Master Street Painter at work

While I was at the National Museum of Singapore, I had the privilege to see Kurt Wenner, a Master Street Painter, at work.

In conjunction with the National Museum's Opening Festival, Kurt Wenner has been invited "to create an original anamorphic drawing, live, at the National Museum."

It was an interesting experience to see an artist at work. Having taken art lessons in the past myself, I must say that Kurt Wenner has very good technique. I love the way he handled the pastels so proficiently. It reminded me to consider taking some time to return to sketching. I haven't been sketching for quite a long time, but I must say that sketching is very therapeutic.

Kurt Wenner has a website: http://www.kurtwenner.com/

While seeing him in action, I secretly wish that one day I can become wealthy enough to commission him to do some artworks for me.

Meantime, he will be at the National Museum of Singapore till 19 Dec 2006, so do check out. Details can be found here.


Edit: Veron has a wonderful post on Kurt Wenner at the National Museum, check out her post: Kurt Wenner at the National Museum
Edit2: Do check out Viv & Chewie's post too: Kurt Wenner - google eye extraordinaire

Amozozo

Walking in a maze with glowing mysterious-looking lights, I could not help but awe at how Architects of Air conceptualised and constructed Amozozo.

Amozozo was a temporary installation at the National Museum of Singapore held in conjuction with the museum's Opening Festival.

I took the following photo of the site where Amozozo stood at the grounds of the museum at about 1.30 p.m. on 10 Dec 2006. The structure would only resume its original intended form in the evening, so at 1.30 p.m., all I could see of it was plain plastic materials lying on the ground.



According to this website: http://www.architects-of-air.com/, Amozozo is a luminaria sculpture "made up of over 60 triangular domes which create a wandering path similar to the experience of the bazaar. Where the paths meet, there is mosque-like dome".

Please pardon me of my ignorance, that was probably the first time that I have encountered a work by the Architects of Air. I have not seen any kind of installation like Amozozo before, so out of curiosity, I joined the long queue outside the structure of Amozozo. At about 6 p.m. the structure had already rose to its original intended form.

The long queue outside Amozozo. Notice its triple dome structure.
In the foreground is the installation Seeds by Han Sai Por.

It took me at least half-an-hour of waiting before I could enter Amozozo, but it was worthwhile. Although the experience wasn't the most perfect because I didn't enjoy being in an enclosed place with children who make loud sounds, it was still quite impressive to wonder at how the entire structure was conceptualised and realised. My feelings told me that it must have required of the artist a considerable amount of engineering knowledge in order to realise the concepts behind this structure.

I felt as if I was walking in a winding maze, with beautiful luminous lights. Occasionally, I would see people sitting themselves down at some corners of the structure, enjoying the tactile sensation of leaning against the air-filled structure. I tried to do so myself, but I found myself being quite cautious about not leaning too heavily against it, lest I might poke a hole in it unintentionally.

People sitting down to chat away and laze about at one corner of the structure.

After I exited from the structure, I took a look at the Amozozo from the outside. Against the backdrop of the evening skies, the structure seemed to be radiating light.

A thought also came to my mind that the National Museum of Singapore may be trying to position itself as an interactive museum where history and the present interact seamlessly with one another. Afterall, it isn't wrong to reason that we are who we are today because of our past. Perhaps my recent experience with Amozozo may have an effect on my experiences and perspective in the future?







After taking a last look at the external structure of Amozozo from a distance, I bid farewell to the museum for the evening.

There will be more events coming up at the National Museum of Singapore this December. Please check out http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/openingfestival for more details.

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Also see:
National Museum of Singapore Opening Festival
Architects of Air
http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/openingfestival/event_temp_exhibit_amozozo.html

Hydromania, at National Museum of Singapore

On 2 Dec 2006, after a delightful dinner with one of my good friends, we proceeded for the National Museum of Singapore.

