Ang SookoonAngie SeahAhmad Abu BakarApril NgBetty SusiarjoClaire LimCharles LimChua Boon KeeChiew Sien KuanChen KunyiChng Seok TinChen Sai Hua KuanDelia PrvackiErnest ChanEric ChanGrace TanJeremy HiahJustin LeeKC PohKen CheongLATENT SPACESLina AdamLeroy SofyanLim Soo NgeeLim Bee LingLoh JahanMiguel ChewMohamad RiduanNeo Kim SengOh Chai HooQuek Kiat SingSpeak CrypticSusie WongTan Chwee SengTay Bak ChiangTay Bee AyeTang Ling NahTeo Huey LingWang RuobingVictor TanYeo Chee KiongYeoh Wee HweeYeo Shih YunYong Kah Kin

16 Jan – 1 Mar 2015

Our Sacred Things

Heralding a year dedicated to celebrating Singapore's 50th birthday, Esplanade's visual arts curators re-introduced 44 artists whom they had worked with since its inception. They offered a thoughtful grouping of artworks that traced a broad path towards the exhibition's overarching theme – These Sacred Things – while presenting the artists' diverse responses to the topic. Presented was a mix of largely contemporary approaches in various forms and media. Many were three-dimensional works that included sculpture, assemblage and site-specific installation art; others included paintings, drawings and animation.

The artists had been invited to describe what was sacred to them at home (whether on a personal or national level) and to reflect on the notion of "sacred-ness". Interestingly, their responses generally eschewed a spiritual dynamic in expressing what was 'sacred' to them in the context of 'home'. Instead, they largely fell into two camps: one focused on secular, socio-political issues of personal and social identity, community and space, the other highlighting objects or subjects of a more transcendental nature, with which they enjoyed deep, personal connections.

By Natalie Foo

In the former group, the works paid tribute to entities, buildings, lifestyles, spaces and places that have disappeared or are disappearing from Singapore's physical and cultural landscapes, expressing a yearning for an older, slower time in history. These included sculptor Chua Boon Kee's calligraphy-inspired Peace which was based on memories of WWII, sculpture Lanscape Bumi & Langit by Ahmad Abu Bakar which explored the notion of homeland, and intaglio print Showing at the edge #5 by April Ng which celebrated private spaces in an increasingly constricted environment. Additionally, Delia Prvacki's PATINA turned bricks salvaged from local demolition sites into cultural relics and symbols of the nation's unceasing destruction/construction cycle, LATENT SPACES' photo print Even a Stopped Watch is Right Twice a Day reminded audiences of old local icon Haw Par Villa's enduring value today, Jahan Loh's brass sculpture of a crucified Jesus, The Risen, revisited his memories of Bras Basah as an area once filled with old bookstores and houses of worship before the addition of towering buildings of commerce, while Speak Cryptic's A Minor City addressed the issue of relentless urbanisation.

In the latter camp, works adopted more universal themes, honouring

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or highlighting the nature of their chosen "sacred" objects or subjects in diverse ways. Betty Susiarjo's Precious Sediments, for example, celebrated the phenomenon of rock formation with rocks picked up from public spaces and adorned to resemble precious objects, Claire Lim's Walks and Justin Lee's Sacred – the Art of Imagination focused on the sacredness of the art of imagination, and Chen Kunyi's animation short Looking for Me, Looking for Us centred on the importance and the elusiveness of individual and social human connections. Chng Seok Tin's porcelain sculpture, Sacred Cups, paid homage to female strength, Jeremy Hiah's Same old story honoured 19th century Goya painting The Third of May, 1808, for its powerful relevance today, KC Poh's Time is gold, money cannot buy you time reflected on the value of time and Lina Adam's treasured family recipe book One day onion, One day honey, and Tay Bak Chiang's Chinese ink painting Family of Three emphasised the sacredness of family. Mohamad Riduan's namaku? ada apa pada nama looked inwards to highlight the sacredness of self-reflection, and Eric Chan's Misfits and Bandits slaughtered a familial sacred cow in hinting at the reality behind long-held facades, while Quek Kiat Sing's Gentle Whispers reminded us of the sacredness of our natural environment, and Yeo Shih Yun's

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star celebrated the miracle of human existence.

