The Singaporean Embassy in Seoul contributed the following article on the occasion of Singapore‘s National Day. ― ED.
Singapore invites friends from around the world to come and taste our vibrant and exciting museum and heritage scene.
In the last few years, Singapore museums have metamorphosed into buzzing lifestyle destinations for anyone keen to experience our unique history and cultures.
Celebrating Culture
Just as our museums have evolved physically, our events too are no longer run of the mill. Iconic cultural festivals such as Singapore HeritageFest and International Museum Day raise the awareness of museums and bring heritage closer to the people.
A two-month festival, entitled ‘‘Under the Crescent Moon,‘‘ was recently hosted by the National Museum of Singapore. It presented an alternate view of Turkey and the Arab world, highlighting the rich cultures and heritage of the region.
Supported by the DesignSingapore Council, it marked the first collaboration between the National Museum and Germany‘s Vitra Design Museum.
To commemorate Singapore‘s birthday, the Singapore Philatelic Museum (SPM) presented the National Day Stamp Art exhibition.
Running till October 2007, it provides a visual chronicle of the country‘s development, mirroring the pressing issues in her early years of nation building to her current status of affluence and harmony.
More plans for thematic festivals are on the horizon in the months after National Day. To start the ball rolling, October promises to be a ‘‘flavorful‘ month at various venues such as the SPM and National Museum, with activities and exhibitions revolving around herbs and spices.
The national museums are also embarking on an integrated ASEAN program with thematic festivals over three years covering regions like the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam.
The buffet of ASEAN-inspired events includes the Youth ASEAN Stamp Exhibition organized by the SPM, the Big Picture Show at the SAM, and Common Threads - ASEAN Textile Traditions & Transformation exhibition at the ACM.
Internationally Acclaimed Blockbusters
Singaporeans no longer have to leave our shores to see the world with the range of international blockbusters at our museums.
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and Singapore last year, ACM co-organized Hidden Faces: The Art of Japanese Masks with the Agency for Cultural Affairs of Japan.
This groundbreaking exhibition showcased some 48 masks and 20 costumes from the Japanese performing arts tradition such as noh and kyogen. Included in the exhibition were rare masks that are seldom seen even by the public in Japan.
In another spectacular display of Singapore‘s global reach, SAM presented All the Best: The Deutsche Bank Collection and Zaha Hadid. The 150 outstanding paper-based works were a celebration of the world‘s best in contemporary art.
Come December 2007, the National Museum will partner the famed Louvre Museum to present an exceptional exhibition of 130 masterpieces from the latter, some of which have never left the Louvre before.
Other blockbusters in the pipeline include Buddhism in Asia (November 2007) presented by ACM, which highlights milestones in Buddhist history and features artifacts loaned from leading institutions in India, China and Southeast Asia.
Forging International Friendships
Singapore‘s flurry of cross-cultural exchanges and exhibitions are bearing fruit.
Both royalty and world leaders have identified ACM as one of the places to visit, given its track record in promoting the appreciation of cultures.
They include Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah who boosted bilateral relations between the two countries during his visit in June.
Last year, ACM was also honored by the visits of U.S. President George W. Bush with the first lady, and the Crown Prince of Bhutan, HRH Trongsa Penlop Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk.
New alliances between Singapore and our regional counterparts are also forged. An MOU was signed with Vietnam to foster cooperation in cultural heritage.
Complementing this is the ACM‘s upcoming exhibition on Vietnam to be held in 2008. This will explore Vietnam‘s unique cultural identity over the past 2,500 years.
Another MOU signed with China in 2005 led ACM to have the honor of being the first in Southeast Asia to showcase the amazing Sanxingdui finds from Sichuan in China.
The exhibition Mystery Men: Finds from China‘s Lost Age featured 103 bronze, jade and gold artifacts from this important archaeological discovery.
Source: www.koreatimes.co.kr (9 Agustus 2007)
