Coronet Inside Out: National Gallery Singapore
Redefining In Situ: Art + Live
The Covid-19 pandemic and the enforced lockdowns around the world transformed the notion of site-specificity. At National Gallery Singapore, site-specific programmes in collaboration with artists from the fields of dance, music, theatre, literature, new media and performance had to be radically re-imagined.
The Artistic Programmes team piloted an online series, Art + Live. It comprised three programmes—Resonates With, An Ekphrastic Series and A Somatic Series, each inviting artists to respond to works in the Gallery’s collection through music, literature and movement. The connection between artist and audience was now mediated by a screen, and artists were challenged to engage audiences without being able to observe their direct reactions or receive feedback.
While this style of programming might have developed out of a need to adapt to the pandemic, it provided a chance to open up new ways of engaging audiences beyond our immediate physical environment, and explore a different format of working with international artists.
Credits:
Artistic Programmes: Vanini Belarmino, Maria Khoo Joseph, Lim Sin Hui, Nathaniel Mah, Nurdiana Rahmat
Director, Audience Development and Engagement: Suenne Megan Tan
Edited by Joseph Pe
Music by Chris Zabriskie | Preludes | 14 Prelude No. 14
Sogno Agitato by Livio Amato
Click here to see the other work available to watch for free on Coronet Inside Out.
About Artistic pROGRAMMES
Audience empowerment is at the heart of the National Gallery Singapore’s artistic programming. Artistic programmes harness the power of storytelling to humanise artworks through presentations of interdisciplinary interventions, site-specific performances, and happenings. We collaborate with artists in the fields of dance, music, theatre, literature, new media and visual arts to offer unexpected encounters for our audiences. We create spaces and opportunities for visitors to discover different ways of seeing, experiencing and exploring our long-term and special exhibitions.
About National Gallery Singapore
National Gallery Singapore is a leading visual arts institution which oversees the world’s largest public collection of Singapore and Southeast Asian modern art. Situated at the birthplace of modern Singapore, in the heart of the Civic District, the Gallery is housed in two national monuments—City Hall and former Supreme Court—that have been beautifully restored and transformed into this exciting 64,000 square metres venue. Reflecting Singapore’s unique heritage and geographical location, the Gallery aims to be a progressive museum that creates dialogues between the art of Singapore, Southeast Asia and the world to foster and inspire a creative and inclusive society. This is reflected in our collaborative research, education, long-term and special exhibitions, and innovative programming. The Gallery also works with international museums such as Centre Pompidou, Musée d’Orsay, Tate Britain, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (MOMAT) and National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), to jointly present Southeast Asian art in the global context, positioning Singapore as a key node in the global visual arts scene.
For more information, visit https://www.nationalgallery.sg.