These diverse viewpoints, media and art forms reflected to some extent, changes not only in the nation's visual arts but also within its social and cultural spheres over the past 50 years. On one hand, These Sacred Things offered up an egalitarian display of intimate, personal, and often domestic works that resonated with a multi-dimensional audience, exploring not so much spiritual values, but universal, humanistic ones. On the other, despite the artists coming from different backgrounds, generations and ideologies, there was also a prevailing sense of looking back, establishing a subtext of nostalgia that is prevalent in local dialogue today.

Nostalgia – in both the sense of a strong attachment to universal values of family, home, truth and life, and a sense of longing for a home or a time that once existed – is a historical must, a necessary flip side to progress. As a presentation promoting nostalgic engagement and reflection, These Sacred Things celebrated the sanctity of universal and timeless subjects as well as gently stirred our personal and collective memories to remind us of who we once were so we can better understand who we are and thus become who we want to be.

Natalie Foo is a freelance arts writer. She also writes for film, the literary arts, advertising, design and architecture as well as the performing arts.

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i only exist because you think of me Silicone rubber22cm diameter (pink), 24cm diameter (see-through)

Ang Sookoon

i only exist because you think of me is about things we forget, objects that exist in the realm between the material and the invisible worlds. Made of translucent material, the balls (pink and see-through) look tangible and intangible at the same time; they are both spirit and object. They demonstrate that a "sacred thing" need not be a materially valuable object or an item infused with a lot of meaning, but an entity that is sacred simply by the fact of its being.

Sookoon' short film, Xiao Fu (2014), was presented as part of Esplanade's Basement Films.

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Prize for failure, Price for successClay and glasswareDimensions variable

Voice for me is very sacred as it has a lot of body. You scream, you sing, you shout, your voice exists in different tones and it belongs to you. Your own voice is your strength. For me, that is sacred. Your scream has the ability to haunt and make people pause for that very moment and that moment is sacred. I am re-examining the meaning of various elements of the sacred in my clay pieces of different body parts.

Angie presented her solo exhibitions, Sentiments (2005) at the Esplanade Theatre Street Cones, Falling into Thoughts (2007) at the Esplanade Concourse and Butterflies in my stomach, Bees around my head (2011) at Jendela (Visual Arts Space). She holds regular workshops with the many voluntary welfares organisations through Esplanade's community engagement programme.

Angie Seah

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Lanscape Bumi & LangitClay, aluminium, fibre string and glazes28cm by 13 cm by 26 cm

Ahmad Abu Bakar

As an extension to my solo show entitled Ini Tanah Ku Punya, this work explores the notion of "the land" as inspired by the Malay proverb "Di mana BUMI ku pijak di situ LANGIT ku junjung" ("Where one stands [on the land] is where one should hold up the sky"). When I returned to the village where I was born, I experienced mixed feelings of rootedness and yet a lack of a sense of belonging.

Organic in form and reminiscent of a seed, this sculpture embodies my complex emotions and continues my stories of the land.

Ahmad participated in Mapped (2007) and had his first solo exhibition, Tanah Ini Ku Punya (Land/Earth I owned) (2012) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

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Showing at the edge #5Intaglio print40cm by 43cm

Sacredness, to me, is a space which provides me with a physical and spiritual abode, embodying the visible and the invisible. Sacred spaces in nature and life are equal parts silence, peace and distance. In a world where urban environments offer increasingly limited private space, we may wish to explore and discover sacred spaces in which we can escape, for sacred spaces enable us to nourish our spirit and rejuvenate our souls. With this work, I explore the concept of space, how humans and other organisms become more aware of their positions and how these dictate their movements and orientations in their environment.

April participated in Draw print book (2008) and Some Things that Matter... (2013) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

April Ng

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Precious SedimentsFound rocks and stonesDimensions variable

Betty Susiarjo

I am fascinated by the extraordinary phenomenon that is rock formation. Every layer is the result of a gradual weathering, an impacted sedimentation, which has taken place over a very long period of time. The process of becoming a sacred-self is similar to the process of rock formation. Its strength is built over time, by a gradually increasing ability to take on increasing external pressures. And the result is a form of beauty and purity. In fact, in many different cultures, traditions, certain rocks are believed to possess sacred qualities with healing and spiritual powers.

