Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Objects & Desire

NX Gallery

Objects & Desire

31 January to 30 April 2007




In conjunction with the launch of NUS’ Baba House at the end of 2007, Objects & Desire is a conceptual visual art project challenging eight international talents to present works inspired by the Straits Chinese lifestyle.

The recurring theme in this exhibition of works plays with the notion of site, community and experience, interpreting the creators’ experiences with the Baba House or the Peranakan culture, and delivered in the form of photography, installation, video, product design, interactive sound and food, these works tantalise our senses and demonstrate the creativity of the young talents.

The artists are Victoria Cattoni (Australia), Bettina Johae (Germany), Andrea Teo, Khoo Eng Tat (Malaysia), Mauricio Alejo (Mexico), Adrian Chua, Choy Ka Fai (Singapore) and Fal Allen (United States of America).


Programmes in conjunction with
Objects & Desire


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Interactive Media Workshop with Choy Ka Fai and Khoo Eng Tat

Saturday, 17 March 2007
3.00 to 6.00pm
Celadon Room, NUS Museum
Free
Artist Choy Ka Fai and student Khoo Eng Tat from NUS Mixed Reality Lab share with the audience their collaborative effort and the processes in making art.


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Brew Appreciation and Food Pairing with Fal Allen

Saturday, 10 March 2007
3.00 to 5.00pm
ST Lee Atrium, NUS Museum
$20 per participant

Brewed and crafted in Singapore, Archipelago handcrafted beers are created in small, unpasteurised batches to obtain the freshest beers that perfectly complement the region’s food cuisine. The range of Archipelago craft beers combine the credibility of western brewing techniques with Asian ingredients such as lemon grass, tamarind and gula melaka to create what is arguably the first Asian conceptualized craft beer with Asian characteristics.

Come join the brewmaster Fal Allen for a session of Archipelago beer appreciation and food pairing experience.


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Artist Workshop with Victoria Cattoni
Nyonya's kebaya, Baba's desire, 2007

Workshop 1 @ NX Gallery, NUS Museum
Saturday, 3 March 2007
1:00 – 3:00pm
Workshop 2 @ Your MOTHER Gallery, 91A Hindoo Road
Sunday, 4 March 2007
10:00 am to 12:00 noon and 2:00pm to 4:00pm
Free

Cattoni’s work is developed through a series of interactive video workshops. She investigates the public's responses to Kebaya, the fashionable blouse worn by Peranakan women. Nyonya’s kebaya, Baba’s desire is a new component of an extended 'kebaya' research that began in Indonesia in 2002. Challenging common cultural misconceptions, using the language of clothing to stimulate dialogue as part of her research, each new work is developed contextually – socially, geographically and spatially within its particular site. The most recent version of the project Nyonya's kebaya, Baba's desire at NUS, is developed in both Penang and Singapore.
Public interested to meet Victoria Cattoni and be part of the process of Nyonya's kebaya, Baba's desire is encouraged to visit workshop/s during the allocated time.


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Talks by Mauricio Alejo (Mexico) and Bettina Johae (Germany)

Saturday, 20 January 2007
1.00 to 3.00pm
Celadon Room, NUS Museum
Free

Mauricio Alejo shares his investigation into home objects and their forms. His intuitive decisions in producing photographs and videos aim to resonate with the body, our memories and daily life experiences. Alejo looks beyond the daily encounter to find something exceptional, and his visuals created are symbolic references of his enjoyment in the ‘set’ or ‘the photographer’s frame’ through daily life.

German architect and artist Bettina Johae shares her investigation on subjects/theme through the use of mapping ideas, performance and documentation of changes in life and cultural activities. She had recently participated in CONFLUX: the annual NYC festival
for contemporary psychogeography where international artists, technologists, urban adventurers and the public put investigations of everyday city life into practice on the streets.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Ways Of The Matriach : A Very Nyonya New Year

The series Ways Of The Matriach : A Very Nyonya New Year first episode will be shown at Arts Central on 7/02/07 Wednesday at 9.30pm.

