Of Statues and Sculptures

There are not many outdoor statues in Singapore. For some reason, the aesthetics of having an outdoor installation does not appeal to the Singaporean architect, or building owner. There have been a couple of impactful installations, no less than a Henry Moore for example, outside the large bank plazas in town. I also recall Ng Eng Teong's Mother and Child sculpture outside Plaza Singapura, but it is now re-located elsewhere. After this earlier effort of 'sculpture-on-the-plaza', there wasn't much follow-up in other parts of Singapore. I wonder why. Is it too expensive to commission and install? Are there no sculptor-artists in Singapore? Does Singapore's weather pose a problem in maintenance? Some years back, a few schools have in fact installed centre pieces in their school grounds. I don't think it's done so much nowadays. Perhaps MOE views this as an extravagance, or has Brother McNally's influence been diluted?

In any case, I'm pleasantly delighted to see no less than 3 installations at the new Peranakan Museum, previously the Asian Civilisation Museum (ACM), twice over previously Tao Nan School. This piece, shown in the picture, is entitled A Visit to the Museum: Taking the Past Forward. It is, I think, a statement of hope on educating our young on the past so as to better prepare them for the future.

There is also a whimsical small piece, fondly called The ACM Cat, done in memory of the cat that adopted this building and became the museum's mascot. I also discovered accidentally the stature of a woman waving from the balcony. The photo is too dark to see, but she's there in one of the windows.

Across the road at the Singapore Art Museum, I read, in the inscription, that this installation was once meant to be a temporary exhibition ( at the National Museum of Singapore - I used to see it as I travelled along Stamford Road), but because it was so popular with Singaporeans, funds were raised to purchase it for permanent installation. Now that's one side of Singapore that one doesn't often see.

Once you develop an awareness of art, you'd notice that your sensibilities will correspondingly be sharpened. There are a few more pieces at the Botanical Gardens commissioned by David Marshall as his gift to Singaporeans. Although I'm there every week, it's only recently that I really take notice of them. What I meant is I know they are there, but that is all there is about it. A few days ago, I was moved enough to pause and take pictures. Enjoy! Better yet, go visit and discover more of the juxtaposition of man's and natures works within the same space.