This work presents an assortment of rocks and stones collected from various sites in Singapore, including roadsides, fields, beaches and construction sites. I adorned them with crystals, beads and glitter so that they would resemble semi-precious rocks, ornamented, encased and singled out as precious art objects.

Betty participated in Lightz Out!(2008) in the Esplanade Tunnel.

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WalksMixed mediaDimensions variable

To besecular commonercolloquial vernaculareveryday everythingcausal usualscared sacred

When I create my artworks, I like to think of them as characters, places, events, or moments. The possibilities are endless as different figures, objects and settings fly in and out of my mind, forming incredible and sometimes nonsensical stories or images, sometimes with little connection to reality. There is magic in leaving the unknown as it is, allowing space for imagination.

Claire presented her solo exhibition, Releasing Hatred... with Love (2004), around Esplanade.

Claire Lim

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One day I forgot and chose to use my hands5min, digital moving image Soundtrack by Zai KuningDimensions variable

Charles Lim

Using my hands as lenses, with fingers clasped to form pinholes of varying sizes and functioning as aperture stops, I created this "hand-made" film with an atmospheric tone. First shown at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2011, this experimental work suggests that the hand can also shape things - light in this instance - resulting in poetic images.

Charles participated in ran (2008) and Monochrome - on documenting (2011) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

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Peace Cast resin plated with copper28.5cm by 14.5cm by 14.5cm

Located in Upper Bukit Timah Road, Ford Motor Factory was where Lt-Gen. A.E. Percival, Commander of the British Forces in Singapore, surrendered to the Japanese during the World War II. In 2005, the National Archives of Singapore turned the building into a permanent World War II exhibition gallery and repository named "Memories at Old Ford Factory".

Back then, I was invited to design an outdoor environmental sculpture for this national monument. Taking history as a lesson and remembering the destruction of communities and the people's tremendous suffering during the war, I based the design of my sculpture on the Chinese characters for "peace" for, to me, peace is sacred.

Boon Kee presented his solo exhibitions, A Fine Day After Rain (2003), Spring Coming (2009), In Affair of Cats & Dogs, the Government's involved and So Shall We (2012) and Gallop (2014). His work, a permanent sculpture, Happy Family of Five (2013) now stands at the Esplanade Forecourt.

Chua Boon Kee 《和平》

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Artist's Workshop – Keep it Low, Put it WideMixed media40cm by 21cm by 31cm

Chiew Sien Kuan

Singapore is a small country with little space on which dreams can be built. Nevertheless, Artist's Workshop - Keep it Low, Put it Wide is a place in which one can work and create, a space for dreams and freedom to be exiled. Made low and wide to enable users to enjoy a view of the sky, Artist's Workshop is a harmonious celebration of man and nature (like a kampong house) within the city, an "architectonic structure" of a working, resting and thinking space filled with benches, studio, office and a meeting place.

Sien Kuan presented Warm Machine with Love (2009) at the Esplanade Concourse.

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Looking for Me, Looking for Us2D AnimationDimensions variable

Chen Kunyi

Whether a body looking for its head, or the head looking for its body... it is a quest to connect with ourselves wholely, a connection which is part of the maturing process for a person as well as a nation. As with a person, it takes time for a country to mature and connect with itself, and thus find its own identity. As we get caught up with our busy city-lives and achieving goals, this connection becomes elusive. Yet it is only by connecting with ourselves that we can connect with one another and contribute to communities and cultures that are meaningful to us.

Kunyi presented her solo exhibition, Trip the Light Fantastic (2006) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space). She was also the curator for Esplanade's Basement Film programme from 2009 - 2014.

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Sacred CupsPorcelain25.5cm by 20cm by 9cm

This work was inspired by Chinese writer Mo Yan's novel, Big Breasts and Wide Hips. An exuberant work of magic realism, the novel's epic tale takes the reader on an unbridled journey through 20th-century China, led by strong female protagonist, Mother, and her bosom - fixated son.

In reference to the novel's use of the female body as its main metaphor, my work - made of porcelain and tipped with rose buds - pays homage to the female bosom, a symbol of sacredness, beauty and fertility.

Seok Tin's past solo exhibitions at Esplanade include Frames – Within and Without (Cones, 2005), Wonders of Golden Needles (Jendela, 2007) and Dance, dance, dance (Concourse, 2010). She was also involved in many group exhibitions at the centre such as, Time Phase Print (Jendela, 2005) and Some Things that Matter... (Jendela, 2013).

