In an Instant: Polaroid At the Intersection of Art and Technology

I recently met up with a good friend whose boyfriend was very into polaroids. I always had the impression that polaroids were the same as instaxes but had this misconception roundly thrown into the bin. He showed us his polaroid cameras (and how to use them) and they were fascinating.

To learn more about polaroids, we headed to the National Museum. It costs $12.50 for adults (Singapore citizens and PRs)- more price categories available at the link above.

1. Edwin Land- Scientist, Inventor, Visionary

The first part of the exhibition introduced Edwin Land, an American scientist and inventor, who is best known as the co-founder of the Polaroid Corporation.

As to how the Polaroid came about, the story goes that he was on vacation with his family in Santa Fe, when he took along his camera to take a few pictures. His 3-year-old daughter asked, "Why can't I see the picture now?" And that was the inspiration behind Land's invention.

You would also come across the Polaroid Cinema: The Fishbowl Experiment.

When you first enter the room, you will see that the screen is white. However, once you put on a pair of Polaroid sunglasses, the images on the screen magically appear. The Fishbowl is a short movie about how Edwin Land fine tunes his invention, the polarizing filter.

2. Polaroid: Art and Technology at Play

Besides exhibiting a range of Polaroid cameras (and some prototypes as well), you will also get to see Polaroid artworks produced during the height of the Polaroid's popularity.

3. The New Instant

The last part of the exhibition is where the curator tries to tie in the Polaroid theme with something relatable- that of the experience of Singapore social influencers navigating through this digital world of instant feeds, uploads and hashtags.

Thoughts about the exhibition 

While the premise of the exhibition is interesting, I felt that it did not live up to its full potential. Granted that there were polaroids taken by superstars like Andy Warhol, I didn't feel like I got much information out of most of the polaroids.

While the last part of the exhibition involves interviews with social influencers, I felt that the link was rather tenuous. Yes, I see the link between the two- the instantaneous factor. But I wished the interviews could be with people who had a closer connection to Polaroids.

At the end of the exhibition, you can go into a photobooth where you get to take pictures with Polaroid sunglasses and send these pictures to your email. You can also get a physical picture taken at a token sum. If you are interested in the Polaroid eyewear or wish to buy a book about Polaroids, they are also available at the museum shop.

In an Instant: Polaroid at the Intersection of Art and Technology 
National Museum of Singapore
93 Stamford Road
Singapore 178897 

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Journey to Infinity: Escher's World of Wonder

When I was in primary school, I used to receive emails from friends on optical illusions and I remember being intrigued by these. So, when I saw a newspaper writeup on the exhibition, Journey to Infinity: Escher's World of Wonder, I decided to visit the exhibition. 

There are several exhibition themes: Early Works: Art Nouveau and Nature, Tessellation, Metamorphosis, Commercial Works, Exploring Infinity and Escher Mania. 

I wasn't too interested in Escher's early works, but things got more interesting as we walked through the exhibition. 

I am not sure whether they still have tessellation in the primary school mathematics syllabus but that used to be one of the rare areas in mathematics that I found fun. This exhibition is of course a lot more high level. 

Credit: Marina Bay Sands

If you thought that Escher stopped at mere tessellations, you couldn't be more wrong because he decided to level up again by morphing his tessellation. In this part of the exhibition, the tessellation morphs from one object to another. I was trying to figure it out at the beginning and it became clearer as I walked on. 

Credit: Marina Bay Sands

Escher also created a number of drawings with impossible objects. In other words, structures which may seem plausible, but upon closer inspection turned out to be impossible to create. I spent some time look at Ascending and Descending. He must have had quite a brilliant brain to figure these. 

Credit: Marina Bay Sands

Of course, there are bound to be people inspired by such art. And one of my favourites was Donald Duck by Hans Kuiper. 

Credit: Marina Bay Sands

Art Science Museum, being Art Science Museum, wouldn't forget about "interaction", the buzzword for museums nowadays. Besides The Relativity Room and Tessellation Puzzle Activity, there are tables and chairs situated at some spots of the exhibition for some DIY activities. For example, you can punch holes into some strips of paper with music notes and slip it through a small device and music will be generated. 

