Best National Gallery Singapore Podcasts (2024)

1
Two Planets | Desire Deny Defy: Chris Baker, Pasuk Phongpaichit 1:18:46

16d ago1:18:46

1:18:46

Desire is both powerful and fundamental. In old Siam, the expression of desire in words and pictures was open, celebratory and humorous. Among non-elite women, sexuality was seen as a strength and was something that was not confined to the young. Royals were portrayed as passionate. However, modernity brought about change. Some sought to deny the p…

1
I am an Artist (He Said): Live Readings & Discussion | Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Amanda Lee Koe, Heman Chong & Roger Nelson 51:23

3M ago51:23

51:23

“To be an artist is ... just like shit in a clogged toilet, stubborn shit that can’t decide whether it wants to be flushed or to stick around…” Composed as an irreverent dialogue between masculine and feminine narrators, this book of essays by Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook is an uncategorisable fusion of art criticism, feminist theory, art pedagogy, goss…

1
Darkened Rooms | Charmaine Toh, Janice Loo, Mintio & Sean Lee 1:22:58

4M ago1:22:58

1:22:58

Photography has been seen on the walls of the art museum since the 1930s. However, since then, questions have continued to be raised as to what sort of photography and whose photography should be collected and displayed? The role of photography within an art museum is often complicated by its varied, multiple roles in daily life – its non-art funct…

1
An Uncommon History of the Common Fence: A Prologue | Jason Wee 31:58

7M ago31:58

31:58

"An Uncommon History of the Common Fence" is a research project that suggests that the common fence—often used as a protective safety urban device or as a boundary marker demarcating permissible and non-permissible movement—has had an uncommon history within the biography of Singapore. The fence is so commonplace within the urban environment that i…

1
The Neglected Dimension | Arahmaiani, Anissa Rahadiningtyas, Noorashikin Binte Zulkifli & Syaheedah Iskandar 1:37:39

9M ago1:37:39

1:37:39

To dwell on the questions concerning Islam and Islamic religiosity/spirituality is to acknowledge its position in mainstream art historical narratives and museological practices. Islam is rarely discussed in this largely secular field and the circles of modern and contemporary art. There are only a few scholarships on art in Southeast Asia that add…

1
Singapore Art from the 1950s – 1970s | Jeffrey Say 1:47:28

11M ago1:47:28

1:47:28

In this episode, art historian Jeffrey Say explores one of the most important phases in the development of Singapore’s modern art history—the 1950s to the 1970s. This period saw the emergence of distinctive movements like the Nanyang Style, visual imagery that drew from the lives and struggles of the common people, and the first sculpture show in S…

1
How Easily Modernism Could be Disturbed | Session 2: You Will Never Understand 1:00:12

12M ago1:00:12

1:00:12

Founder and editor of the Indonesian magazine Tempo, Goenawan Mohamad recalls one of Indonesia’s most cherished poets, Chairil Anwar, and offers perspectives on possible genealogies that have constituted modern Southeast Asian literary production since the 1950s. This session was held in December 2018 as part of the symposium How Easily Modernism C…

1
How Easily Modernism Could be Disturbed | Session 1: The Play of Light 1:00:22

1y ago1:00:22

1:00:22

Writer and literary translator Pauline Fan traces the literary frontiers in Latiff Mohidin’s travel writings and poetry from the 1960s in this conversation with Gallery Director of ILHAM Gallery Rahel Joseph. This session was held in December 2018 as part of the symposium How Easily Modernism Could be Disturbed in conjunction with the exhibition La…

1
Performing Paik, Connecting the World: Sook-Kyung Lee and Rudolf Frieling 50:58

1y ago50:58

50:58

Co-curators of the Nam June Paik exhibition Rudolf Frieling (of SFMOMA) and Sook-Kyung Lee (of Tate Modern) briefly trace Paik’s legacy by focusing on some of his key works. They also address multiple intersecting narratvies of music and performance, collaboration and artistic networks as well as transnational interests and trajectories. This talk …

1
The Crowd: In conversation with Seng Yu Jin and Roger Nelson 57:33

1y ago57:33

57:33

Roger Nelson (Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University and Curator) and Seng Yu Jin (Deputy Director, Curatorial & Exhibitions, National Gallery Singapore) discuss how we can account for the allure of the exotic in depictions of crowds in Southeast Asian places and people through Louis Rollet’s Market at Memot and U Ba Nyan’s At the …