Chng Seok Tin

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Half in Half out,40cm by 29cm

Touching Both Buttons will not Help,45cm by 30cm

Balancing Dinner,29cm by 19cm

My Name is Bush36cm by 27cm

Archival print

Chen Sai Hua Kuan

Hua Kuan presented his solo exhibition, Space Drawing (2008) in the Esplanade Tunnel and participated in group shows Animal Talk (Jendela, 2011) and 13 Steps (Esplanade's 10th Anniversary Special Project, 2012).

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PATINABricks, re-fired and successively glazed in "Raku" technique and using gold luster Dimensions variable

Delia Prvacki

The demolition and construction site is in many ways our shared experience of this city. I have been working with roof tiles and bricks salvaged from these sites around my neighbourhood during the last few years. The bricks are remains of infrastructure that, before they went out of fashion, made the city proud. They are in a sense, both silent witnesses and victims of shifting forces that drive the perpetual construction and destruction of buildings, their memory and place. By working over them, I repeat the destruction/construction cycle, glazing over their original usability - sealing in their fates as it were as object d'art and cultural relic.

Delia presented A Piece of Sky (2003-2004) at the Esplanade Forecourt.

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Happiness is...finding the garden that lies withinMixed media10cm by 10cm by 10cm each

With an emphasis on subconscious awareness, I explore making art through imaginative play, working towards a mental state free from social obligations and stereotypical perceptions. In these works, the ambiguous relationships between reality and fantasy as well as between fact and fiction are explored.

Ernest presented his solo exhibition, Yuan Yuan (2010) at the Esplanade Tunnel and participated in Inside (2012) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space). He was also the co-curator of exhibitions such as, Time Phase Print (Jendela, 2005) and Some Things that Matter... (Jendela, 2013).

Ernest Chan

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MISFITS AND BANDITS1940s original fenton milk glass tableware, taxidermy ducklings, paint, wood and linen24cm (diameter) by 40cm

Eric Chan

My work explores identity, mortality and deceptive facades. I wanted to convey a deceptive impression of whimsy and 'cuteness' that is laced with elements that are darker and more unsettling. I noticed that ideas of the sacred were often serious, associated with nostalgia and remembrance never humour or fun. I used ducklings because they represented vulnerability and innocence but I also saw them as mischievous – creating mayhem in their own way. Their habitat-house is built on Fenton milk glass tableware – the epitome of a fine, delicate sensibility. These are arranged on a 'lazy susan' rotating platform, so there is continual movement but really gets them nowhere. The black ink, which at a glance, appears like dark chocolate liqueur also recalls toxic liquids that mar and contaminate the perfect, sacred image.

DISCLAIMER: None of the animals used in Eric's work were killed for the purpose of using them in his art. He utilizes salvaged road kill and discarded livestock. The taxidermy animals used in this work are casualties of the pet trade or animals that died of natural causes.

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n. 325Acid-free cotton, EVA glue and hamaguri gofun pigment12.5cm by 14cm by 13.5cm

Sacredness is when the material reveals itself.

Grace presented her solo exhibition, Udara Yang Bergerak (Air that is moving) (2012) at the Esplanade Concourse.

Grace Tan

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Same old storyMixed media22cm (diameter) by 33cm

Jeremy Hiah

In 1814, Spanish painter Francisco Goya painted The Third of May, 1808, depicting the massacre of Spanish freedom fighters by Napoleon's army during the Spanish civil war.

This work refers to Goya's painting, a work I deem sacred because it reminds us of the horrors man is capable of inflicting regardless of civilisation and era. This work also refers to the 2002 War on Terror where common people were publicly executed. Till this day, history continues to repeat itself.

Jeremy participated in The Angel's Garden (2004) at the Esplanade Concourse. He also participated in Art Lab (2007), Stories That Move (Jendela, 2010) and had his recent solo exhibition, Tales from Jalan Buang Hoe (2014) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space). He was the co-curator for ran (throughout Esplanade, 2006) and The River We Share (Jendela, 2012). He was the curator for Light of the Legend (Jendela, 2011).

Sacred - The Art of ImaginationInk transfer and acrylic on carton boxes40cm by 21cm by 30cm

Justin Lee

To me, nature is a source of both inspiration and sacredness. Natural entities such as trees, clouds and mountains are all part of that which is sacred. Instinctively, they connect man with imagination. Trees alone are transformed into houses, furniture, sacred objects.

