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Newsletter

Issue 4 2008

Possibly one of Singapore’s last remaining and intact Straits Chinese

townhouses, the Baba House at 157 Neil Road is managed by NUS Museum

and NUS Centre For the Arts. It has undergone nearly fifteen months of

restoration and was officially opened by President S R Nathan on 4

September 2008.

The Baba House is unrivalled as a residential Straits Chinese architectural icon.

This prompted Agnes Tan, the last surviving daughter of the late Malacca-born

Straits Chinese community leader, Tun Tan Cheng Lock, to make a sizeable

donation to NUS to acquire and restore this property in 2005.

Architectural Features: Document of History and Beauty

Careful studies into architecture, archaeology and history of the building

and site were conducted as part of the restoration. It is the only known

Baba House Forging New Traditions

Jean Wee, Curator of Baba House at 157 Neil Road

1 Baba House: Forging New Traditions

4 NUS Museum Open House

6 Exhibition Reviews

12 The Conservation Studio

16 Art & Culture

18 Meet our Intern

19 Snapshots

20 Exhibitions & Events

23 Publications

EDITOR Lim Nam Leng CONTRIBUTORS Chen Ziwei Zhen Goh Grace Kng Nurul Huda Bte Abdul Rashid Patrick Putra Piay Adeline Setiawan Jean Wee ADVISORS Ahmad Mashadi Christine Khor

Issue 4 2008

2 NUS Museum newsletter :: Issue 4, 2008

(L-R) Prof Tan Chor Chuan, Acting President of NUS, Christine Khor, Director of CFA, Mrs Tan, Dr Tony Tan, Wee Lin, a 6th-generation descendant of the Wee family who had lived in Baba House, Prof Shih Choon Fong, NUS President, Dr Richard Drobnick, MD of APRU World Institute and Mrs Shih.

GOH President SR Nathan chats with Agnes Tan, founding donor of Baba House.

GT Lye (right) conducts a guided tour for BG George Yeo and Mrs Jennifer Yeo accompanied by Ms Christine Khor.

Mr Lee Kip Lee, President of the Peranakan Association, addressing guests.

conservation project in Singapore

that has been undertaken with

such keen research intent.

The site of 157 Neil Road provided

experts in the field of architecture,

material culture and social history

the significant challenge to piece

together various clues that have

surfaced about its past. This

includes the lives of nearly six

generations of occupants of the

house within the sociohistorical

context of those times. Wall and

panel fragments, faint traces of

patterns and designs, pieces of

faded tiles and layers of wall

plaster lie in testament to the

complex and fascinating history of

the House.

The conservation process

uncovered mural paintings, ornate

timber beams, intricate ceramic

wall tiles and decorative plaster

relief work and gilded carvings. The

intricate designs and motifs on

these pieces are typically

auspicious symbols of good fortune

or illustrate famous Chinese

characters, myths and legends.

These were carefully selected as

expressions of the residents’ hopes

and aspirations for the household.

They are also reflective of personal

taste as well as the existing

aesthetic values held in those

times. They further served to

‘protect’ and bless the household

with good fortune.

The House – from its external

architectural embellishments,

sumptuously ornate furniture to its

range of unique objects, both

functional and decorative, is

expected to be an important

resource in the study of the Straits

Chinese culture in Singapore.

Through continued and indepth

research on the materials

associated with the Straits Chinese,

researchers may further explore

links between cultural identity and

cultural patronage, as well as

fashionable trends reflective of

economic and social status.

In addition to maintaining its

architectural integrity, the interiors

continue to be restored in ways

that are faithful to its original state.

The Gallery

Situated on the third floor of the

house, the Gallery will feature

temporary exhibitions that

extemporise and perhaps question

Straits Chinese themes, including its

place within Singapore’s history

through contemporary art and

culture.

The Gallery’s inaugural exhibition is

titled A Psychotaxonomy of Home

and is by Hong Kong based

Singapore artist, Michael Lee Hong

Hwee. Employing his favourite paper

medium, Lee reworks popular Straits

Chinese motifs found within the

house into site specific paper

installations. In one work, he lifts off

the highly auspicious phoenix motif

from a Peranakan porcelain dinner

plate and explores other

contemporary functional possibilities,

given its traditional attributes and


a living heritage home. When fully

restored, it will present exciting new

ways of engaging visitors to explore

the rich history, culture and identity of

the Straits Chinese through a broad

range of academic and lifestyle

programming and exhibitions. Where

feasible, these form the foundations

and inspirations for contemporary

art exhibitions.

Public Programming

In the pipeline are academic talks

and hands on programmes that

explore Nonya cuisine, arts, crafts

and fashion. Educational social

studies programmes have also been

planned for school students to

experience this temptingly rich slice

of Singapore’s multiethnicity.

Advanced students within university

faculties have the option to research

the Straits Chinese culture, its timeless

evolution and influence in the

modern context.

purpose. The result is a hemispherical cornucopia of phoenix inspired paper

sculptures, including a tongue in cheek phoenix military tank and phoenix

plane. Inspired by contemporary visual culture, the work pays homage to

the human imagination, referencing both the symbolic representation and

repetitive circulation of a favoured Peranakan motif.

It further raises the issue of the rather limited repertoire of auspicious

motifs. With the phoenix epitomised as the King of all Birds, would its

application or usage as a motif be overexhausted? And as a result, would its

impact be less extensive? Would the absolute belief in its significance have

surmounted these concerns and stood the test of time? Or can there be

new ways of thinking about it and our relations with it? Hence the question

posed in the work, Will the REAL phoenix please stand up?

The Gallery therefore plays a mediating role in Baba House. It locates points

of access and interaction for the young and young at heart and also

perhaps for the ‘Peranakan novice’.

Visitors are invited to explore the first two floors of the house with all its

decorative iconographies intact and ascend the 3rd floor Gallery to make

cross references within their personal observations and general experiences.

In the pipeline are exhibitions by NUS faculty and students as well as invited

Singapore artists and photographers.

Living History: Inspiring Research and Inculcating a

Reflective Sense of Rootedness

The Baba House distinguishes itself from conventional museums in that it is

Visits to Baba House are

by appointment only

Tour charges apply

Baba House is closed

Mondays, Tuesdays and public holidays

For enquiries and to register

email [email protected]

Michael Lee’s phoenix inspired paper sculpture.


