Public Service
jetstar MAGAZINE
APRIL 2016
MAGAZINE
SINGAPORE I HONG KONG I CYCLING ADVENTURES
TWO WHEELS, THREE CITIES Be inspired by the epic journeys of three adventurers
APRIL 2016
SINGAPORE I ART WORLD
public
service The Lion City has become one of the best places in Asia to experience art out in the open, free for all to see
42
The distinctive mural on Haji Lane.
WORDS SANJAY SURANA
eptember 2012 saw the re-launch of Gillman Barracks as a series of contemporary galleries. The event signified Singapore’s growing stature as a leading Asian art hub; since then, the Lion City has welcomed the Indian Heritage Centre, the newly revamped National Museum of Singapore and Asian Civilisations Museum, the recently opened National Gallery Singapore, and the Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris. Art, without a doubt, has become an important – even vital – part of the city’s DNA. Even Singapore’s leader, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, agrees this is the case: “Our nation would not be complete without an appreciation of arts and culture, and without Singaporeans who create artistic and cultural works” – which he fittingly declared during a tour of Lasalle College of the Arts. Alongside the many new museums and galleries that have opened, Singapore is actively pursuing the expansion of public art – pieces that are displayed in the open, free to view, accessible to all. In 2014, the National Arts Council – the government body that “aims
43
SINGAPORE I ART WORLD
The perfect visual representation of carefree joy WHAT THE LOCALS LOVE
Muhammad Idham
hotel duty manager
44
“The bright aluminum figures directly in front of ION Orchard [Urban People by Kurt Laurenz Metzler]. They symbolise the everyday life of people and friends working around the Orchard area, and also define the many colours of Singaporeans living together harmoniously.”
to nurture the arts in Singapore, and to make it an integral part of the lives of all Singaporeans” – set up the Public Art Trust (PAT), with S$10 million in seed money. PAT’s mission is to give artists (particularly local artists) a new platform for their work, and make art part of the city’s urban spaces to bring it closer to Singaporeans. It also offers incentives, such as tax deductions, to private donors who commission public art.
Raising the bar
PAT’s most high-profile initiative to date was the open call to Singaporean artists to create three bold artworks to be displayed in high-traffic sites along the Jubilee Walk, an 8km heritage trail unveiled in November last year. The winning entries (currently on display) were 24 Hours in Singapore, an audio sculpture installation, by Baet Yeok Kuan; The Rising Moon, an interpretation of the stars and moon on Singapore’s flag, by Han Sai Por and Kum Chee Kiong; and Cloud Nine: Raining, a raining cloud that appears to float above the Singapore River, by Tan Wee Lit. “Public artworks add colour and vibrancy to our city’s landscape and add uniqueness to Singapore,” Grace Fu, Minister for Culture,
Community and Youth, said at the unveiling ceremony in January. “[The art] provides much enjoyment for Singaporeans and visitors to our city. These installations tell a story about who we are, and bind us through the Singapore story that they tell.”
Chong Fah Cheong sculptor
“I like the work of French artist Bernar Venet, especially his piece at Scotts Square [Three Indeterminate Lines]. There are always interesting stories behind his work.”
It sneaks up on you
Public art is intrinsically tied to its environment; it requires community involvement and collaboration and, just like a park, art beautifies neighbourhoods. It can appear when you least expect it, offering a different experience from the passivity of museums. This type of art is also a reflection of society at a particular time and place, a snapshot of the zeitgeist; and can take many forms, from sculpture to statue, monument to mural, even as buildings. Who
Kathrynn Koh public relations director
“There’s one of a girl on a bicycle at the Botanic Gardens [Girl on a Bicycle by Sydney Harpley], her feet off the pedals, and she is just enjoying the breeze in her hair. It’s a picture of carefree abandonment – one that makes you smile. I love the realism these sculptures bring to the Gardens.”
Diana Chen teacher
Juliana Lee
restaurant owner CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Passing of Knowledge by Victor Tan Wee Tar at Singapore Botanic Gardens; Girl on a Bicycle by Sydney Harpley at Singapore Botanic Gardens; The Flight of Swans sculpture at Singapore Botanic Gardens; 24 Hours in Singapore.