I am interested in this transformation as it takes place in the contemporary world. Here, I extend my art practice with an interactive art installation for children and adults to play with, for sacred too is the art of imagination.

Justin presented his solo exhibitions, Pillars of Harmony (2004) at the Esplanade Concourse, Our people, Our lifestyle (2005) and The Paper Ball (2012) in the Esplanade Tunnel.

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一寸光阴一寸金,寸金难买寸光阴 Time is gold, money cannot buy you timeInk on paper10.5cm by 7.5cm per page

As a young girl, I am often reminded by my mum about the importance of time – 一寸光阴一寸金,寸金难买寸光阴 ("Time is gold, money cannot buy you time"). After my mum passed away, I realised the beauty of life truly lay in the limited time allotted each person with which to interact with the world around them. This limitation gives time its value. Here, the life span of an ordinary pen is used to demonstrate how we struggle to grasp time and its irony in our daily grind. The work inspires us to ask question: where did our time go? What is its true value?

KC presented her solo exhibition With Love (2010) at the Esplanade Tunnel.

KC Poh

Before Photography - Fantastic Four comic book, No.236, November 198117cm by 25.5cm

Ken Cheong

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I was drawn into the world of comic book heroes in the late 1970s. John Byrne was my favorite artist whose work on The Uncanny X-men series captivated me. This is one of the last comic books I bought in December 1981. Shortly after, I began reading photography magazines. I treasure this issue because of the symbolic cover art, which was illustrated by John Byrne. It is like a group photo of all the super heroes of my childhood days.

Ken presented Reminiscence (2003) in Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space). He is a regular photographer at Esplanade and has documented many significant events at the centre since 2003.

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Even a Stopped Watch is Right Twice a Day.Photographic print75cm by 55cm

LATENT SPACES

Haw Par Villa is perceived as a place from a bygone era. In a country that prides itself on progressiveness and resourceful navigation of space constraints, old structures are constantly re-assessed for their usability; when they fail to keep up with modern expectations, they are rendered obsolete. However, the true purpose of certain structures, perhaps even unforeseen by their creators, may only reveal itself over time and enable the structures to remain useful on a different dimension.

Haw Par Villa was constructed with the Zeitgeist of the 1930s and much has been left unaltered. Unless it is demolished, Haw Par Villa will continue to outlive generations of Singaporeans, inherently functioning as a tomb, a bridge for the living to access the past, a place where people can experience the tides of time.

Co-founded by Chun Kai Qun and Chun Kai Feng, LATENT SPACES adopts idle spaces in Singapore and reinvents them as platforms for experimental art and social entrepreneurship.

Kai Feng presented solo exhibition Me, Myself and All (2007). Kai Qun participated in Eniminiminimos 2: Artists Who Make Small Things (2009), Stories That Move (2010) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space) and presented his solo exhibition Utopia Highway (2010) at the Esplanade Concourse.

One day onion, One day honey21.5cm by 26cm by 6.5cm

Lina Adam

The passing down of recipes from my grandmother to my mother preserves the family recipes and our heritage for future generations.

In this work, I display my paternal grandmother's recipe book which was gifted to my mother on her wedding day. For me, food's most important role is in bringing people close together. Eating is something all human beings do; put delicious food on the table and people and children naturally gravitate towards it. Thus throughout the ages, meals have been a symbol of sharing, nurturing and loving one another. Food is even used in proverbs and idioms to describe life and relationships. One day onion, one day honey, for example, describes how unpredictable life can be.

Lina participated in Tok Selampit Millennium (2004) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space) and The Angel's Garden (2004) at the Esplanade Concourse.

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Two is enoughPorcelain and rusty nailsDimensions variable

Leroy Sofyan

Two is enough is a humorous take on Singapore's love of food and its practical "cheap and good" culture. Many Singaporeans, though able to afford more expensive things, would choose more basic, tangible and immediate sources of happiness. Practicality is also the rationale behind the "Stop at Two" mindset which the government established in the mid 1960s and has been trying to reverse since the 1980s. The effects of the well-meant government policy became so entrenched that, years after its inception, news of any addition beyond a second child is still met with disbelief.