1
Animals and Imagery in Colonial Singapore | Timothy P. Barnard 51:44

1+ y ago51:44

51:44

Associate Professor of History Dr Timothy P. Barnard (National University of Singapore) explores how animals fit into colonial society in Singapore, an aspect of the period’s history that is often overlooked. While animals no doubt played an important role in everyday life by providing transportation, labour and food, they also symbolically represe…

1
Murals and Architecture in Singapore and Malaysia, 1945-1969 | Lai Chee Kien 46:08

1+ y ago46:08

46:08

Architecture historian Dr Lai Chee Kien examines murals and architecture produced during the heady years just before and after independence in Singapore and Malaysia from 1945 to 1969, and also into the 1970s. This talk was recorded live in March 2020 at National Gallery Singapore as part of the programming for Suddenly Turning Visible: Art and Arc…

1
Thought Leader Series | Sir Nicholas Serota on Art Museums as Forum 1:06:46

1+ y ago1:06:46

1:06:46

Former Director of the Tate, Sir Nicholas Serota discusses the implications of significant shifts in the way art museums work with artists and how they engage with the public, with special reference to the evolution of Tate. This talk was recorded live in October 2018 at National Gallery Singapore. Disclaimer: The comments and opinions expressed ar…

1
The Romance of the Emporium: Donna Brunero on Collecting and Documenting the Asian Port City in the Era of the Sail 48:16

1+ y ago48:16

48:16

Senior Lecturer of History Dr Donna Brunero (National University of Singapore) explores how the material culture of the port city and representations of an idealised Asian trading emporium, became important ways of considering Asia in the 1880s. This talk was recorded live in September 2019 at National Gallery Singapore in association with the Art …

1
Ceramic Art Through a Filmmaker’s Lens | Royston Tan on Iskandar Jalil 1:23:12

1+ y ago1:23:12

1:23:12

In this episode, award-winning filmmaker Royston Tan shares his perspective on Iskandar Jalil as a master potter and educator, and sheds light on how Iskandar’s art-making philosophy has influenced his filmmaking. This talk was recorded live in September 2017 at National Gallery Singapore in association with the exhibition "Iskandar Jalil: Kembara …

1
The Art of Collecting | Jennifer Lam 43:26

1+ y ago43:26

43:26

Assistant Curator Jennifer Lam discusses the history and practice of collecting art in Singapore during the early 20th century, with reference to the Xiu Hai Lou Collection of Chinese painting and calligraphy. This talk was recorded live in September 2017 at National Gallery Singapore in association with the exhibition "Rediscovering Treasures: Ink…

1
Artist Talk | Zhang Jian-Jun: The Way of Experimental Ink 1:00:44

2y ago1:00:44

1:00:44

Contemporary ink artist Zhang Jian-Jun probes into China’s rapidly changing cultural and physical landscapes through his paintings, photography, videos and installations. This talk was recorded live in September 2019 at National Gallery Singapore as part of the Gallery's annual programme series Ink Masters. Disclaimer: The comments and opinions exp…

1
To Singapore River, With Love | An Artist Talk by Cheo Chai Hiang 53:33

2y ago53:33

53:33

Artist Cheo Chai Hiang shares his personal connections to the social and cultural narratives of the Singapore River, and how this deep bond with his homeland has influenced his art practice. This talk was recorded live in August 2018 at National Gallery Singapore, as part of the exhibition Lim Cheng Hoe: Painting Singapore. Disclaimer: The comments…

1
Pictorialism is Dead. Long Live Pictorialism. | Charmaine Toh 37:38

2y ago37:38

37:38

Accounts of pictorial photography have typically traced its beginnings from Europe in the 1890s to its supposed end in North America in the 1930s. This talk by Gallery curator Charmaine Toh considers the transfer of pictorial photography to Singapore and how values associated with Pictorialism were re-coded within the local context. Particular atte…

1
To see what you see is what you think you see: A Conversation with Mak Kum Siew 47:24

2y ago47:24

47:24

Learn more about London’s art scene in the 1960s and what it takes for a Singaporean artist to suceed in a foreign metropolis, in this dialogue between artist Mak Kum Siew and Jennifer K. Y. Lam (Assistant Curator, National Gallery Singapore). This conversation was recorded live in May 2018 at National Gallery Singapore, as part of the exhibition (…

