Category Archives for "Blog"

0 Government, arts organizations in Singapore push for more art inclusiveness

No matter who or where you are, the art world is always a place to grow and express yourself. Now, the Singaporean government and a handful of organizations in the country are pushing for the art world to grow itself and become more inclusive of artists and audiences of all different types of backgrounds and experiences.

For people with disabilities, the art world has always been a special place. Everyone from people with depression and other mental illnesses to people with autism or disabilities like blindness or deafness can find common ground in art — whether it’s from expressing their own feelings on canvas or paper or experiencing art that helps them come to understandings about their various conditions. Singapore and other nations have been making strides to include considerations for the disabled in the art world, including offering, among other things, sign language interpretation of performances for deaf audience members. Now, though, a renewed push is encouraging the art world to broaden its horizons and include new viewpoints and aspects to exhibits and events.

Recent festivals and performances in Singapore have prominently featured disabled artists. In one theater performance, it wasn’t until after the show was over that audience members learned the director and star of the production was deaf. The artist said that move was intentional — he wanted people to appreciate his art before realizing that he was disabled. Another dance performance challenged audience members’ very definition of what dance was — one performer danced in a wheelchair, while another had Down syndrome. Still another singer, who is deaf, signs songs during her performances rather than singing, offering audiences a multi-sensory experience.

For the differently abled community, art can offer more than an outlet for emotions and experiences or a bridge to help people understand one another. Art can also help bolster finances for someone who might have trouble holding a job in a different industry. There are several art organizations and collectives in Singapore that help sell art by disabled artists, providing a much-needed income stream to them.

While there are already a good number of efforts underway to make the art world in Singapore more inclusive for disabled artists and disabled visitors, there is always more that can be done. Event organizers can keep in mind programming that will appeal to and include many different people, remembering that bringing together people from different walks of life can help enrich the experience for everyone involved.

Delve into the art world by enrolling in an art class. Visit SGArtClass.com to browse the many classes available to take. Whether you’re interested in portrait painting or 3-D sculpture, decorative painting or assemblage art, figure drawing or comic drawing, there is sure to be an art class that will interest you and help you learn new skills to use for the rest of your life.

To read more about entities coming together to encourage greater participation from artists of all abilities and backgrounds in Singapore, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/arts-embraces-all.

0 Singapore Art Museum halts CEO search

Following a long search for new leadership, figures at the Singapore Art Museum have decided to suspend the hunt for a CEO for the facility. Instead, a variety of staff at the museum, which is under a major facelift, will answer to the board of directors. Since the head position for the facility has been vacant for so long, officials decided that the board will be sufficient leadership for the foreseeable future.

Critics say that a CEO of an art museum is a highly visible position, and without a physical individual to fill that position, a void will be present. Such leaders are usually responsible for fundraising efforts for museums, along with shaping and influencing the creative direction of their respective facilities. If potential donors don’t have a face to match with a facility, or a person they think they can reach out to, museums without CEOs might stand to lose essential funds to support their efforts in the community.

However, if the Singapore Art Museum is successful in its bid to survive and thrive without a traditional CEO position filled, perhaps other museums and art organizations in Singapore and throughout the world could take notes. It might be time to rethink leadership at such facilities from the top down, addressing whether museums should run like businesses, which do staff CEO positions. Is there a more effective way to successfully lead museums? Only time — and Singapore Art Museum’s example — will tell.

One position the Singapore Art Museum did fill was a director for its curatorial, programming, and publication efforts. June Yap will head the operations for the museum in this capacity, answering directly to the board of directors. Yap’s appointment to the position will enable other museum staff members to oversee other operational considerations for the museum. Though the CEO position at Singapore Art Museum will remain vacant for the time being, it will be business as usual at the museum, which has, thus far, run smoothly without the leadership position filled. As the facility is experiencing a revamping of its image that will last over the next four years, it is also still sponsoring art events and exhibitions at the portions of the facility that remain open. That means families and visitors to Singapore can still anticipate enjoying all the various offerings Singapore Art Museum has to give them.

