PRESS RELEASE
LIKE OR NOT?
Venue: Esplanade Mall Entrance (Durian) and Concert Hall Atrium (Housefly)
Dates: 25th September to 10th November 2003
Artist: Chng Nai Wee
Like or Not? is a light-hearted and provocative installation that examines how far we have come to terms with the design of the Esplanade and the similarities of the form of the Esplanade with the form of the durian and the form of the eyes of the housefly.
Before the opening of the Esplanade, many Singaporeans could not quite agree whether they liked the design of the Esplanade. A common agreement was that the domes of the Esplanade bore a striking resemblance to the form of the durian and the compound eyes of the housefly. One year has passed since the opening, and Singaporeans has nicknamed the domes “durians”. We are no longer bashful or hesitant in making names. The one-year anniversary of the Esplanade is a fitting occasion for the installation of these inflatable sculptures.
The housefly is suspended in the atrium of the Concert Hall, and the durian is suspended at the mall entrance of the Esplanade. The housefly is almost 12 meters long, and the durian is more than 5 meters in height.
These installations of the durian and the housefly, by their site, and by their size, confront the viewer, light-heartedly prompting the viewer to examine why he likes or dislikes the design of the Esplanade, particularly with regards to the resemblance the form of the Esplanade bear with the form of the durians and the compound eyes of the housefly. To what extent, do the knowledge of the form and nature of the housefly and the durian, and the previous experiences with the housefly and the durian, have on the viewer's like and dislike of the design of the Esplanade and the inflatable works that ask this question?
These inflatable works are industrially manufactured according to the artist’s specifications as depicted in his conceptual and design drawings by a fabricator in the People’s Republic of China and delivered to Singapore for installation by contractors under the direction of the artist.
The inflatable works are on display from 25th September 2003 to 10tth November 2003. The durian is exhibited at the entrance of the Esplanade Shopping Mall and the housefly is exhibited at the Concert Hall atrium. The Concert Hall atrium is a restricted area for Concert Hall patrons only. Public can access the housefly by joining the twice daily Esplanade Tour.
The sponsors of this show are Esplanade, Lee Foundation, and National Arts Council (Young Artist Award Grant). Publication quality images of the works can be downloaded at http://www.biotechnics.org/3likeornotpressrelease.html. For access to the Concert Hall for photography of the housefly, please contact the Esplanade Office at 68288377.
The artist, Chng Nai Wee, 34 years old, is a recipient of the National Art Council’s Young Artist Award in 1999. His only formal tertiary arts-related training was a six-month period at Yale School of Architecture. He is currently an Arts Resource Panel member of the National Arts Council and an art adviser to Jurong Town Corporation. His works focus on the fusion of disciplines - primarily Art and Science. Three of his works are currently exhibited at the Convergences of Art, Science, and Technology show at the Singapore Art Museum until 2004. His series Pantheon – Innards of Consciousness may be viewed at Block 1 Biopolis from 1st November 2003. His previous solo shows Biotechnics and Moleculux – Luminescent Bodies in Hyperspace, may be accessed at http://www.biotechnics.org and http://www.moleculux.com. Chng Nai Wee has examined local issues previously; in 1991, he installed the 12-screen video installation The Sin of Apathy at the National Museum. The artist can be contacted at chng@dr.com and handphone: 98755248. He is represented by art dealer Ipreciation at Fullerton Hotel.
PRESS IMAGES
Like or Not? (Desaturated with color highlight - Print Resolution)
Like or Not? (Desaturated with color highlight - Screen Resolution)
Like or Not? (Full color - Print Resolution)
Like or Not? (Full color - Screen Resolution)
Esplanade Visual Arts Festival Cover (Based on Like or Not?) (Black and white - Print Resolution)
Esplanade Visual Arts Festival Cover (Based on Like or Not?) (Black and white - Screen Resolution)
Esplanade Visual Arts Festival Cover (Based on Like or Not?) (Color - Print Resolution)
Esplanade Visual Arts Festival Cover (Based on Like or Not?) (Color - Screen Resolution)
PRESS DATA
CV of artist
SPONSORS