1
Clarissa Chikiamco | From History to the Real: Two Sides of Juan Luna 58:47

2y ago58:47

58:47

Learn about the different sides of Filipino painter Juan Luna’s artistic practice in this talk by Clarissa Chikiamco (Curator, National Gallery Singapore). By comparing two of the artist’s masterpieces– Cleopatra and Les Ignorés (The Unknown Ones) –this talk examines Luna’s stylistic shift from history painting to realism during his time in Paris. …

1
John Clark | Raden Saleh and Juan Luna: Artist, Identity and Colony 1:35:26

2y ago1:35:26

1:35:26

This lecture by art historian and Professor Emeritus John Clark compares the different ways that Raden Saleh and Juan Luna approached creating art in a colonial context. It refers to two of their Salon paintings - The Arrest of Diponegoro and Spoliarium - and examines how each made nationalistic statements about colonial rule while adhering to Euro…

1
Women and Minimalism | In Conversation with Goh Sze Ying and Joleen Loh 33:45

2+ y ago33:45

33:45

Listen to Gallery curators Goh Sze Ying and Joleen Loh as they examine approaches to seriality and form in the practice of artists Kim Lim, Midori Takada, Anne Truitt and Charlotte Posenenske. They will also discuss the contribution of women artists to the development of Minimal Art. This lecture was made possible with the support of the U.S. Embas…

1
Joan Kee | Minimalism in Asia Major 1:09:22

2+ y ago1:09:22

1:09:22

Despite the significant role that Asian artists and Asia played in contemporary art, nearly every discussion of Minimalism fails to account for this. This lecture by art historian Joan Kee offers a maverick view of Minimalism, addressing how and why Asia and Asian artists mattered in relation to one of the most important art movements in the 20th c…

1
Gallery Keynote: Future Glocal Museum Perspectives By Dr Marion Ackermann 1:27:30

2+ y ago1:27:30

1:27:30

The future of our museums and the search for new concepts in rapidly changing societies is an important issue in present museum debates. Social transformation processes, changes in communication and the transfer of knowledge, which have been extremely accelerated by the digital revolution and globalisation, are also visible in everyday museum life.…

1
Why Do We Leave?: Jose Tence Ruiz in Conversation with Shabbir Hussain Mustafa 1:23:10

2+ y ago1:23:10

1:23:10

How do artists bear witness to changes and shifts in their homeland, and why do they leave? Join Senior Curator Shabbir Hussain Mustafa in tracing the journey of multimedia artist Jose Tence Ruiz from Manila, where he was involved in the Kaisahan Social Realist movement, to his life in Singapore as a political cartoonist. This conversation was reco…

1
Re-Imagining Home: Vietnam as Sign, Site, and History in Contemporary Art 1:10:46

2+ y ago1:10:46

1:10:46

Join art historian Dr Pamela Corey as she surveys the works of diasporic Vietnamese artists that draw on themes of transnational history, such as competing nationalisms, contested historiographies, wartime trauma and diasporic migration. This talk offers new interpretations of their artworks, such as through the lens of craft, mass media and urban …

1
Epitaph IV: Nationalism Through Spirituality in Art 33:28

2+ y ago33:28

33:28

Assistant Curator Zulfadhli Hilmi discusses the themes of spiritualism and nationalism in AD Pirous’ artwork Epitaph IV. The conversation explores the turn towards creating new languages and dialogues in art in the 1960s in Bandung and the rest of Southeast Asia. This talk was recorded live in September 2018 at National Gallery Singapore. Disclaime…

1
Iskandar Jalil: Inspired and Inspiring 1:02:42

3y ago1:02:42

1:02:42

Join academic and ceramic artist Dr Suriani Suratman, who trained under Iskandar Jalil, in a conversation with Syed Muhammad Hafiz (Assistant Curator, National Gallery Singapore). Dr Suriani shares her personal insights on Iskandar’s teaching philosophies and how his teaching legacy continues to have an impact on the local art scene. This conversat…

1
Unstill Life: THE SPIRIT OF STONE 10:18

3y ago10:18

10:18

Han Sai Por’s Tetrahedron-tetrahedron Interpenetration (1993) traces the shape of its own creation. - THE SPIRIT OF STONE was written by Luke Somasundram and stars Pauline Fan as the voice of The Tetrahedron. This podcast was produced by National Gallery Singapore, with music and sound design by Jevon Chandra, and narration by Noorlinah Mohamed. - …

1
Trailer: UNSTILL LIFE 1:08

3y ago1:08

1:08

"NO FLASH". You’ve seen the signs, but what backstory haunts those words? What stories do galleries hide, behind brushstrokes and between sight lines? The official unofficial podcast of National Gallery Singapore gives you a glimpse. Each episode is an audio snapshot of art and culture via an unexpected lens. Be a fly on the walls of history, unrav…

