18 minute read
Special Exhibitions
WU GUANZHONG: LEARNING FROM THE MASTER
Ongoing | City Hall Wing, Level 4, Wu Guanzhong Gallery
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Wu Guanzhong with students from the Central Academy of Art and Design’s Department of Graphic Design 1977 class, on one of their outdoor drawing trips to Shanhai Pass, October 1978. Image courtesy of Zhang Peng.
Wu Guanzhong (1919–2010) is one of the most significant Chinese painters of the 20th century, renowned for his innovative fusion of Chinese aesthetic elements with Western modernism. He is also acclaimed as an educator, sharing his artistic practices and philosophies with students at leading art educational institutions in China over a teaching career that spanned more than 40 years.
Wu Guanzhong: Learning from the Master invites you into the intimate dialogues between Wu and his students at the Central Academy of Art and Design on their creative journeys, as they explored techniques, aesthetic sensibilities and more. The exhibition investigates for the first time Wu’s philosophies of art and pedagogy through manuscripts, art journals, sketchbooks, photographs and drawings by the master and his students.
Strategic Partner
CLOSING ON 7 NOV
Organised by the Singapore Art Museum
Closing on 7 Nov | City Hall Wing, Level B1, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Concourse Gallery
Gabriel Barredo One 1999 Mixed media 69.5 × 57.7 × 17.4 cm Collection of Singapore Art Museum
The apparently ordinary act of gifting is in fact ambivalent and paradoxical. The study of its bestowal, return and even its impossibility has long been a source of fascination, vexation and debate. The Gift explores the tangible and intangible in the offer that is an embodiment of expansiveness of spirit as much as it is an obligation to another.
Collecting Entanglements and Embodied Histories is a dialogue between the collections of the Singapore Art Museum, Galeri Nasional Indonesia, MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, and Nationalgalerie—Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, initiated by the Goethe-Institut.
LONG–TERM EXHIBITIONS
SIAPA NAMA KAMU? ART IN SINGAPORE SINCE THE 19TH CENTURY
Ongoing | City Hall Wing, Level 2, DBS Singapore Gallery
The Gallery’s long-term exhibitions feature over 800 Singapore and Southeast Asian artworks, and are constantly evolving. Every year, visitors can discover over 200 new pieces.
These updates to our long-term exhibitions allow us to display our artworks in new and exciting configurations, enabling us to tell different stories and introduce new perspectives. Each gallery has a distinct focus, which may be a specific medium or subject matter, or tracing an impulse shared by various artists at a particular moment in time.
Refreshing our exhibitions also allows us to showcase works that we have recently acquired alongside our latest research, thereby continually expanding and enriching the narratives of art in the region.
Chen Wen Hsi Returning from Market 1960s Oil on canvas 91.3 × 106.6 cm
Chen Wen Hsi draws on his study of Chinese ink painting and influences from Cubism in this scene, composed of a mixture of bold lines and geometric blocks in contrasting colours. The women appear to be having a conversation as they return from the market, clothed in colourful dresses with intricate patterns. Chen is known for his experimental ways of depicting local subject matters—like the ubiquitous market—integrating painting styles from diverse art movements.
On display in DBS Singapore Gallery 1.
Yusman Aman Structure l 1972 Batik 114.8 × 89.5 cm
Yusman Aman was a self-taught artist who was known for his inventive approach to batik. Structure l demonstrates his innovative use of the medium to develop abstract forms. In this painting, Yusman exploits the opacity of dyes to create a complex composition of interlocking angular shapes. Yusman practiced actively in Singapore, and this work was exhibited at the seminal artistrun space Alpha Gallery as part of his solo show there in 1973.
On display in DBS Singapore Gallery 2.
BETWEEN DECLARATIONS & DREAMS: ART OF SOUTHEAST ASIA SINCE THE 19TH CENTURY
Ongoing | Supreme Court Wing, Levels 3–5, UOB Southeast Asia Gallery
Nhek Dim Village Scene 1960 Oil on canvas 55 × 75.5 cm
Nhek Dim was the most celebrated painter in Cambodia during the 1960s, when the nation became embroiled in Cold War conflicts. Village Scene was featured in a 1961 exhibition organised by the United States Information Service in Phnom Penh, and subsequently reproduced in Free World, a magazine published by the United States in several Southeast Asian languages and distributed widely. The warm colours and flattened forms are typical of Nhek Dim’s work. This painting evokes a sense of tropical abundance, a trope often employed by modern artists in Southeast Asia to describe peasant life.