Two generations of young visitors mingling while waiting for the next performance.

The 2nd NUS Open House began

rather quietly, with small groups of

people filing in for the talk on

woodblock printing by Mae

Anderson, Chairperson of Art

Outreach Singapore. Before long ,

only standing room was available

and I stood to one side listening to

one of the most interesting and

accessible talks on woodblock

prints. Earlier, I had wrongly

assumed the talk would be a

detailed speech on the styles and

types of woodblock printing, a talk

that would be filled with technical

jargon. My fears were unfounded

though. The speaker was both

humorous and engaging. She not

only shared with the group

interesting tidbits about woodblock

printing and Singapore woodblock

prints, she also spoke about her

experience in giving talks to school

children. In one of her stories, she

recalled how the children had

thought the group of dots in one of

the pieces entitled Matchmaker

was the spit of the matchmaker. I

was highly amused to learn it was

not so as I had also thought

the same.

While we were enthralled by her

anecdotes, more people arrived.

When I went down to the Lobby

after the talk, I was startled to see

how many more people were

already here. The food was ready

but I decided to get a henna print

on my hand first before going on a

guided tour of the Ways of Seeing

Chinese Art at the Lee Kong Chian

Collection. This exhibition was of

particular interest to me. Having

sat in front of that space for a

month during my internship but

never having more than a few

looks at its items, I was immensely

curious to experience the official

guided tour.

For the next 20 minutes or so, I

followed the group and docent

Joan Wilson-Chan around as she

gave us an informative yet

succinct summary of the ceramics,

bronzes and stones . Rather than

simply telling us about the exhibits,

she interacted with the group, and

gave us many interesting facts

about the exhibits. For example,

few people know the difference

between an axe and an adz. At

the end of the tour, we thanked

her and left a little more

knowledgeable about Chinese

culture.

Following that, I went to meet my

family and dragged them up to

the top level to see the dance by

the Nanyang Academy of Fine

Arts. It was another first for me as I

had never watched such a

contemporary style of dance

before. It was almost like watching

a play. I enjoyed this somewhat

new and unusual style and made

a mental note to try catching a

few more such performances.

Next, I had a sumptuous dinner at

the food tent while my family went

to get henna prints of their own.

The food was delicious especially

the potato salad. One thing I

particularly enjoyed was that, due

NUS Museum Open House

Grace Kng

Intern from NUS High School (Year 6) on attachment with NUS Museum from June to November 08.

Grace (2nd from left) at the henna booth.

The Shaman’s Cat, a contemporary dance by Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, explores the dangers of dabbling in supernatural matters..


to the staggered schedule of the

performances and events, there

was never a long queue at the

buffet line and I could get to the

food without waiting too long.

At 7.30pm, I attended the tour of

the new Mohammad Din

Mohammad exhibition, which is

based on extensive ethnographic

work done at his homes in both

Singapore and Malacca. This

exhibition was different from the

others at the Museum. It featured

items and furniture from his home

as well as his kris collection. I felt

that this was not so much an

exhibition of his artwork, but a sort

of presentation of the kind of

person he was.

The curator Shabbir Hussain

Mustafa explained more about the

artist during his tour. Mohammad

Din Mohammad was not only a

silat guru and a practitioner of

traditional medicine, he was also a

Sufi. Such a combination of his

interest and practices showed

themselves in his artworks which

were a mixture of religious beliefs

and a sense of mysticism. I was

especially impressed with the

assemblages and the found art

pieces he made. It was so nice to

see ordinary objects, or those

normally deemed worthless, put

together in a meaningful and

beautiful way.

We attended the Sculpting Life:

The Ng Eng Teng Collection tour

and learned many things about

the Cultural Medallion winner

which I had not previously been

aware of - like his poor health. Then

we rushed down to the Lee Kong

Chian Collection area to catch the

Chinese dance. We were too late

however, and came only when

they were taking the last bow. I

was a bit saddened by this as,

despite my interest in dance, I had

only managed to catch one

dance performance. Still, I felt

fortunate to have spent the time at

the Museum with my family. The

night ended with a lucky draw,

and I was fortunate enough to win

one of the prizes, an attractive

batik sarong and shawl.

This open house was not flashy or

spectacular, but it was an

excellent collaboration by the

various art groups and the Museum

as they reached out to the general

public. Despite my family’s general

unfamiliarity with the arts scene,

they all felt really welcome at the

event and enjoyed it immensely. ■

‘I thought the NUS Museum Open House was a very good

collaboration between different arts groups… In each

of their little ways, everyone promoted art in its various

forms, and showed how art really isn't something to be

put on a pedestal to be admired from a distance, but something that can be found anywhere and everywhere.’

Sarah Chan Mei Ping Final Year

Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences

Assistant Curator Shabbir Hussain Mustafa (left) conducts a tour on Archives and Desires: Selections from the Mohammad Din Mohammad Collection.

The Ng Eng Teng Collection consists of not only his sculptures, but examples of his early sketches and newspaper articles of his past exhibitions.

Travellators enthrall audience with their music, a fusion of ethnic Asian and modern sounds.

Visitors enjoying the wide food spread, the chocolate and cheese cakes being the most popular.

NUS Museum newsletter :: Issue 4, 2008

Mapping the Corporeal Ronald Ventura

Zhen Goh

A Volunteer with NUS Museum, Zhen is currently pursuing her Masters. Her research topics cover social ecology, environmental sociology and the habitus of Singapore and Hong Kong. She has also done research in the areas of culture, emotions and human intimacy. Personal interests include travel, music and film.

In Mapping the

Corporeal, Ventura

displays his artistry

through an interesting

series of mixed medium

pieces – comprising

statues, figurines,

‘advertisements’,

paintings and collages.

The combination of

dismembered pieces of

art, and the assorted mix

of human, animal and

robotic body parts come

together to produce an

interesting postmodern

criticism of society.

Upon entering the exhibition

gallery, one is immediately

greeted by a scene of bizarre

physical manifestations. These

statues and paintings are placed

in such a manner that almost

reflects normal human positioning

in a mall – akin to the body

placement of people window

shopping.

Moving deeper into the exhibition,

the glass cases of figurines

showcase a mirrored base. This

helps the audience view better the

whole figurine. However, the

casual perusal of the collections

also produces the effect of seeing

one’s own reflection and image

being cast back. This echoes the

theme of the exhibition – that of

how society consumes, and how

society in turn becomes consumed

by its own images of what is ideal.