“There was one of a large pug outside ION on Orchard Road. As for why: because it is a pug – how can anyone resist?”
“The pigeon sculpture outside UOB Plaza on Boat Quay [Bird by Fernando Botero]. I hung out at Boat Quay a lot when I was a teenager, and I remember sitting next to it with friends and just chatting. The area holds a lot of nostalgia for me.”
hasn’t stopped to admire Paris’ Eiffel Tower, New York’s Chrysler Building or Hong Kong’s Bank of China building? “Countries often express themselves in writing, film and sculpture – these are all expressions, and they will accumulate in history; they will document the thinking of a people. So art is important and relevant, whether it is public or private,” says Chong Fah Cheong, whose sculpture First Generation, of boys jumping into the Singapore River, is one of the city’s most beloved examples of public art. “It’s sometimes said a picture is worth a thousand words. I’d suggest that when you see a sculpture, you are confronted with as much and more,” explains Chong. “No matter how realistic a painting [is], it is still an illusion, whereas a sculpture is real.” Local Instagrammer Ivan Kuek (@phonenomenon), who has more than 40,000 followers, agrees. “I believe art should be shared publicly and not confined within
45
SINGAPORE I ART WORLD
46
Public art here is … often rooted in history and celebrating everyday life” four walls. A good art piece should be shown to as many people as possible to inspire, provoke or change one’s perspective,” he declares. “I enjoy photographing events like i Light Marina Bay Festival; the interaction of the public with these art installations and with Marina Bay as the backdrop is such a beautiful sight.” The majority of public art here is the product of homegrown artists and artists who have made Singapore their home, their works often rooted in history and celebrating everyday life. Singapore River, a hub for trading in the early days of the island, is rife with imagery that gives a nod to the past. Chong was born in Singapore just after World War II and was inspired by local boys who jumped
off the Anderson Bridge, which is what prompted him to create First Generation. Malcolm Koh’s A Great Emporium, displayed outside the Asian Civilisations Museum, recreates a scene involving a British merchant, a Chinese trader, and Chinese and Indian labourers. From Chettiars to Financiers, by Chem Lian Shen, explores the evolution of Singapore’s moneylenders, while The River Merchants, by Aw Tee Hong, presents the various races of Singapore. Meanwhile, at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, another work by Cheong, Chang Kuda (Malay for ‘piggyback on a horse’), depicts a game children played in the 1950s and ’60s. “We will continue to work with artists to bring the arts to the Gardens,” says Dr Nigel Taylor, director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Ju Ming’s bronze 12 Gentlemen at Metropolis; Nutmeg and Mace by Kumari Nahappan, at ION Orchard; Saga by Kumari Nahappan, at Changi Airport; Chang Kuda by Chong Fah Cheong, at Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Snippets of the world
Public art is everywhere, sometimes in little clusters like those described on Singapore Tourism Board’s YourSingapore (yoursingapore. com), which has compiled three walkable art trails – Civic District, Orchard Road and Marina Bay – that are packed with public art. The Marina Bay stroll takes in sights such as the giant bronze ring Abundance III by Singapore-based sculptor Sun Yu-Li; the Fountain of Wealth (above) and the surrounding depictions of animals in the Chinese zodiac by local artist Han Sai Por (more of her pieces appear later in the trail), and the vibrant, Christmas-tree-esque, 18m-tall Momentum by David Gerstein – an upbeat homage to the people who’ve helped shape Singapore.
An expression of joy
Yet another reason to visit Terminal 3 at Changi Airport
Some of the public art here is less imbued with symbolism, and can instead be categorised as joyous expressions designed to entertain. One of the most distinctive is the giant mural of Mayan faces on Haji Lane, on the side of Mexican restaurant Piedra Negra. In the city’s outer reaches – the heartlands – governmentbuilt housing blocks are enlivened with murals of kites (Block 838, Yishun Street 81) and a giant rainbow (Block 316, Hougang Avenue 7). And Marc Quinn’s Planet, a colossus white baby that seems to hover above the ground at Gardens by the Bay, may explore the connection between nature and humanity. But it’s also perplexing, whimsical and simply fun – all wonderful reasons for us to encourage and appreciate this type of egalitarian artistic endeavour.
