaugurated during the official visit of the President of Mexico., H.E. Mr. Felipe Calderon to Singapore. Mdm. Margarita Zavala, Mexico‟s First Lady will be the Guest of Honour during the opening on Saturday, November 14th, 2009. The Embassy of Mexico hopes that this Exhibition could serve as an invitation to our friends in Singapore to visit Mexico to learn and experience our uniqe culture.”  

Curator Michelle Ho’s Tour: The Art of Mexico

Travel back in time to a tumultuous era in Mexico‟s history  and see the evolution in painting styles and themes from the 1900s to the 1950s. How did the artists respond to the Mexican Revolution in 1910 and what role did the Mexican Mural Renaissance play in the creation of a national identity?

Venue  SAM Lobby
Fees Free. Registration Required

Singapore Art Museum
71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555

Monday to Sunday: 10am to 7pm, with extended hours and  
FREE Admission on Friday from 6pm to 9pm

Matthew Ngui at the National Museum of Singapore - Point of View

Matthew Ngui: Points of View 

National Museum of Singapore 

28 May - 29 June 2008

Matthew Ngui, one of Singapore’s most prominent contemporary visual artists, brings a life-sized cross section view of an Olympic pool right into the National Museum’s gallery. In this presentation of Matthew Ngui: Points of View, 10 of Ngui’s most important works are brought together in a major solo exhibition. With this survey exhibition of key installations and video works alongside specially commissioned pieces, Singaporeans get an overview of the breadth and significance of two decades of his artistic practice.

Organised by the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Sydney, Australia, Matthew Ngui: Points of View is probably the first major touring exhibition of a Singaporean artist organised by an overseas museum. It was shown at MCA from June to August 2007 and at the John Curtin Gallery in Perth from February to March 2008.

"We are proud to champion the work of one of Singapore’s major artists through this collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney. We have commissioned Matthew for one of our permanent art installation in the Museum. His work often makes us think about how culture is represented and this is a rich area of exploration that the National Museum is intrigued with," says Lee Chor Lin, Director, National Museum of Singapore.

Matthew Ngui’s work questions the validity of fixed or singular meanings and truths through a signature use of anamorphosis (a fragmented image coming together at a single point). The playful, interactive environments he creates toy with perception and perspective, embracing the shifting point of view as a way of interrogating meaning and identity. Visitors to the museum will get to view seminal installations including works such as Chair (2007), in which what seems an ordinary piece of furniture breaks and scatters, or forms back into a whole depending on the angle it is viewed from.

Matthew Ngui says of the show, "We had to re-look at the whole idea of a retrospective or a survey, and do a little of both. We’ve decided to look at the context in which the previous works have been developed and worked through, but also at the same time to make new works that will cover, in a sense, new ground or make little experiments for larger projects for the future."

Curator: Russell Storer

NMS - NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE

93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897

www.nationalmuseum.sg

NAG Singapore 3 winning designs of architectural competition

The international jury panel for the National Art Gallery of Singapore architectural design competition has named the top three winning designs. They are in the following order:

- Studio Milou Architecture from France, in collaboration with CPG Consultants from Singapore
- Ho + Hou Studio Architects, a Taiwan-based architectural firm, in collaboration with AEDAS Pte Ltd from Singapore
- Chan Sau Yan Associates, a Singapore-based architectural firm, in collaboration with Lekker Design Pte Ltd

The competition, organised by Singapore’s Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) in association with the Singapore Institute of Architects, was launched in February this year. It drew 111 entries from 29 countries worldwide.

Earlier this week, five shortlisted teams of architecture and design firms made presentations on their submissions and scale models of their designs to a 7-member international jury, chaired by Professor Tommy Koh, Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large and Chairman of the National Heritage Board. The teams were selected anonymously in Stage 1 of the competition, based on design concept and philosophy. They included firms from Australia, France, Taiwan and Singapore. 

On the overall standard of submissions, Prof Koh said: “The five designs were of very high quality and provided many creative and excellent design ideas for the National Art Gallery. After careful deliberation and having given due consideration to the imaginative and creative responses to the Art Gallery’s vision, as  well as their functionality and feasibility, the Jury have decided on the top three designs that best met the brief.”

