Newsletter. towards the NUS Baba House project. We are delighted

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1 Newsletter I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : P A T R O N O F H E R I T A G E A W A R D S O B J E C T S & D E S I R E C H I N E S E B R U S H T E C H N I Q U E S W O R K S H O P E X G I B I T I O N A R Y P R A C T I C E S I N S I N G A P O R E A R T A P P R E C I A T I O N W O R K S H O P W O R K S H O P O N S E T T I N G U P A N E X H I B I T I O N Ms Agnes Tan (left) and Mr Wee Lin (right) receiving their awards from Dr Lee Boon Yang, Minister of Information, Communications and the Arts on 3 April 2007 P A T R O N O F H E R I T A G E A W A R D S S N A P S H O T S 5-6 A D V I S O R S Christine Khor Ahmad Mashadi E D I T O R Foo Su Ling C O N T R I B U T O R S Foo Su Ling Joleen Loh Wang Zineng L A Y O U T Preeti Samudra To honour individuals and corporations whose generous donations have shaped Singapore s cultural and heritage landscapes, the National Heritage Board launched the Patron of Heritage Awards in There were six categories: Distinguished Patron of Heritage; Patron of Heritage; Partner of Heritage; Friend of Heritage; Distinguished Supporter of Heritage and Supporter of Heritage. NUS Museum nominated Ms Agnes Tan and Mr Wee Lin for their contributions towards the NUS Baba House project. We are delighted that both nominations were successful. Ms Tan was awarded Distinguished Patron of Heritage, the highest honour and shared with only three others. She donated $4 million to NUS for the acquisition and restoration of the Baba House. This contribution was made in memory of her late father Tun Tan Cheng Lock, a respected business leader and founder of the Malaysian Chinese Association. Ms Tan feels that the Per- anakan culture is a unique aspect of Singapore s heritage and hopes that the Baba House will inspire present and future generations towards awareness and ownership of their culture. Mr Wee Lin, who lived in the house since he was a child, donated the furniture which will allow the house setting to be recreated. He will also assist in the curating efforts. For his contributions, Mr Wee received the Friend of Heritage award. NUS Museum, University Cultural Centre, National University of Singapore, 50 Kent Ridge Crescent Singapore Tel: ; museum@nus.edu.sg; URL:

2 Page 2 O B J E C T S & D E S I R E Foo Su Ling Household objects a broom, umbrella, knife, bottle of cologne leaning against one wall; barely noticeable pencil markings on another; a fridge in the middle, balancing precariously on a brick; and kopitiam ( kopi = coffee and tiam = shop ) chairs fused like Siamese twins. Such was the scene that confronted me at the Objects & Desire exhibition. I stared in despair at the displays. Is the exhibition setup complete? What could I tell visitors during guided tours? As it turned out, quite a bit To appreciate the exhibition, it helps to be briefly acquainted with the genre called conceptual art. CFA Deputy Director Yeow Ju Li showing a guest the artwork Recent Memories, a collaboration between Mauricio Alejo and KR-50 Restaurant & Bar. The colour of the edible jelly is derived from the Butterfly Pea flower, commonly used by Peranakans as food-colouring. Curator Karen Lim explained that at the beginning of the 20 th Century artists started exploring the use of common, everyday objects as a means of expression. Building on this idea of experimentation, NUS Museum invited eight international artists to create works inspired by their encounters with the Peranakan culture. Leaning consisted of items loaned to Mauricio Alejo from the homes of Peranakans. Taken out of context, they appear merely as a hodgepodge of objects. Examined in the light of this exhibition, however, this assortment reflects an aspect of the Peranakan culture - a hybrid of largely Chinese and Malay elements but also encompassing features that may be Portuguese, British and Dutch. Bettina Johae specializes in miniature works. The lines on Mapping Project trace her journeys on foot in a few Peranakan enclaves of Singapore, with each panel representing a day of her trip. These minute maps and her other series of equally small photos compel visitors to move closer and in doing so, they discover the detail and delicacy of her creations. (continued on next page) German architect and artist Bettina Johae preparing the wall for Mapping Project. Guests examining the Mapping Project by Bettina Johae. Very impressive, very educational, an eye opening experience ~Visitor Excellent! Impressed by the creativity of artworks displayed ~Visitor Mauricio Alejo describing his artwork Leaning. Kebaya Workshop with Victoria Cattoni, 3 Mar 07 Visitors from Asia Pacific Association for International Education enjoying the displays, 7 Mar 07

