Arts, Culture and Heritage in Singapore: November 2009

Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Singapore Art Museum

SAM-Old Building, Blooming Arts

Upon arrival, the SAM building which used to be an old 19th century mission school looks small and dingy and is currently going under more restoration. The tired building seems impossible to house all the masterpieces inside.

However, its front court is occupied by a very welcoming plum sculpture done by the renowned Taiwanese artist Li Chen immediately we were drawn by its adorable image and at the same time its enormous size. With many of her works housed in the grounds of the building, the sculpture has a very peaceful and calming smile that visitors cannot miss.

When inside the building, you can see that restoration was definitely very well done as its old pillars are now lined with elegant glass panels and the walls repainted.

The Galleries

The Museum s

pecialises in South East Asian Art mostly. However it does occasionally display international artist from all over the world, including artist like Leornado Da Vinci as well as some modern arts from France in the past however, we were not there to see such renowned works. Currently, it has various displays in its galleries including a whole exhibition from the Philipines and Modern art from Mexico.
The Galleries are spread out on three levels of the building with each gallery named and numbered for the visitors' convenience.

Thrice Upon A Time was a featured exhibition upon our visit. It displayed the works of many Filipino artists taking up both the first and second floor galleries. This was the main feature of the museum with both 3 dimensional sculptures as well as paintings and films. The pieces were contemporary and each held a story of its own. Each gallery dedicated to this exhibition had its own theme such as the gallery which displayed the piece above (see picture). It was under the gallery Larger Than Life.

An interesting piece that was under this exhibition was the Fragrance of Ma-I. Upon immediate entry into the museum, this particular artist evoked both the visual and smelling senses in the viewer as she created both intricate bottles and scents to go with them to remind the viewer of familiar things in life such as happiness and death. The viewer was permitted by a guide, to smell each and every scent that they wished. We particularly enjoyed this exhibition as it not only excited us visually but also touched our hearts with the nostalgic and familiar scents that everyone could relate to at some point in their lives. We were at that exhibit the longest just basking in the pleasant fragrances and interesting information the guide provided us with.

Thrice Upon A Time will be in the Singapore Art Museum from 14 November 2009 to 31 January 2010

It's a definite must see when visiting during that time period.

Camino A La Mordenidad or the Path to Modernity is the Mexican Mordern Painting exhibition currently held at the museum. The exhibition explores the development of art in Mexico from t

he early 1900's to 1950's. This exhibition hosts over 70 works including the famous artist Frida Kahlo, one of Mexico's most renowned artist.

On the third floor of the gallery the pieces are found and carefully displayed in the large gallery. The gallery it self was an immediate visual delight even without looking at the individual pieces the lighting and spacious floors enhanced each and every painting displayed on the wall.

The third floor gallery is easy to miss if you do not follow the guides and brochures as the building is currently under renovation there was only one way up which was a small flight of stairs.

Camino A La Mordenidad will be display from 15 November to 3 January 2010

Overall Review and Details

The Singapore Art Museum was overall a very pleasant blend of both new and old. The building itself holds its own heritage and story, giving the place a feeling of life as well as history. The Museum itself is easy to maneuver around with its many signs and maps.

The fees for entry varies on the day of the week and the age of the visitor.

Adults= $8
Students=$4 (Present Identification Card for Confirmation)
Senior citizens and children below the age of 6=Free Entry

The good news is that these charges are only applicable on weekends and Fridays till 6pm and other weekdays after 4pm. Otherwise, the entry is free for all.

The Museum is located at Bras Basah Road near both the train stations City Hall and Dhoby ghaut, allowing convenient accessibility for everyone.

How to get there

MRT Stations nearby - City Hall MRT Station/Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Atractions in Singapore

Chinatown

Chinatown was first developed under the plans of Sir Stamford Raffles, also known as the Raffles Plan of Singapore. During colonial times, Chinatown was the place where Chinese immigrants would settle and work. As more Chinese immigrants came to Singapore to work, overcrowding became an issue. This was only resolved when the government initiated the Housing Development Board in the 1960s to cope with the problem of overcrowding in Chinatown.

