New School Term Starts At Singapore Art Museum With 8Qsam

The ringing of the school bell and explosions of party poppers sounded the opening of the Singapore Art Museum’s (SAM) new wing for contemporary art and its inaugural exhibition Q8-Rate:School on 15 August 2008.

The event was a party; guests exchanged coupons for beer, popcorn and other snacks.

The facility’s moniker derives from its location – 8 Queen Street, and the exhibition’s name puns on the phrase “Curate School.”

The 8Q building was the former Catholic High Primary Pchool. In her address, Ms Jane Ittogi, the chairperson of SAM, explained why.

“We see these former school buildings as an embodiment of our vision of SAM and 8Q as a place of discovery, learning and a journey of shared life,” she said. “8Qsam will support contemporary and experimental art forms.”

Besides that, 8Q sam also seeks to inspire discourse and serve as a forum for all, especially students. 

Guest-Of-Honour, RADM (NS) Liu Tuck Yew, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts, added: “It is the merging of the best traditions of the past and the promise of the future, both in the artists and the art forms they represent.”

That was reflected in Q8-Rate:School, a collaboration between eight curators and eight young artists exploring themes relating to school. The art forms range from paintings, to site specific installations and even sound.

Everyone toured the exhibits after the speeches and feasted local delights like mee siam, laksa and hainanese chicken rice. The artists and curators mingled with the visitors, explaining their respective works.

One of the artists and a school alumus, Jason Wee, started work in May with his curator, I-Shan, on his installation – In My School Are Many Rooms. 

He said: “I feel like a student again. I have weird memories of the place - crying kindergarteners, the smell of urea from the bathroom, fierce teachers, dark corridors."

Another artist, Tan Kai Syng, offered some advice to budding artists: "Be very humble, learn from everyone, everywhere, outside of Singapore. Work very hard. There's no other way about it. There's no such thing as talent. And ditch your romantic ideas of the 'artist' or even 'Singapore artist'!" 

Her work comprises provocative video footages of her wandering CHS' grounds during its transition to 8Qsam. Some show her running or rolling around in vacant, unfurnished workspaces. A piece of equally haunting text by the artist accompanies the shots. 

But Jolyn Ng, a design student, didn't think the exhibits were as diverse.

She said: “I don’t really think it was that diverse. Not in terms of art forms, but the interpretation of what school means. They were all dark themes."

The works will be on display until 9 January 2009.

Local artists who want to display their contemporary are invited to send their proposals via email or hard copy to NHB_SAM_MCC@nhb.gov.sg and 8 Queen Street, Singapore 188535 respectively.