SINGAPORE | Asians Cicilizations Museum, SAM and Red Dot Design Museum

These isntitutions are worth visiting if you are ever passing by Singapore.

First of all the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), http://www.acm.org.sg/home/home.asp, which is the first museum in the region to present a broad yet integrated perspective of pan-Asian cultures and civilisations. At the same time they have temporary exhibiitions and this month you can visit, Patterns of Trade: Indian Textiles for Export, 1400–1900.

 These textiles decorated with striking patterns and inventive motifs reveal the creativity of Indian textile artists. These textiles, which date from the 15th through the 19th centuries, trace the history of trade and cultural exchange at the time when India might be said to have clothed the world. Really outstanding!

In addition to the Civilisation Museum another gem is SAM – Singapore Art Museum http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/, where rotating exhibitions take place regularly.

A very interesting exhibition “People And Places” in the Learning Gallery showcases twenty Southeast Asian contemporary art works from the Singapore Art Museum’s permanent collection that looks at the people, places and spaces around us. Revolving around ideas of identity, urbanisation, globalisation and the environment, these works present the artists’ visions and interpretations of pertinent issues about urban living in the modern cityscape. Many intersting artists, Justin Lee, Jason Wee, Safaruddin Dyn, Tromorama presented various work, using various media.

Safaruddin Dyn’s works Maxwell Road (right) reference the idea of memory and absence, using images from old photographs to serve as visual diaries of specific landmarks in order to trigger feelings of nostalgia and longing in the viewer.

Artist Justin Lee  (left) in East & West playfully blends traditional Eastern iconography with modern-day symbols of our global capitalist culture.

Last but not least, the Red Dot Design Museum, sister to the one in Germany. http://www.red-dot.sg/museum/

The beautiful red painted colonial building of the ’20. former police headquarters, collects and presents the world’s best design works. Dedicated to works that have been awarded a red dot, and with a total of 1,400 square metres of exhibition space, the museum holds the largest collection of international contemporary design in Asia.

Presenting the best in product and communication design from more than 60 countries. It serves as a reliable benchmark of good design and market trends. A very nice little shops sells many funny gadgets! Worth the visit!