“For one evening a month, ArtScience Museum transforms
into a night-time platform for artists in the fields of performance and
new media to experiment, explore, discover and challenge their artistic
boundaries. Come to a space where interaction, collaboration and
experimentation are de rigueur of the night, and chill out with music
and our bar overlooking Marina Bay.” –ArtScience Late

Last September, my friend Pooja and I went to check out ArtScience late. It wast a pleasant change seeing the colourful glow of the museum as compared to its formal day time stature and its usually closed-at-night darkness. It lent the place an extra dose of warmth and playfulness – which is not usually associated with museums – which was suiting because ArtScience Late is free and everyone is invited.

Our agenda for the evening: Body as Object performance featuring Eko Supriyanto and Solo Dance Studio (Indonesia), Flux Realities: A Showcase of Chinese Contemporary Photography, and Annie Leibovitz: A Photographer’s Life 1990-2005

“Indonesia choreographer Eko Surpriyanto, known to combine a range of contemporary dance techniques rooted in classical Javanese tradition, developed a site-specific work with ArtScience Museum’s rain oculus as the dancers’ backdrop. This piece explores the dancers’ bodies as objects exhibited within the core of the museum’s structure.” -ArtScience Late

I personally was surprised that I enjoyed this exhibit because I normally veer away from oriental art. However, this isn’t your normal traditional exhibit. As the name suggests, it featured contemporary art that are well composed and visually stunning. The pieces beautifully balanced nostalgia and whimsy.

We can’t take photos inside the Annie Leibovitz gallery but most of the photos are online anyway. It was really interesting to see the photos up close because most of it were from the pre-photoshop era. Not only did it mean that celebrities appeared more “real”, it also highlighted Annie Leibovitz’ strength as a photographer.

What really struck me in this exhibit though was an Annie Leibovitz quote that goes “I realized I couldn’t be a journalist because I like to take a side, to have an opinion and a point a view.” This really resonated with me because yes, I recognize the importance of being objective, however, I also know that at some point, you have to make a stand especially for those who are not capable of standing up for themselves.

For the next ArtScience late, click here.

xx