3 Page 3 (continued from previous page) And those co joined kopitiam chairs by Adrain Chua? The kopitiam of the past was a place to chill out, exchange anecdotes and engage in prevailing discourses. Objects in the kopitiam such as the wooden chairs, marble top tables and thickly potted cups and saucers have become icons; a glimpse of them invokes memories of the activities which occurred in these establishments, in particular the culture of interaction and spending time together. Located within this exhibition, the kopitiam chair is used to represent a prominent quality of Peranakans - their penchant for getting together with family and friends and the verve for socializing. By joining these chairs in twos and threes, the designer gives further emphasis to the basic idea of socializing, for it can only occur with two or more at the scene. Perplexing at a glance but fascinating upon scrutiny aptly describes Objects & Desire. Note: Other artists featured in the exhibition include Victoria Cattoni, Andrea Teo, Fal Allen, Choy Kah Fai and Khoo Eng Tat. Brew Appreciation and Food Pairing with Fal Allen, 10 Mar 07 Museum docent Dr Helen Reid showing guests one of the creations in designer Adrian Chua s Double Happiness Kopitiam Public Bench Series. Interactive Media Workshop, 17 Mar 07 C H I N E S E B R U S H T E C H N I Q U E S W O R K S H O P 3 M A R C H This workshop was held in conjunction with the exhibition Responding to the Divide David Kwo, the Artist. The instructor, Ms Chia Lay Yong, is an architect and art enthusiast who also volunteers at NUS Museum. Being a student, friend and support of the late David Kwo, she is familiar with his ideals as well as the brushstrokes styles he used. Chia gave the audience an introduction to the different brushstrokes used in Chinese painting and those Kwo commonly used. Chia Lay Yong displaying the brushstroke styles in Chinese Painting

4 Page 4 E X H I B I T I O N A R Y P R A C T I C E S I N S I N G A P O R E : C O N T E X T S, P R O C E S S E S A N D T R E N D S 1 7, 2 2 A N D 2 3 M A R C H Wang Zineng Exhibitionary Practices in Singapore: Contexts, Processes and Trends is a three-part seminar series initiated by NUS Museum as a platform to examine selected issues relating to museum and exhibitions in contemporary Singapore. Aspects of making exhibitions warrant critical examination and are in line with our institutional role as a university museum. Thus, the series was conceived to define and advance critical discourse in this direction. Some of the aspects outlined for examination included the roles and conditions shaping the work of various exhibiting institutions; the necessity of having certain kinds of exhibitions; the roles and responsibilities of professionals involved in making exhibitions; and how the practice of collecting is an important context to the making of an exhibition. Gathering 14 museum practitioners and collectors over four moderated seminar sessions, the series sought to articulate a range of interests and considerations curators, collectors and other museum practitioners retained concerning aspects of museology and exhibiting art and culture. From left, Ms Joanna Lee, Mr Teo Han Wue, Mr Tan Lai Huat, Ms Tan Huism and Mr Ben Fernandez addressing the topic of collecting art The series kicked off with the session Institutions, Exhibitionary Practices & Mega Exhibitions on 17 March when curators examined the conditions and roles shaping the exhibitionary practices of different art and cultural institutions in Singapore. The session also provided an opportunity for scrutinising the impact and issues arising out of two mega-exhibitions, the Singapore Biennale 2006 and Singapore s participation at the 52nd Venice Biennale. The session Collecting that followed on 22 March highlighted museums and galleries as cultural institutions founded upon practices of collecting and how collections develop exhibitionary value. Speakers discussed different motivations to collect, discussed shifts in meaning and value as objects move between cultural contexts, explained modes and values of appraisal, and reflected upon working with artists. The session Fundamentals of Museum Practices on 23 March ended the seminar series with a focus on museological professions and responsibilities. The speakers drew upon their work experiences Interacting with the speakers during Q&A and elaborated on a range of museum practices from the basic principles of collections care and management to the conceptual and practical tasks of preparing an exhibition. With the experience and insights gained through the series, the museum hopes to initiate similar platforms in the near future to articulate and examine issues and interests aligned to academic discourse and museum practices. We welcome ideas and collaborations. More information on the seminar series can be found at exhibition_practice.html. Wang Zineng, Class of 2007, NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and University Scholars Programme Seminar Panel Members: Institutions & Exhibitionary Prac- tices Moderator: Ahmad Mashadi Speakers: Bridget Tan, Eugene Tan, Jennifer Teo Mega-Exhibitions Moderator: Eugene Tan Speakers: Low Kee Hong and Lindy Poh Collecting Moderator: Joanna Lee Speakers: Tan Lai Huat, Ben Fernandes, Huism Tan, Teo Han Wue Fundamentals of Museum Prac- tices Moderator: Ahmad Mashadi Speakers: Low Sze Wee, Zuraidah Bte Ehsan, Lawrence Chin, Cindy Wong, Foo Su Ling