At about 7.30 p.m., my friend and I each found ourselves a spot to sit down on the grass area surrounding the museum's Stamford Entrance. What were we doing there? We were waiting for Hydromania, by Avanti Dislay to start at 8 p.m.

My friend did not have much idea what she would be watching so I suppose I must be thankful that she was brave and obliging enough to trust me and my recommendation. She told me she does not usually find herself sitting down on the grass to watch a performance whose contents she has no idea of.

At 7.30 p.m., there was not much of a crowd as yet, but by 8 p.m., I could see a large pull of crowd surrounding the Stamford Entrance.

Before I start writing about the performance, I shall wind the time back to a few hours before the performance.

It was about three hours before the performance, I could see several men setting up for the performance. Since the performance involved the use of water, it was no surprise that I saw hoses containing water. I also saw men on the roof-top of the museum. I wondered how the performance would be later the evening, but I had a feeling that my friend would find it refreshing.










Turning the time to 7.45 p.m., my friend and I decided that we shall take photographs of the grass! There is something special about the grass. I could not tell what makes it special but it looked like good quality grass. In addition, the soil that the grass grew on didn't seem to be mud-clay. It was fairly dry, clean and well-maintained.

I love the thought of sitting on clean grass to catch a performance. Somehow, doing so reminds me of the times when I was visiting United Kingdoms. Sitting on grass is quite a norm there since the grass in UK is quite clean to sit on. On the other hand, I could hardly remember any area of grass in Singapore that feels dry and clean enough for one to sit with ease on. Maybe, I have found that area of grass on 2 Dec 2006?


I shall give the credits to my friend for coming up with the concept for this photograph: grass, shoe, drink and bums.









While waiting, we could not help but while our time by taking photographs of the museum's building. Maybe that was our way of enjoying the simple pleasures of life?

This photo was taken by my friend.

At 8.05 p.m., we took this photograph and the camera's lenses were pointed towards the direction of the empty stage.

I did not like the singing item at the start of the performance. However, the performance by Avanti Display proved itself to be a humourous, original and refreshing performance.





I was so enticed with the performance that I decided I shall just simply watch the performance and not take too many photographs. As such, my apologies that I would not have any photograph of the The Spurting Man in action.











It turned out that my friend enjoyed the performance too. I supposed that she wasn't alone.

If you have missed Hydromania, there are many other of activities and events. For more information, do check out: http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/openingfestival/

2 Dec 2006: At the National Museum of Singapore

I have been waiting for about three years for the exhibition galleries of the National Museum of Singapore at Stamford Room to open its doors. Soon, my wait will be over.

Actually, several sections of the museum have been opened to members of the public some time ago, but I am waiting to view the Singapore History Gallery. I read that there will be a section on the ancient history of Singapore and I look forward to it.

Meantime, from 2 to 31 Dec 2006, a series of activities will be held at the National Museum of Singapore to mark its opening. More details of the National Museum of Singapore's Opening Festival can be found here: http://www.nationalmuseum.sg/openingfestival/

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On 2 Dec 2006, I count my blessings that I was able to be there to check out the museum in the afternoon. It turned out to be a trip that has evoked feelings of nostalgia for me.




The very building that houses the National Museum of Singapore used to house the Singapore History Museum a few years ago before the building underwent major renovations. I could still remember how the building had looked like several years ago.

Other than the Singapore Art Museum, the MPH building and the National Library that used to stand along Stamford Road, the Singapore History Museum was one of my favourite hang-outs during the years when I was a Junior-College student and an undergraduate. If I would like a place to pass my time back then, these would be the places that would come readily to my mind.




As I walked towards the side door that you see in the photo above, I recalled that the area outside the door used to be a courtyard several years ago. However, there were fences surrounding the perimeter of the courtyard back then. Reflecting, I would prefer the open-concept that the museum now adopts. The museum now has less fences, and if there were fences, those were quite discrete. I think the open-concept will help make the museum a more inviting place for everyone to visit.