On display in UOB Southeast Asia Gallery 13.
This is an extremely rare painting of General Aung San, the key architect of Myanmar’s independence from British colonial rule and father of Aung San Suu Kyi. Likely painted from a photograph, this vividly realistic yet heartfelt portrait was painted by U Ngwe Gaing, a leading modernist painter of the period.
On display in UOB Southeast Asia Gallery 6.
U Ngwe Gaing. Portrait of General Aung San. c. 1950−1967. Oil on cardboard support lined on pre-primed cotton fabric, 50 × 39.5 cm. This acquisition was made possible with donations to the Art Adoption & Acquisition Programme.
The UOB Southeast Asia Gallery is made possible with the support of UOB.
LONG–TERM EXHIBITIONS
NEW
Opening on 29 Oct | Dalam Southeast Asia, Level 3, UOB Southeast Asia Gallery
Chen Cheng Mei. Market Scene, Sri Lanka. 1975. Oil on canvas, 61 × 80 cm. Recent acquisition. You Khin. Untitled (Doha Scene: Pakistani Bakers). 1990. Oil on canvas, 65 × 100 cm. Recent acquisition.
Dalam Southeast Asia is an experimental project space located within the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery. Projects presented here ask critical questions and explore lesser-known narratives in Southeast Asian art, while attempting a recalibration of what a collections-based display is and what it may seek to achieve.
This exhibition features artworks by Chen Cheng Mei and You Khin. Both artists adopted highly individual styles, led unusual lives, and have been outliers in most art historical accounts. Although Chen and You did not know each other and were born two decades apart, they shared a lasting affinity for portraying everyday scenes in diverse locations.
While Chen Cheng Mei lived and worked in Singapore, she travelled extensively in Africa, South Asia and elsewhere. She made this painting, Market Scene, Sri Lanka, aftter one of several trips there. Her journeys inspired a planetary consciousness that is reflected in her artwork.
You Khin was born in Cambodia but lived in Africa and the Middle East between the 1970s and 2000s. His artworks often capture aspects of daily life, reflecting his belief that “My world is modern.
On display at Dalam Southeast Asia in the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery. The Tailors and the Mannequins: Chen Cheng Mei and You Khin.
The UOB Southeast Asia Gallery is made possible with the support of UOB.
Visit our website for the e-catalogue for The Tailors and the Mannequins. It examines how the two artists drew from their encounters with modern people in unfamiliar locations, and features a selection of photographs, sketches and biographical timelines.
UNREALISED
Ongoing | Accessible only via the Gallery Explorer app
unrealised is a virtual experience developed in dialogue with three artists—Heman Chong, Ho Tzu Nyen and Erika Tan. It tests the potentials of the digital image within the physical spaces of the Gallery’s long-term displays. To access unrealised, please download the Gallery Explorer app from the App Store and Google Play store or borrow a device from Tour Services at Level 1, Padang Atrium Counter.
For more information, please visit nationalgallery.sg/unrealised.
SCAN TO DOWNLOAD APP Left to right Courtesy of the National Museum of Singapore, National Heritage Board. | Yusof Ishak Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore. | Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore. | The Hebblewhite Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore. Please note earphones are required to experience unrealised.
LONG–TERM EXHIBITIONS
OUTBOUND
Ongoing | Various locations nationalgallery.sg/outbound #outboundsg
(L-R): Kak Julitah, Yee I-Lann, and Kak Roziah.
Yee I-Lann (b. 1971, Malaysia) with weaving assistance from Bajau Sama DiLaut weavers led by Kak Roziah: Kak Anjung, Makcik Bagai, Makcik Billung, Makcik Braini, Kak Budi, Kak Ebbuh, Makcik Gangah, Kak Ginnuh, Kak Gultiam, Makcik Indah Laiha, Kak Kanuk, Kak Kinnuhong, Makcik Kuluk, Adik Lornah, Kak Norbaya and Kak Sana; and Dusun Murut weavers led by Julitah Kulinting: Lili Naming, Siat Yanau, Mohd Shahrizan Bin Rupin, Juraen Sapirin, S. Narty Abd. Hairun, Zaitun Abd. Hairun and Julia Ginasius.
