National Gallery Singapore boasts the biggest and most important collection of Southeast Asian art in the entire world. A collection that size, while impressive, is surely a little daunting, especially for first-time visitors to the museum. That’s why it’s ingenious for curators at the facility to organize a show that focuses on the gems and hidden stories of that very special collection.
More than one hundred works will be on display with contexts that will reveal stories that have as of yet been untold about the museum’s collection. The show will also weave a narration about the ever-changing collection the museum has amassed and understood over the course of the two years it has been opened. Due to feedback from visitors and critics, the collection at the museum has been displayed in different ways, seeking to appeal to both repeat visitors and people who have not yet enjoyed the items on display there.
It’s a difficult job to sift through nearly 8,000 individual artworks and boil it down to an essential 100-piece show. The history of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art is so rich that curators have struggled to distill it, trying to ensure visitors are connecting to the art on display. It tells a history of the region while celebrating art. One intriguing facet of the seven-part exhibit will include photography, which is often overlooked as an art form in many major museums.
One of the paintings that will be on display as a part of the exhibit is a renowned family portrait by artist Georgette Chen. A five-member family sits, each engaged in an activity. The bespectacled mother is reading a newspaper, while the father reads the articles over her shoulder. The eldest daughter knits, while the youngest daughter is engrossed in a book, her bare feet kicking up in the air. The young son is seated on the floor, immersed in playing a game that involves a bow and arrow — along with a traditional headdress. In the portrait, each of the members of the family have their own personality ranging from pensive to happy and even a little mischievous, especially when it comes to the three children.
Find your place in art and history by visiting SGArtClass.com today. SGArtClass.com essentially functions as a one-stop shopping website for all things art. Browse a selection of educational art articles covering all the various genres of art, or shop a curated collection of deeply discounted art supplies for finishing your next projects. One of the best parts of SGArtClass.com, however, is the vast variety of art classes you can easily enroll in. From figure drawing to portrait painting, mural painting to assemblage art, miniature painting to nail art, there is an art class for every creative passion.
To read more about the National Gallery Singapore exhibit that will be featuring key gems from the Southeast Asian collection, go to http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/3030879/recollect-the-making-of-our-art-collection-at-national.