1
The Power of Multitude: A Survey of Artists' Collectives in Singapore from 1935– 1988 1:52:44

3y ago1:52:44

1:52:44

In this lecture, Senior Curator Seng Yu Jin examines different types of artists' collectives and how collectivism influences the ways artists think about and make art. Listen as he traces the shifts in the Singapore art scene from "organisational collectivism" that sought to professionalise art, to "exhibition collectivism" that championed group ex…

1
Unstill Life: RIVER TOUR 11:50

3y ago11:50

11:50

After a chance encounter with a Singapore River tour guide, Teo Eng Seng’s The Net (Most Definitely Singapore River) recounts its story. - RIVER TOUR was written by Luke Somasundram and stars Lucas Ho as the voice of the artwork, and Jo Tan as the tour guide. This podcast was produced by National Gallery Singapore, with music and sound design by Je…

1
Unstill Life: I, FLY 10:06

3y ago10:06

10:06

In Chua Mia Tee’s Epic Poem of Malaya (1955), a not-so-humble housefly, perched on a shoulder, muses about his favourite meal, mankind. - I, FLY was written by Luke Somasundram and stars Areet Roychowdury as the fly. This podcast was produced by National Gallery Singapore, with music and sound design by Jevon Chandra, and narration by Noorlinah Moh…

1
Unstill Life: ORIGIN STORY 9:18

3y ago9:18

9:18

Suzann Victor’s Expense of Spirit In a Waste of Shame (1994) shares the story of the early days of its existence with a passionate sales executive. - ORIGIN STORY was written by Luke Somasundram and stars Julie Wee as the artwork, and Jo Tan as the visitor. This podcast was produced by National Gallery Singapore, with music and sound design by Jevo…

1
Unstill Life: CHIEF EXECUTIVE GOAT 10:58

3y ago10:58

10:58

Cheong Soo Pieng’s Drying Salted Fish (1978) celebrates another successful year as a window into a Singapore long gone, with a rousing speech from their Chief Executive Goat. - CHIEF EXECUTIVE GOAT was written by Luke Somasundram and stars Karen Tan as the Chief Executive Goat. This podcast was produced by National Gallery Singapore, with music and…

1
Frames Within and Without: The Art of Chng Seok Tin Chng | Seng Yu Jin in Conversation with Koh Nguang How 1:22:50

3y ago1:22:50

1:22:50

Researcher Koh Nguang How joins Senior Curator Seng Yu Jin as they discuss on the late artist and cultural medallion recipient Chng Seok Tin- looking at her multi-hyphenated practices as artist, writer, and musician. This session was recorded live in May 2019 at National Gallery Singapore. Disclaimer: The comments and opinions expressed are those o…

1
Unstill Life: MY TRUE COLOURS 10:04

3y ago10:04

10:04

Choy Weng Yang’s Horizontals I (1977) speaks for the first time, opening up about the pressures of being an abstract painting, living up to the expectations of others, and their own secret ambition for the future. - TRUE COLOURS was written by Luke Somasundram and stars Seng Onn Loong as the artwork. This podcast was produced by National Gallery Si…

1
Conserve and Contrast: Perspectives from Two Curators and a Conservator 1:10:07

3y ago1:10:07

1:10:07

What can conservation and art history learn from each other? Gallery curators Clarissa Chikiamco and Roger Nelson are joined by conservator Mar Cusso in an exchange of perspectives on two paintings: a detailed 1930s portrait of a formally attired Burmese gentleman by Saya Myit and a 1940s dream-like depiction of a hunter by Emiria Sunassa. Both pai…

1
In Flux: Impermanent Galleries | A Conversation with Cheng Jia Yun 1:06:47

3y ago1:06:47

1:06:47

The UOB Southeast Asia Gallery, along with the DBS Singapore Gallery, house National Gallery Singapore's long-term exhibitions. However, the displays in these two "permanent” galleries are anything but permanent: artworks are regularly removed so that they can be returned to the lender or sent for conservation, making space for new loans and acquis…

1
Doors into Constancio Bernardo: a Conversation with Clarissa Chikiamco 59:48

3y ago59:48

59:48

In this session, Gallery curator Clarissa Chikiamco discusses artist Constancio Bernardo's pursuit of abstraction in post-war Philippines, through his painting Bernardian Synthesis No. 1. This session was recorded live in May 2018 at National Gallery Singapore. Disclaimer: The comments and opinions expressed are those of the speaker/s, and do not r…

