The 5th edition of the Singapore Biennale,”An Atlas of Mirrors”, opened last week. Running until 26 February 2017, this year’s edition features works by 63 artists and art collectives from 19 countries and territories across Southeast Asia, East and South Asia that have a strong element of history in them. Curated around nine sub-themes the works are being displayed across eight locations with the Singapore Art Museum and SAM at 8Q as anchor venues. More information on the programmes, venues, artwork and ticketing can be found at the Singapore Biennale 2016’s website.
The Great East Indiaman by David Chan on the National Museum of Singapore’s front lawn.
Giving art a finger – Lim Soo Ngee’s Inscription of the Island.
A selection of installations
Titarubi – History Repeats Itself at SAM. Featuring robes of gold coated nutmegs, it recalls the legacy of colonial conquest. to facilitate the control of the valuable trade in a spice said to have been worth its weight in gold.
At SAM, the dreams of a Shaman’s wife. Tcheu Siong, a Hmong shaman’s wife has her dreams reinterpreted as ‘story’ clothes in which one finds the spirits she sees in her dreams, represented by the lanky figures alongside representations of mountains, humans and animals.
Also presented alongside are History, the works of Tcheu Siong’s husband, Phasao Lao.
Paracosmos by Harumi Yukutake at the SAM.
Rubbish by Kentaro Hiroki, which features recreated items of rubbish picked by the artist.. On display at both SAM and 8Q.
Rubbish attrracting a crowd at SAM.
Another view of Inscription of the Island, by Lim Soo Ngee.
Freakily leeky – Chia Chuyia’s Knitting the Future at 8Q. The artist knits leeks to create a body length garment over a five week period. Leeks, as a food item, hold significance to the Teochew community to which the artist belongs.
Knitting the Future.
Rathin Barman’s Home, and a Home, inspired by the experiences of the migrant Bangladeshi community in Singapore.
Melissa Tan and her If you can dream a better world you can make a better world or perhaps travel between them.
Music boxes – which feature impressions made by physical features are part of the installation.
The Great East Indiaman features a recreation of the whale skeleton that once hung inside the National Museum of Singapore in wood.
Filed under: Art, Contemporary, Events, Museums, National Museum of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore Art Museum