 
Winning Design 1: Studio Milou Architecture

The design scheme by Studio Milou Architecture elegantly integrates the two buildings at the roof level, with the use of a linear draped canopy, supported by tree like columns, while respecting the fabric of the existing monuments. The scheme respects the existing entrances and introduces new ones to make the building porous at street level.

A strong street concept runs through the buildings at basement level two, bringing visitors down to this level via large staircases and lifts. The visitors orientate themselves here before making their way up into the higher levels of the art gallery. Internal, dramatic new spaces are created via extension of existing staircases and introduction of new ones. Organisation of spaces takes into detailed consideration how museums and galleries work.

Of Studio Milou Architecture’s design, the Jury’s comments were that the scheme had the most delightful design and appeal. The extension of a staircase which leads from the basement to the rotunda acts as a strong architectural solution that at once links the basement and upper levels, which guides the visitor to the very heart of the former Supreme Court. The internal circulation route overall is well-planned in relation to public spaces. The designer has provided a good analysis of the curatorial function and requirement within the building. 

Winning Design 2: Ho + Hou Studio Architects

The design by Ho + Hou Studio Architects is inspired by  The Kelong,  a fragile and delicate structure that was commonly found off the coast of Singapore back in the 1970s. The scheme keeps the identities of the two buildings separate but creates a strong internal axis at the basement level to link the buildings. The visitors enter at B1 level  before making their way through a range of terraced galleries, shops and retail spaces. The scheme continues the Kelong theme in terms of architectural forms and the choice of materials and colours. The scheme inserts a new, prominent framework of grids in the courtyards, the language of which is carried through to the roof treatment where lattices and louvers control light admitted through a glazed roof.

Of Ho + Hou Studio Architects’ design, the Jury’s comments were that it was a very well thought through scheme on the size and arrangement of gallery and related spaces, with interesting and imaginative use of spaces that are to be retained.  It comes across as being respectful of the distinct and separate identities of the buildings.

 
Winning Design 3: Chan Sau Yan Associates

The design by Chan Sau Yan Associates is an understated scheme with minimal intervention. A main entry portal located between the two monuments is a brightly lit rectilinear enclosure with translucent walls that allow a view to the adjacent historic walls of the City Hall and the former Supreme Court.

The connection between various levels of the buildings weaves in and out of the portal in the form of bridges.  Visitors enter the gallery through this portal and access the galleries and public spaces at level 2 of City Hall and at ground floor of the Former Supreme Court building.  

Of Chan Sau Yan Associates’ design, the Jury’s comments were that it is a pragmatic approach with minimal intervention, with a very good distribution of functional spaces, where circulation is straightforward and well addressed.

Other Shortlisted Schemes

The other two shortlisted schemes were by DP Architects from Singapore and Smart Design Studio from Australia.

DP Architects’ design seeks to retain the original character of the buildings through the insertion of new flexible gallery spaces. This scheme is respectful of the local codes and  guidelines by the Preservation of Monuments Board.  A glazed facade at the rear of the City Hall building retains the layer of existing fabric (columns and slabs) behind it. Moving images on screens create a sense of movement and interest on the facade. The interior planning is simple and logical. A large voluminous space has been set aside to provide space for international exhibition as well as a food terrace located at the top floor.

Smart Design Studio’s design scheme sports orchid-inspired structures, symbolic of Singapore’s national flower and integrates the two monuments with a strong linear axis or internal street at ground level. The internal street is porous, inviting visitors from all sides of the building. This axis is also reflected in a high level canopy connecting high, slender, orchid-shaped columns along the internal 'street'.  The scheme is respectful of the history of the buildings and uses the conserved spaces well. Clear internal planning with spaces sharply defined by the internal street.

The Jury’s decision will be presented to MICA, which will then decide on the appropriate party to commission to design and build the Art Gallery, after working through some of the key implementation details. This will include further testing of the technical and financial viability of the schemes.