Bring more art into your life by visiting SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a comprehensive website that hosts everything from heavily discounted art supplies to informational art articles. As its name suggests, SGArtClass.com is also the best way to connect with professional art teachers leading a wide variety of classes. Whether you’re interested in learning how to paint with oil on canvas or plan out a mural project, take your nail polish to the next level with nail art lessons or practice sustainability with recycled art, there will be an art class that will pique your interests.

To read more about Singapore Art Museum’s new hire and leadership model, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/sam-ends-search-for-new-director-ceo.

0 National Gallery Singapore to host prestigious international art conference

Singapore, and National Gallery Singapore, will be the site of an important international art conference this November. Representatives from over sixty different countries of the world will gather in Singapore to discuss the role of art museums in the current global political climate. As more and more leading nations of the world are making leadership decisions that represent a shift in populist nationalism, museum leaderships are struggling to find their place in the current environment.

In focus particularly at this year’s conference will be how museums around the world conduct public outreach and event planning, especially in context of the political climate. Museums are in a unique position to conduct curation and programming in response to a variety of different issues. Instead of browbeating or taking sides, special events and exhibitions can serve as jumping points to begin or continue conversations both within communities and outside of them on the larger global scale.

Singapore will play a special role in this year’s conference, especially since leaders will be gathering at National Gallery Singapore. Art from Southeast Asia will find itself in the spotlight because of National Gallery Singapore’s large collection, and international museum leaders will get a special chance to learn about what makes art in this particular region so essential. In addition to getting an opportunity to tour the collections within National Gallery Singapore, museum leaders will also venture outside the walls of the facility to see Singaporean art in other locations around the nation, including additional museums, galleries, art collectives, and schools.

The conference features a number of speakers and presentations of studies by a variety of art professionals representing numerous art institutions and nations. There are also events scheduled prior to and following the conference itself that include tours in Vietnam and Indonesia to give visitors a broader taste of Southeast Asian art. Overall, these art and museum leaders have a wonderful opportunity to expand their understandings of art around the world and how they can make the greatest impact possible on the public that comes to visit their facilities. Now more than ever, it is important for entities in art and culture to step up and assert the importance of broadening horizons and continuing to learn about new experiences.

Make your mark on the art world by enrolling in an art class via SGArtClass.com. Even with your busy schedule, the classes and opportunities at SGArtClass.com are flexible and easy to fit in your day. Professional art teachers can work with you to even meet in the comfort and convenience of your own home, on your own time. You can even sign up for online-only classes, ensuring that you can stop and start your instruction at any time or take it anywhere — as long as you have an internet connection. Don’t hesitate — visit SGArtClass.com today to see the possibilities.

To learn more about the conference and how Singapore will play an important role, go to http://www.e-flux.com/announcements/147839/cimam-2017-annual-conference/.

0 October will see GIF art festival in Singapore

Everyone loves GIFs, those often-funny, always mesmerizing looped bits of video art. They are accessible, often offer biting commentary on a host of topics, and are easy to send, receive, and view. Now, Singapore is planning to organize an art festival completely devoted to GIFs, and you only have to wait until October to see it at the art destination of Gillman Barracks.

Organizers of the GIF Festival have already sent out an open call for all artists interested in making GIFs to be on display during the event. The GIFs themselves will be presented in a number of different ways, including oversized projects and immersive exhibit opportunities. Organizers said they are particularly interested in getting younger generations of digital artists involved in the show. This event will be the perfect bridge between digitally minded young people and artistically focused older generations.