Have we lost the spirit of the kampong within the family which once enjoyed loud, raucous gatherings with aunts, uncles and siblings? Perhaps we are missing out on the complex family ties that were common in the old days.

This work invites us to think of the opportunity cost of making practical choices, not just with regards to food, but also with how we live our lives.

Leroy participated in Some Things that Matter... (2013) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

恋恋 "Lian Lian" ReceptacleWood25.5cm by 9cm by 34cm

曾经单纯,曾经苦涩,恋恋, 念念。 初始的圣洁,不再。 我们只有纪念,我们恋恋不舍。

A past innocence, an old agony, yearned for, missed. The holy purity of the beginning, long gone. We only have memories of what we can't bear to part with.

On sacredness-To see a world in a grain of sand And a heaven in a wild flower, Hold infinity in the palm of your hand And eternity in an hour.- William Blake

A piece of stone or a twig can evoke a feeling of sacredness within us, reflecting the energy of the universe and inspiring philo- sophical thought. I explore our understanding of sacred objects, how we give them qualities of purity, innocence and spirituality, and how objects and scenes influence our thoughts and lives, inspiring us to remember and revere.

Soo Ngee presented his solo exhibition, Paradise - Tropical Garden (2008) at the Esplanade Concourse. He also participated in Animal Talk (2011) at Jendela. In 2015, he was commissioned to make a public bronze sculpture, Makan Angin, at the Esplanade Waterfront.

Lim Soo Ngee

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WanderingEtchingDimensions variable

Lim Bee Ling

Wandering is a series of works inspired by a paragraph from The Intertwining – The Chiasm, Maurice Merleau-Ponty.

From making intaglio prints with etching to constructing things in variable ways, these attempts aim to create growth from the limitation of print and to seek aesthetic through making unconformable forms. The making of these etching plates requires focus to write reversely and allows the mind to sink into remembering the other mirror image - uncommonly used, but always there on the reverse side.

Bee Ling presented her solo exhibition, Urban Myths (2011) at the Esplanade Tunnel.

The RisenBrass100cm by 75cm

Loh Jahan

My memories of Bras Basah lie in its old second-hand book stores and the days of my youth when I was a junior boy scout in Pelandok Stamford 04. As its scouthouse was at the old SJI, I spent many weekends there, my attention captured by the chapel's lifelike sculptures, in particular, the main crucifix. My memories of this space were lost until 2011 when I dreamt of Christ.

I translated what I saw in my dream into a sculpture of the risen one. The dream made me realise how the values of men have changed in the last few decades. In the past, religious buildings were the tallest and most magnificent buildings around. Now, they are dwarfed by banks which reach up to the sky. The Bras Basah landscape, above all, is now dominated by towering offices and hotels. It is interesting how our physical landscape tells a story of what is sacred to us today.

Jahan participated in Collision (2006) and presented his solo exhibition, Reconstituted Philosophies (2011) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

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Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behaviour does...?Laser cut on acrylic100.5cm by 30cm by 19cm

I use cold metal objects to make art that has nothing to do, aesthetically or conceptually, with metal implements. This process of using a tangible subject, then totally disregarding the subject's function serves to challenge the viewer's perception and identification of objects and the relationship between a visual source and the final work of art.

With this work, I am suggesting that danger lies not in the weapon but in the person who wields it. Similarly, the quality of a person has far less to do with his religious beliefs than with his behaviour and actions.

Miguel presented his solo exhibitions, Fabulous Feast (2004) at the Esplanade Concourse and Perception is a Delusion (2008) at Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

Miguel Chew

namaku? ada apa pada namapaulownia wood, light-emitting diode, thread, relay, optical glass, near range infrared, swivel, direct current motor45cm by 17cm by 15cm

mohamad riduan

i find sacredness in self reflection and an awareness that all the things of the world are temporary. With UV light, two motors and a single, spinning thread, i create the illusion of a 3-dimensional form, a simulated figure, a direct reflection of the original object - the single thread.

Riduan participated in Tok Selampit Millennium (2004) and Bridge: From North to South (2013) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space) .

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Buddha RecordsDimensions variable

Will the circle be unbroken when youSpin round, round, round like a record

Kim Seng presented his solo exhibition Mix: Re/tape (2012) at the Esplanade Tunnel.