I have a special liking for the Rotunda Dome of the museum. I love it when I see sunlight shining through the stained glass, lending the museum a nice and warm ambience. There is a history behind the stained glass of the Rotunda Dome as best as I can recall. Correct me if I were to be wrong, the fifty pieces of stained glass were meant to mark the Jubilee Year of Her Majesty Queen Victoria.







The staircase that you see above also brought me memories. I remember when I was a young child, it took me quite a bit of effort to climb those stairs. Anyway, there was a delight to climb those stairs because doing so would make me feel like a Very Important Person since the stairs were covered with red carpet.





I remember the semi-circular structure in the photo above. There used to be seats placed near the structure and I would rest my feet there whenever my feet became tired from walking about the museum.

When I was there at the museum on 2 Dec 2006, I managed to catch glimpses of the roving performance by Cocoloco. The acoustics of the area where they had given their performance wasn't quite made for performances like theirs, and I had quite a bit of difficulties making out what they were saying with all the background noises around me. Otherwise, I found the performance quite amusing.




One of the fascinating part of my visit yesterday was to walk through the Glass Passage. This feature is new to the museum, but I found it a delightful addition. It allows visitors to admire the exterior of the Dome from within the museum itself. I would like to quote something from the museum's website on the Glass Passage: "The Glass Passage conveys the experience of viewing the old building in an art gallery setting".

What an ingenious concept!




As I walked about the museum, I could not help but peer through the windows to catch a glance of the neo-classical design of the building.





In the photo below, you would see a spiral narrow stairway. It reminded me of the adventures that I had taken while I was on the museum's night tours several years ago. I must have been on it at least thrice. My favourite part of the night tour was when participants were allowed to walk up to the roof-top of the museum via the narrow stairway. I didn't exactly like the chilling stories that were told during the night tours, but those stories certainly gave me a different experience of the museum. I shall keep my fingers crossed that the museum would organise similar night tours again.




Not all the galleries were ready on 2 Dec 2006, but I managed to get a chance to walk into two of the galleries. I went into two of the Singapore Living Galleries, namely: Film & Wayang, and Fashion.

Glove puppets

One of the multimedia presentations

To enhance the visitor's experience, multimedia is used appropriately to share with the visitors how life had been in the past. I enjoyed watching a multimedia presentation on the changing roles of women in Singapore.


After viewing the Singapore Living Galleries, I walked down to the ground level. I took a photo of the scene below. It just somehow reminded me of the gallery that I would usually start with when I used to visit the Singapore History Museum with friends.





Other than the Glass Passage, there are several new additions to the museum building. I like the Concourse which links the old section of the building with the new wings of the building.




The new sections of the building appeared to inject new elements to the museum, but I was too much in a world of nostalgia to be able to fully appreciate the new elements as yet. Nevertheless, it won't kill to take photographs of the new sections of the museum. Perhaps in time to come, I would form a kind of emotional attachment to the new sections of the museum as well?

The Glass Rotunda and the escalators leading to The Canyon

I did not get to walk into the Glass Rotunda on 2 Dec 2006, but I hope to get a chance to walk into it soon. I read from the museum's website that the Glass Rotunda was designed as a modern interpretation of the Rotunda Dome. I hope that there would be a guided tour soon that would lend me some insights to the architecture and design of the Glass Rotunda.

Escalators leading to the Atelier

Climb these stairs to go to the Atelier

View from the Atelier

View from Fort Canning Park

In order to relive the good old memories, I went walking back to the older wings of the museum building. I have a positive feeling that the museum will attract people from all walks of life to visit it and to re-experience history and heritage.













I shall visit the National Museum of Singapore again. Actually, I went back to the museum on the evening of 2 Dec 2006 to catch Hydromania with one of my good friends.

Meantime, may I invite readers of this post to share with me your memories and experiences with the National Museum of Singapore? I look forward to read about these. Thanks in advance.

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The official website of the National Museum of Singapore is as follow for those who would like to find out more: http://www.nationalmuseum.sg