City respite of history, art, animals and a soothing bath
Updated: 2016-11-12 10:34
By Zhao Xu(China Daily)
|
||||||||
Local artists at Emily Hill. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
Opened on November 24, 2015, the gallery contains the world's largest public collection of Singaporean and Southeast Asian art. That is more than 8,000 pieces of artwork. It represents the latest effort by the Government to present the country as a place where art can take root and grow.
"The greatness of all great countries and cities resides, at least in part, in their ability to foster art, and to leave the world with a lasting artistic legacy," said Dr Liu Thai Ker, world-renowned architect-city planner known today as ""the father of Singapore's urban landscaping". Liu, who once served as head of the country's Housing Development Board and Urban Redevelopment Authority, attributes his keen sense of art, which he has applied to all areas of his work, to the influence of his late father, a local pioneer painter.
Speaking of local artists, one place to meet them is at Emily Hill, 11 Upper Wilkie Road. Originally a Jewish housing, the 130-year-old building, now on the conservation list, houses about 18 art groups by itself and its surrounding courtyard. One prominent figure is Sun Yu-Li, an artist who came to Singapore from Taiwan 35 years ago. Calling the culture his personally embodies "the duckweed culture", and Sun traced a lot of what he has done artistically to the mental and physical condition of an immigrant.
However, over the past few years Sun has gradually shifted his focus from self-expression to, in his own words, "helping others to express themselves". "Community arts-that's how we describe it," he has said. "We reach out to the wider communities, especially underprivileged people, including mentally and physically challenged members of the society."
In doing so, he and other participating artists have teamed up with Allan Lim, entrepreneur and founder of The Living! Project, which is dedicated to promoting community art by encouraging people to make art using recycled material.
"We worked with children and adults with autism in Singapore, Hong Kong and Lyon, France," Lim said. "In Hong Kong and Lyon we made The Wishing Tree with plastic bags. Tens of thousands of people came within days to view the display, make a wish and be impressed by the beauty of minds and hearts."
Their next stop will be Shanghai, where Singaporean artists will join their Shanghai counterparts for a celebration of art with a social mission.
Location: The National Gallery of Singapore, 1 Saint Andrew's Road
- Online shopping frenzy sparks trash concern
- Is it a thing? 10 odd jobs where you can make good money
- Message on a bottle: Mineral water company launches drive to find missing children
- Snow leopards caught on camera
- A foreigner's guide to Singles Day shopping spree
- China jails 49 for catastrophic Tianjin warehouse blasts
- Americans want to change presidential election system
- UK business calls for exclusive visa system for post-Brexit London
- Australia poised to sign refugee deal with United States: media
- Philippines' Duterte says he is against 2014 defense pact with US
- S.Africa wants to work with US in promoting peace: Zuma
- Trump's victory on global pages
- Alibaba breaks sales record on Singles Day
- Ten photos from around China: Nov 4-10
- Snow storm hits Xinjiang
- Clinton concedes election, urges open mind on Trump
- Places to enjoy golden gingko tree leaves
- Taobao village gets ready for shopping spree on 11/11
- Overhead bridge rotated in East China's Shandong
- The 75th anniversary of Red Square parade celebrated
Most Viewed
Editor's Picks
Anti-graft campaign targets poverty relief |
Cherry blossom signal arrival of spring |
In pictures: Destroying fake and shoddy products |
China's southernmost city to plant 500,000 trees |
Cavers make rare finds in Guangxi expedition |
Cutting hair for Longtaitou Festival |
Today's Top News
No environmental shortcuts
US election rhetoric unlikely to foreshadow future US-China relations
'Zero Hunger Run' held in Rome
Trump outlines anti-terror plan, proposing extreme vetting for immigrants
Phelps puts spotlight on cupping
US launches airstrikes against IS targets in Libya's Sirte
Ministry slams US-Korean THAAD deployment
Two police officers shot at protest in Dallas
US Weekly
Geared to go |
The place to be |