An interesting exhibition if you are into tessellations and impossible objects. 

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The Little Red Brick (Past Forward: Hearts & Craft Exhibition)

I belong to a generation where there were no iPhones or iPads when we were growing up. Play time sometimes consisted of stacking lego bricks in various colours. It is therefore always amazing how lego enthusiasts can build beautiful structures out of these bricks. 

Until 28 August 2015, you can catch this exhibition (The Little Red Brick Show) at the National Library. 

There are depictions of scenes which are beyond my time. Take for example, the samsui women. Samsui women are the group of Chinese immigrants who came to Singapore between 1920s and 1940s to search for construction and industrial jobs.

There is also this scene of the new enlistees being sent off at the old Central Manpower Base at Dempsey Hill, Tanglin Barracks. Nowadays, the sending off is at Pulau Tekong. The venue might have changed but the tearful farewells remain. 

We used to have these funky orange and white striped bus stops. Didn't seem that long ago though! I also remember that some buses did not have air-con (and were thus cheaper) and you had to calculate your fare before pressing the button on the machine and holding on to that precious piece of paper dispensed from the machine until you alighted.

Singapore has a lot of interesting architecture if you bother to look around. This is at Koon Seng Road, where there is a row of colourful houses.

These hello kitties were particularly memorable. These were the millennium hello kitties 15 years ago which caused lines to snake around the McDonald's in Singapore. There may have been many other designs since then but these astronaut hello kitties left the deepest impression.

For a walk down memory lane, this is an interesting exhibition which highlights tidbits of information relating to Singapore in an easy to understand fashion. 

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China Mania!: The Global Passion for Porcelain @ Asian Civilisations Museum

Has it already been 3 years since I last visited this museum? The last time I came here, the museum had the exhibition on Terracotta Warriors which I thoroughly enjoyed. We were in the area deciding what to do when our legs brought us here. Free admission for Singapore Citizens and PRs. 

The main thing we really took away from this exhibition was how porcelain was being exported around the world, how Chinese porcelain inspired competition (read: imitation) and how the distinct influences from different countries are apparent from the design of the porcelain.

Porcelain is made with a clay rich in silicates, called kaolin. When Marco Polo saw porcelain being made in China, he called it porcellana (Italian for a type of white seashell).

During the reign of the Ming emperor, overseas trade was banned and exports of porcelain dropped. Potters from Thailand and Vietnam then started making their own porcelain.

Kendi is a pouring vessel with a spout on the side, without a handle.

Kendi in the shapes of animals were mass-produced. Animals such as elephants, cockerels, phoenixes, and ducks were considered auspicious emblems.

The exhibition text was in English only. Click here to select your Gallery Guides, in English, Chinese Malay or Tamil.

The interactivity level of this exhibition was low but that was fine. If you are interested in porcelain or just want to visit a museum for free, make a trip here!

Asian Civilisations Museum
1 Empress Place
Singapore 179555

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Singapore Biennale 2013: If the World Changed

After much procrastination, I have finally managed to drag my lazy self down to the Singapore Biennale before it ends on 16 February 2014. Entrance fee is $10 for adults (free admission for many categories- e.g. students / NSF etc.)

Here are some of my favourites at the Singapore Biennale 2013.

1) Most meaningful 

I really liked Telok Blangah by Ahmad Abu Bakar. It features a fisherman's boat filled with a thousand glass bottles with messages from male prison inmates in Singapore, describing their hopes and aspirations. Many of these messages were touching- they express their longing for their families, their regrets and their resolve to take the right path after being released. You can write to one of them, in response to their message, to provide some hope and encouragement. 

2) Most cheem 

Sometimes, artworks can be described in such abstract and complex ways. For this installation, there is a huge puddle of chinese ink. According to the description of this installation by Nguyen Huy An, it is meant to portray the fact that beneath the illustrious and rich Chinese culture, there are secrets and corruption. Beats me how he actually thought about this, but his thought process is pretty interesting (even if the exhibit itself was not particularly interesting). 

