Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640): Lamentation over the Dead Christ

I’m a huge fan of visual culture – that is, the study of culture through visual images. For instance understanding social phenomena using print advertisements or looking at political situations through visual art. It comes as no surprise National Museum of Singapore’s latest offering – “A Story of the Image: Old & New Masters from Antwerp” is an exhibition I’m excited about.

The exhibition puts together 150 pieces of artwork from three important museums in Antwerp, Belgium. Rare Old Masters paintings from the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Antwerp (KMSKA), ancient prints and engravings from the Museum of Plantin-Moretus/Printroom, and thought-provoking contemporary works from the Museum of Contemporary Art, Antwerp (MuKHA).

The useful juxtaposition of old and contemporary works serve to narrate themes that are both diverse and yet central to the human condition – for instance, issues of social and gender equality as reflected in some of the artworks, and the exploration of our relationship with time, space, and memories, as captured by other paintings, photographs and installations.

In my working capacity of managing youth and community outreach at the National Heritage Board, I (very gleefully) organised for two different interest groups to visit the exhibition – a pool of youths and bloggers, and a group of photographers.

Rather than rattle on about what my interpretation of the exhibition and some of the artworks are, I think it would be in-line with the exhibition’s theme to share the many diverse viewpoints and stories of this showcase.

Popular bilingual social media site omy.sg helped to invite over 20 youths and bloggers to the exhibition. Here’s a short extract of what one of the bloggers, Pete, had to say:

Last Sunday offered me the rare experience of viewing some of the most awe-inspiring works of art that I have ever seen in my lifetime. As a part of an invited group of OMY bloggers, I attended a guided tour of the exhibition at the National Museum of Singapore, “A Story of the Image: Old & New Masters From Antwerp”.

Many experts propose that to truly appreciate art, we need to use a combination of left and right brain. As a somewhat ‘logical’ thinker, I had never appreciated the importance of this until Saturday, although I am no novice when it comes to attendance at art exhibitions.

The (exhibition) curator of the Museum, Ms Szan Tan did a wonderful job, and began by asking the tour group to ‘think for ourselves’… I think this was a very fundamental and important key piece of advice.

Many of the works left me pondering, many left me emotionally charged or moved. But without a doubt, a couple of pieces in particular will stay with me for a long time, etched in my memory.

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And in comparison, here are some of the images taken by a group of photography enthusiasts I had also extended an invitation to:

Photographer Alvin Bui takes to the ground for a different perspective of the fallen horses. Would this have been how the horses had looked at the world too?

(Image courtesy of Alvin Bui)
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Expression of the motion and mobility of people, versus the stationary and stillness of the artworks and artefacts in the museum.

(Image courtesy of Pauline Tan)
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Photographing a group of photographers photographing Old Master painter Anthony Van Dyck’s “Portrait of a Nobleman on a Horse”

(Image courtesy of Daryl Seah)
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Links

Here is the link to the list of bloggers’ review about the exhibition, helpfully compiled by Omy.sg.

And for more photographs and images, here is the link to the Facebook event page. (Images on the page belong to respective photographers. The author had obtained permission to reproduce the images shown in this post.)

To find out more about partnering us for youth activities and outings, or if you would like sign up or find out more about becoming a Young Museum Envoy email us at MuseumEnvoys@gmail.com

“A Story of the Image: Old & New Masters from Antwerp” is showing now at the National Museum of Singapore till 4 October 2009.