47
APRIL 2016
MAGAZINE
SINGAPORE I HONG KONG I CYCLING ADVENTURES
TWO WHEELS, THREE CITIES Be inspired by the epic journeys of three adventurers
APRIL 2016
SINGAPORE I ART WORLD
public
service The Lion City has become one of the best places in Asia to experience art out in the open, free for all to see
42
The distinctive mural on Haji Lane.
WORDS SANJAY SURANA
eptember 2012 saw the re-launch of Gillman Barracks as a series of contemporary galleries. The event signified Singapore’s growing stature as a leading Asian art hub; since then, the Lion City has welcomed the Indian Heritage Centre, the newly revamped National Museum of Singapore and Asian Civilisations Museum, the recently opened National Gallery Singapore, and the Singapore Pinacothèque de Paris. Art, without a doubt, has become an important – even vital – part of the city’s DNA. Even Singapore’s leader, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, agrees this is the case: “Our nation would not be complete without an appreciation of arts and culture, and without Singaporeans who create artistic and cultural works” – which he fittingly declared during a tour of Lasalle College of the Arts. Alongside the many new museums and galleries that have opened, Singapore is actively pursuing the expansion of public art – pieces that are displayed in the open, free to view, accessible to all. In 2014, the National Arts Council – the government body that “aims
43
SINGAPORE I ART WORLD
The perfect visual representation of carefree joy WHAT THE LOCALS LOVE
Muhammad Idham
hotel duty manager
44
“The bright aluminum figures directly in front of ION Orchard [Urban People by Kurt Laurenz Metzler]. They symbolise the everyday life of people and friends working around the Orchard area, and also define the many colours of Singaporeans living together harmoniously.”
to nurture the arts in Singapore, and to make it an integral part of the lives of all Singaporeans” – set up the Public Art Trust (PAT), with S$10 million in seed money. PAT’s mission is to give artists (particularly local artists) a new platform for their work, and make art part of the city’s urban spaces to bring it closer to Singaporeans. It also offers incentives, such as tax deductions, to private donors who commission public art.
Raising the bar
PAT’s most high-profile initiative to date was the open call to Singaporean artists to create three bold artworks to be displayed in high-traffic sites along the Jubilee Walk, an 8km heritage trail unveiled in November last year. The winning entries (currently on display) were 24 Hours in Singapore, an audio sculpture installation, by Baet Yeok Kuan; The Rising Moon, an interpretation of the stars and moon on Singapore’s flag, by Han Sai Por and Kum Chee Kiong; and Cloud Nine: Raining, a raining cloud that appears to float above the Singapore River, by Tan Wee Lit. “Public artworks add colour and vibrancy to our city’s landscape and add uniqueness to Singapore,” Grace Fu, Minister for Culture,
Community and Youth, said at the unveiling ceremony in January. “[The art] provides much enjoyment for Singaporeans and visitors to our city. These installations tell a story about who we are, and bind us through the Singapore story that they tell.”
Chong Fah Cheong sculptor
“I like the work of French artist Bernar Venet, especially his piece at Scotts Square [Three Indeterminate Lines]. There are always interesting stories behind his work.”
It sneaks up on you
Public art is intrinsically tied to its environment; it requires community involvement and collaboration and, just like a park, art beautifies neighbourhoods. It can appear when you least expect it, offering a different experience from the passivity of museums. This type of art is also a reflection of society at a particular time and place, a snapshot of the zeitgeist; and can take many forms, from sculpture to statue, monument to mural, even as buildings. Who
Kathrynn Koh public relations director
“There’s one of a girl on a bicycle at the Botanic Gardens [Girl on a Bicycle by Sydney Harpley], her feet off the pedals, and she is just enjoying the breeze in her hair. It’s a picture of carefree abandonment – one that makes you smile. I love the realism these sculptures bring to the Gardens.”
Diana Chen teacher
Juliana Lee
restaurant owner CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Passing of Knowledge by Victor Tan Wee Tar at Singapore Botanic Gardens; Girl on a Bicycle by Sydney Harpley at Singapore Botanic Gardens; The Flight of Swans sculpture at Singapore Botanic Gardens; 24 Hours in Singapore.