Organizers also hope to bring greater visibility to art that is based in the digital, multimedia, and modern world. It is easy to visit an art museum to see paintings hung on the walls in fancy frames. But it is more difficult to recognize that art comes in many forms and fashions. Even the labels on food can be classified as art if approached from the right direction. GIFs are new media art, and it is important to explore how to showcase this kind of art to different audiences. It helps, too, that GIFs are so entertaining. Organizing a platform and place to see them is a sure way to get an engaged audience who will enjoy themselves immensely at the festival.

This festival also comes at a timely moment. GIFs themselves are turning thirty this year. This year, people on all social media and texting apps can easily access them to send to their friends and post to their accounts thanks to searchable databases. There is truly no time like the present for artists of all ages to expand their portfolios by participating in this GIF Festival. Artists can make the GIFs as meaningful or hilarious as they like. They have the chance to learn new skills about sequential design, which is what GIFs rely on to exist, as well as software skills they can carry with them for the rest of their artistic careers.

Art can be found in the most unexpected of places. You can find it in galleries and on museum walls, sure, but you can also find it in books, on signs, in the shape of your smartphone, and many more places. Continue finding all the ways art shapes your life by visiting SGArtClass.com. At SGArtClass.com, you can browse informational art articles, shop discounted art supplies, and choose which of dozens of art classes you would like to enroll in. Whether you’re interested in digital art, modern art, assemblage art, or more, you can easily connect with an expert instructor and start your art journey today.

To read more about the upcoming GIF art festival, go to http://www.todayonline.com/entertainment/first-gif-festival-singapore-take-place-october.

0 Instagram personalities tour Singapore art museums

Instascram, a personality on popular photo-sharing social media site Instagram, has been traveling all around Singapore via motorcycle, as is the habit, and in the latest installation of her fun-loving show, visits highly photogenic art museums throughout the nation. The focus besides the art museums is the hashtag — or theme — of outfit of the day. Abbreviated to #ootd for classification purposes on Instagram, users who employ this hashtag look to feature high-fashion outfits. The trick is, of course, to make them stand out with thoughtful and stunning backgrounds. That’s where Singapore’s iconic art museums come into play.

Instascram’s first stop was at Singapore’s oldest museum, the National Museum, which was established at the end of the 19th century. It is one of the best places to get a dose of Singaporean history, along with being the site of lots of current art festivals. Visitors can get a guided tour every day in the afternoon with a museum expert, meaning that they’ll get even more context on all of the exhibits. An added bonus is that all Singaporeans and permanent residents get to enjoy the museum for completely free. What better excuse to dress up your social media photoshoots than to have a free opportunity to visit the historic museum? Many newlyweds also take advantage of the facility’s beautiful white walls to have gorgeous wedding photoshoots.

Instascram’s second stop was to the iconic National Gallery Singapore. Though the museum itself is just two years old, it is actually constructed from two of Singapore’s most important historical buildings — city hall and the supreme court. When architects and designers decided to join those two buildings, they created an artistic spectacle that went well beyond the art hanging on the gallery walls inside. Suspended glass walkways and a large sculpture resembling a tree are just part of the ultra modern look of the physical buildings themselves. The present truly meets the past, and with all of the rich art history within, you’ll be sure to find the perfect place to have your picture taken.

Celebrate how gorgeous art can be by signing up to learn new art skills today. Visit SGArtClass.com to browse the many art classes you can enroll in. From digital photography classes to lessons on oil painting, there is sure to be a class for every creative interest. It doesn’t matter if you already have some artistic background knowledge or if you’ve never done much else besides doodle in the margins of your notebooks during class. Expert teachers with experience teaching students of all ages and abilities will be on hand to make sure you can master the skills you need to complete the projects you’re passionate about. Art classes would also be great with a group of friends, staying in and socializing while learning new skills that can benefit you for the rest of your life.

To read more about the tours and view the videos the Instagram personalities made, go to http://www.asiaone.com/singapore/instascram-goghs-museums-singapore.