The effect Ventura’s cacophony of

mediums and body images

produces on the audience is one

of instant agitation. It evokes the

subliminal feeling of awe. One is at

once both disturbed and repelled

by the unnerving absurdity of what

has become acceptable ideals

about body image and

consumerism; but concurrently one

is drawn into confronting these

Weights, 2008

Exhibition Review


ideas by Ventura’s visual representation and manifestation of these

deeper socialscapes

In Destination, the dismembering of body parts and the recollating of

them together with superimposed images of consumer goods,

showcases the effects it has on distorting society’s ideas about their own

body. It questions what we have subconsciously come to accept as

normal. However, the image of real fur and a cat’s head being made

use of for the sake of fashion and consumerism in ‘Cat Woman

Collection’ (Beastiality) forces the audience to confront the effects and

repercussions their own consumption has on acceptable norms.

The mapping of the ‘corporeal’ reflects, and transcends, the mapping of

deeper psychosocial conceptions of norms and acceptability. The

provocation that the art delivers is almost challenging to the audience. It

forces one to reevaluate social conceptions and ideals – and to extend

the boundaries of conventional imagination.

Destination, 2008

Gallery view of Zoomanities Gathering V, 2008

Beastiality, 2008


Bound for Glory, by Malaysian artist Wong Hoy Cheong, presents itself as a

subtle yet implosive bombardment of information, definition, and

contemplation upon the senses of experience, emotion, and perception.

Featuring the artist’s diverse foray into and utilization of different artistic

mediums of expression, this exhibition engages one in a juxtaposing yet

dialectical relationship to the works presented. It is both familiar yet strange,

acknowledged yet disowned, and understood yet perplexing. Moving

through the well curated landscape of the NX Gallery, your response is

charted by a transition from that of the culturally relativistic to the

universally humanistic through elements of history and perception.

Anthem (2006) - rightly serving its function - initiates us into an experience of

auditory patriotism as we are welcomed by a fusion of different national

anthems, all of which strike a resounding similarity to State notions of

nationality and identity. Who are we? Sight is muted as we are forced

Moving Into the Familiar Other Nurul Huda Binte Abdul Rashid

Nurul is a Masters student in Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Besides doing research for her thesis, on why people tell ghost stories, Nurul also curated Tension: Montage 2008, a photography exhibition held at NUS Museum in August 2008.

Exhibition Review Bound for Glory Wong Hoy Cheong

Chronicles of Crime: Last Supper, 2006


Chronicles of Crime: Swimming Pool (2006)

Drawing still of Suburbia: Bukit Beruntung, Subang Jaya (2006) 2-channel looped video projection

‘…a subtle yet implosive bombardment of information, definition, and contemplation

upon the senses of experience, emotion, and perception.’

down a dimly lit passageway that

blares with ambient pride. This

leads to Chronicles of Crime

(2006), which coerces you into an

interrogation with photographical

compositions of Malaysia’s famous

crime scenes and criminals such as

‘Botak Chin’. Those informed of

Malaysia’s history of crime would

engage in a different conversation

with these photographs compared

to those who do not, and yet,

these chronicles of crime, as

portrayed in their noir like

ambience, become recognizable

to all.

From the atmosphere of estranged

interrogation, we are then

transplanted into the private

sphere of a living room.

Re: Looking (2002) is a ‘fictional’

historical creation of Colonialism

between Malaysia and Austria,

subverting the positions of

East/West power in order to make

us confront and reevaluate not

only the past, but how we think

and see in the present, as shaped

by the past.

Another video installation in the

exhibition is Suburbia: Bukit

Beruntung, Subang Jaya (2006).

This simple recording of everyday

life through perspectives of the

‘marginal’ - via a toy car and a

wheelchair - offers an alternative

point of view, that yet again,

forces the viewer to reevaluate

how we think and see. These latter

video installations display a

conceptual shift in the artist’s work,

as they begin to embody more a

method of how we experience

and perceive, as opposed to

merely a display of what is

experienced and perceived.

The use of Malaysia as content

and context is thus secondary, as it

becomes a vehicle to amplify a

method. This method is perhaps

best illuminated in Aman Sulukule,

Canim Sulukule / Oh Sulukule,

Darling Sulukule (2007), a video

illustration of the stories, history,

and reality of the Romani children

of the historic gypsy enclave,

Sulukule, in Istanbul. Narrated

through stories by the children, we

are transported into their world,

their perceptions of history, and

everyday life, as we sit in a little

gypsy tent erected in the midst of

the concrete gallery, away

from it all, and yet, in the heart

and core.


Ong Beck Teck, Life’s A Struggle

“

“

Exhibition Review

TENSION Montage 2008

As the lift ascended to floor ‘T’, my

heart accelerated with

exuberance. I was expecting the

exhibition to welcome me with a

loud, ‘hello!’ When the doors

opened, three neatly framed

photographs stared blankly at me.

The exhibition Tension,

copresented by The Photographic

Society of NUS offers a broad

range that will appeal to most −

from a viewer with no prior

knowledge of photography or art,

to one who scrutinizes the nitty

gritty details of angle and

exposure. The conciseness of the

exhibition is commendable, owing

to its small scale. Generally, the

exhibition explored a wide variety

of scales from body to the

environment, relating to the

theme ‘Tension’.

Despite the clear delivery of

content, the first impression was

not ‘wow’. Examining the use of

the exhibit space, you could say it

was underutilized. The feeling was

too tranquil for the theme,

‘Tension’. The use of the spatial

element is personal to myself

because of my academic

background in Geography. From a

geographical perspective, space

and the organization of objects

are crucial in striking a relational

rapport in providing the landscape

with an identity. Thus, my

experience of viewing was as

though the space and theme

were repelling each other, as

though in tension.

Notwithstanding the fact that there

was a clear delivery of theme with

short and precise description under

the title, more could have been

done to organize the space and

the photographs to create an

experience of tension for the

viewer. Here are two suggestions

which do not require much drastic

change to the current layout.

Suhaimi Abdullah, Untitled

Chen Ziwei

Geography, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Year 2


First, the title could have been

positioned at the point where it

would capture visitors’ attention

when the lift doors open. The title

‘Tension’ in black juxtaposed on

white would have alerted the

visitor like a warning sign that he or

she is seen as an outsider intruding

into the private space of the

photographs - the personified

bodies. Second, a sculpture of

many eyes could be placed in the

empty centre of the gallery so as

to heighten the tension of

being ‘watched’.

