Video, an Art, a History 1965-2010

Who cares if the world of banking lost another number crunching serf? Switch off the news and turn your attention to a humorous critique of contemporary Singapore society. Lee Wen’s spectacular interactive video art installation World Class Society delivers that. In a sepulchral room imbued with white and designed like a prison cell, one visitor at a time watches, through a white cloth tube, a close-up of Lee Wen dressed like a typical civil servant, delivering a glib speech replete with the phrase, “World class.” You also receive a badge if you fill up a questionnaire; how Singaporean is that?!
Through Sep 18 at Singapore Art Museum

Dazzle: Tribute To Iconic Buildings In Singapore

Who said sequins are just for drama queens like the Dim Sum Dollies and Kumar? Upcoming local artist Simon Lim, a Peranakan, was so inspired by the intricate beadwork created by his ancestors that he incorporates them on his paintings of iconic Singaporean buildings like the Supreme Court. Lim thinks that by imbuing them with glittering little beads, more women can appreciate the architecture of the buildings; something he feels is a predominantly male terrain.
Through Aug 16 at Société Générale Private Banking Gallery.

One

To commemorate Singapore’s 46th birthday, local artist Kelvin Tan examines the crux of Singaporean identity in One, inspired by rojak and nuances of contemporary society. He presents effusive Pop Art mixed-media installations comprising techniques like screen printing, traditional painting, stenciling and relief. Iconic national symbols are remixed in migraine-inducing fluro hues . So you can expect former Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew making a funky Banksy-inspired cameo on a wall (certainly more fun than watching him in his angelic whites on television during the National Day Parade).
Through Aug 9 at Esplanade Tunnel