Neo Kim Seng

Oh Chai Hoo

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Gentle Whispers Chinese ink on silk Dimensions variable

Quek Kiat Sing

Singapore has come a long way in the past 50 years, particularly in the areas of economic and infrastructural growth. I have observed that in spite of Singapore's extensive urbanisation, many animals choose to come to our shores, making the island their preferred habitats. These include the elephants that swam to Pulau Tekong in 1990, and after being sent back to Malaysia, swam back again the following year to Pulau Ubin, more recently, otters in the waters of Pungol and Marina Bay Sands, pink dolphins in our sea, and turtles laying eggs on the East Coast beach.

As we move forward, I wish that Singaporeans will grow in our love and care for our environment and the many wild creatures that live in it. My work reminds us to take time from our busy lifestyle to appreciate the larger natural environment around us and keep it healthy and welcoming for living creatures other than ourselves.

Kiat Sing presented her solo exhibition, Within four rooms (2008) and participated in 墨 (2012) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

A Minor CityInk30cm by 11cm by 20cm

A Minor City is a condensed version of Minor Cities, a mural at the Esplanade Tunnel in May 2014. Just like the mural, this piece speaks of urban cities and how they may be progressing too fast for their people who struggle to catch up and adapt to a landscape that is perpetually changing. With modern cities going through constant alterations in the name of progress, one then has to ask the question: "Is nothing sacred anymore?"

Speak Cryptic presented his solo exhibition, Minor Cities (2014) in the Esplanade Tunnel.

Speak Cryptic

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Her Book of Solitude (Draft)Carbon paperDimensions variable

Susie Wong

I imagine the space which I now inhabit after I have abandoned it. What exists therein are traces of this inhabitation.

My work takes the form of the pages of a book (unbound); every page is a drawing. It is a visual depository of thoughts, traces left by yellowed clippings, past drawings, works, memorabilia. The work is a DRAFT response to Paul Auster's books, Invention of Solitude and Scriptorium.

Susie presented her solo exhibition, My Beautiful Indies: A Re-reading (2013) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

Ash and fireMixed media67cm by 49cm each

Chwee Seng presented his solo exhibition, Wasteland (2010) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

Tan Chwee Seng

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Family of ThreeChinese ink on rice paper53cm by 39cm

There are three red-whiskered bulbuls (木瓜鸟) in this painting. This bird frequently appears in my paintings. Here, three of them form a family unit comprising father, mother and daughter, presenting a scene that is closest to my heart, and one I find most heartwarming. My family is my motivation and the warmest place for me. In my mind, there is nothing more sacred than family.

Bak Chiang participated in 墨 (2012) and presented his solo exhibition, The Breath of a Blade 剑气 (2013) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

Tay Bak Chiang

Bundle of JoysCat furDimensions variable

Tay Bee Aye

My feline friends are my treasured companions. They have changed my life, turned my home into a sanctuary insulated from urban noise, and taught me sensitivity towards our living environment. I find great joy in the act of brushing my cats' fur as well as seeing them queue up for their turn. This work presents my collection of fur balls gathered from these daily brushing sessions, a bundle of joys.

Bee Aye presented her solo exhibtions, Lips III (2003), Growth (2007) and Reflections (2009) at the Esplanade's Theatre Street Cones. She also participated in Art Lab (2007) at Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

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Children's Talk at the Void DeckDigital print on lumi tile30cm by 3cm by 20cm

Tang Ling Nah

"Sacred-ness" is something that is highly valued and deserves utmost respect from a person. What is sacred to me in my living environment is the presence of space in which to relax, play and/or interact with other people. Besides physical space, I also believe that meaningful interaction between people and finding the time to enjoy the environment are sacred activities in urban living. I represent this "sacred space" here with an image of two children playing at a HDB (Housing and Development Board) void deck, deep in conversation after a game.

Ling Nah participated in Cinepolitans: Inhabitants of a Filmic City (2003) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space) and 13 steps (2012) at the Esplanade Concourse. She also presented her solo exhibition, The World Outside (2010) in the Esplanade Tunnel.

A HomePorcelain and feltDimensions variable

A humble domestic item, the tumbler, is worked in porcelain, a material that is vulnerable to breakage and yet unable to decay.

One of my primary materials, porcelain enables me to explore parallel concepts of fragility and perpetuity as well as home and belonging. Its translucency here allows light to pass through the walls of the tumbler, casting a shadow on the contents it "houses" and ruffling the "residents'" tranquillity.