Aside from the exhibit space, the

curatorial writing in the brochure is

praiseworthy. It not only explored

the main interpretation of the

piece but went beyond that. How

so? The curator Nurul Huda put in

her own imagination into pieces

such as ‘Untitled’ by Suhaimi

Abdullah, which was engaging

and intriguing. Describing the

shadow, she states that ‘ the

shadow negotiates its space and

position across the frame, and

begins to consume it’. As such, she

personifies the inanimate entity by

giving it life and intention. After

reading the brochure, you gained

a deeper insight into the

photographs in contrast to my

first impression.

Most photographs were pretty

straightforward to me during the

first visit. There was no self-

discovery for one in trying to draw

the theme and the composition

together. The experience was like

Benjamin Leong, The Shoemaker

a one second reaction, ‘Ok, I see

it’ before moving on.

By and large, I preferred the works

that were still and mysterious

because I appreciated the

intangible conflict occurring within

the inanimate entity. Since

‘Tension’ is often correlated to the

movement of straining, followed by

an outcome of change to the

original form, I found it challenging

to view such pieces as they

provoked me to search for the

theme within the inanimate entity

or the body in relation to the

space. The outcome of tension is

left hanging and this is ultimately

fascinating to imagine the

aftermath. One example would be

‘The Shoemaker’ by Benjamin

Leong. There is no commotion in

the photo. Even the shoemaker

himself is seated in a comfortable

and relaxed manner, yet there is

tension. Tension with broader issues

of economic relevance and

survival with regards to falling

demand from society which now

favors mass culture. No one knows

what exactly will happen to him.

However, viewers have the

freedom to draw their own

conclusion to the work. Hence

such works provoke and stimulate

critical thought when placed

within broader issues.

I was also heartened to see

photographs that connected to

the theme from unconventional

angles. ‘Untitled’ by Alexander

Yang Wanli engaged with the

theme by displaying signs of

internal struggle, without having to

reveal the physical body or

expression of the actual person.

Alexander Yang Wanli, Untitled

Conceptual photography should

try not to be too direct. Works

need to hold stronger meaning,

coupled with technicality. The job

of consuming the object mindlessly

should only be left to that of the

mass consumer. Leave some

space for the audience to trigger

their own interpretations

of ‘tension’.


The Conservation Studio is a

new private setup at NUS

Museum run by conservator

Lawrence Chin. The

partnership opens the way for

collaborations in the areas of

conservation consultancy and

developing programmes in

conservation education that

may include research, talks,

workshops or internships

programmes at the Museum.

Intern Grace Kng finds out

more about art conservation

from Lawrence.

Grace: Can you describe what Art Conservation is all about?

Lawrence: Art conservation as a profession seeks to preserve artworks for

the future. In the context of NUS Museum, art conservation is one

important aspect of work (together with curatorial direction and

collection management) in ensuring that future visitors get to view,

enjoy and understand art in Singapore.

Grace: What are the different specialties in Art Conservation? Do you

specialize in conserving any particular medium?

Lawrence: The different specialities in art conservation generally follow

the range of materials that artists have used in making art - such as

paper, sculpture, ceramics, wood, stone etc. For myself, I specialise in

easel paintings, usually oils or acrylics on canvas or boards, as that was

my primary professional training. However, from the start of my career, I

have also taken a keen interest in the larger issues in the preservation of

contemporary art (often with problematic or ephemeral materials). The

interest is due largely to my own personal interest and earlier studies in

Fine Art.

Grace: What are the common difficulties faced in Art Conservation?

Lawrence: Generally, the most difficult process in all areas of

conservation can be said to be the decisionmaking process - even

before any treatment is carried out. This is because there are usually

many ways and methods to treat a problem, depending on the

availability of time, materials, resources and skill. Ideally, we would want

The Conservation Studio


Lawrence treating a damaged painting.

to have all the time and resources

in the world to treat a damaged

artwork. However, the reality is

often that we have to work within

one form of constraint or other with

decisions that have to be made

under less than optimal conditions.

Grace: When and why did you

decide to become an art

conservator? What influenced your

decision?

Lawrence: Getting into art

conservation was kind of an

‘accident’ of sorts. It was a

copywriter friend who alerted me

to look out for a job advertisement

for the National Heritage Board

(NHB) that he had just finished

working on. Not really knowing

what the job (Assistant

Conservator) was about and

encouraged by the entry

requirement of a degree in

Chemistry or Fine Art - the latter of

which I had - I applied for the job

and, as they say, the rest is history.

That was 13 years ago. The other

important consideration back then

was for me to find a job that would

allow me to stay in touch (literally

in this case one might add) with

what is happening in the visual

contemporary arts scene. Making

things and working with tangible

materials were also activities I am

inclined towards and hence the

job of a conservator could be

considered as a good (if not

perfect) fit for what I love to do.

Grace: What sort of training did

you undertake to become an art

conservator?

Lawrence: Training for conservation

is nonexistent in Singapore. Hence,

I received most of my early training

on the job. I was very fortunate to

have an extremely experienced

conservator (Mrs Ng-Lim Chong

Quek) as a mentor. She not only

taught me the technical skills of

painting conservation but also saw

very early on the need to engage

the public, collectors and other

smaller museums in raising

awareness of heritage

preservation. Later in my career, I

was very fortunate to receive a full

scholarship from NHB to further my

studies in painting conservation in

the UK in 1999 for 2 years.

Grace: What are the difficulties

you faced while training to

become an art conservator?

Lawrence: One difficulty was to

adapt techniques and materials

that were developed in the West,

which is within the temperate

climatic zone, for use in Singapore

and in the tropics. Many well

established conservation

‘standards’ had also to be

carefully reexamined in order to

fully understand the underlying first

principles and subsequently adapt

that to a different context back

here.


As an example, the conventional

standard for relative humidity level

had always been accepted to be

between 50% to 60% in European

museums. However, in the tropics,

such levels would be far too dry

and may cause severe drying out

with accompanying physical

damage of organic materials.

Hence, the ‘standard’ had to be

reevaluated and a different

approach adopted for the tropics,

which is based on adopting

a higher set-point (65% Relative

Humidity) based on the climatic

average that one normally

experiences in Singapore.

