A unique approach to “figuring” art at National Gallery Singapore’s Figuring a Scene

Discover new ways of “figuring” art at National Gallery Singapore’s new exhibition, Figuring a Scene. Presented at Dalam Southeast Asia, the show is Dr. Patrick Flores’ first curated exhibition for the Gallery since he joined in 2023 as Deputy Director of Curatorial & Research. Guided by an unconventional curatorial approach, Dr. Flores diverges from the largely linear method of storytelling seen in the UOB Southeast Asia Gallery to encourage fresh perspectives on viewing, understanding and appreciating Southeast Asian artworks and materials. It asserts that emotions, imagination and sensory experiences play crucial roles in understanding art and inevitably defining how we make sense of history or society. The exhibition probes the process of creating forms and how sensitive materials like art gain significance within specific settings, resembling the unfolding of narrative or drama.

From 5 April to 1 December 2024, visitors may explore six episodes that investigate how elements from nature are depicted in different forms of art and take on meaning in broader contexts of history, society, faith and identity. Discover the links between fire, a seemingly destructive element, and Singapore’s national development or observe the different manifestations of the invisible element of air.

For more information on the exhibition, please visit: nationalgallery.sg/FiguringAScene