Tikar-A-Gagah. 2019. Pandanus weave with commercial chemical dye (front); Split bamboo weave with black natural dye (back); stitched with bamboo weave. On display at the foyer near the Holding Cells, Level 1, Supreme Court Wing.
Tikar-a-Gagah is the result of an 18-month long collaboration between artist Yee I-Lann and indigenous weavers in Sabah, a northern Borneo state in Malaysia. Commissioned for the Gallery’s OUTBOUND series, the artwork features both traditional and contemporary motifs that reveal the process of co-invention between Yee and the weavers, whose traditional motifs are passed down orally from one generation to the next. Tikar-A-Gagah features abstract, maritime-inspired patterns of the Bajau sea communities as well as graphical motifs of landscapes, fauna and communal gatherings of the Dusun and Murut land communities. By drawing on traditional weaving techniques and the symbolism of the tikar in indigenous culture, Tikar-A-Gagah generates new conversations about contemporary forms of art in this region.
OUTBOUND is a series of unique commissions that imaginatively transform transitionary spaces at the Gallery. Each commission is an artistic and temporal landmark that anchors and guides the visitor’s experience while highlighting the Gallery’s iconic architecture. The inaugural season presents projects from artists Gary Carsley (Australia), Jeremy Chu (Singapore), Jane Lee (Singapore), Haegue Yang (South Korea) and Yee I-Lann (Malaysia).
LISTENING TO ARCHITECTURE: THE GALLERY’S HISTORIES AND TRANSFORMATIONS
Ongoing | City Hall Wing, Level 4, ArchiGallery
Zai Tang. Resident Frequencies: A Brief Aural History of National Gallery Singapore. 2017. Eight-channel sound installation, 36 mins. Commissioned by National Gallery Singapore. Image courtesy of the artist. The architecture of the City Hall and former Supreme Court buildings may be imagined as an ongoing conversation between different generations across time. The inaugural exhibition at the ArchiGallery offers insights into the enduring histories and architectural designs of the two national monuments and their dramatic transformations into a home for Southeast Asian art. It also features never-before-seen artefacts excavated from the Gallery’s grounds, and a commissioned sonic artwork by artist Zai Tang that draws on the historical, social and spatial memories created in the buildings.
LAW OF THE LAND: HIGHLIGHTS OF SINGAPORE’S CONSTITUTIONAL DOCUMENTS
Ongoing | Supreme Court Wing, Level 3, Chief Justice's Chamber & Office
Organised by the National Archives of Singapore (NAS) and the National Library Board (NLB), this exhibition explores the history of Singapore’s constitutional development from a British settlement in 1819 to its emergence as a sovereign republic in 1965. It presents a selection of 23 rare documents from the NAS and NLB's collections, each capturing a key moment in Singapore's legal history and journey to independence.
Third Charter of Justice, 1855
This document affirmed the reception of English law in Singapore and provided the settlement with its own professional judge (then known as a Recorder).
SPECIAL PROGRAMMES
6 NOV | ADMISSION IS FREE!ON-SITE FESTIVAL OPENS
Explore the online festival here
Explore our first-ever hybrid edition!’
Discover why art matters! Empower your child to navigate the changing times with empathy and confidence as they learn about the Environment, Time, Diversity and Home while having a whole lot of fun!
Don't miss these highlights!
Calling for Rain
by Khvay Samnang
Calling for Rain takes us on a journey through the landscapes of Cambodia as it follows Kiri, the Monkey on his quest to save the dying forest and the surrounding environment. The story unfolds as he falls in love with Kongkea, the Fish and encounters the irresponsible behaviour of Aki, the Fire Dragon. Through this work, children will learn about the need to care for our environment.
Illuminated
by Nona Garcia
Illuminated is composed of digital X-ray images of organic objects such as bones and sea corals that make up our diverse environment. As kids explore these objects, they will come to understand that every living and non-living thing is unique.
Superstar
by Jeremy Sharma
Together with his two sons, artist Jeremy Sharma created Superstar, a clickable speculative world. As kids enter and navigate this installation, they are invited to rethink the past, present and future.