1
Low Kway Song: A Trailblazer | Lim Shujuan In Conversation with Richard and Arthur Low 57:35

3+ y ago57:35

57:35

Join Gallery curator Lim Shujuan in conversation with Richard and Arthur Low, the grandsons of Singapore artist Low Kway Song (1889–1982). Low was not only a forerunner who popularised oil painting and a prominent portrait artist commissioned by many famous personalities, but also a publisher and owner of a photographic studio. Learn little-known f…

1
Latiff Mohidin: Pago Pago (1960–1969) a Talk by Shabbir Hussain Mustafa 1:03:08

3+ y ago1:03:08

1:03:08

Gain insights into the contexts surrounding poet-painter Latiff Mohidin’s seminal Pago Pago series. This talk by Senior Curator Shabbir Hussain Mustafa places the artist within the Berlin art circles of the 1960s, as well as the cultural, political and art historical milieus of Southeast Asia. This conversation was recorded live in July 2018 at Nat…

1
She Takes Her Path: Amanda Heng in Conversation with Charmaine Toh 1:20:35

3+ y ago1:20:35

1:20:35

In conversation with curator Charmaine Toh, award-winning multi-disciplinary artist Amanda Heng introduces her performance S/he, as well as her broader art practice through the decades. Recounting her experiences with The Artists Village and Women in the Arts, the discussion provides a personal viewpoint on the history of socially-engaged art in Si…

1
Walking with Alwin: Alwin Reamillo in Conversation with Shabbir Hussain Mustafa 58:37

3+ y ago58:37

58:37

Filipino artist Alwin Reamillo investigates the idea of nationhood and its surrounding narratives, through looking at artworks by Juan Luna, Felix Hidalgo, and Victor Edades in the UOB Southeast Asia Galleries. Together with Senior Curator Shabbir Hussain Mustafa, Reamillo also discusses figures in Philippine art history that have influenced his ow…

1
Collaging Ancestries: Goh Beng Kwan in Conversation with Seng Yu Jin 1:01:24

3+ y ago1:01:24

1:01:24

In this session, Singaporean artist and Cultural Medallion recipient - Goh Beng Kwan and Senior Curator Seng Yu Jin discuss how collage offered a way for Goh to explore new ways of art-making, through using an expanded range of materials and cultural sources. This conversation was recorded live in November 2018 at National Gallery Singapore. Discla…

1
Collaboration, Coal, Contemporaneity: Trần Lương in Conversation with Roger Nelson 1:06:49

3+ y ago1:06:49

1:06:49

Trần Lương is one of Vietnam’s most celebrated contemporary artists. In this conversation with Gallery curator Roger Nelson, he discusses his artistic practice and how the emphasis on creative collaboration heralded a new era of artmaking in contemporary Vietnam after the demise of the Cold War. This conversation was recorded live in August 2019 at…

1
Reflections on Art: Tan Oe Pang in Conversation with Teo Hui Min 1:04:13

3+ y ago1:04:13

1:04:13

One of the most innovative practitioners working in the medium of ink today, Tan Oe Pang joins Assistant Curator Teo Hui Min to discuss the artistic concepts expressed through his work, the essential qualities of art and the dialogue between Western and Eastern aesthetics. This conversation contains segments in Mandarin with accompanying translatio…

1
Act 1.5… My Time With The Artist Village: Khairul Anwar Salleh In Conversation with Jennifer Lam 58:50

3+ y ago58:50

58:50

How did artists with different practices begin collaborating? Is there a relationship between performance art, theatre and new media? Join artist Khairul Anwar Salleh and Assistant Curator Jennifer K.Y. Lam in exploring the development of interdisciplinary approaches to art in Singapore. This conversation was recorded live in August 2018 at Nationa…

1
Under Wraps: Edgar Talusan Fernandez In Conversation with Clarissa Chikiamco 1:30:12

3+ y ago1:30:12

1:30:12

Initially a painter of abstract art, artist Edgar Talusan Fernandez turned to overt political subjects after Ferdinand Marcos’ declaration of Martial Law in 1972. Join Fernandez and Gallery curator Clarissa Chikiamco as they explore the multiple facets that make up Fernandez’s artistic practice since the 1970s. This conversation was recorded live i…

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National Gallery Singapore Podcasts

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