5 Page 5 A R T A P P R E C I A T I O N W O R K S H O P 23 & 24 January 2007 This workshop was held for a group of Secondary Three students from the Tanjong Katong Girls School. It involved seeing and talking about art, making art and creating an awareness of exhibition making. Students were introduced to two distinctly different types of exhibitions. Highlights of Southeast Asian Collection at NUS Museum featured modern and contemporary paintings and sculptures and illustrated how art could be seen in relation to social and historical developments in Singapore. The group trooped over to NUS University Hall for the other exhibition which featured photos, videos and artifacts collectively relating a comprehensive story on the development of the Nobel Prize. The practical session on woodblock cutting and printing received the best rating from participants. The students commented that it was hard work but satisfying as they managed to print their own T-shirts to take away. It was really fun and I enjoyed it immensely. I was really glad to learn something new. Tammana, student. Top: Hands-on woodblock cutting Bottom: Learning to see and talk about art W O R K S H O P O N S E T T I N G U P A N E X H I B I T I O N 6 Febuary 2007 As part of their midyear assessment in the humanities (English, Literature, History and Geography), Secondary One students from Boon Lay Secondary School worked in teams on the Amazing Museums project. Their brief was to research, design and produce an exhibition covering the changing social, economic and physical landscape of Singapore since the 1960s. Students visited a few museums to understand ideas on curatorial practices, display techniques and the exhibition organization. This learning journey gave them an appreciation of the exhibition process and facilitates their own planning and distribution of tasks. The projects were displayed during the school s Amazing Museum Night held in May this year at the Singapore Discovery Centre. I feel that it gave me more ideas on how to set up the exhibition and I think it will be useful for our exhibition. Audrey Wong, student. Students getting pointers on displaying sculptures S N A P S H O T S Seminar Series The Imponderables of War ongoing till May 07: Associate Profes- sor Chris Clark attracted a large crowd interested in whether air power is instru- mental in winning wars (28 Feb 07). Seminars were also held on 31 Jan, 15 Mar and 28 Mar. Visit by Ambassador of Chile Chilean Ambassador, Her Excellency Garciela Mercedes Fernandez Sobarzo, exploring Ng Eng Teng sculptures with Head of NUS Museum, Mr Ahmad Mashadi, 26 Jan 07

6 Page 6 S N A P S H O T S Kids Only! Art Workshop, 25 Mar 07 Children creating collages inspired by paint- ings of late artist David Kwo during workshop with Katja Raisanan South West CDC Ladies Synergy session, 10 Feb 07 Participants learning to make candles an interesting hobby and a means to supplement income. Museum Volunteer Dr Helen Reid addressing partici- pants of the 4 th Sino-Sin Undergraduate program, 14 Mar 07 Good layout and well annotated. Most enjoyable. Visitor. Exploring Asian Art, 24 Mar 07 Dr Sian Jay encouraging the audience to consider what defines Asian Art. It grabs people s attention and it shows the women working together in harmony. The drawings as well as the colours are also very nice Student com- menting on Pounding Rice by Lai Foong Moi. Singapore Art School s Talent Academy audition, 13 & 15 Mar 07 Fun with sculptures