artblock

From all walks of life

2008-08-03T22:48:00.002+08:00

National Day is just round the corner and as part of celebrating with the nation, artist Kamal Dollah does his part.

Situated outside the Esplanade is a huge canvas with caricatures of different people from all walks of life. From Singaporeans to visitors, these caricatures are done using spray paint.

It gives ordinary individuals a shot at stardom.

Two Feet

2008-03-16T02:40:00.000+08:00

It serves as a reminder of natural simplicty within the artificial sprawl of urbanity.

This piece is made out of everyday materials and invites the audience to expand their definition of craft and art.

Titled "two feet", this artwork by Lim Shing Ee is supposed to reflect an artificial experience frozen in perpetuity.

The artificial part is the use of materials in the construction of the artwork. That's what I gather from the information that I have.

Pedas Pedas

2008-02-18T09:01:00.001+08:00

This post is more about pluralism rather than sculptures. But here's a little about the sculpture - it can be found at the back entrance of the National Museum of Singapore.

Why do I say that it is about pluralism? Because different people views things differently. And I shall attempt to show it here.

Side view

Back view

Front view

Well ultimately even though all the views seem different, it is all about the same thing. If I am not wrong, pedas means "hot" in Malay.

Public Power

2008-01-24T07:09:00.000+08:00

The first thing that striked me when I read the title was the challenging of authority - public power.

But it is more than just that. It's about audience participation.

Participants can engage with the artwork by rearranging the sculptures according to suit their personal taste.

This colourful piece is artist Twardzik Ching Chor Leng's fifth public installation.

The artist's interest is in exploring how art can exist both within and beyond traditional art spaces. By using elements of contemporary architecture such as stainless steel, and mass-produced industrial and household objects.

Well, "every man is an artist" says German artist/shaman Joseph Beuys.

Neues Bauen International 1927 | 2002

2008-01-03T15:11:00.000+08:00

Neues Bauen, or 'New Building', is an international architectural movement towards modernism. Its origins can be traced to Germany in the 1920s as a protest against the imitation of historical styles.

An uprising. A revolution. A big change in architecture.

These architects introduced new building types, materials. construction methods and spatial concepts. This allowed for large windows and open spaces thus bringing more natural light and fresh air into the buildings.

The Neues Bauen (New Building) International 1927 | 2002 exhibition is based on a 1927 exhibition, International Plan and Model Exhibition of New Architecture, that placed architecture in an international context. The International Plan and Model Exhibition of New Architecture toured 17 European cities between 1928 and 1930 demonstrating the similarities and inter-dependance between the modern buildings from the United States of America and Europe.

Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret
Pavillion de L'Espirit Noveau, Exhibition of arts and crafts in Paris
1925

Lloyd Wright
Villa, Millard House 'La Miniatura', Pasadena / USA
1923

A total of 105 projects by 66 architects or groups of architects are showcase. There are 23 architectural models and 236 photographs - all strewn at The Concourse on the ground floor and the Canyon at the basement of the National Museum.

A Day Without A Tree

2008-01-02T16:45:00.000+08:00

How would the world be like without without trees, plants and greenery?

Yeo Chee Kiong's work - A Day Without A Tree - paints the scenario from an inside-out view of the nature in the world we live in today building on the theme of 'forest'.

Not sure if the liquid to to reflect the rising sea levels and the melting ice caps but it sure turns the National Museum Rotunda into a personified body. With global warming, the architecture (even the foundation stones of the museum are melting) melts into a white body fluid.

It's neither liquid nor solid or so I think because I didn't touch it. But the purpose is to bring surprising and subverting psychological moments.

The perceived solids are liquefied, and the liquids are solidified.

I also caught a bunch of grapes floating somewhere. Intriguing.

Kleine See

2007-12-28T00:35:00.000+08:00

Kleine See is an exhibit by Takashi Kuribayashi.

Located at the National Museum, it seems to resonate with another piece I saw at Tanglin Camp during the Singapore Biennale last year.

His work is about border lines and transition zones. Hence, you get "in-between" when you peer at the seal and the water as you walk up the flight of steps leading you into the exhibit.

Because Singapore's a concrete jungle, Kuribayashi hopes to inspire a greater awareness of the real nature outside.

With the talk about global warming and climate change, this seems to send a message on conservation if you ask me.

This theme runs in another artwork A Day Without A Tree.

Besides the Point

2007-12-27T12:55:00.000+08:00

There's a new gallery in town. It is none other than the Wheelock Art Gallery.

You can literally walk into this one.

This one's titled "Besides the Point" by Ketna Patel. Her works are a blend of Art, Lifestyle, Marketing and Design.

Pointed things stand out in this artwork. But the wierd thing is what else is worth noticing "besides the point"?

Big slippers, a bed and a curvy couch stand out presumably to reflect the Lifestyle and Design themes of her work.

However, I think what the artist wants to draw attention to are the colourful prints on the items. It looks like a quilt of Singaporean-ness through the sign. Wonder what is with the "do not think" sign.

Singapore Design Festival 2007

2007-12-27T12:29:00.000+08:00

This is a long overdue post about the Singapore Design Festival.

Just like an accidental tourist, I chanced upon two of these exhibitions, well, by accident.