Credit: Singapore Biennale 

3) Most interesting

Let me put this straight- I absolutely loved this installation so much that I actually laughed. The foreigner next to me must be thinking what was so funny about this. A video installation by Boo Junfeng, he imagines a Singapore that is still part of Malaysia. I didn't know about this, but it appears there was a song "Happy And Free" which was commissioned in 1963 to commission this merger. You can't miss this installation! 

4) Most controversial 

At the National Museum, there is the installation where the work comprises of chandeliers. The work by Ken Yonetani and Julia Yonetani was conceived in response to the nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011. The chandelier frames have been refitted with uranium glass and UV lighting and the UV bulbs cause the glass beads to glow in green. What's so controversial about this? Visitors have complained that no signs have been put up to caution against the radiation. 

5) Most playful 

Art does not have to be heavy going- Irwan Ahmett and Tita Salina will tell you that. In this series of videos, the artists (and/or pranksters) show how they bring play into everyday life- for example, placing a squeaky toy beneath the pavements so that it squeaks when pedestrians walk past, or making a massive ball using food wrappers. 

Conclusion

Overall, I would say that 2-3 hours will be sufficient to cover the Singapore Art Museum + SAM at 8Q. The bulk of the exhibits/installations are there. If you have nothing over the weekend, make a trip down! 

Click here for website. 

Tickets on sale:

Singapore Art Museum, SAM at 8Q, National Museum of Singapore, Peranakan Museum and Sistic. 

Validity of tickets:

Visit the SAM and SAM at 8Q on the same day. Venues at National Museum and Peranakan Museum can be accessed on a different day. 

Guide book?

A Short Guide will be provided upon the purchase of a ticket. 

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Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal

"In the future, everyone will be world-famous for fifteen minutes."

We were greeted by this particular interview the moment we stepped foot into the exhibition. You've got to give it to Andy Warhol who has an endearing eccentricity about him.

I found this an exhibition quite informative without being boring. You get to see the works of Andy Warhol, an American artist who was a leading figure in an art movement known as pop art. In his native city, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, there is The Andy Warhol Museum which holds a permanent collection of his works.

Here are a few aspects I found interesting at the exhibition.

1) Silk screening- Campbell Soup to Marilyn Monroe 
The process of silk screening can be viewed at the free gallery. Over here, you get to see the process of silkscreening from a programme screened on the TV. The famous Campbell's Soup cans and portraits of Marilyn Monroe were among Warhol's first silkscreen productions.

Different colours make her expression appear different.

2) Time Capsule 
Whatever pre-conceived ideas you may have of how a time capsule looks like, here are Warhol's time capsules. To understand it and know what's contained in it, here's a useful article.

photo credit: warhol.org

3) Silver Clouds
Little dreamy inflated balloons over your head. These silver clouds were part of Warhol's collaboration with a scientist. The story goes that Warhol asked Billy Kluver if he could make a floating light bulb for him and they decided to use a material called Scotchpak by 3M which is apparently used by the army to wrap sandwiches. There's a photobooth here where you can take some props provided and take pictures in there but I found it a little redundant.

4) Free exhibition
There are lots of things that I haven't mentioned, but in any case, I think I should mention that you should visit the free exhibition on the other floor as well! It's more child-friendly (and for the child in all of us) because there are activities like making your own Warhol's glasses!

If you are bringing along a child, the free gallery might actually suit your needs better because it's more contained and has some activities to occupy your children. However, if your interest is piqued as to what exactly Warhol has done, go for the exhibition! Click here for the admission rates.

Andy Warhol: 15 Minutes Eternal 
17 March 2012 to 21 October 2012
Art Science Museum
10 Bayfront Avenue
Tel: +65 6688 8826

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Harry Potter: The Exhibition

I was in primary school when I picked up my first Harry Potter book. That coincided with the first time I visited Borders, which is sadly now closed for good. More than a decade since my first Harry Potter book, I was excited when I heard that Harry Potter: The Exhibition was coming to Singapore.

Summing the exhibition up in one sentence: Watching a book or watching a movie is better than looking at inanimate objects. 

CAUTION: SPOILERS AHEAD

Before entering the exhibition, you have to line up to take a picture with a scarf on, and you may choose to purchase the photographs later on at the souvenir shop.