Development Partner Strategic Partner
GALLERY TOURS
DAILY TOURS
Explore the rich history of our buildings and collections by joining one of our guided tours led by trained docents. To reserve a slot, register online or proceed to Visitor Services at Padang Atrium Level 1 at least 30 minutes before the tour starts. Limited slots are available on a first come, first served basis. Tour participants should obtain or purchase admission tickets prior to joining a tour.
BUILDING HIGHLIGHTS
English Thu–Sun 11am | Mandarin Sat–Sun 10.30am
DBS SINGAPORE GALLERY HIGHLIGHTS
English Thu–Sun 1pm | Mandarin Sat–Sun noon
Until 5 Dec 2021 | English Thu–Sun 11.30am | Mandarin Sat–Sun 2pm
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GALLERY
English Fri–Sun 1.30pm | Mandarin Sat–Sun 4pm
UOB SOUTHEAST ASIA GALLERY HIGHLIGHTS
English Thu–Sun 3.30pm | Mandarin Sat–Sun 3pm
HIGHLIGHTS OF CHUA MIA TEE: DIRECTING THE REAL + WU GUANZHONG: LEARNING FROM THE MASTER (STARTS 10 DEC)
English Thu–Sun 11.30am | Mandarin Sat–Sun 2pm
English Thu–Sun 2pm | Mandarin Sat–Sun 1.30pm
CURATOR TOURS
Join exhibition curators and discover artwork and archival highlights, curatorial narratives and behind-the-scenes processes that went into the making of our current exhibitions.
Led by the curators of Wu Guanzhong: Learning from the Master, this tour delves into the exhibition's curatorial narratives and offers insights into Wu's pedagogical thinking during his teaching career that spanned over 40 years. Add a touch of culture to happy hour with the perfect pairing of Art X Cocktails at the Gallery! Go on a 60-minute docent-led tour to discover the artworks that inspired craft cocktails from Smoke & Mirrors and learn about the evolution of cocktails throughout history.
WU GUANZHONG: LEARNING FROM THE MASTER
Sun 28 Nov | 11–11.45am | Level 4 Gallery, City Hall Wing | Registration is required
GROUP TOURS
COMMUNITY GROUPS
The Gallery offers guided tours for community groups at a concessionary rate. For more information, please email groupenquiries@nationalgallery.sg. CORPORATE OR OTHER PRIVATE GROUPS
SELF-GUIDED AUDIO TOURS
Download our free Gallery Explorer app to enjoy rich audio commentary on our long-term and special exhibitions.
SCAN TO DOWNLOAD GALLERY EXPLORER APP
ART X COCKTAILS TOUR
Sat 4pm | $35 per ticket (U.P. $45), limited slots | General Admission ticket also required
Note: The tour is not suitable for visitors below the age of 18. Tour ticket comes with one (1) complimentary cocktail from “The Real Art of Drinking” menu at Smoke & Mirrors, or a mocktail if desired.
BACK-OF-HOUSE TOURS
FORMER SUPREME COURT: UNSEEN, UNHEARD
Sat 5.30pm, Sun 4.30pm | $15 per ticket, limited slots | General Admission ticket also required
This tour offers a glimpse into restricted areas of the former Supreme Court, usually out of bounds to the public. Go behind-the-scenes and find out more about courtroom proceedings and the experience of persons on trial as you:
• Traverse a network of hidden passageways • Climb through a trapdoor into a prisoner’s dock • Gain access to the Viewing Gallery where members of the public used to sit during court hearings • Discover stories of some of the highest profile cases in Singapore’s history since 1939, tried in these very courtrooms
Note: The tour is not suitable for children below the age of 13 and visitors with limited mobility. Please wear comfortable footwear and attire. Wearing high heels is strongly not recommended due to safety reasons.
PERFORMANCES
ART + LIVE
Art + Live is a series of multidisciplinary programmes featuring Singaporean and Southeast Asian artists. These are works filmed specially for the Gallery’s online platform.
Upcoming concerts:
Burmélange for Between Declarations and Dreams: Art of Southeast Asia since the 19th Century 23 Oct | 2.30pm
Leaism for Between Declarations and Dreams: Art of Southeast Asia since the 19th Century 20 Nov | 2.30pm
RESONATES WITH
Our monthly concert series invites young and professional musicians to respond to the themes found in our artworks and exhibitions.