With the result of many Chinese immigrants living in Chinatown, the area is enriched with Chinese culture and heritage. Till today, many of the Chinese norms and traditions can still be found in Chinatown. The annual Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations would bring much life and activity to the robust areas of Chinatown. Street markets lined up along the blocked roads almost seem to replicate the ambience of the old Chinatown in the mid 80s. The CNY celebrations have never failed to entertain the huge crowd that gathers in Chinatown annually, especially since the government allowed the use of firecrackers (Firecrackers were banned in Singapore in 1970 but was lifted for CNY celebrations in 2005).

Another unique feature of Chinatown is its urban development in 1822. Sir Stamford Raffles specifically instructed developers to follow the architecture styles of Baroque and Victorian. Till this day, these styles of architecture are still prominent as they are considered as part of Singapore’s heritage and that they should not be demolished but preserved instead.

Chinatown is also home to some of Singapore’s famous streets. Some examples are, Mosque Street, Pagoda Street and Temple Street. Each of these street names have their own unique origins, of which tourists can find out at these places where the written history (Done by the Singapore Tourism Board) of these streets can be found. Tourists who are keen to save on transport fees can take the Mass Rapid Transit to Chinatown MRT Station. They can walk out via the exit of Pagoda Street. Also, tourists can take the bus service to Chinatown. Bus services information can be found at www.sbstransit.com.sg, the SBS Transit webpage.

On a personal note, many of us has visited Chinatown countless of times, especially during Chinese New Year. However, we never fail to feel nostalgic whenever we are there. The Victorian shophouses and temples are the main places to view at Chinatown. Even our parents tend to reminisce about their visits when they were young. With this in mind, it is a place to go if you truly wish to experience the beauty of heritage in Singapore.

For casual photographers, Chinese New Year would be a great time for you to visit as the firecrackers, street decorations and roadside stalls will prove to be good photo taking opportunities. Only then can you say that you've truly seen it all in Chinatown.

Decorations being sold for Chinese New Year

Keong Saik Street in Chinatown

During Chinese New Year

During a normal day

How To Get There
A short walk from Outram Park (EW16/NE3) or Chinatown (NE4) MRT Stations

Little India

History of Little India
Lieutenant Jackson officially marked little India on the map of Singapore in 1828. The area was used for agricultural purpose as well as the raising of cattle as it was very near the river. It was only in the 1930’s that Little India was formed into a residential and commercial area with its quaint Indian shops and markets.

Little India still preserves many old landmarks that display the heritage of the district and serve as a tourist spot.

One such Landmark would be the beautiful Chinese villa Tan Teng Niah although not of Indian culture, it is still an important heritage site. Built in the 1900s, this villa has been restored and put on lease for commercial use. Other landmarks people might be interested in when wandering the streets of Little India would be its very colourful Tekka market built in the 1900’s as well as the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, which was the first temple in Singapore to venerate the Hindu Goddess Kali.

All these landmarks are perfect for those who appreciate the culture and heritage of such an important icon of our little island.

What to do in Little India
Setting foot into Little India, we were greeted with the strong scent of spices and jasmine flowers. Little India consists of many streets of shop houses, selling colorful saris, dazzling jewelry, silverware and brassware. With the large Tekka Centre, Mustafa Centre, The Little India Arcade and the small provision shops, it would definitely be an eye opener for the part of us that has never seen this side of Singapore before.

Located next to the food centre at Little India arcade is a Little India Cultural corner. The displays show the history and culture of the Indian population. It’s a must-stop centre for all to learn more about the Indian culture. To satisfy our hunger, we immersed ourselves in authentic Northern and Southern Indian cuisine. For southern Indian cuisine, you can try The Banana Leaf Apolo Restaurant along race course Road or Muthu’s Curry.

Two significant events, namely the Thaipusam (Jan-Feb) and Deepavali (Oct-Feb), are largely celebrated by the Indian population. During Deepavali, the Indian festival of lights, the roads of Little India would be brightly decorated with colorful lights. The annual procession takes place at the beginning of Deepavali, starting from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple on Serangoon road to the Sri Mariammam temple at Chinatown. There, a fire walking festival of Thimithi is held. Like its name, male devotees walk on a platform of hot burning coal.

How To Get There

Take the north east line to NE7, Little India station or take SBS Transit bus number 65 from Orchard Road, alight at Tekka Market along Serangoon Road.

