Singapore Art Museum: Sensorium 360º

Sensorium 360º is an exhibition of Southeast Asian and Asian contemporary art that calls upon the complexity of the human senses and explores how sensory experiences locates us in understanding the world and knowing the self.

  The interesting thing about the exhibit was that it was made in a way to experience art in a completely different way. Instead of just relying on sight, the exhibits forces viewers to immerse their other senses- mainly smell, touch, and hearing. It also pushed viewers thinking of taboo subjects, and also played on human psychology.

  [You can click on the pictures to see larger and clearer versions of them.]

 This was an interesting installation, titled "noon-nom".

Viewers were asked to interact with the display- by sitting and laying on it.

It was quite relaxing and comforting, actually.

This installation had a book with braille on it, and a projector set above it (in picture below).

Viewers would put on the headphones and listen to an audio of people who've lost their sight speak about their day-to-day experiences and struggles.

Interesting painting of unaligned bottles with an align level of water in them.

It all depends on how you look at things, huh?

This was a painting that was a part of a series.

The artist would draw portraits then paint over them using dark paint.

What I drew from it was that he was speaking of the corruption of memory.

Or you could take it as a way for sighted people to see how loosing your sight is like... How your loved ones and friends slowly fade away from your eyes... Very haunting series.

I didn't quite like this art piece. It was set in this large empty hall, with absolutely nothing else surrounding it.

I felt it was very unsettling and it made me feel queasy (for obvious reason).

I stopped again to take a picture of the installation displayed at the staircase leading to the lower floor of the exhibition hall. I loved the play of shadows on the vast white empty walls. Lovely idea.

More paintings.

This one was rather interesting, albeit easy to miss with all the other exhibits displayed.

It was a small work, set in a glass box.

I loved the symbolism in it.

I also liked this particular series of letters.

Hand-writen letters always seem raw and full of emotions... This particular letter talked about suicide. 

  On a whole, Sensorium 360º was a wonderful exhibition with much to draw inspiration from and learn from. There were many other exhibits that I didn't take pictures of, and many other exhibits that I can't possibly convey to you through your computer screens because they really on proprioception (the sense of the body's position), smell, hearing, and touch. With that, I highly recommend you drop by the exhibition sometime soon to experience it for yourself. :)


Sensorium 360º will be on from 31st July till' 22nd October 2014.

At the Singapore Art Museum;
71 Bras Basah Rd, Singapore 189555

Admission for Singaporeans and PRs is free. Foreigners need to just pay $10 for a ticket.
For more info, see this link: http://www.singaporeartmuseum.sg/visitus/admission.html