Grace: What life for an Art

Conservator is like in Singapore.

Lawrence: With the increase in

conservation knowledge and the

widening of the field over the

years, a conservator has now to

juggle other roles beside just sitting

in front of an artwork and working

on it. There are broadly three main

areas of conservation work today:

1. The main area of conservation

work is to repair and make good

damage suffered by artworks. This

is termed as interventive

conservation and it involves a

good understanding of the

properties and use of artist

materials, as well as causes of

damage and how to rectify them.

This aspect of conservation work

has been traditionally understood

to be the defining activities of a

conservator - such as repair,

cleaning, stabilisation and

restoration.

2. Another important

development in the role of

conservators over the past 2

decades or so is an increasing

recognition that preventive

conservation is a cost effective

way to preserve artworks - and as

the saying goes: ‘Prevention is

better than cure’. This means that

a conservator has to learn to

closely monitor conditions (such as

light, humidity, pest, mould) that

might cause artworks to

deteriorate, assess the risks posed

by such conditions and to take

remedial action where needed.

3. Another aspect of conservation

work that has gained wider

exposure in recent years is that of

dissemination conservation related

information and sharing with the

public ideas and tips on

preservation. This has been

termed as formative conservation.

Sharing and publishing

conservation research on materials

their longterm effects also fall

under this broad rubric.

So the range of work of a

conservator working today can be

fairly varied and wideranging from

actual conservation treatment

such as cleaning and repair to

checking on collections in storage

or on display, as well as organising

talks, workshops and doing

research in keeping abreast of the

latest development in the field.

Grace: What do you think the

trend for Art Conservators will be

like in the next 5-10 years? Will

there be any particular type of

conservation skill that will be in

higher demand?

Lawrence: The future trend of art

conservation is already

determined by the trend of

artmaking in the last 2 or 3

decades. With the increasing wide

range of materials that artists are

using, the challenge facing

conservators will be to understand

the longterm behaviour of modern

materials such as plastics, industrial

materials and everyday items that

were never meant to last – but are

nonetheless used by artists today.

Conservation work in Indonesia.


Conducting class for students from Lasalle College of the Arts at NUS Museum.

The rise of video and media based

art will also mean that art

conservators in the future will have

to seriously rethink what constitutes

the core essence of a work to be

preserved - the concept and idea

or the material that acts as carriers

for those ideas. Besides being

proficient in the understanding of

such nontraditional art materials,

conservators must also play a

larger role in communicating and

engaging the artistic community in

finding shared and acceptable

solutions for both artists and future

generations to come.

Grace: What you are teaching in

LASALLE College of the Arts and

what do you hope to achieve.

Lawrence: I am teaching two

classes in LASALLE - one in the Arts

Management Faculty and another

in the Fine Art Faculty. The Arts

Management class focuses on

‘Methods and Materials’ and

explores the history and

development in the use of various

artists' materials that most of us

have come to take for granted.

Additionally, ideas in conservation

and the difficulties in the

preservation of these materials will

be highlighted throughout. The

Fine Art class is largely unrelated to

my job as a conservator - as I am

teaching Proposal Writing. Partly,

this stems from my prior training

and continuing interest in

contemporary art.

In my classes, I avoid being

prescriptive, such as telling

students that they must use the

best quality materials so that their

work can last. Usually, such advice

is unrealistic and will probably be

ignored. Instead, I try to explain

how materials will change over

time and get students to see how

such changes might impact on the

visual appearance of their work -

so that students can make their

own decisions on whether those

changes are appropriate to what

they are trying to achieve.

Grace: What advice would you

give to the youth in Singapore who

aspire to become art conservators.

Lawrence: The conservation

profession is becoming more and

more complex. Hence, anyone

interested in pursuing such a

career must first be genuinely

interested in both science and the

arts, as well as having more than

just a passing liking for history. A

keen sense of observation and an

innate inclination towards detail

work will also be an added

advantage in becoming

conversant and competent with

the various conservation

techniques and methods. And as

with any other professional career,

continual selfmotivation and efforts

to acquire knowledge on the job

through study and research is a

prerequisite for being successful in

this field of work.


Art speaks, as we say, for itself; a poem must not be, but be; if you have to ask what jazz is, you are never going to know.

Art is notoriously hard to talk about. It seems to exist in a world of its

own—in a myriad of dancing colours, or even when made of stone,

sound, pigment; beyond the reach of discourse.

Not only is it hard to talk about; it seems unnecessary to do so.

‘Everyone wants to understand art,’ Picasso wrote, ‘why not try to

understand the song of a bird… people who try to explain pictures

are usually barking up the wrong tree.’

Art speaks, as we say, for itself; a poem must not be, but be; if you

have to ask what jazz is, you are never going to know.

Its very duality of nature, juxtapositions upon juxtapositions of form

and freedom, past and present, nostalgia and hope, leave us,

instinctive responsive beings to aesthetic forms, feeling uneasy when

we have talked very long about a work of art in which we think we

have seen something valuable. Whereof one cannot speak, thereof

one must be silent.

We are thus left, dumbstruck, and awestruck at best. The excess of

what we have seen, or imagined we have, over the stammering we

manage to get out concerning it, is so vast, that our vocabulary

seems hollow, diminutive, lifeless. Praise elicited seem to bounce off

the art piece as though there were an invisible fortification of some

sort, leaving strings of once beautiful phrases, slumped at the base;

individual beads of a broken pearl necklace scattered and

bouncing cowardly away.

Art & Culture

Adeline Setiawan

Sociology, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Year 2

Adeline is the Special Projects Officer of NUS Boulevart, a member of NUS Centre For the Arts


But surely, we retort, surely

something that meaningful to us

cannot be just left to sit there,

bathed in resplendent

significance, only to be met with

pristine silence.

And so we characterise art as a

language, a structure, a system, an

act, a pattern of feeling. We reach

for scientific metaphors, spiritual,

technological, political ones, and if

all else fails, we string obscure

sayings together, and cross our

fingers that someone else will

elucidate them for us.

The surface bootlessness of talking

about art seems matched by a

depth necessity to talk about it

endlessly. This entire technical

rabble, or the spiritualisation of the

technical, and we neglect the all

too important fact that the artist

was an individual, but also a

member of his society.

