This Summer, I traded the Sydney heat for the chilly weather of Europe and the humidity of Singapore. I adored the eye-opening experiences of both locales, documenting as much as I could when I wasn't busy stuffing my face with food, trekking through countless art galleries, or celebrating Chinese New Year. It's going to take a while to catch up, but here is the first part of the Monday Issue Summer Edition! First stop: Singapore.
Sydney ✈ Singapore: Scoot seemed to have all my midnight-snack cravings - 2 minute noodles, cheese and pringles!
Mei mei Kylie unwrapping gifts from Australia. She has gotten so big since my last visit!
Durians for sale at Bugis st
Ee ee and Cookie at Malaysia Boleh in Jurong Point (a great selection of shops and dishes - delicious!)
I visited the Singapore Biennale at the Singapore Art Museum and SAM at 8Q. Themed 'If the World Changed,' the exhibitions included an impressive variety of artworks that commented on cultural concerns of today, some of which envisioned alternative futures and possibilities of art and society. This theme gave a useful perspective for accessing the works - many of which effectively used creative ways of articulating humorous, melancholic, or contemplative perspectives of change. Overall, the span of the practices on display made for a visually interesting and thought-provoking exhibition, with a good balance of Relational Aesthetics (artworks that rely on audience interaction) and White Cube displays (do-not-touch works on plinths).
Tuan's tactile sculptures were provocative pieces to be placed around the entrance of the museum. Their presence reminded me of the function of the pointed finger in many religious and allegorical paintings, in which figures are portrayed literally pointing to the 'action' (for example, in The Transfiguration by Raphael (1519) we see a triangle of pointed fingers amongst the people. These direct the eyes to move around the canvas and act as signposts towards the main subject). The thoughtful placement of Tuan's Forefinger (2013) appeared to me as a playful and interactive work to engage gallery visitors however, on another level, also as a intertextual reference to the forefinger in art history. It is as if Tuan's Forefinger is pointing to the action - pointing to the entrance of the gallery and the beginning of the exhibition - and motioning us to move forward.
Singapore sling at the Raffles hotel (endless peanuts!) 