0 Popular Singaporean graphic artist leads successful display

Singaporean graphic artist Sonny Liew, who is best known and most lauded for his award-winning graphic novel “The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye,” showed audiences a new dimension to his art and performance recently. The artist, along with the help of a director, told a new story called “Becoming Graphic” to a live audience, drawing completely in silence. Audience members witnessed the story take shape via cameras focused on Liew’s workspace that projected the figures and dialogue onto the wall. Completely focused on completing his art efficiently, quickly, and accurately, Liew didn’t speak throughout the performance, instead relying on a series of voice over recordings made previously and the voice work of another actress. What took place was reminiscent of radio performance of yore, where families gathered around a radio to listen to a story unfold, performed by voice actors. This particular showing, however, had the obvious and beneficial twist of Liew’s live drawing.

The gist of the story examined people’s fear of aging, along with stereotypes and misconceptions younger generations have about their predecessors. Of course, there is a lot more going on than just that. There is actually a play within a play, plus semi-autobiographical material, as well as four storylines. If not for the careful input of Liew’s director, one reviewer predicted that the stories were in danger of getting tangled and mushy.

Still, Liew’s hard work shines brilliantly throughout the performance. He truly has a poetic way with words, able to boil them down succinctly, and watching him work during the performance is mesmerizing. The presentation itself is completely innovative, told in interviews with Liew’s loved ones played over the sound system, as well as a group of people making sound effects to bring Liew’s drawings to life. There were also speech bubbles deployed with words that had a great effect on propelling the story forward or making commentary on the things the audience was witnessing.

While the art and presentation of the show was beautiful, some of the themes were not. There was a sense of hopelessness present, especially as the audience learned Liew wished to purchase a house for his aging mother even as she shamed him for having adult magazines in the house, as well as dreaming up cures for his ill father.

Performance art is just one facet of the art world. There are many ways to find your space in the creative world. You just have to know where to look. Visit SGArtClass.com to begin browsing all the multiple art classes you can enroll in. Whether you’re interested in video art, comic drawing, acrylic painting, nail art, or another genre, there is sure to be a class suited for your interests. Professional teachers will be on hand to help guide you through a curriculum that will ensure you learn the skills necessary to complete projects you’re passionate about.

To read more about Sonny Liew’s sketching session, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/stripping-down-to-hard-truths.

0 Some recent Singapore art displays a hit for kids

An exhibit in one of the Singapore Art Museum’s still open buildings during the facility’s complete revamping is a surprising hit with children, proving that, aware of it or not, there are multiple art showings throughout Singapore that are actually kid friendly.

This particular exhibit, titled “Another Island,” is perhaps a hit with children because to fully enjoy it, visitors must get on their hands and knees to examine the installation. The installation, at first glance, looks like nothing — an empty room, the wooden floor dimpled in places. But once viewers take their shoes off and climb onto the wooden floor, sounds of a peaceful Singapore encourage them to take a closer look. Because each of the dimples in the wood floor are actually tiny, tear-dropped shapes that encase an entire photo of a different portion of Singapore. Once viewers get close to examine these photos, sound emanates from the floor — ambient noise from that location, as well as interviews with people talking about why that spot is important to their lives.

This is just one of many in a long line of kid-friendly art exhibits by Singaporean artists and shown by Singaporean museums and galleries.

The Singapore Art Museum is famous for its annual Imaginarium exhibit, which includes a number of interactive installations tailored toward younger art aficionados. Children are encouraged to explore and touch the art in these exhibits, broadening their understanding of the world. Artists are encouraged and inspired to create meaningful and fun exhibits that will encourage children and families to continue the art conversation once they’re back home.

Inside the Singapore Art Museum’s Imaginarium exhibit, one artist stood out in an understated way. He constructed tiny installation art exhibits throughout the facility with mushrooms and questions designed to make busy viewers delay their commutes for just a little bit and think.

Other interactive exhibits were designed to pique curiosity and elicit participation from viewers of all ages. One installation included teepees and hanging art begging to be touched, while another featured a vehicle with markers participants could control and draw with — provided they could work together or wrest control from other participants not on the premises controlling the vehicle remotely through an app.

