National Gallery Singapore to open its doors to the public on24 November 2015

SINGAPORE.- The National Gallery Singapore has announced that it will open its doors to the publicon the 24th of November 2015. The opening of this new visual arts institution will mark an importantmoment for both the city and the region, and will be home to Singapore�s National Collection, thelargest public collection of visual arts from Singapore and Southeast Asia from the 19th century tothe present day.

�As the first museum in the world dedicated to Southeast Asian modern art, National GallerySingapore hopes to captivate and kindle a curiosity for art � from art histories to the stories behindthe art, from the discoveries we uncover about Southeast Asia and the world, to stories aboutourselves,� said Ms. Chong Siak Ching, CEO, National Gallery Singapore.

The National Gallery Singapore will focus on displaying, promoting and researching these artworks,relating them to wider Asian and international contexts, and creating a cultural dialogue betweenSingapore and the rest of the world. Under the direction of leading Singaporean curator Dr. EugeneTan, the National Gallery Singapore will engage with audiences through its collection of artworks,innovative programming and its international exhibitions.

�By presenting co-curated international art exhibitions, the Gallery will not only be able to portraythe development of art around the region but also show Southeast Asian art in a global context.Through our exhibitions, collaborative research and education, the museum will continually sparkthoughtful and meaningful conversations about art from the region and the world. In essence, theGallery will be a place for everyone - Singaporeans, our neighbours and visitors from all over theworld � where they can be immersed in a unique experience of art and be inspired, engaged, andmoved to share this experience with others,� said Dr. Eugene Tan, Director, National GallerySingapore.

Architecture

Designed by Studio Milou Singapore, in partnership with CPG Consultants (Singapore), the NationalGallery Singapore will occupy two important heritage buildings in the heart of the Civic District, theCity Hall and former Supreme Court. At 64,000 square metres, the National Gallery Singapore willbe the largest visual arts institution in Singapore. While maintaining a deep respect for the originalarchitecture and conserving the structure of these historically significant buildings, Studio MilouSingapore have elegantly integrated the two interior spaces into one new visually stunning artsinstitution.

Inside the building, the architects have reimagined the circulation of the space. New walkwayssupported by white tree-like branches will transform the way visitors move through the galleries,introducing contemporary structures without detracting from the fabric of the original architecture.The rooftop of the former Supreme Court building will also now be accessible, revealing a viewacross the original rotunda domes. Outside, a canopy of 15,000 golden aluminum panels gentlyfloats between the two neoclassical structures, joining the buildings and providing a dappled sunlitcentral courtyard.

The Art

The Gallery�s programme will comprise permanent displays with special exhibitions, creating aunique dialogue between the Southeast Asian region and the rest of the world. Singapore�s NationalCollection is a leading public collection of modern and contemporary artworks from Southeast Asia,including pieces by significant Singaporean artists, particularly from the Nanyang School of the1950�s � 1970�s. Other key genres within the collection include Social Realist works, modern inkpainting, abstract painting and sculpture from the 1970s and 1980s.

The Gallery will feature two unique spaces dedicated to displaying work by artists from Singaporeand Southeast Asia. The DBS Singapore Gallery focuses on providing the public with a criticalunderstanding of Singaporean art and the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery will explore the wider region,providing a narrative of modern art in Southeast Asia within a framework of shared historicalexperiences.

International collaborations

The first major international collaboration in March 2016, planned as part of the Gallery�sinternational programmes, will be with the Centre Pompidou, the National Museum of Modern Art ofFrance. The exhibition co-curated by both museums, will feature highlights from the twoinstitutions� collections, reframing modernism in the context of Southeast Asia. In October 2016,National Gallery Singapore will collaborate with Tate Britain in London to co-curate a specialexhibition exploring the theme of �Artist and Empire� in Singapore. The exhibition will first bepresented in London in November 2015. The Singapore exhibition will feature key works jointlyselected by both museums, with a greater emphasis on Southeast Asia. The exhibition, presented inthe Singtel Special Exhibition Gallery, will be co-curated by the Gallery�s team of Low Sze Wee,Director of Curatorial and Collections, Melinda Susanto and Toffa Binte Abdul Wahed, together withthe Tate Britain team comprising Alison Smith, Lead Curator, 19th Century British Art, and curatorsDavid Brown, Carol Jacobi and Caroline Corbeau-Parsons.

Education

At the core of the museum�s ethos is education and learning in order to enable visitors tounderstand and engage with the visual art culture of Singapore and the wider Southeast Asianregion. In particular, National Gallery Singapore will open the Keppel Centre for Art Education,allowing families, students and children to have a unique art experience through various innovativeprogrammes which include commissioned artworks designed for younger audiences. The KeppelCentre will feature a number of specially designed gallery spaces enabling children to engage in

workshops, feature their artworks on the walls of the museum and be a curator. Outside of thecentre, National Gallery Singapore will also lead programmes for schools, educators, families andvarious community groups including seniors and special needs groups.

The Gallery is also dedicated to bringing learning and educational programmes to the adult audienceby offering daily tours, conversations with artists, screenings and workshops, lectures andsymposiums. A particularly unique aspect of adult learning will include after-hours programmes.

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