The Singapore Biennale 2006 finally started about a week ago on the 1st of September. With a concert and many performances, the Biennale started with a Bang!
As this is the first contemporary art event in Singapore, it would be interesting to know what is the opinion of the Biennale from different perspective.
In a report on the news the day after the opening, it was said that the Singapore Biennale “has left quite an impression on international art critics and curators.” It was reported that some art lovers and professionals were impressed by the works exhibited.
In the news, an Executive Editor of a Contemporary magazine was quoted saying that the Biennale brings in more artists from other parts of the world into Singapore and this would help generate interest in the arts and the Biennale is a good start. However, from a couple that attended the opening, they mentioned in their blog that they do not think that “Singapore is ready for this type of revolutionary music and arts.” Apart from this, from a general public’s view, not all felt that it was a good exhibition.
Of course, in the news, the Biennale venues were of interest. “The Biennale is being held at various places including places of worship, museums and historical buildings - reflecting Singapore's multi-cultural and multi-religious heritage.” However, like I mentioned in earlier post, I felt that this was all part of tourism. In this blog on the tourism industry, the author mentioned that the Biennale has placed the arts map. Not only has the event placed Singapore on the arts map but from the reports done on the event overseas, the organizations are hoping to lure potential tourists with the country’s “multi-cultural and multi-religious heritage.”
However, it is disappointing that while the organizers are trying to generate interest in the arts among the masses, entrance fees are to be collected at certain venues unlike the Sydney Biennale. One week has passed since the opening and yet the response from the public has been lukewarm as written by an author from Art Expresso. Others felt that the Biennale was good but not great. With charges into these venues, it is not going to help increase the number of visitors. Besides, this defeats the purpose of bringing arts to the masses.
I have included some webpages of artists or assistants involved in this Biennale.
Usman Haque
His work titled “Open Burble”, a work consisting of helium balloons was released by the Prime Minister during the opening ceremony of the Biennale. The audience could also pull on the tethers, which would trigger a change of colours in the balloons. This is to encourage involvement and interaction. Photos of the work and how it was made are shown in the website.
Jit
This artist did comic illustration for one of the 19 Biennale venues and posted the photos of completed works on his blog. In another entry in his blog, he also took some photos of the venue, a defunct military barracks, and his favourite installation there. This installation is done by an emerging artist from Singapore, Brian Gothong Tan.
This author was working as an artist assistant for a work that was exhibited during the Biennale. Photos of the work were posted in his blog, together with some photos of other works at the same venue, the military barracks.
These are some of the works exhibited at the Singapore Biennale.
Photos Taken by: Victor Li