No man is an individual but part of

the main. The feeling of an artist

towards life, appears in other

places—his people’s religion,

morality, science, commerce,

technology, politics, amusements,

law, expressions of human purpose

and pattern of experience they

collectively sustain—their symbols,

their rituals, their culture.

To talk ‘about’ art entails a

semiotic understanding of it, in its

local context, as ideationally

connected to the society in which

they are found, not mechanically.

But art is directly ‘about’ it, not

illustratively. They materialise a way

of experiencing, bring a particular

cast of mind out into the world of

material, where man can look at it,

to interpret, to seek to understand,

to realise and probe further.

The mastery of the artist, lies in his

ability to invite his public to

concern themselves with first things

and last, not providing them a

recipe or a surrogate for such

concern, not with a transcription

of it.

Art is not simply expositive. It is only

in the beholder’s contribution of his

personal reflections upon the

mysteries of the event of the art

piece, that the piece is complete.

Much of what we call ‘taste’, lies in

this—the conformity between

discriminations demanded by an

art piece and skills of discrimination

possessed by the beholder.

But more importantly, these

appropriate skills, for both the

beholder and the painter, are

drawn from general experience,

influenced and determined by

society, which in turn engages in

an ongoing process of

predisposing the beholder to

classify the visual stimuli, and

supplement it with knowledge,

gained from his learning and his

culture. These in turn shape his

attitude and his perspectives.

The artist responds to this; his

public’s visual capacity must be

his medium.

Whatever his own specialized

professional skills, he is himself a

member of the society he works

for, and shares its visual experience

and habits.

The piece of art, then becomes

something more than ‘a piece’. It

becomes a dramatic experience,

a series of interactions and

conflicts being played out in the

beholder’s mind; imagined

gesticulations suggested,

connoted, realised.

The greatest of artists could count

on this contribution from the other

side, and assigned his work so as to

call that contribution out, not

depict it. The public does not need

what its already got. What it needs

is an object rich enough to see it

in, rich enough, even, in seeing it,

deepen it.

Michelangelo’s religious works and

Islamic poetry, Renoir’s and

Georgette Chen’s impressionism,

Picasso’s and Ng Eng Teng’s

cubism, Cheong Fah Cheong’s

and Rodin’s sculptures become

more than just irrelevant artifacts.

They become, and come into

being, in the true medium of their

audience’s capacity, a system of

symbols, a performance of rituals,

a representation of

culture, realised.

‘Art,’ as defined in my dictionary, is

the ‘conscious production or

arrangement of colours, forms,


or other elements in a manner that

affects the sense of beauty.’

But lest we forget, this ‘sense of

beauty” is no less a cultural artifact

than the objects and devices

concocted to ‘affect’ it.

Art works with its audience’s innate

capacities, a manifestation of their

experience of living in the midst of

certain sorts of things to look at,

listen to, handle, think about, cope

with and react to. Art and the

equipment to grasp it are made in

the same shop.

The appreciation of art, therefore,

can never be separated from the

social history of the imagination—

the construction and

deconstruction of symbolic

systems, as individuals and groups

of individuals try to ‘make some

sense’ of the profusion of things

that happen to them.

Matisse the great painter that he

was, was fully aware of this when

he said, ‘I am unable to distinguish

between the feeling I have for life

and my way of expressing it.’

Art can never be just ‘art’—a series

of aesthetic expression, frivolous

and irrelevant. It is a system of

symbols, carefully thought out by

an artist, a member of society,

performed as a ritual in one’s

predisposed mind, as an

expression of feelings,

manifestation of thought, a

celebration of life.

Art is culture.

Meet Our Intern Patrick Putra Piay

Patrick was an intern at NUS Museum from 15 May to 1 August. He had just completed his 2nd year BA course in Arts Management at LASALLE College of the Arts. The scope of his internship covered Exhibitions and Programmes Coordination as well as Collections Management.

In the heart of the Museum is a

breed of competent, versatile,

highly experienced and seasoned

professionals whom I had the

privilege to work with. When I was

offered an internship with NUS

Museum in April 2008, I was

determined to grasp the chance

to draw knowledge from not only a

valuable source but a world class

university museum that is focused

on educating its visitors on various

disciplines of the arts through its

rich collection of art works. With my

interest firmly rooted in visual arts,

NUS Museum was an excellent

place to be part of. The internship

was a positive experience which I

feel has already launched me into

the industry through networking

and relationship ties that are

beneficial to my career.

The staff also made it a point for

me to achieve personal goals that

I had set at the beginning of the

internship. In addition, their

cohesiveness allowed me to work

with other departments on various

roles such as outreach and art

conservation, providing me with a

holistic learning outcome. My

internship with NUS Museum further

developed my passion and interest

in museum work; built a solid

foundation of experience and

knowledge as I continue to journey

towards a career in the heritage

and cultural industry. I now look

forward to many more

opportunities with the Museum, this

time as a Volunteer.’

Patrick wrote, designed and installed a storyboard on the installation documentation of ‘Strategies Towards the Real: S. Sudjojono and Contemporary Indonesian Art’ exhibition at ArtsBuzz, Central Library, NUS.


Snapshots

8 Aug – Art Historian Prof Michael Sullivan visited NUS Museum when he was in Singapore as a keynote speaker at the NAFA Symposium 2008. A Professor Emeritus at Stanford University and Fellow Emeritus at Oxford University, Prof Sullivan was the first curator of NUS Museum (formerly University Art Museum which he had started in 1955). He is seen here with NUS Museum Head Ahmad Mashadi (left), curator Karen Lim and Dr Lai Chee Kien from Architecture Dept.

9 Sep – NUS Museum hosted the Inaugural Breakfast Talks on Environment and Sustainability, a series of multidisciplinary talks organized by the NUS Campus Sustainability Committee and SAVE (Students Against Violation of the Earth). Mr Joseph Mullinix, NUS Deputy President, Administration (2nd from left) shared his thoughts and experiences on campus sustainability development. The others speakers included Prof Chou Lok Ming, Department of Biological Sciences; Assoc Prof Shreekant Gupta, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy; and Ms Felicity Aston, Expedition leader, Commonwealth Women’s Antarctic Expedition.