Kampong Glam

The Malay heritage Centre is found in Kampong Glam, where the history and culture of the Malay community of the past can be viewed and appreciated. The building of the museum used to be the palace of the Malay royalties in Singapore. The wonderful building still retains its majestic feel from the past till now.

A specially restored bungalow next to the Istana serves as a restaurant now. The restaurant serves halal food and has cultural performances too. You’re in for a treat if you are able to dine with guests at a royal-styled Malay wedding taking place at Tepak Sireh, the name of this wonderful restaurant.

The original Sultan mosque was built in 1825 but the current one is built in 1928. The current Sultan Mosque (also known as Masjid Sultan) is a key attraction in this historical site. It is located at Bussorah Street, and it is the largest mosque in Singapore. It can contain up to 5,000 Muslims. The mosque has an outstanding golden dome and it is one of Singapore’s magnificent religious institutions.

The Bussorah Mall (in front of the mosque) features restored shop houses selling traditional clothes, artifacts, handicrafts and furniture. To experience a taste of the traditional Malay cuisine one should head on over to Kandahar Street.

The centre of the Malay community is the Arab street where it used to sell traditional Malay clothes such as the Songkok (a traditional male headgear), the holy Quran, prayer mats and textiles. Today, Arab Street is where fashion fans can get a hand of beautiful laces, wonderful sparkling semi-precious stones, exotic ostrich feathers, iron-on diamantes, gold thread and fabrics at wholesale prices.

Singapore is well-known for its multi-racial and multi-cultural roots. This can be truly reflected when you head over to Waterloo Street, and see the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho, a famous Chinese temple. It is dedicated to Kwan Im, the Chinese Goddess of Mercy. Next to the temple is the Sri Krishnan temple. The temple was dedicated to Sri Krishnan and his consort Rukmini by the Hindus in Singapore. Where else can you find two temples of different religion as neighbours?

How To Get There

Take the MRT to Bugis Station (EW12) and walk along Victoria Street towards Arab Street.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Annual Chingay Parade

Hi everyone, we are a group of polytechnic students on a mission to promote the various arts, cultures and heritages in Singapore. We will be visiting places in Singapore, give descriptions on various events and provide clinical insight on the heritage of Singapore. We hope to as informational as possible yet provide fun and interesting facts in our upcoming posts.

Feel free to comment on our posts on the tagboard if you have any suggestions or ideas to improve our blog.

We will start off by providing information about the annual Singapore Chingay Parade.

Chungqing Tong Liang Dragon Culture Development, China performing the Tong Liang Fire Dragon dance beneath a fiery showers of sparks at the Chingay Parade 2009.

One of the cultures of Singapore is to celebrate the Chingay Parade during the Chinese New Year period. So therefore, this week, we are going to introduce the Chingay Parade to everyone. It has originated from our heritage and the elaborate make up done on the performers showcases Singapore's art.

About The Chingay Parade

Every year, Singaporeans from all walks of life would come together to celebrate an event called The Chingay Parade. The Chingay Parade showcases the great diversity of the cultures found in Singapore. Floats parade along the streets are full of colourful ensembles, showing the essence of their own traditional arts and flavours of their culture. The expression of arts and culture could be evidently seen during the parade.

The Chingay Parade also welcomes the participation of other countries which are eager to showcase their country’s culture and beauty. This further enhances Singapore’s image as a cosmopolitan country. People from anywhere and everywhere are welcomed to be part of the Chingay parade.

The parade is a major form of celebration of the Chinese New Year in Singapore, and it shall continue to be for a long time. The parade captures the essence of Singapore: our unique multi-racial and multi-cultural society.

The History of Chingay Parade

The idea of the Chingay Parade originated from Penang, Malaysia. A huge parade was organized to welcome the season of spring in February. Chingay, a hokkien phrase, literally means “to paint faces and wear elaborate costumes”. The parade in Malaysia caught the eyes of many in Singapore and they wondered if it was possible to have a similar parade here on our tiny island.
Then in 1972, firecrackers were banned by the government as they were causing many serious injuries to people during Chinese New Year. To keep up the lively spirit of Chinese New Year, Chingay Singapore was born! In replacement of firecrackers was the Chingay Parade which was a huge success when it was first organized in 1973. Back then, performers were all Chinese as they performed many cultural activities related to Chinese New Year. Some of these performances included the traditional lion dance and big-headed dolls.

