Despite all the sweating, the walking around in circles, the bad sense of directions… visiting the biennale with Jane today at South Beach Development and City Hall proved to be a very relaxing and contemplative experience.
We started at city hall mrt, armed with our bad sense of directions, we still managed to reach the old army camp housing these contemporary works of art. As we trudged up the wooden flight of steps which looked as worn yet sturdy, we were met with the “Drill Hall”. A very engaging piece of work as the stark orange lines really seemed to scream out at you in high pitch. But as jane told me her spot was where the picture became coherent, I realized it was not so for me. And so the work depended on your eye level causing everyone’s ‘perfect vision’ to be at different points. How interesting.
And then we saw one of my personal favourites, the “Hair Salon” by Leandro Erlich. We entered the first room and saw another fellow visitor taking a photo of his hand through….wait a minute. Isn’t that a mirror? No. it isn’t. it is made to look like a mirror but it is really a window, to the next room which has the replica objects positioned in the same place as the room we stood in. so much so it looked like a reflection in the mirror! I was intrigued.
Then of course we saw the rest of the works amongst the old buildings. The line which went on throughout the room between cracks and such. The lighted neon swing which appeared somewhat ghostly like an apparition. The strong smell of soap (even jane’s just recovering nose could smell it.). The private moon. The disasters made from food (a whole new way to ‘play with your food’). The teacups. The sugar pagoda. The gross chewing gum (it wouldn’t be gross if we did not know what it was.)
We realized how the site was such a good location for an art exhibition being a site relatively untouched yet situated in the city. It was as though it is forgotten and abandoned yet somewhat preserved in its old condition. I look forward to them restoring this site. Then again, I like to see it kept in its original state.
And then we moved on to city hall. Here is where we realise the inconvenience of the F1 race. Oh well, the price to pay for a good show. With a better sense of direction we headed the right way only to be hindered by the track such that we had to walk round the building to find the entrance. Sat at the first bench we saw to rest our tired legs. The result of no PE for so long! Haha.
At city hall, marveled at the maggots, and… the huge Singapore image from google earth! We were given post-its to place messages anywhere on the map. Spent forever to finally find NJC and NYGH. ((: the quadrangle at nygh is unmistakable. What an interactive piece of work! Then there was the countless video works. I liked the one by Tromarama which was a stop-motion animation of WOODCUTS. Oh my. That was as amazing as it was hard work. The book floating in the middle of the tank was strange too. And the knitted works in “Tropicana” just got me all excited.
We ended at the field of small aluminum plants. And if you thought that was the draw of the room… you would be wrong. As I walked past a seemingly banal painting of a car… I realized it moved with me! It is an illusion and a really fascinating one “The car moves!” yes. I exclaimed. Difficult to explain its effects, you got to be there yourself. Jane also brought out a really interesting point: the picture works against how we perceive the object. As you are on the right, you see more of the left of the object and vice versa. Wow.
Yes, artists nowadays are challenging the way the audiences perceive things.
Thanks Jane for accompanying me. I had a great time and like you say, a good break.
ramblings. 