As usual, photographs and videos are strictly prohibited, so the next few images are taken off their website.

It started off, looking promising, where a very articulate girl invited people to try the sorting hat. She also asked the volunteer what he/she wanted to be sorted into. Honestly, will anybody say anything other than Gryffindor? After this, you get guided into a room with multiple screens and watch several excerpts of the Harry Potter movies. The curtain rises and you will end up at the main exhibition.


The more interesting things in the museum were probably the Baby Mandrakes and the Quidditch section. Here, you can uproot the mandrakes and they will start screaming. Another is the Quidditch section where you throw the Quaffles into hoops. Being the extreme sports-idiot that I am, I was dwarfed in skills by the 5-year-old-looking kid next to me. 

Courtesy of Warner Bros

Other stuff included the costumes and sets used on the movie. One example is that of Hagrid's Hut where you can sit on his big chair but that's about it.

Courtesy of Warner Bros

The general feel I got from this exhibition is that it is very flat, in the sense that it lacks motion. Compared to the Titanic exhibition, I spent considerably lesser time here. Also, the exhibition sorely lacks information (e.g. trivia that Harry Potter fans will be interested in). The souvenir shop was interesting, but overpriced.


Click here for the ticket prices. We wanted to pay $24 for the all-access pass which comprised of a ticket to both the Harry Potter Exhibition and 15 Minutes Eternal at the ticketing counter. Strange enough, we got directed to the Coke counter where we were told that if we bought 6 cans of coke ($4 each), we would get a free access-pass to the exhibitions. I'm not sure when the promotion lasts till though.

If you are having two minds of whether to go for the exhibition, the following video might help you. It's precisely what you will see in the exhibition! 4 minutes of video time and you can decide whether to go for the exhibition!

If you really want to catch the Harry Potter exhibition, just pay $4 more to get access to Andy Warhol's exhibition because we actually felt that it was more worth it this way!

Harry Potter: The Exhibition
2 June to 30 September 2012
Art Science Museum 
10 Bayfront Avenue 
Tel: +65 6688 8826

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Free admission to NHB Museums in August

Ever wanted to go to a museum, but didn't want to part with a few dollars? August is the month you can have your cake and eat it too.

For the whole month of August, admission to the permanent galleries and selected exhibitions at the NHB museums will be free for Singaporeans and PRs. On National Day (9 August 2012) and Hari Raya Puasa (19 August 2012), all visitors will enjoy free admission to all exhibitions and galleries.

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Singapore Garden Festival 2012

The Singapore Garden Festival is an event that I never miss. For its vibrancy, its tranquility and its creativity. This is the fourth time I'm visiting the festival since 2006 and once again, it lives up to expectations.

At the Entrance

There are several highlights in this show, spanning two floors. Fourth floor is where there are tonnes of orchids and where the marketplace is, whereas sixth floor is where many of the themed gardens are. 

Here are some of my favourite exhibits.

Garden of Tales by Damian Tang

Time and time again, I never fail to be impressed by the fact that even with the space constraints in Singapore, it is possible to create a green oasis within your own little space. I was really intrigued by these little baubles but the toilet bowl one seems pretty impossible. Other exhibits also give some inspiration on ways to create greenery on your balcony.

The Ferris wheel also seems to be a perennial theme. I somehow remember seeing a ferris wheel exhibit the last round too! 

For bonasai lovers, you'll be in for a treat! I have no idea how bonsais are judged but I love the fact that they are so immaculately trimmed and shows the meticulous nature of the green hands at work. 

One of the more interesting exhibits was by AVA. It shows you where your food comes from! From huai shan (a chinese herb), to potato, to rice, to oats- you can see the base ingredients of a lot of food that we consume. How often is it that you see rice plants? 

If you happen to be seeking some inspiration for your wedding dress, you might want to consider this (although I'm not sure of its lifespan). 

Beyond White, Zita Elze

I think it's not an understatement to say that there are many thought-provoking pieces throughout the exhibition. It's not about flowers, flowers, everywhere. But it also involves an exploration into the creator's mind as well as trying to interpret the exhibition via your own lenses.