Source:  MICA - Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts of Singapore.
Next related posts
- Appointment of Architect for Singapore’s National Art Gallery, May 2008
- Strategic directions set for National Art Gallery, Singapore, March 2009
Previous related posts
- NAG of Singapore Architectural Design Competition Shortlist, May 2007

National Art Gallery Singapore: Architectural Design competition shortlist

Five teams of architectural firms have been shortlisted for Stage II of the architectural design competition for Singapore’s National Art Gallery. The new National Art Gallery is proposed to be housed in two historic buildings in the heart of Singapore’s Civic District – City Hall and the former Supreme Court building. 

The competition, organised by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts in association with the Singapore Institute of Architects, drew 111 entries from 29 countries worldwide. The entries are about equally divided among the following three regions: 

- Europe and North America, 
- Asia-Pacific (excluding Singapore), and 
- Singapore. 

Judging Process of the architectural design competition for Singapore’s National Art Gallery

The international jury panel of experts for this competition is chaired by Professor Tommy Koh, Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large. The 7-member panel met in Singapore from 25- 27 April 2007. Over the three-day period, the 111 entries were reviewed based on their ability to demonstrate an understanding of the opportunities and constraints of the site and the buildings; the historical, urban and social context of the Gallery; and an appreciation of the future role the Gallery will play in the Civic District and in Singapore’s cultural landscape. 

Entries at Stage 1 were submitted and judged anonymously, identified only by a computer-generated identification number. Details including the competitors’ past experience and track record were revealed to the jury only after the shortlist had been agreed to.  

The Shortlist

The five shortlisted design teams are (in alphabetical order)

- Chan Sau Yan Associates, in collaboration with Lekker Design, Singapore

- DP Architects, Singapore

- Ho + Hou Studio Architects, Taiwan

- Smart Design Studio, Australia 

- Studio Milou Architecture, France 

In response to this, Professor Tommy Koh said, “The jury was pleased with the outcome. The Stage 1 judging was conducted ‘blind’, so it was gratifying to see that the five shortlisted firms represented a good geographical spread - two Singaporean firms and one each from France, Australia and Taiwan. Their proposed schemes showed great potential to be developed further into feasible design solutions for the new National Art Gallery. Also, each competitor will bring a unique range of artistic and cultural insights to the Stage II of the competition. We look forward to seeing what the five competitors have to offer, in helping us build an iconic National Art Gallery that will propel Singapore forward as a global city for the arts."   

Next Milestone for Shortlisted Firms

The five shortlisted teams will now proceed to Stage II of the competition, which kicks off on 14 May. Within a span of three months, the design teams will be tasked to develop their initial concept into feasible design solutions for the new National Art Gallery. The teams will meet with a Technical Advisory Group, comprising representatives from Singapore’s Preservation of Monuments Board, National Heritage Board, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Land Transport Authority and the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts. They will visit the existing museums under the wings of the National Heritage Board, as well as the Heritage Conservation Centre.  They will also be given more information on site conditions and authorities’ requirements, and a more detailed design brief.  

The submission deadline for Stage II is 3 August 2007. The jury panel will meet again in Singapore at the end of August, when the finalists will present their schemes to the jury panel. The jury will select the three winners. 

About the Jury Panel of the architectural design competition for Singapore’s National Art Gallery

In addition to the Chairman, Professor Tommy Koh, the jury panel consists of the following six members:  

Cheong-Chua Koon Hean
CEO, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore

Mrs Cheong, an architect and urban planner, has extensive experience in strateplanning as well as in urban design and conservation of built heritage. She is Deputy Secretary (Special Duties) in the Ministry of National Development. 

Jean-Francois Jarrige
President, Guimet Musée National des Arts Asiatiques

In addition to being the Director of Guimet Museum  since 1986, Jean-Francois Jarriage is concurrently a member of the National Council of Scientific Research and Director of the French Archaeological Mission to Pakistan, where he has carried out excavations since 1963. 

Koh Seow Chuan
Chairman, Singapore Art Museum and Board Member of the National Heritage Board

Koh Seow Chuan is the retired founder of DP Architects. He is a prominent art collector and was a key figure in the landmark arts development, The Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.