Art is accessible, available, and amazing for people of all ages. You can enroll both your child and yourself in an art class through SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a website that hosts informative art articles, deeply discounted art supplies, and a plethora of different art classes you can sign up for. Whether you’re interested in installation art, watercolor painting, or fashion drawing, there is an art class designed to ignite your curiosity. Art teachers are available and are experienced with teaching art students of all ages and abilities, meaning you and your child will get the proper instruction necessary to grow as artists and individuals.

To read more about the kid-friendly art offerings in Singapore, go to http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/art/30323329.

0 National Gallery Singapore launches digital outreach

National Gallery Singapore is adding a completely new dimension to several of its long-term and permanent exhibits — digital.

Now, any visitor who visits National Gallery Singapore can use either an app on their smartphone or an app on a table that staffers at the front desk can loan out free of charge to explore a response three Singaporean artists have developed as a part of a commission from the facility. The response deals with different aspects of the museum space and treats viewers to an entirely new experience based on the exhibits they’re already used to seeing.

The first of the commissions deals with a fascination with tigers. While many of the colonial visitors to Singapore were fascinated by the tigers, this artist was fascinated instead by the fascination of tigers. Viewable only in the sections of National Gallery Singapore that feature the colonial era tiger paintings, the digital facet of the exhibit features a number of videos exploring tigers and their various representations in art.

The second of the commissions actually appropriates aspects of all the different works of arts from all eras represented in National Gallery Singapore. The artist made a Twitter account and has been posting poetic representations of each artwork that moves him in the form of tweets. The artist claims he will continue posting the tweets for the rest of his life, which is especially apt since the digital exhibit itself is titled “Past, Lives (Singapore, 1819-2015).”

The third commission is another video work based on a historic Malay weaver. The artist who is producing the video series was inspired by the empty, physical spaces inside National Gallery Singapore, which is constructed of the historic city hall and supreme court buildings. While paintings were still being hung inside the exhibit space, the artist filmed videos inside the National Gallery Singapore space, which itself was still a work of art in progress.

Organizers with National Gallery Singapore want to dispel the notion that this was just something they just thought of. Plans for this digital outreach have been in the works for three years, while wings were being designed based on Southeast Asia art. It all goes to show that National Gallery Singapore continues to place importance on the interactivity of all of its exhibits, no matter what era they’re from or how long they’ll be displayed within the space.

Art is for everyone. If you’ve always wanted to bring more art in your life but weren’t sure how to start, your first stop should be SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a website that makes it simple for potential art students to connect with their future art teachers. Whether you’re interested in taking a class on digital art, video art, word art, oil painting, or more, there is sure to be an art teacher with a class and curriculum that will ignite your creativity.

To read more about the digital outreach program at National Gallery Singapore, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/national-gallery-launches-digital-extension-to-long-term-exhibitions.

0 Meet five female Singaporean artists

A publication recently did an examination of perhaps the top five most important female artists you should make it your business to meet — or at least see their masterpieces.

The first artist, Han Sai Por, is the recipient of one of Singapore’s top artistic honors. She is perhaps most well known for her sculptural works, including an exhibit that was recently included as a part of the Singapore Biennale. Her preferred mediums include marble and granite, which are perfect to offset her preferred subject — nature. It is truly uncanny how she can take natural forms like seeds and leaves and flowers and translate them into stone without losing the smooth, natural shapes.

Jane Lee is another wonderful example of a highly successful and visible female Singaporean artist. Her work is traditionally paint, even if what she does with that paint is the opposite of traditional. She particularly likes to experiment with the physical process of creating a painting, layering the coats of paint on until her paintings take on 3-D form. Many of them, in addition to vibrant color and touchable presence, take on movement thanks to drips and holes the artist has carefully applied.