Watch out for the episodes updates here.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Ways Of The Matriach: A Very Nyonya New Year



Shirley Tay and cast return with a new series Ways Of The Matriach: A Very Nyonya New Year. Most of the filming is already completed with only a few more cutaway scences left to be filmed.

The series will be shown on Arts Central on February 9, So do watch and see how we Peranakans sambot Toan Baru with our customs.

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

The Straits Chinese House



The reprint edition of The Straits Chines House is finally out at the bookshops.

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Dr Lim Boon Keng

The National Library will be holding an exhibition and a talk on Dr Lim Boon Keng. A prominent pioneer of Singapore and one of the most influential men in Singapore's history. He epitomized the Peranakan heritage and led the way for many social and educational reforms to take place. 2007 marks the 50th anniversary of Dr Lim Boon Keng’s death.

Lim Boon Keng: A Life to Remember

An exhibition on the life and times of the Singapore pioneer
By Settlement of Dr Lim Boon Keng (1921), National Library Board and Singapore Heritage Society

Venue: Level 9 Promenade
Date: 24 January - 18 March 2007

Dr Lim Boon Keng was a phenomenon. He was a polymath the likes of which Singapore has never seen and is unlikely to see again. A brilliant scholar, Lim won a Queen's Scholarship to study medicine at Edinburgh University. During his long and eventful life, Lim was medical doctor, legislator, scholar, educator, entrepreneur, community leader, social reformer and philanthropist.

A powerful orator and a prolific writer, Lim led various moral, social and educational reforms and contributed immensely to the welfare of the Straits Chinese community. Among other things, he initiated rubber-planting in Malaya and founded of several banks and other companies. Lim promoted the learning of Mandarin and was responsible for the revival of Confucianism in Malaya. Founder of the Singapore Chinese Girls' School, he also became President of the Amoy (Xiamen) University in China.

This exhibition held in conjunction with the launch of the reprint of Dr Lim's seminal work, The Chinese Crisis from Within, commemorates the 50th anniversary of Dr Lim's death in January 1907. Son of Singapore, citizen of the world, Dr Lim Boon Keng, a life to remember

Other Highlights

Lim Boon Keng One Voice on the life and times of Dr Lim Boon Keng and a musical performance put together by Stella Kon, the great-granddaughter of Dr Lim.

Excerpts from One Voice: A musical performance
(Limited to 40 participants)

Date: Wed 24 January 2007
Time: 7.30 - 8.15pm
Venue: Possibility Room, National Library Building
Program Details
Admission is FREE but registration is required. Interested parties to register via email at: nlprogrammes@nlb.gov.sg and to include 'Lim Boon Keng One Voice" in the subject field.

Heritage Trail: A special bus tour to places related to Dr Lim Boon Keng
(Limited to 15 participants)

Date: Thursday 25 January 2007
Time: 9am - 5pm (registration is at 8.45am)
Venue: Pick-up & Drop-off at the Lobby, National Library Building
Program Details
The tour costs S$10 (including lunch). Registration is required and interested parties can register via email at: nlprogrammes@nlb.gov.sg and include “Lim Boon Keng bus tour" in the subject field

'Lim Boon Keng and the Straits Chinese: A Historical Re-appraisal'
Organised by the National University of Singapore History Department and supported by the National Library Board

Date: Saturday, 27 January 2007
Time: 9am - 5pm (Registration starts at 8.30am)
Venue: Possibility Room, National Library Building
Program Details
Please register before 22 January 2007, by emailing nlprogrammes@nlb.gov.sg. Registration is free and includes breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea. Places are limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

For information about the conference programme and speakers, please log on to: http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/hist/doc/lbkconf.pdf

The Boon Keng Pavilion at Xiamen University: History Recovered, Nanyang Link Reconnected
Speaker: A/P Lee Guan Kin (Division of Chinese, Nanyang Technological University)

Date: Saturday, 27 January 2007
Time: 5pm - 6pm
Venue: Possibility Room, National Library Buidling
Program Details
Please register before 22 January 2007, by emailing nlprogrammes@nlb.gov.sg.