All programmes will be streamed on the Gallery’s Facebook and YouTube pages on Saturday, 2.30pm
Upcoming concerts:
avik for Siapa Namu Kamu? Art in Singapore since the 19th Century 30 Oct | 2.30pm & 4.00pm | Padang Atrium
Gulnara Mashurova for Between Declarations and Dreams: Art of Southeast Asia since the 19th Century 27 Nov | 2.30pm & 4.00pm | Padang Atrium
weish for Nam June Paik: The Future is Now 18 Dec | 2.30pm & 4.00pm | Padang Atrium
LIVE PERFORMANCE
AN ARTIST’S JOURNEY BY LYNNETTE SEAH: IN RESPONSE TO CHUA MIA TEE: DIRECTING THE REAL
Singapore Courtyard 4 Dec | 5.00pm–5.40pm Culture Medallion violinist Lynnette Seah is invited to present a special performance in response to artworks from Chua Mia Tee: Directing the Real. Her performance will reflect on the ebbs and flows of the life of the artist, from the naivete of youth, to the content comfort of storied career.
PERFORMANCE ON FILM
AFTERLUDE-PRELUDE: RESPONSES TO NAM JUNE PAIK
Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium 15 Dec 2021–27 Mar 2022 | Wed–Sun, 10.00am–7.00pm*
Nam June Paik and John Godfrey. Global Groove, 1973. Video, colour, sound. 28 min, 30 sec. Courtesy of Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York. Featuring Artists
Aki Onda (Tokyo, New York) Ayumi Paul (Berlin) bani haykal (Singapore) Lynn Lu (London, Singapore) Melinda Lauw (Singapore) Michael Rauter (Berlin) Nam June Paik, with performer Sophis (Shuhui) Zhou (San Francisco) and Hewen Ma (Shanghai) Song-Ming Ang (Berlin, Singapore) Sue Kim and Kim Jae Hoon with Diveline Ensemble (Seoul) Tad Ermitaño (Manila) Tini Aliman (Singapore) weish (Singapore) Yuen Chee Wai (Singapore)
Prompted by Nam June Paik’s global satellite projects and the surge in remote communication due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this series of programmes explores the legacy of Nam June Paik’s texts in performances, readings and artistic interventions. Featuring more than 13 artists from Singapore, London, Berlin, New York, Tokyo, San Francisco, Seoul, Shanghai and Manila, several hours of material will be screened for the duration of the exhibition.
TALKS & WORKSHOPS ROTUNDA LIBRARY & ARCHIVE
PODCAST: NO FLASH
Welcome to our official unofficial podcast, NO FLASH. These are impossible interviews, tall tales and the strangest stories never told. This is the Gallery like you’ve never heard it. Season 1, Unstill Life, is available now on your favourite podcast platform.
PODCAST: THE PADANG SESSIONS
Join us as we chart the art of Southeast Asia and beyond, one dialogue at a time. Follow The Padang Sessions on your favourite podcast platform to listen to our audio archive of lectures, panels and conversations recorded live in the Gallery, whenever and wherever you are.
IN GALLERY SESSIONS
Join us every third Saturday of the month and get up close with Gallery curators, artists, and practitioners as they delve into the processes and narratives behind selected works. This series held in the DBS Singapore Gallery and the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery prompts a closer examination of artworks on display. Registration is required. Situated in the heart of the former Supreme Court, where the legal reference library was once located, the Rotunda Library & Archive offers visitors a gateway to the Gallery’s extensive collection of reference and archival materials focusing on 19th to 20th century art of Singapore and Southeast Asia, and provides a welcoming environment for reading and research.
The Library & Archive collection consists of approximately 20,000 archival and nearly 10,000 reference materials. Of these, the archives consist of artists’ primary resources such as letters, writings, interviews, recordings of performances, sketches and drawings, as well as press clippings and other exhibition-related ephemera. The resources continue to grow thanks to the generous support of artists and their families, collectors and other collaborators.
For assistance or enquiries, please write to library.archive@nationalgallery.sg. You may also access a large selection of resources from our artwork and Library & Archive collections on our Collections Search Portal at collections.nationalgallery.sg.
OPERATING HOURS: Mon–Fri 10am–12.30pm, 2–5pm, Closed 4 Nov.
*The hours may be changed in accordance with the Government’s latest COVID-19 advisory. Please check the Gallery’s website and social media for latest information.