Julian Raby Director, Freer Gallery of Art & Arthur M Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Julian Raby had been Director of the Freer and Sackler galleries since 2002. He is a well-known scholar of Islamic art and is equally well-versed in Oriental Studies.

Rita Soh
Immediate Past President, Singapore Institute of Architects

Ms Rita Soh was the President of the Singapore Institute of Architects from 2004 – 2007. She has been instrumental in establishing a Blueprint for the architectural profession in its pursuit of Architectural Excellence as well as a Pro-Enterprise approach to architecture. 

Peter Wilson Project Director, Royal Shakespeare Company Transformation Project

Peter Wilson is currently Project Director for a £100 million redevelopment project of the famous Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon, UK. He also played a key role in the development of the Tate as building project director for both the Tate Modern and the Tate Britain Centenary Development.  

Source:  MICA - Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts of Singapore. 

Next related posts

- Top 3 winning designs for the NAG Singapore architecture, August 2007
- Appointment of Architect for Singapore’s National Art Gallery, May 2008
- Strategic directions set for National Art Gallery, Singapore, March 2009

Singapore Architectural Design Competition for a New National Art Gallery

Singapore Launches Architectural Design Competition for a New National Art Gallery

Architects around the world invited to ceonceptualise a design for the Art Gallery, to be housed in two iconic heritage buildings set in the heart of Singapore's Civic District, City Hall and the former Supreme Court building

The heart of Singapore’s city centre is set to become even more vibrant in the Civic District area, with a new National Art Gallery (working title) to be completed around 2012. Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, Dr Lee Boon Yang, announced on 13 February 2007 that Singapore will launch the Architectural Design Competition for the National Art Gallery this month for local and international architects to develop the best design concept for the new National Art Gallery.

The Art Gallery will be housed in two historically significant 20th century monuments situated in Singapore’s Civic District – City Hall and the adjacent former Supreme Court building. The Art Gallery is envisioned to be dedicated to the presentation, collection and study of Southeast Asian and Singaporean visual arts, and the examination of how the art of this region connects with developments in the rest of the international art world. Today, Southeast Asian art makes up two-thirds of Singapore’s national collection of some 7,500 pieces of artworks.

A unique opportunity to work with civic monuments of such scale and historical importance, this project will add a new dimension to the cultural and art spaces in Singapore.

Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister-of-State for Information Communications and the Arts (MICA) and Foreign Affairs, who also chairs the Steering Committee for the National Art Gallery said, “A new National Art Gallery is timely at this juncture in Singapore’s transformation to become a global city of the arts. This architectural competition is just the first step, towards building a national institution that will be owned and valued by the community, and one in which all Singaporeans will be proud of.”

Since 1992, both buildings have been gazetted as national monuments, and are subject to preservation guidelines under the authority of the Preservation of Monuments Board. They were vacated in 2005, and have since been used occasionally, for example, in 2006 as one of the exhibition venues for the Singapore Biennale 2006 and as a registration centre for delegates of the International Monetary Fund/World Bank meetings. Architects participating in the competition will be provided with the preservation guidelines but are encouraged to develop innovative ideas.

This architectural competition is organised by MICA in association with the Singapore Institute of Architects.

The competition will be conducted in two stages. The first stage, an open ideas competition, will look for initial design ideas, and be judged on design philosophy and task appreciation. Entries at Stage I are kept anonymous and competitors’ identities will be revealed to the jury after they have been shortlisted for the second stage. Shortlisted competitors will move to Stage II, a design development competition, where they will be asked to develop their initial concepts and demonstrate the workability of their proposals against a budget. At the end of the two-stage competition, the jury will select not more than three winners, where one winner may be commissioned in end 2007 to design and build the National Art Gallery.

Extending an invitation to architects from Singapore and around the world to come forward with bold and creative ideas, Dr Balaji said, “The competition presents an exciting and unique opportunity for top talents from Singapore and around the world to not only shape the Civic District but to also steer Singapore to the forefront of global cities and define our presence as a visual arts hub.”

The competition brief for Stage I, terms and conditions will be available on the website at www.nationalartgallery.sg from 23 February 2007 onwards. The closing date for Stage I is 13 April 2007.