(cancelled) Art Walk – June 1st, 1pm onwards

It's cancelled due to poor respone... :(

Hey Guys, it's time for museum hopping to absorb some culture! :p There's quite a few interesting shows at the various museums right now. Here's the few exhibitions I'm suggesting we catch:

@ Singapore Art Museum

Xu Beihong in Nanyang exhibition (5 April – 13 July 08)
Co-organised by the Singapore Art Museum and the Xu Beihong Art Museum (Beijing), Xu Beihong in Nanyang will showcase artworks created in the 1930s and early 1940s, during the artist's sojourn in Southeast Asia and India.

Xu Beihong is recognised as the founder of China’s art education in the realist tradition and the father of Chinese modern painting. He had an immense influence on the development of Chinese painting in the 20th century. As one of the first Chinese painters to study in the West, Xu became a master of both the art of traditional ink painting and western oil painting. Xu spent several years in Southeast Asia and India between 1939 to1941. Besides painting, he also participated in many social activities. He developed close relations with personalities like R. Tagore, M. Gandhi, Sir Thomas Shenton and Lim Bo Seng, and painted compelling portraits of these individuals.

The exhibition will explore Xu’s journey in Southeast Asia and India, and the interactions that went on between artist and the local communities; how each left an indelible mark on the other, and how these helped propelled Xu Beihong's artistic achievement to greater heights.

Seeing. Feeling. Being: Alberto Giacometti exhibition (1 May – 15 Jun 08)
Known for his unique vision and forms of the human figure, Alberto Giacometti has been helmed alongside Picasso and Matisse as masters of European modernism in the history of art. Looking at the gaunt beauty and the brooding isolation of Giacometti’s figures, we can see his frequent investigation of the complexities of the human condition as well as his powerful interpretations and representations in his art-making. The Singapore Art Museum is proud to present Giacometti in Asia, which will showcase Giacometti sculptures, lithographs and rare photographs of Swiss sculptor and painter.

Post Doi-Moi: Vietnamese Art After 1990s exhibition (12 May – 28 Sep 08)
In celebration of 35 years of diplomatic ties between Singapore and Vietnam, the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) will be organising an exhibition on Vietnamese modern and contemporary art. The exhibition aims to raise the level of awareness and appreciation of Vietnamese art among visitors by providing insights into artistic developments that have taken place over the last three decades art. Comprising an exhibition and an international symposium, the event will be further supported by public programmes such as art talks and lectures, workshops and guided tours. In addition, SAM plans to display 15 paintings by Bui Xuan Xuan (1921 - 1988) to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the artist’s death.

@ Peranakan Museum

Junk to Jewels: The Things that Peranakans Value (26 Apr – Aug 08)
Encounter intimate stories and emotions attached to heirlooms treasured by various Peranakan families in this inaugural special exhibition at the new Peranakan Museum.

Guest-curated by Peter Lee, a Peranakan art historian, this special community project brings together loans from over 20 Peranakan families featuring everyday objects to finely crafted works of art. Exhibits include recipe books, wedding shoes from the 1900s and celebrity Peranakan contributions such as Dick Lee's Cultural Medallion. These objects with their personal stories provide a glimpse into the fascinating world of Peranakan culture - past and present. Don’t miss this one!

@ Asian Civilisation Museum, Empress Place

Viet Nam! From Myth to Modernity (21 May – 30 Sep 08)
This exhibition will focus on one of Asia’s fastest growing economies – Vietnam - from its mythical origins to the rising economic power it has become today. Visitors will be able to explore Vietnam's unique cultural identity, as seen in the diverse material cultures that developed over the past 2,500 years. This rich legacy is the result of different cultural influences, which were absorbed and adapted. The advanced bronze technology of the Dong Son culture of northern Vietnam some 2,500 years ago, shared similarities with Chinese traditions and was also exported to other parts of Southeast Asia. The Viet culture of the northern Red River region, was heavily influenced by China during the first 1,000 years of the common era, when the region was under Chinese rule. In central Vietnam, the Hindu Buddhist kingdom of Champa left an important legacy of temples and sculpture, inspired by Indian traditions. In the highlands and other remote areas, tribal communities involved in cross-border trade also engaged in the process of cross-cultural adaptation. Important pieces from national museums around Vietnam, will be exhibited in this exhibition, including archaeological materials, sculpture, textiles and ethnographic objects. Some exhibits will come from private collections and the ACM’s own collection.

Date: June 1st 2008
Time: 1pm
Venue: Singapore Art Museum entrance

Ok hope to see you guys there and get cultured! There's a Kopitiam next to SAM, so people who wanna catch lunch, can meet there at noon, just a suggestion :)

Museum Hoppers:

• Vitalauto
• Universek
• Brick