Something interesting was spotted outside the Singapore Art Museum. A sight that is too familiar to the young and old in Singapore.

Isn’t this familar?

Although this is not so common in the new estates, with safer racks for our “tek koh” (the long bamboo stick used to hang the clothes out to dry), but still you should have seen them around the older neighbourhoods in Singapore.

I’ve been living in HDB flats all my life (although I hope one day I can move to somewhere bigger *grins*). From a 4-room flat with my grandparents, to a 3-room flat in Toa Payoh and now in a 4-room flat with my parents. The funny thing is, every time I move, my room seems to have become smaller! Talking about upgrading!

With the ever changing landscape and upgrades happening around Singapore, it is essential to capture and share the past and present with our future. And that’s what Ong Kim Seng hopes to do with his beautiful paintings of the Heartlands.

At the Singapore Art Museum, Gallery 2.7

Ong Kim Seng, one of Singapore’s most successful artists, pays tribute to a subject close to his (and our) heart – the Heartlands of Singapore. Through his paintings, he captures his feelings for his home and nation.

Ong has produced numerous sketches and paintings of his early kampung home and areas in the neighbouring kampungs. Many of which, were lost, discarded, or resourcefully used by his late mother to plug up holes in their attap hut!

Some of his work which survived those days

Ong thought that it’s rare to see art works relating to public housing in Singapore, even though around 80% of our population live in the HDB flats. He felt that there was not much art that expresses this part of our shared history and national identity. That’s what got him started with wanting to put up a show that would bring up different aspects of public housing.

Heartlands – Home and Nation in the Art of Ong Kim Seng, is exhibiting at the Singapore Art Museum from now till 30 November 2008. It’ll also be on display at HDB Hub (Toa Payoh) from 6 to 22 December 2008.