Suzann Victor is the only female Singaporean artist to have had her works displayed at the highly lauded Venice Biennale. Now, she mostly works in art installations that transport the viewer out of their lives and into her vision. Her perhaps most memorable work trafficked in rainbows during the Singapore Biennale in 2013, held at the National Museum of Singapore. Depending on who viewed them, from where, and when, the experience was always different.

Sarah Choo Jing is an artist who works in multiple disciplines. Her most recent work featured large videos projected along a gallery within National Gallery Singapore. The videos featured traditional dancers rehearsing in the alleys of historical Singaporean streets. The purpose was twofold — the dancers were working to preserve their preferred dance genres, and the artist was working to preserve those dances alongside the historic Singapore neighborhoods.

Dawn Ng is the last of the collection of female Singaporean artists, but that doesn’t diminish her importance. Her most memorable work was of a giant rabbit installed surreptitiously in different locations throughout Singapore. The installation series encouraged viewers to find the fantastical in the everyday and to never be bored with their surroundings — whether they’re commuting to work or traveling to a loved one’s house or simply just walking around. The giant rabbit was purchased by National Gallery Singapore, and Ng has recently enjoyed more success designing the stores for Hermes in Singapore.

Now is the time to find your own place in the art world. Visit SGArtClass.com to learn about art, purchase highly affordable art supplies, and enroll in multiple art classes based on your personal interests. Seasoned art teachers will help you complete art projects you’re most interested in.

To read more about the female Singaporean artists, go to http://www.mariefranceasia.com/culture/entertainment/asian-scene/singapore-female-artists-269513.html#item=1.

0 Singapore gallery hosts unique collection of artist’s works

A Singapore art gallery has unveiled a collection of a Singaporean artist’s works that will be part of a permanent display in the gallery. Artist Ng Eng Teng grew up and was educated in Singapore. His works take on the idea of the multiple forms humanity takes on. One of the most interesting features of his 2-D work is that there is always a diagonal line bisecting the work. Whether it’s a literal line or just the arrangement and composition of items in the artwork, it can be fun and interesting for viewers to try and suss out the diagonal line in each of his works. There will be multiple works in multiple mediums on display, including paint, aluminum, steel, stone, and cement. The artist is also known for his work in sculpture.

In one arrangement of paintings in the gallery, a series of human forms can be made out. In two smaller works, the figures could be drawn of ink or paint. But they represent all walks of life, all forms. There are natural bulges and hollowing typical of normal people instead of the airbrushed perfection of models. In another, faintly metallic painting, what could be female nude forms are emerging from the shadow — that fabled diagonal line of the artist, which in this case, appears to be just a slash of shade in a sunny locale. In another painting on the same wall, the diagonal line is actually a draping of curtain behind a plant, which is the central focus of what appears to be a painted still life. In front of this collection is a sculpture that looks like it was hewn from stone. It is bulbous, with a split in the middle, and two globe-shaped petals emerging from the split. It could be a flower on the cusp of blossoming.

In another part of the gallery, dual glass cases house a number of sculptural works from the artist, who was one of Singapore’s most prolific. From the offerings of this display, there is no question of that title. Everything from small figures and dishes to abstract circles and hoops and tree-like designs are on display here in every imaginable medium — metals to stone to wood and back again. Visitors can entertain themselves for hours at the display.

You can explore all kinds of different art genres by simply visiting SGArtClass.com. SGArtClass.com is a comprehensive website that hosts a number of different resources, including informative art articles, deeply discounted art supplies, and a host of different art classes you can easily enroll in. With how affordable and accessible the art classes are, you can easily sign up for multiple ones to satisfy your creative curiosity. Whether you sign up for 3-D sculpture, figure drawing, oil painting, assemblage art, or other classes, you will find your artistic passion.

To learn more about the show, as well as to see a slideshow previewing some of the masterpieces, go to http://sea.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/2437485/ng-eng-teng-111-at-net-gallery-singapore.