As years passed by, the decorations for each performance group grew more elaborate as these groups were competing every year for the best performance. Floats became motorized and extravagantly decorated with brightly coloured lights that caught lots of attention. Costumes got more and more creative every year and so did each parade. More importantly, the unique cultural diversity found in Singapore was incorporated into the parade. The different ethnic groups participated in the parade, performing acts that were unique to their culture and ethnic groups.

With such a diverse mix of cultural performances in the parade, there was a need to have the parade at a location where all in Singapore could witness such an event. Hence, the parade moved from the heartlands to Orchard Road in 1985 and has been held there till 2007. Since 2008, the parade has been held at City Hall-Marina Bay area as organizers felt the location allowed more people to witness the parade at a much better view. From then on, the Chingay Parade has become so prominent every year in Singapore that thousands of Singaporeans and tourist all around the world flock down to City Hall to catch the parade ‘live’.

Such an event is one not to be missed, especially if you are looking to experience the true Singapore spirit of racial harmony where no one is left out of our Singapore family. The Chingay Parade truly is Uniquely Singapore.

Highlights of Chingay Parade 2009

This year’s Chingay Parade, themed “Wonderland”, showcased a wide variety of Art. These included floats representing 13 groups and organizations, lots of song and dance, as well as a unique magic and illusion performance as a grand finale.

Chingay Parade 2009 was opened by the highly acclaimed No 1 China Dragon, Tong Liang Fire Dragon (Chong-qing, China). The performance captivates the audience's attention with its creative use of sparks and the skills required in handling the paper dragon. "The trio of Dragon Float", one of the tallest and mechanical wonder created by Professors and Assoc. Professors in NTU, wowed audiences with its uniqueness and remarkable blend of art and science.

A sensational singing piece entitled 'Banquet' written by Iskanda Ismail, inspired by a poem written by renowned Poet Prof. Edwin Thumboo, started off the spectacular Chingay finale. George Chan (famous theatre artiste) and Nancy Yuen (well-known Soprano) portrayed the image of a King and Queen while singing the 'Banquet'. The Children's choir from the Singapore Lyric Opera supported them throughout the piece.

There was also an astounding number of 4000 performers from 40 organizations across the country. This vibrant parade also brought together cultural groups from 8 different countries. Local international communities were not forgotten and all these organizations had a role in this spectacular parade. This best displays the wide cultural diversity Singapore is blessed with and it certainly shows our creativity in the arts.

One of our members, Dominic, had an opportunity to help out in the Chingay Parade 2009. He describes it as a 'must see' event of the year! This event captures all three categories of our blog, which are cultures, arts and heritages. The different cultures that the event showcases really shows the best of the racial diversity in Singapore. Also, the performances that were displayed were mesmerizing and will certainly take your breath away. There will also be tons of photo taking opportunities so don't forget to bring along your cameras! You would definitely want to capture that "Kodak" moment among the vibrant and upbeat performances by the many participants. Dominic recommends that everyone should experience the Chingay Parade at least once in their life!

Highlights of upcoming Chingay 2010

The Chingay 2010 Grand Opening, “The Soaring City!” will feature majestic flying horses and fantasy characters. There will also be traditional dragon and lion dancers that would seize the parade grounds by storm! Also be prepared for the first ever Chingay’s crackling fire-cracker dragons!

Performances would also include legendary well-loved tales like the Butterfly Lovers, Puteri Gunung Ledang and Indralogam. If you noticed, there is an element of racial harmony in the performances as it features Singapore’s rich multi-ethnicity.

For the first time in the history of Chingay, the story of Yellow River黄河 and the Ganges River恒河would take the centre stage. Also, the grandest finale of Chingay history would debut in Chingay 2010 themed “Colours of the Lion City and Celebrations”, which is a collaboration between the People’s Association Youth Movement, Resorts World at Sentosa, Singapore Soka Association and many other multi-cultural partners.

The Chingay 2010 will be held on Friday, 19 February and Saturday, 20 February from City Hall to Raffles Avenue.

Pictures of The Chingay Parade 2009