The first was a "design your adidas shoe" exhibit.

In collaboration with clothing label Flesh Imp, each adidas Superstar design was based on the theme "7 Sins".

These designs were unveiled at the Flesh Imp x adidas Sinful World Tour exhibition at The Heeren.

The next one was an exhibition on Swiss architecture titled Inventioneering Architecture.

The buildings are atop the green portion which is supposed to resemble a cross-section of the Swiss Alps.

The installation is an exploration of architecture, technology and design - all uniquely Swiss.

For more information, visit www.swisshouse.org.sg

Falling Into Things

2007-11-25T00:33:00.000+08:00

I was particularly impressed by the interactive portion of this artwork at the Esplanade. All throughout December, there will be little additions here and there.

As the wind blows, the pieces of coloured porcelain clang against each other in rhythm.

The artwork is done by Angie Seah and is about things that descend to form a pattern of rhythm and movement.

It would be interesting to turn this into a community project - where residents can add their own pieces of work to form a joint effort. Now, who said art and community bonding does not go together?

Exhibitionist

2007-10-29T00:50:00.000+08:00

I've been contemplating about having an art exhibition early next year. I have some stuff to display. But more on that another day.

Because of that, I've been opening my eyes and ears. And I have been inquisitive.

An ordinary shop at The Cathay thus caught my attention. It's a shop that does not sell anything.

As I walk closer, I see the walls being plastered with photographs. Hunks in denim to be precise. The exhibition writeup picture is my favourite among all the rest.

The models for this project are athletes - not all are famous ones. You can see sprinter U K Shyam. Some of them are my friends from army and SMU. It's a little wierd seeing them exposed.

Still contemplating whether or not to have something like this. If I really think out of the box, I would do something like organise a dialogue session in a shop. I don't think it has been done before. Wacky.

Singapore Arts Festival

2007-10-23T22:31:00.000+08:00

I miss flying in the air, up close and personal, with bursting fireworks dancing in the air.

Just some five months ago, I spent a whole four days rehearsing for my debut performance at the Singapore Arts Festival. I realised that I love performing. It's fun. And way, way up in the sky.

I used to dread rehearsals in the army. I digress. There is nothing that is really enjoyable in the army.

I used to think why we waste precious time doing the same thing over and over again. I was wrong. Rehearsing for the opening performance titled Dreams in Flight made me realise that the more I rehearsed, the more fluid I was at executing my moves.

So the Chinese saying ten minutes on stage is equivalent to ten years of practice off stage (or in the sky for that matter).

And of course the parties that followed - the free flow of beer, wine, alcohol. I love the arts. Visual arts or performing arts bring it on anytime.

To sum this off before I continue doing my project, I'll end with a quote.

No prizes for guessing which one of the above in the photo is me.

Until the Singapore Biennale 2008. Art rocks.

Batik overdose

2007-10-19T20:13:00.000+08:00

If you walk into the heart of SMU, you can find a large blob of greenery.

This plot of land is known as campus green.

The trees there have been having an overdose of batik. There's the orange batik.

And the yellow one.

I was trying to be artistic here and took this photo.

Lots of artpieces fill the SMU campus. It's only a matter of whether you stop to admire them.

Kids art

2007-10-15T01:06:00.000+08:00

A photo of a nice tree taken sometime back in SMU. It's done by primary school kids.

I like my school. That reminds me. I shall take some pictures about batik art soon.

Vespa in the city

2007-10-07T21:14:00.000+08:00

The last time there was a Vespa display in town was like so damn long ago.

But recently, some of them have been creeping out at The Cathay.

Some are just plain. The all-white one reminded me of the ruling party. Imagine a party member dressed in a all-white ensemble riding the all-white bike. Coolness.

There was however a blue one that I liked. Some bright and explosive designs on the left of the bike. Orangey like the sun's rays.

Not sure if these bikes are still there. I'll go check again this week.

Support for Myanmar

2007-10-05T18:36:00.001+08:00

Roses, notes and photos are not what you usually associate with pillars but for the past week, these items adorn a peace pillar by Myanmar students in Singapore Management University.

Initially designed as a peace pillar for the UN International Day of Peace, this pillar was modified to include notes of support for the innocent monks back in Myanmar who were suppressed by the military junta.

The pillar is named "The White Doves". The artwork on the initial pillar depicts a peaceful word - one without weapons and propaganda. At the lower portion are weapons shrouded in fire while the top portion has outstretched hands from people of various nations. The pillar was designed by 22 students from Myanmar.

Something new

2007-10-05T18:24:00.001+08:00

Here's something new dedicated to art in Singapore.

Art has started to flourish in Singapore and more so the young. I'm pretty much interested in art these days - visual, sculptures, paintings (a little bit) and installation art.

My closest encounter with art so far was during the Singapore Biennale last year. Now that school's just a stone's throw away from the art galleries at the National Museum and the Singapore Art Museum, it makes it easier to fall in love with art.

This blog is titled "artblock" and there are two meanings to it. First, artblock can mean simply "art block". Similar to writer's block, this is sort of like an artist's block. Secondly, artblock is also what I call the art paper in the form of a block. So viola, this blog is born.

I'll be slowly trying to blog about my encounters with art here.

It's getting exciting.