It is always exciting when international works are showcased in Singapore, even more so when it involves a collaboration between a renowned museum and a local institution. In this landmark exhibition, Reframing Modernism takes modern art in Southeast Asia within a larger global context, showcasing more than 200 works from close to 50 artists, with about half from Centre Pompidou and the other half from Southeast Asia. This is the first time an exhibition is displaying significant Southeast Asian and European artists in parallel through its study of one of the most influential artistic and intellectual drives of the 20th century – modernism – from the perspective of Southeast Asia.
At a roundtable session last Saturday, the curators talked at length about how this joint effort came about, their working styles and how they conceptualised and designed the exhibition. The discussion was moderated by Dr Eugene Tan, the Director of the National Gallery. There were two curators each from the Centre Pompidou and the National Gallery Singapore speaking at the event. From the Centre Pompidou, the speakers present were Catherine David, Deputy Director of the Centre Pompidou’s National Museum of Modern Art – Industrial Design Centre, and Curator Dr Nicolas Liucci-Goutnikov. Senior Curator Ms Lisa Horikawa and Curator Dr Phoebe Scott from the National Gallery Singapore were there to share their perspective working with them for the exhibition.
From left: Dr Eugene Tan, Ms Catherine David, Dr Nicolas Liucci-Goutnikov, Ms Lisa Horikawa and Dr Phoebe Scott.
Curators from both the National Gallery Singapore and Centre Pompidou agreed on something which is a bit of a rare sight in most exhibitions: presenting a single artist’s numerous works together. Often, style is used as a point of difference to differentiate, and group, artists in exhibitions. However, Dr Scott explained that they were keen to avoid thematising this exhibition, forcing the artists’ singularities into abstract definitions of modernism. As such, the curators opted to focus on the artists’ network of singularities to bring about a more sensitive knowledge of modernity. By focusing on the artists themselves, the curators have taken a step back and given more depth to the artists’ emotions and the context behind their work.
They spoke about some of the problems they faced; a stumbling block was in the naming of the exhibition itself, specifically the use of the term “Modernism”. Modernism holds different meaning in different cultures. In France, it refers to a specific feature of Modernity, architecture in particular, while in another culture, modernism means something completely different. This makes the concept of Reframing Modernism a little confusing. However, the term is understood to be constant in the English language, which poses less of a concern and is thus acceptable.
The unprecedented presentation includes works by Southeast Asian artists such as Le Pho (Vietnam), Nguyen Gia Tri (Vietnam), S Sudjojono (Indonesia), Affandi (Indonesia), Latiff Mohidin (Malaysia), Galo B Ocampo (Philippines), Georgette Chen (Singapore) and Tang Chang (Thailand), as well as European masters Vassily Kandinsky, Fernand Léger, Marc Chagall, Jean Dubuffet, Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse.
On the right is the piece by Pablo Picasso, The Cat and the Rooster.
There are a total of three galleries for this exhibition, occupying a total floor area of approximately 20,000 square feet. The space is used very effectively, displaying the artist’s works side-by-side and letting them thrive in a space of their own. You get to appreciate each artist’s individuality and their sense of style across the different pieces of artwork.
Walking through the exhibition, one can tell that a lot of effort has been made to make this experience more about the artists than encroaching the visitor with abstract terms that they might not necessarily understand or feel. The thought process that went into this was elaborate and built with the artists in mind while, at the same time, taking into consideration the space that they had to showcase their works. After listening to the roundtable discussion and walking through the exhibition, it all seems to come together to connect on a much deeper level, merging the study of Modernism into one that seemingly transcends form into a nebulous motley of expressions that still held true to the term “Modernism”.
Reframing Modernism will run from 31 March until 17 July 2016 at the Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery, located on level 3 of the City Hall Wing at the National Gallery Singapore. Admission into Reframing Modernism is chargeable at S$15 and $$25 for Singaporeans and non-Singaporeans respectively. Concessions apply.
The exhibition opens from 10am to 7pm from Monday to Thursday, and Sunday and public holidays, from 10am to 10pm from Friday to Saturday, and eves of public holidays.
