The theme was easily understood, but would have been interesting if we could know who was the curator or curatorial team. (Maybe I missed it but I couldn't dig out the information or the entire SAM curatorial team?) The presentation of the works was ordered very well, but I disagree with certain aspects in which the works are presented and laid out. And as usual for most art things, the exhibition was not that well organised and the way to view the works wasn't easily apparent, especially if we want to appreciate the curatorial take on the exhibition. To quote a phrase from Mayo Martin's article, "Many of the works on display will be familiar to regular museum-goers, but combined, you get a fresh perspective." So it's important to get hold of the exhibition guide, either in print at the museum or download it from the museum website, here.
First you start at the entrance, where we see... Heman Chong's Forer Effect! Next you move to the lobby area to view the Honey Sticks by Ye ShuFang, that's if you aren't distracted and drawn away by Twardzik Ching Chor Leng's Real Estate and miss it completely. Hate these exhibitions where a little bit is here and a little bit is there and you aren't too sure to which exhibition the works in the common areas belong. The learning galleries and Koh Seow Chuan Gallery had their own exhibitions too, although these were self contained in the galleries, but some of the works of this exhibition (ie the The Artist Village, Gary Ross Pastrana, Nipan Oranniwesna and Torlarp Larpjareonsook) was in a small level 2 exhibition room on the left of the chapel, whereas most works were nicely signposted to go to the special exhibitions gallery. So leaving you to think of the Forer effect, the honey sticks, the level 2 room and Ho Tzu Nyen's Cloud of Unknowing in the Chapel aren't part of the exhibition.
Next you move on to the first level of the special exhibitions gallery. The most interesting works would be Ian's Woo's drawing/painting of Lot. Not truly a drawing, as he painted with graphite pigment mixed in water. Great selection of this piece into the exhibition, seen alone these won't be some of his best works though.
Ian Woo's Lot Paintings
On the second level, the meat seems to be here, spend some time here to enjoy the art works. The better ones, would be without having to say Jane Lee's Status. An impressive 4.2m x5.37m x1.44m work which was a site specific installation and I guess they tore down and reinstalled the wall ala Banksy works. Impressed by the art work and impressed by the art movers having to store and move the work. One problem was that the art work was too big for the room, it was on the length-wise wall and had the breadth-wise depth to look at the art which I felt was too near. But I guess this was the best place to put it in this old building which wasn't purpose built as an art museum, rather my dad's old school. Must talk about the lighting, the lightning systems in the entire exhibition was perfect. The lightning was brilliant, not only the spot lights on the art but the overall ambient lighting to the room. The lighting was 'sick'.
Jane Lee's Status
Also on Level 2 were other good works like Alan Oei's Huang Wei's pieces. The picture of the girl with pearl earrings and the ghostly ones where the paintings were 'varnished' with resin. Really nice and an unusual take on paintings. But more importantly is the concept behind it. (Huang wei -The end of history).
Alan Oei's Huang Wei Series
Natee Utarit's the Birth of Tragedy, a large 2mx7.2m Triptych. Love his painting which was done in the old western / renaissance / allegorical style.
Annie Cabigting's On the shelf, on the shelf ( after Michael Craig-Martin) was excellent, because it was an oil painting which looked like a drawing but is a painting of Michael Craig-Martin's on the shelf which was an installation which is a 3-D, structural / spatial object. And further it is placed on a similar shelf and draws the observer deeper into the question.
The third floor, I finally managed to view Ang Song Ming's 'You and I'. It was an interesting body of work that ran from 2009 -2012, where he asked people to send him a letter about themselves and he would send them back a mixtape of songs which he thought represented them. (you should check out his Backwards Bach and Be true to your school, which weren't at this exhibition though).
Ang Song Ming's You & I
Anyway if you missed the small level 2 room, no big deal, maybe that's why they put it there.
If you have time you can always check out Ho Tzu Nyen's Cloud of Unknowing which shows in the Chapel. Runs from 12pm - 6pm, last show 5.30pm. (Passed the video art 1 minute test - a test where you give the video art 1 minute, amd if it can't hold your attention after 1 minute you can sort of give up). Watched it in its entirety because the young enthusiastic volunteers / docents were raving about the smoke.
So please do catch this show. You have no excuse to say no time because the exhibition runs till April 2015 (1 year!).
Now that the Singapore Art Museum is a company limited under the visual arts cluster and no longer under National Heritage Board, they really need to perform and good luck to Susie Lingham. But if this exhibition is a beacon of things to come, then we and those interested in contemporary and emerging artists will been having a lot of fun!
Points for collectors: Good works. Get to see what the Museum thinks and likes. Get to see better works, many of which never see light of day from their temperature and humidity controlled vaults. Good guide if you're new to collecting and unsure how to select emerging artists.
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