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Culture

Francophiles Rejoice: There’s A Major French Art Exhibition In Town

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Francophiles Rejoice: There’s A Major French Art Exhibition In Town

For the first time ever, more than 30 artworks by major French and international artists will be presented in the National Museum of Singapore’s latest blockbuster exhibition, “What Is Not Visible is Not Invisible”.

by KENG YANG SHUEN  /   October 5, 2016

For the first time ever, more than 30 artworks by major French and international artists represented by the French Regional Collections of Contemporary Art (FRAC) will be presented here in the National Museum of Singapore’s latest blockbuster exhibition, “What Is Not Visible is Not Invisible“.

Curated in collaboration with FRAC, the exhibition – opening this Friday October 7 till Feb 19 next year – is a parallel project of the biggest art event of the year, the upcoming Singapore Biennale 2016. The curators have selected unconventional multi-media installations from FRAC’s vast archive (numbering over 26,000 pieces) that aim to challenge the public’s notion of art through each person’s interpretation of the piece.

If you’re a fan of interactive contemporary (and French) art, this is one exhibition you definitely wouldn’t want to miss. Here are Female’s picks of the works you have to see:

https://www.femalemag.com.sg/gallery/culture/french-art-exhibition-national-museum-singapore/
Francophiles Rejoice: There's A Major French Art Exhibition In Town
#1: What Is Not Visible is Not Invisible by Julien Discrit, 2008
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The titular piece of the exhibition (it inspired the name for the exhibition), it plays with the notion of paradox – the three infrared light bulbs only activate when a visitor walks by, lighting up the previously blank wall to reveal the words, which are inscribed onto the wall with “invisible” ultraviolet ink.

This underlines the fact that to express the invisible, one must paradoxically make it visible. In other words, it requires audience interaction, a heavy theme throughout the exhibition. We know what you’re thinking: yes it’s very Instagram-friendly.

#2: Major Tom by Edith Dekyndt, 2009
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Don’t think for a second that this is an upsized beach ball – taking its cue from the character Major Tom in David Bowie’s seminal song “Space Oddity”, the orb is meant to represent the fictional astronaut in space while the audience acts as “ground control” that carefully (and reverentially, trust us) monitors its movement as it floats freely – no smacking it, please.

The “navigation” of the orb is circumstantial – air circulation, room temperature and visitors’ movements will all have an effect, making it a fun and unpredictable piece to watch.

#3: From Here to Ear by Celeste Boursier Mougenot, 2008
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An experimental performance piece, the artist utilises songbirds and several electric guitars to come up with a whole new composition. The melodious birds are set free to congregate along the strings of the guitars, and there, the unpredictable “strumming” of the strings by the birds’ movements intertwine with the birds’ own singing, creating a bizarre yet uniquely organic “song”.

Unfortunately, while the curators would have loved to bring in the songbirds to replicate the experience, it was not advisable due to animal rights issues. Instead, visitors can enjoy a film of the performance art piece (shot by Arianne Michel), complete with headphones for a truly immersive experience.

#4: Work number 262, Half the Air in a Given Space by Martin Creed, 2001
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How can a room filled with (latex) balloons possibly be art? Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed seeks to challenge that notion. The art is only “created” when people enter the room: some might be afraid of bursting the balloons and attempt to be non-disruptive while others might be tempted to dive into the mob. The “art” is generated by the audience’s movements within the room – conceptual art, if you will, but nonetheless it’s still a fun piece that taps on the inner child in everyone.

 

Like this? Check out this all-new Singapore electronic music festival this weekend, the best under-the-radar acts at ZoukOut 2016 and major Japanese artist Shinro Ohtake’s first exhibition in Singapore.

Images: National Museum of Singapore
  • TAGS:
  • art
  • design
  • french art
  • national museum of singapore
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