Arts Picks: Exhibitions of Lasalle and Nafa artists, botanical art prints and rare Buddhist relics

Which Is Which? A Survey Of Artists From Lasalle & Nafa

Can you tell the difference between a visual artist who graduated from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) and one who studied at Lasalle College of the Arts?

Take your nerdy art friends to Gajah Gallery and quiz them on art history as curator John Tung has hid the names of the 15 artists and affiliations as you take in their works.

“There are a few contenders whom I think some people will get wrong – it’s a mix of educators and graduates,” says Tung. He points out that many would mistake Cultural Medallion recipient Chua Ek Kay as a Nafa graduate, when the Chinese ink painter graduated from Lasalle.

Nafa, founded in 1938, and Lasalle, in 1984, are regarded as leading art institutions with distinctive pedagogies. Approached by Gajah Gallery founder Jasdeep Sandhu to curate a show on the occasion of the formation of the University of the Arts – an alliance between Nafa and Lasalle – Tung says he has given the subject his own spin.

The exhibition plays on stereotypes that the two schools have, says Tung, such as Lasalle producing only conceptual artists and Nafa very traditional ones. These tropes might not be helpful in navigating this new exhibition.

Schools aside, other surprises are in store. There is a lovely, modest painting by Ng Eng Teng titled Still Life With Red Lilies (1961) on show – somewhat of a rarity for those accustomed to Ng’s enormous public art sculptures or his humorous sculptures of torso-faces.

Which Is Which? opens on the same weekend as Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen’s solo exhibition at the Singapore Art Museum – a perfect opportunity to make the trek to Tanjong Pagar Distripark worth your steps.

Where: Gajah Gallery, 03-04 Tanjong Pagar Distripark, 39 Keppel RoadMRT: Tanjong PagarWhen: Nov 24 to Dec 10; weekdays, 11am to 7pm; weekends, noon to 6pmAdmission: Free
Info: gajahgallery.com

Capturing Nature

The two galleries in Capturing Nature demonstrate the range of nature-printing techniques used mostly in Europe and also the Asia-Pacific region. PHOTO: CAPTURINGNATURE.ORG_/INSTAGRAM

Before the invention of photography, nature lovers pressed inked botanical specimens on paper to record them. While this might sound unimpressive, an exhibition at the Botanical Art Gallery reveals otherwise – there is a range of distinct nature printing techniques developed across Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

Some techniques remain a secret and one such print on display – a leaf print of the Japanese butterbur on fabric from the early 20th century – is an enigmatic example. Its printing technique is known only to the Miyakoshi family, who went on to sell commercial production of the prints from the mid-19th century in the form of large hanging scrolls and adornment for sliding door screens.

Capturing Nature – located in a black-and-white bungalow at the Singapore Botanic Gardens’ Gallop Extension – is unabashedly focused on print techniques, not quite tackling the social dimension of these artefacts.

For those looking for more intriguing stories behind the rare prints, a copy of Capturing Nature: 150 Years Of Nature Printing (2023) by American rare art book dealer Matthew Zucker and Swedish researcher Pia Ostlund – who are also the curators of this show – is a voluminous book available for reference.

Where: Botanical Art Gallery, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 7 Gallop RoadMRT: Botanic GardensWhen: Until March 31, 9am to 6pm (last entry at 5.30pm); closed every last Thursday of the monthAdmission: Free
Info: str.sg/ix82

Beyond Time: The Legacy Of Buddha’s Bone Relics

The Kapilavastu Buddha Relics will be on show at the Rise of Asia Museum from Nov 24 to 28. PHOTO: COURTESY OF TIBETAN BUDDHIST CENTRE

This is a rare opportunity to glimpse the sacred Kapilavastu Buddha Relics in Singapore as what is on display would not have ordinarily left Sri Lanka.

These relics were discovered in 1898 at a stupa site in Piprahwa, India – believed to be, according to some Buddhist texts, the ancient city of Kapilavastu, where Buddha spent the first 29 years of his life.

Organised by the Tibetan Buddhist Centre, artefacts on display include a reliquary with a stone inscription written in Brahmi script as well as an alms bowl believed to have been used by Buddha.

This exhibition is held at the Rise of Asia Museum located in Haw Par Villa.

Pre-registration is encouraged.

Where: Rise of Asia Museum, Haw Par Villa, 262 Pasir Panjang RoadMRT: Haw Par VillaWhen: Nov 24, 4 to 9pm; Nov 25 to 28, 10am to 9pmAdmission: Free
Info: bone-relics.mypath.com.sg