Huey Ling presented her solo exhibtions, Knitted (2008), at the Esplanade Theatre Street Cones, Wind on my Wings (2013) at the Esplanade Concourse and Composition II (2013) at the Esplanade Community Wall.

Teo Huey Ling

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A Day Of WasteOrganic waste23cm by 16.5cm by 15cm

A Day of Waste was created with organic waste collected from a local vegetable and fruit market in the city centre of Ladispoli in Italy on 22 October 2009. I spent a week extracting the fibres from collected waste (mainly comprising stale, rotten vegetables and fruits), letting them dry naturally, and then binding them into a book using the side-stich method. By transforming the waste of human activities into a book of mind, nothing is wasted, the mind is enriched and the essential organic form is respected as sacred.

Ruobing presented her solo exhibition, Perfect Forest (2004) at the Esplanade Concourse. She also curated and participated in Animal Talk (2011) at Jendela (Visual Arts Space).

Wang Ruobing

A Bird NestBird nest and wire15.5cm by 11cm by 97cm

Victor Tan

The bird nest was something that I found in my environment; its form and shape fascinated me. I wondered how and why birds would have the knowledge to build their nests. It seemed to me a sacred sort of magic. The weaving technique that birds use to make their nests is very similar to the weaving techniques I apply in my work. I feel deeply connected to the bird nest, that it is a part of me, and I am a part of it.

Victor presented his solo exhibitions, As it is... (2006) and In the Air (2011) at the Esplanade Concourse.

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I have a dreamStainless steel10cm by 13cm by 29cm

Yeo Chee Kiong

Dreams are sacred to me. They allow the dreamer to live with positivity and to explore that which he dreams about. It is a blessing for one to be able to both dream and pursue his dream.

Thus, a country which enables one to realise his dreams through fair and equal means is one which is worth embracing. Here, the rusted iron head symbolises the limitations of life, while the stainless steel appendage reflects the enduring dream.

Chee Kiong presented his solo exhibitions, The House (2007) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space) and Endless Night (2007) at the Esplanade Concourse.

Jia BengPackaging, cellulose tapes16cm by 16cm by 31cm

The Chinese saying “王以民为天, 民以食为天” ("the state's priority is her people, her people's priority is food") reminds one that the well-being of a state is determined by its ability to take care of its people. This is much like a family unit; my own parents' utmost concern is that their children have had our meals. Asking if they have "jia beng"(吃饭 - Hokkien for "eaten [one's] meal") is their way of expressing their con- cern for their children's welfare.

The ding (鼎) is an ancient Chinese cauldron, used for cooking, storage and ritual offering in the past, commonly associated with nobility and thus a symbol of power. Here, my cellulose tape sculpture – comprising nine stacked rice bowls supported by the distinctive three legs of the ding – points to the sacredness of the person-state relationship, the importance of fulfilling the basic need for food as well as a higher state of well being.

Wee Hwee presented her solo exhibition at the Esplanade Theatre Street Cones in 2008.

Yeoh Wee Hwee

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Twinkle Twinkle Little StarLego blocks, digital photo frame22cm by 22cm by 13cm

Yeo Shih Yun

"We succeeded in taking that picture [from deep space], and, if you look at it, you see a dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you know, everyone you love, everyone you've ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of all our joys and sufferings, thousands of confident religions, ideologies and economic doctrines. Every hunter and forager, every hero and coward... in the history of our species, lived there - on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam." – Carl Sagan.

Taken by the insignificance of man on earth and the sacred God-made miracle that is human existence, I present dual images - one depicting the galaxy and its stars ("Us looking out into the stars"), the other presenting images of the earth and man ("Stars looking at us").

Shih Yun participated in New Readings (2011) and 墨 (2012) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space). She also presented Traces of Nature (2011) at the Esplanade Community Wall.

TreeMixed media7cm by 7cm by 35cm

"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."– Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Yong Kah Kin

Like a tree that is dependent on its roots for sustenance, man relies on the mind to absorb nutrients which sustain our actions and speech, outward expressions of our mental state.

Kah Kin participated in Inside (2012) at Esplanade's Jendela (Visual Arts Space) and presented Making Sense (2012) at the Esplanade Community Wall.

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