The question of what, exactly, makes something a work of art has plagued and delighted in equal parts everyone from the casual art observer to professionals who critique and analyze art for a living. It might be tough for visitors to art museums to accept abstract swaths of paint on canvas reminiscent of children’s doodles to fine art, or even a collection of everyday items arranged meaningfully, or even the famous toilet art that heralded Dadaism. However, discussing just how and in what context hard-to-understand pieces might serve important roles in the art world can benefit and expand the mind, and a special exhibit at the National Museum of Singapore is doing just that.
This museum is not well known for its art exhibits, entrusting that kind of work to institutions like National Gallery Singapore and other facilities in the country. However, a unique showing of classic contemporary artworks that have served as conversation pieces globally throughout history has the distinction of igniting conversation about art, its meaning, and human beings’ role in determining its importance.
Many of the masterpieces in this exhibit depend heavily on the viewer’s participation, drawing visitors in to an intrinsically interactive experience. One example of this is a more than 50-year-old work titled “Blue Sail.” This sculptural piece is simply a large square of cloth tied down at all four corners. A fan is turned on below it, in the middle, filling the cloth with air and making it ripple, take shape, and fly. It is up to the viewer to decide whether this is a worthy example of art. If there was no fan blowing in the middle, the fabric would simply hang down, suspended from the ties of each of the four corners. Would that be worthy of art, or is the fan the key portion of this work? “Blue Sail” relies on both its kinetic nature and the willingness of people to believe in it, providing the context it demands by imagining their own experiences with sails, fabric flapping in wind, and other memories.
Another highly interactive display is an installment experience called “Repulse Bay” after a popular Hong Kong beach. However, once the viewer descends a ladder into the installation, the experience is nothing like the beach. It is dark and cool, lit by blue lights, and contains only a few towels. The viewers themselves must complete this illusion, whether they decide to imagine a warm and cheery beach scene, or recall times when the weather or time of day at the beach was not so favorable.
Explore art in all of its various iterations by enrolling in an art class today. SGArtClass.com is a wonderful place to start your creative journey whether you’re interested in contemporary art, installation art, assemblage art, or any number of art classes. Expert teachers will provide you with the background and skills necessary to take your creativity to the next level.
To read more about the new exhibit, go to http://www.businesstimes.com.sg/lifestyle/arts/immaterial-world.
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