19 Sep – Rethinking Mohammad Din Mohammad was held in conjunction with Archives and Desires: Selections from the Mohammad Din Mohammad Collection. (1st pix): Curator Shabbir Hussain Mustafa (center) talked about the project and the complex relationship between modern museums and their source communities. Terenjit Sevea (3rd from left), PhD candidate at the University of California, Los Angeles approached MDM’s practice from a historical viewpoint and located the late artist within a larger Southeast Asian context of Sufi. (2nd pix): Malaysian artist Ahmad Zakii Anwas (left) and Salleh Japar, Singapore artist and lecturer at Lasalle, had known MDM personally. Zakii a close friend of MDM spoke about how Sufi ideas and thought processes were integral to understanding MDM. (3rd pix): Wong Hoy Cheong, Malaysian artist, spoke about the collection and how this interacted with greater imaginations of being distinctively ‘Southeast Asian’.

3 Oct – The Singapore Workshop on Curatorial Practices held at NUS Museum was a closed door session attended by curators, education and outreach professionals from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Nanyang Technological University, Republic Polytechnic, Singapore Management University and NUS Museum.

Each institution shared about its programme and curatorial directions as well as the challenges faced. The objective was to identify existing projects and platforms in which collaborations may be explored.

One suggestion was to strategically engage with the National Calendar and to propose collaborative projects.

Regular discourse on ongoing projects will be held. In addition, a mailing list of programme listings from the various institutions will be compiled for subscription by the institutions.


Exhibitions & Events What’s On Archives and Desires: Selections from the Mohammad Din Mohammad Collection Till 23 Nov 2008

Archives and Desires: Selections from the Mohammad Din Mohammad Collection explores aspects of modern Southeast Asian art and museological discourse through the life and works of late Singapore artist Mohammad Din Mohammed (1955-2007). Based on extensive ethnographic work conducted at the artist’s homes in Singapore and Malacca, the exhibition unravels the intricate relationships between the powerful position modern museums occupy in terms of ‘archiving cultures’, be they western or nonwestern ones, and the politics of Mohammad Din’s private collection which seemingly lies beyond the decorum of a public museum.

Mohammad Din Mohammad Alif Lam Min, 2003

Mapping the Corporeal: Ronald Ventura Till 16 Nov 2008

Ronald Ventura in Mapping the Corporeal lays the groundwork for an investigation of the commodification of the human body, paranoia and religious consciousness in modern societies. In his most recent series, the material existence of modern life becomes a terrain that marks the regulation of social life from its interior, following it, interpreting it, absorbing it, and rearticulating it as a situation where the production and reproduction of life itself is at stake. Ventura expresses these ‘tensions’ in the form of sculptures, assemblages and hyperrealist paintings which are created mainly in graphite on canvas. Ronald Ventura was born in 1973 and studied painting at the Philippines College of Architecture and Fine Arts, University of Santo Tomas, Manila. The exhibition will be presented during the period of the Singapore Biennale 2008.

Ronald Ventura Appetite, 2008

Bound for Glory: Wong Hoy Cheong Till 23 Nov 2008

Of the ambitions and desires of empires, nations, cities and individuals, Bound for Glory articulates the pursuit of recognition, presented through five works by the Malaysian contemporary artist Wong Hoy Cheong. Revealed in the works are reflections on aspirations for fame and glory sought through notoriety, geographical and imagined occupation, and nationalistic fervor, as well as the dilemmas and conflicts that a rapacious appetite for a place in history, influence and honour entail. Artworks presented in the exhibition include Re: Looking (2002-3), Chronicles of Crime (2006), Suburbia:Bukit Beruntung, Subang Jaya (2006), Anthem (2006) and Aman Sulukule, Canim Sulukule / Oh Sulukule, Darling Sulukule (2007).

Wong Hoy Cheong Chronicles of Crime: The Magnificent Three, 2006

Coming from Georgetown, Penang, the internationally recognised artist’s practice is inter-disciplinary, involving areas such as drawing, installation, theatre, performance and video. Recent exhibitions he has been invited to present his work at include the Taipei Biennale (2008) and Istanbul Biennale (2007). A publication, Shifts: Wong Hoy Cheong 2002 – 2007, documenting the artist’s work since 2002, is produced in conjunction with the exhibition.


Exhibitions & Events Upcoming And the Difference Is 12 Dec 2008 to 1 Feb 2009 As part of Gertrude Contemporary Art Space’s The Independence Project, And the Difference is has been scheduled in acknowledgement of the 10th anniversary of the Memorandum of Understanding between Arts Victoria and NAC. Conceptually And the Difference Is explores the human and personal perspectives that are embedded within agreements such as the Memorandum of Understanding; the way paper agreements remain inanimate and symbolic until actualized through the ambition for genuine exchange and cultural entanglement. The exhibitions will explore how interpersonal engagement can activate and galvanise aspirational contractual gestures, making true connections and encouraging real reciprocity between two cultures. The works in this exhibition will focus on personal interpretations of place and self, examining the potential for cultural difference to be reviewed through emphasizing our shared compulsion to imagine, mythologise and create. Constructed Landscapes : Singapore in Southeast Asia 21 Dec 2008 to 31 Dec 2009

The University Art Museum (precursor of NUS Museum) was inaugurated in 1955 at the University of Malaya in Singapore. The collection was instrumental in the teaching and study of Art History. Its holding of acquired paintings served as a vital archive and resource to interpret landscapes and themes in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Presented in three sections - Engagement/Memory/Imagination - the exhibition explores artistic interactions with the land, personal and collective memory, as well as relationships with physical space, cultural imagination and practice. Through paintings, drawings, photographs, textiles and video documentations, the landscape observations convey, construct and represent aspects of such landscapes, as well as offer presentations and interpretations

Cheong Soo Pieng St. Andrew's Cathedral, 1955 The exhibition forms the framework for reconnections with teaching and learning of architecture and urban history, through modules developed by the Department of Architecture, NUS, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. In conjunction with the exhibition, two forums will be organised at the NUS Museum alongside four walking tours at Kampong Glam, Padang, Telok Ayer and Tiong Bahru to encourage the public's interest in and appreciation of the Singaporean landscape.

Sundays at NUS Museum Open Class - Chinese Ink Painting Course

This course is for participants with basic knowledge in this traditional art form who are interested in learning contemporary approaches. Students will learn the brushstrokes used in Chinese ink work and techniques such as water resisting, ink accumulating and water marbling. They will gain an indepth understanding of the link between Chinese ink, colour pigment and rice paper. At the end of the course, students will be able to develop their personal style in Chinese Ink Painting.

