Category Archives: Theme

Science and Technology in the Edo Period, Japan National Museum of Nature and Science

As civilization has evolved, curiosity has taken the form of a meticulous pursuit of knowledge. For instance, rough stone tools eventually were developed into precision machinery. The rapid progress of science has made our lives more convenient and comfortable; simultaneously creating new problems such as air and water pollution. This…

Shifting Grounds, Siapa Nama Kamu? Art in Singapore since the 19th Century, National Gallery Singapore

Shifting Grounds takes a historical overview of the significant shifts in art practice in Singapore from the 1970s to 2000s. Alternative art practices exploded onto the Singapore art scene in the second half of the 1980s to counter the dominant systems of art at the time. Artists shifted away from…

Real Concerns and Tradition Unfettered, Siapa Nama Kamu? Art in Singapore since the 19th Century, National Gallery Singapore

The act of creating the inaugural long-term display for the DBS Singapore Gallery (Singapore Gallery) has entailed significant discussions with art historians, critics, artists and curators on the topic of “modernism” in Singapore, ranging from what definitions, terminologies and technologies one may adopt, to whether there is a specific story…

Tropical Tapestry and Nanyang Reverie, Siapa Nama Kamu? Art in Singapore since the 19th Century, National Gallery Singapore

The opening of the National Gallery Singapore comes at a time of great significance for Singapore, in her 50th year of independence. What is the relationship of art to a nation like Singapore and how can we understand its role in the last fifty years? These are some of the…