Night Festival 2009

Image source: SAM

Actually it was because after reading itchyfinger's visit to SAM's Wu Guanzhong Exhibition that I decided to go check out the Night Festival 2009 as SAM had open house that day. Unfortunately, I ended up not being able to visit any museum other than National Museum due to the rain. Luckily SAM has Friday free admission though, hopefully I will find a Friday to visit it before the exhibition ends.


I never knew that from Fort Canning Hill, I can walk into the National Musuem. And that there is a big red cherry behind the musuem haha.


Love Tank (The Temple) by S. Teddy D.

Tanks, synonymous with the landscape of war, are instrumental war machines in the propagation of western supremacy.
Pagoda, adorned with lotuses and often part of a temple compound, believed to be the padmasana, the seats of gods and goddesses who rule this world, is the shape of temples and a symbol for the levels of pure love in Eastern cultures.
This work expresses the interaction between the East and West cultures – an interaction which often ends in clashes. The adaptation of these cultures is symbolised through the visual language of seven tanks stacked on top of one another forming a tall structure resembling a Pagoda. The tanks are decorated or camouflaged with red lotuses and the juxtaposition transforms the killing machine into one that conveys love and peace to humankind.
Source: National Museum

Hmm a paradoxical artpiece.  Sadly, I don't really appreciate it as I felt another way of interpreting it is that it is trying to mask the war theme with love.  Well art is always subjective.


As I wanted to catch the fireworks, I cut short my tour around National Museum and rushed to Esplanade.  Actually I wanted to go to the bridge to catch the fireworks, but seeing the crowded bridge, I think it was a wiser choice to wait at the Esplanade.


Haha caught sight of the origami boats floating past the Marina Bay Sands that itchyfinger was talking about.  Her photos were clearer (but of course!) 


The first spurt of fireworks came exactly when the rain turned heavily.  It was as if the fireworks ignited the tap of rainwater to flow its maximum intensity. 


And I had to hide under this tree while trying to catch the fireworks.  Luckily my friend offered to shelter me.  Haha it was at this point that I noticed the crowd at the bridge had dispersed too leaving a few brave souls only.  I still have not figured out if the heavy rain is a friend or foe for me haha.  Whatever it is, I have indeed watched my first fireworks in the rain.


The Tree
By FARM (Singapore)

The Banyan Tree right next to the National Museum of Singapore is a grand old dame in its own right. It sits majestically on the Museum’s front lawn, seemingly holding fort to a place full of histories, stories and magic.
A contemporary reinterpretation of the Banyan Tree, The Tree is a reconstruction of a series of interlocking frames with lights that pulsate gently in the night. Hanging microphones simulating that of aerial roots will also detect environmental sounds and alter the lighting nature of The Tree – glowing intensely and dimming down with the rising and falling sound levels
Source: National Museum

It was fun to see children and adults stamping to make the tree light up.  I find it an interesting art-on-site.


The Beginning
By Sun Yu-li (Singapore)

The Beginning is a stainless steel sculpture with LED lights; the spiral form of which resembles a massive DNA model glowing in the night. Sun Yu-li adopts the approach ‘sculpture as a place’, in which the work incites the viewer to move or explore within its space.
Source: National Museum

Hmm while this looks nice with the musuem behind, I was unable to take a good shot of it with my friend posing.  Sigh felt so bad towards her.

And due to the heavy rain, I did not wait for the Loop of Fortune.  But I guess one can't have too much good things thus I shall just be satisfied with my fireworks in the rain.  Shall wait for my friends to share with me their Loop of Fortune photos...