8 lessons: 9, 16, 23, 30 Nov 2008 4, 11, 18, 25 Jan 2009 Time: 10.30am – 12.30pm Venue: Celadon Room, NUS Museum Fees: $240 Min 5 and Max 15 students (16 yrs and above) Cheques should be made payable to ‘Lim Choon Jin’ and sent to ‘c/o NUS Museum (Sunday Programmes – Chinese Ink Painting)’, NUS Museum, University Cultural Centre, 50 Kent Ridge Crescent, National University of Singapore, Singaproe 119279. Please send your cheques by 3 Nov 2008. Enquiries: [email protected]


Exhibitions & Events THE ASIAN MODERN A Talk by Prof John Clark (Professor of Asian Art History at University of Sydney and founding director of the Australian Centre for Asian Art & Archaeology) Sat, 3 Jan 2009 ⎜ 2 - 4pm ⎜Celadon Room, NUS Museum To register, email [email protected] Asian Modernity has frequently been conceived as the extension of, or reaction to, a transferred Euramerican modernity. Prof John Clark looks at Asian modernity as the historically constrained but nevertheless selective counterappropriation of modern art discourses. He will survey the general problematics envisaged in the project, look at some initial indications from material researched in Europe during 2007 about the 1840s for the Indonesian artist Raden Saleh, and about the 1880s to 1890s for the Philippines’ artist Juan Luna. He will also talk about certain anticipatory intersections with the careers of other Asian artists, and at some residual issues of approach to Euramerican art as centres for activities by Asian artists as indicative starting points. Events at Baba House @ 157 Neil Road A Psychotaxonomy of Home Michael Lee Hong Hwee Till Feb 2009

This inaugural exhibition explores the function and representation of domestic spaces and objects. How is a house to be expressed as a statement of community and history? What symbolic attributes are emphasised and why? What does the accumulation and consumption of material items reveal about the inhabitants of the house? Lee explores Peranakan symbols and motifs, and provides interpretations to their symbolic values. Visitors are invited to explore the first two floors with all its decorative iconographies intact and ascend the 3rd floor Gallery to make cross references within their observations and experiences. What can we ascertain about the Peranakan’s innermost or expressed desires? What sort of anxieties built up during the course of elaborate celebrations, rituals and festival observances? A question of the real and imposed, the speculative and the imagined come to a head as Lee peels away layers of iconographic values, rich colouration and confronts bare truths. Using papercraft, Lee carefully considers Peranakan preferred psychotaxonomies within nature, the animal world included, mythological characters and deity within the home.

Gallery Walk-Ins in conjunction with Singapore Biennale 2008 11 Sep - 16 Nov Wed and Thurs 12-1 pm Friday 10-11am, 12-1pm Sun 1-2pm Visits to the Gallery only ( 3rd floor) are FREE and by appointment (email: [email protected]). Limited to 15 pax. To visit levels 1 and 2 of Baba House, a tour fee of $10 applies. MASAK & MAKAN! Saucy Nonya 7, 14, 21, 28 Nov 2008 ⎜1 session $100; 4 sessions $390 (Limited to 12 pax only) Veteran cook and writer Sylvia Tan demystifies classic recipes and explains the variables that bring out the lemak and assam in dishes. She will also demonstrate how traditional kitchen tools were used. All participants will enjoy full lunch after class. Nonya Nibbles 10 Dec 2008 $80 (Limited to 12 pax only) Fancy a sweet treat? Philip Chia shows you how to satisfy that craving in this class that ranges from simple cakes to more classic favorites. Chia will demonstrate the 'lost' recipe of kueh putu tegair as well as pulot kaya in the sessions! Pick up useful hints as you learn the Nonya way of serving sweets For bookings and enquiries, please email [email protected] or call 6227 5731


STRATEGIES TOWARDS THE REAL S. Sudjojono and Contemporary Indonesian Art

ISBN 978-981-08-0662-0

Retail Price S$25.00 Mail Order Price S$30.00

SHIFTS Wong Hoy Cheong 2002-2007

ISBN 978-981-08-1281-2


Picturing Relations Simryn Gill & Tino Djumini

ISBN 978-981-05-8463-4


Coretan RECENT WORKS by YUNIZAR


Publications More titles are available at www.nus.edu.sg/museum/publications.htm. You can purchase the publications using the order form on the website or approach the counter staff at NUS Museum.


Mapping the Corporeal : Ronald Ventura


Re: Looking (2002)

Bound For Glory : Wong Hoy Cheong


Suburbia: Bukit Beruntung, Subang Jaya (2006) 2-channel looped video projection for Bound for Glory: Wong Hoy Cheong

Aman Sulukule, Canim Sulukule / Oh Sulukule, Darling Sulukule (2007) for Bound For Glory: Wong Hoy Cheong


To join, please contact: Fidelia 97105844 Sarah 91516143 [email protected]

NUS Boulevart

boul.e.vard (abbr.: blvd) noun a wide street in a city or town, typically one lined with trees

NUS Boulevart was formed in May

2008 by a group of NUS students

who were keen to promote visual

arts appreciation.

Members can organize activities,

volunteer as docents at NUS

Museum, write articles on art and

culture, receive training and

conduct art appreciation classes.

Boulevart also merges an interest in

art with volunteerism through the

sharing of art with school going

children. Through such activities,

members are exposed to a range

of artworks and learn to

appreciate art better.

NUS Boulevart may be small for

now but it's certainly big on ideas

and welcomes anyone with an

interest in art.

NUS Boulevart is managed by NUS

Museum, NUS Centre For the Arts.

Boulevart – an avenue to

the arts.

Volunteering at NUS Museum

Are you interested in guiding at the Museum, organizing events or contributing articles to this newsletter? There is a wide range of volunteer opportunities for you. All you need is interest, commitment and enthusiasm. If you are keen, please complete the form at www.nus.edu.sg/museum/outreach_volunteer.htm and send it to:

NUS Museum Outreach [email protected]

University Cultural Centre 50 Kent Ridge Crescent, National University of Singapore Singapore 119279 Tel: (65) 6516 8817 Website: www.nus.edu.sg/museum Email: [email protected] Opening Hours 10am – 7.30pm (Tuesdays – Saturdays) 10am – 6pm (Sundays) Closed on Mondays & Public Holidays

baba house forging new traditions - national university of ... · townhouses, the baba house at 157...

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