“There was one of a large pug outside ION on Orchard Road. As for why: because it is a pug – how can anyone resist?”
“The pigeon sculpture outside UOB Plaza on Boat Quay [Bird by Fernando Botero]. I hung out at Boat Quay a lot when I was a teenager, and I remember sitting next to it with friends and just chatting. The area holds a lot of nostalgia for me.”
hasn’t stopped to admire Paris’ Eiffel Tower, New York’s Chrysler Building or Hong Kong’s Bank of China building? “Countries often express themselves in writing, film and sculpture – these are all expressions, and they will accumulate in history; they will document the thinking of a people. So art is important and relevant, whether it is public or private,” says Chong Fah Cheong, whose sculpture First Generation, of boys jumping into the Singapore River, is one of the city’s most beloved examples of public art. “It’s sometimes said a picture is worth a thousand words. I’d suggest that when you see a sculpture, you are confronted with as much and more,” explains Chong. “No matter how realistic a painting [is], it is still an illusion, whereas a sculpture is real.” Local Instagrammer Ivan Kuek (@phonenomenon), who has more than 40,000 followers, agrees. “I believe art should be shared publicly and not confined within
45
SINGAPORE I ART WORLD
46
Public art here is … often rooted in history and celebrating everyday life” four walls. A good art piece should be shown to as many people as possible to inspire, provoke or change one’s perspective,” he declares. “I enjoy photographing events like i Light Marina Bay Festival; the interaction of the public with these art installations and with Marina Bay as the backdrop is such a beautiful sight.” The majority of public art here is the product of homegrown artists and artists who have made Singapore their home, their works often rooted in history and celebrating everyday life. Singapore River, a hub for trading in the early days of the island, is rife with imagery that gives a nod to the past. Chong was born in Singapore just after World War II and was inspired by local boys who jumped
off the Anderson Bridge, which is what prompted him to create First Generation. Malcolm Koh’s A Great Emporium, displayed outside the Asian Civilisations Museum, recreates a scene involving a British merchant, a Chinese trader, and Chinese and Indian labourers. From Chettiars to Financiers, by Chem Lian Shen, explores the evolution of Singapore’s moneylenders, while The River Merchants, by Aw Tee Hong, presents the various races of Singapore. Meanwhile, at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, another work by Cheong, Chang Kuda (Malay for ‘piggyback on a horse’), depicts a game children played in the 1950s and ’60s. “We will continue to work with artists to bring the arts to the Gardens,” says Dr Nigel Taylor, director of the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Ju Ming’s bronze 12 Gentlemen at Metropolis; Nutmeg and Mace by Kumari Nahappan, at ION Orchard; Saga by Kumari Nahappan, at Changi Airport; Chang Kuda by Chong Fah Cheong, at Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Snippets of the world
Public art is everywhere, sometimes in little clusters like those described on Singapore Tourism Board’s YourSingapore (yoursingapore. com), which has compiled three walkable art trails – Civic District, Orchard Road and Marina Bay – that are packed with public art. The Marina Bay stroll takes in sights such as the giant bronze ring Abundance III by Singapore-based sculptor Sun Yu-Li; the Fountain of Wealth (above) and the surrounding depictions of animals in the Chinese zodiac by local artist Han Sai Por (more of her pieces appear later in the trail), and the vibrant, Christmas-tree-esque, 18m-tall Momentum by David Gerstein – an upbeat homage to the people who’ve helped shape Singapore.
An expression of joy
Yet another reason to visit Terminal 3 at Changi Airport
Some of the public art here is less imbued with symbolism, and can instead be categorised as joyous expressions designed to entertain. One of the most distinctive is the giant mural of Mayan faces on Haji Lane, on the side of Mexican restaurant Piedra Negra. In the city’s outer reaches – the heartlands – governmentbuilt housing blocks are enlivened with murals of kites (Block 838, Yishun Street 81) and a giant rainbow (Block 316, Hougang Avenue 7). And Marc Quinn’s Planet, a colossus white baby that seems to hover above the ground at Gardens by the Bay, may explore the connection between nature and humanity. But it’s also perplexing, whimsical and simply fun – all wonderful reasons for us to encourage and appreciate this type of egalitarian artistic endeavour.
47