Incredible Lightness of Being, Per Benjamin

There was an exhibit with all the famous landmarks in the world and presumably the flowers that grow in the country. A pity the tulips at the windmill (Holland) looked kind of sad, probably because they have been there for quite a few days. My friend commented that it looked as though some fat kid fell into the bed of flowers. But otherwise, it was an interesting exhibit. 

If you are interested in getting your hands on some plants or other plant-related things, be sure to go to the marketplace. Although the orchids were labelled chocolate smell, I couldn't smell anything!

There are several multimedia exhibits that you should catch, including Upturned Splendour, Eliam Eng which incorporates light, music and water fountains (plays every 10 minutes). The Kaleidoscope is also pretty neat. And although I didn't really feature any of the orchids in this post, but that doesn't mean that it isn't beautiful! Don't miss them!

Entrance fees are also reasonable and affordable. What are you waiting for? 

• Passion Card Holder- 20% off
• Holders of NTUC, SAFRA, Home TeamNS and Civil Service Club cards- 15% off
• Staff of Suntec Singapore- 15% off
• Staff and guests at Conrad Centennial Singapore, Pan Pacific Singapore, Mandarin Singapore, Mandarin Oriental and Ritz Carlton Millenia- 15% off 

Singapore Garden Festival

7 July to 15 July 2012

Suntec Convention Centre

10am - 10pm 

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Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition

I belonged to the era where Titanic was being screened for the first time in 1997. This is about all I remember of the movie.

So, when I saw that Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition was coming to Singapore, I knew I couldn't miss this exhibition.

Here's a promotional video.
p.s. Since photography is not allowed in the museum, I would be leeching from different sources, but due credit will be given. Kindly inform me if you would like the pictures to be taken down.  



These are a few highlights of the exhibition.

1) Passenger ticket 
Before you enter the exhibition, the people at the door will hand you a ticket of a real passenger who boarded Titanic. Towards the end of the exhibition, you will check from a board whether the person survived the sinking of Titanic. Mine was Miss Jean Gertrude Hippach, who was travelling Europe with her mother trying to recover from the loss of two brothers in the Chicago Iroquois Theater fire.

2) Disparity between different classes
The disparity between different classes was a very prominent theme throughout the exhibition. For example, there were reconstructions of parts of the ship. These included the first class and third class rooms. I obviously would have belonged to the third class rooms in modern era- this is the kind of rooms I stayed in hostels while touring USA!

(photo credit: Science Museum of Minnesota)

(photo credit: The Travel Editor)

3) Construction of the Titanic 
The construction of the Titanic is the first thing you see when you enter the museum. Honestly, not that interesting for me. It's not as if I'm interested in building a ship or anything. But if anything this place shows you, it's the incredible dreams that people from a century ago harbour and the hope they have for a better future. Many actually believed that the Titanic was unsinkable. This is Captain Edward Smith, who unfortunately perished.

(photo credit: Premier Exhibitions Inc)

4) Artifacts
Here is where stories of people, people who were once on board the Titanic, come alive. The ones who wanted to start life anew, the ones who wanted to make it big in another land etc. Perfume bottles, necklaces, socks are all part of the stories left behind. Just read on wallstreetjournal a few days ago that the owner of the artifacts is putting the vast collection up for auction.

(photo credit: Associated Press)

--
I have covered very brief stuff about the exhibition in this blog post, otherwise it won't be fun when you go there yourself! Many people have described this exhibition as "haunting". More than that, if you think deeper, you will observe many societal norms from these facts- differences in treatment between first and third class passengers, women and children allowed to leave the boat first etc. Are these justified? It also narrates interweaving stories of ambition, love and heroism.

Click here for admission charges, OCBC card 20% off. If possible, go when it's less crowded (i.e. weekday mornings/afternoons), otherwise you will be jostling with the crowd to read the fine print describing everything. I would have preferred for admission charge to be cheaper, but I suppose it's also partly due to the fact that I have been too spoilt by the free National Heritage Board museum visits for students to the other museums, including the National Museum and Singapore Art Museum!

Just to round off this post, the person whose ticket I'm holding survived the sinking!


Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition 
Art Science Museum

10 Bayfront Avenue
Tel: +65 6688 8826

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