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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Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall 孙中山南洋纪念馆

Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall is a place you probably won't go unless you have either finished touring the rest of the more touristy attractions in Singapore and no longer have places to visit (is that even possible?) or you are particularly interested in the stories of Sun Yat Sen. 

Located in a serene premise, the villa is believed to be built by a businessman to house his mistress (debunked by the Asia Paranormal Investigators) and later used as headquarters for Sun Yat Sen's revolutionary activities to overthrow the Qing Dynasty. During the Japanese occupation, the villa was used as a communications hub by the Japanese. It was gazetted as a national monument in 1994 and reopened recently (October 2011) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution.

The memorial hall is very well maintained and there are two stories of exhibitions. On the day we went, there was an activity held for children, where the children were introduced to history in a fun and interactive manner (albeit with screaming and some running around).

The manner of the exhibition is diverse. It includes a collection of paintings, calligraphy works, a bronze mural depicting Singapore's history from the 1840s to the 1940s and videos explaining Sun Yat Sen's revolutionary work. Most of the exhibits are in English and Chinese.

When we visited, there was a temporary exhibition titled: The Nanyang Journey: Inspiring Generations of Esteemed Ladies. This is in line with Nanyang Girls' High School's 95th Anniversary. The founders of the school had played a significant role in the 1911 Revolution and old Nanyang girls told their stories in the videos. Please check here for current exhibitions.

I think this is one of the museums in Singapore that is easily overlooked because 1) it is not in town area 2) it has an extremely specialised theme. Despite this, I think that exhibition at the Memorial Hall was very informative and will be interesting for those who have vaguely heard about Sun Yat Sen, who are interested about Chinese history or who would like to see a different kind of museum.

Please click here for admission charges and availability of guided tours.

Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall 
12 Tai Gin Road
Singapore 327874
Opening Hours: 10 am to 5pm
Tuesday to Sunday (Closed on Monday) 

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