A pair of taxidermy, their dark feathers absorbing the dim lighting around them, perched on a ledge. A plate heaped with a serving of food placed gleaming before them. A wall of framed photographs behind them, and a clutter of items teeming on a shelf.
These are scenes and just a small selection of sights at “The Bizarre Honour,” a cutting-edge art exhibit aimed at piquing visitors’ curiosity and skills of imagination and invention. The exhibit itself is a collection of seemingly unconnected items from various artists’ personal belongings. Visitors are paired off and sent to explore the space by themselves, without any intervention from docents or pesky placards telling them what, exactly, they are looking at. This lack of context is important for visitors to develop their own explanations and connections, which is the intention of the exhibit itself. The only lifeline that visitors are thrown are an arcane binder with a little bit of information thrown in.
Another facet of the exhibit is that visitors can view it in any order they choose.There isn’t an order the exhibit is intended to be viewed in, unlike other highly curated situations. This is also meant to help visitors create their own stories about the objects contained within the exhibit, and it is entirely possible that multiple visits and walk-throughs could reveal different contexts. One special part of art is that no matter what the artist creates, viewers add another dimension to the masterpiece. Since everyone comes from different backgrounds and life experiences, they all bring different understandings to the viewing of the artwork. Even if the artist created a piece with a specific purpose or meaning in mind, if the viewer has a different interpretation, it is just as valid as the artist’s. In that way, art can be seen through a variety of different lenses, and can encompass life and bridge divides.
“The Bizarre Honour” simply takes this idea to the extreme. The organizer of the show enjoyed this unique experience, too, since they are usually responsible for taking participants on walking tours of public art around Singapore. Without a specific path to walk, this special exhibit becomes even more unique in its ability to put art directly in the power of participants.
Give context to your own life by examining it through the lens of art. Visit SGArtClass.com today to browse the many art classes you can enroll in to jumpstart a passion and appreciation for the arts. Take anything from classes on found art to collage art or oil painting. There is an art class for every single interest. Teachers who lead the classes can either meet you in the convenience of your own home or at a common location, depending on your schedule. Classes are completely flexible, and you have the power to dictate the kinds of projects you work on, according to what you’re interested in.
To read more about “The Bizarre Honour” exhibit, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/real-artefacts-fictional-narrative.