Off the wire
• Myanmar military seeks parliament approval to launch cooperation with Israel  • Tokyo stocks retreat in morning as yen rises, lack of buying cues  • FIFA court to make verdict on Blatter, Platini in December  • Argentine president-elect Macri vows to bolster economic cabinet, revamp foreign policy  • Terror weighing on Australian consumer confidence  • Singapore, Indonesia to work together to tackle terrorism, haze: MFA  • News Analysis: Despite euphoria, AEC could face serious obstacles  • LeBron James joins Oscar Robertson on elite NBA list  • Federer to play Stuttgart grass court for next two years  • Brazil's Rousseff congratulates Macri on election as Argentine president  
You are here: 　 Home

Singapore's PM unveils National Gallery Singapore

Xinhua, November 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong unveiled National Gallery Singapore on Monday evening at a celebration attended by artists, donors, partners, sponsors, civic and community leaders who have contributed to the making of the gallery over the past 10 years.

Lee launched the opening celebrations by making the first brushstroke of an artistic light and sound installation inspired by artworks in the exhibitions.

The gallery, which shows the largest public collection of modern art of Singapore and Southeast Asia, will open its door to the public on Tuesday.

National Gallery Singapore has been beautifully restored and transformed from the former Supreme Court and City Hall buildings, two important heritage buildings of Singapore's nationhood, into an exciting new visual arts venue. The gallery is dedicated to collaborative research, education and exhibitions, highlighting the importance of modern art in Southeast Asia in a global context.

Hsieh Fu Hua, chairman of National Gallery Singapore, said that artists are often seen as being unconventional, separated from the mainstream. Through the exhibitions, visitors will realize that artists are integral to the society and art is not created in a vacuum.

"Knowing who our key artists are, knowing what artistic expressions have been made over time in our country and in our region, all this is knowledge that will inform and shape our sense of connection to our community," said the chairman.

The prime minister toured the gallery's expansive interior including the DBS Singapore Gallery, the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery and the Keppel Center for Art Education, where he viewed iconic works and interacted with artists before the opening celebrations. Endit