Sunday, February 12, 2006
The Southeast Asia Galleries explore the heritage of the region and the ancestral links it has with Singapore. The historical as well as more recently developed collections form the basis for thematic displays which combine to illustrate the cultural complexity that is Southeast Asia.There are three galleries on Southeast Asia and these are arranged thematically. The main gallery covers the following: Prehistory, Hindu Buddhist Kingdoms, The Sinicised Southeast Asian, The Malay World and Tribal Southeast Asia – all deal to some extent with the question of identities and the development of East-West and North-South relationships which brought about the complex cultural mix of communities in the region. The second gallery Mary & Philbert Chin Gallery, explores The Material World of Southeast Asia with a focus on the jewellery and textile traditions, whilst the third gallery deals with the Performing Arts.Whilst the issue of cultural complexity should strike a chord with multicultural Singaporeans, it is hoped that the displays will also confront commonly held assumptions about how the region has been defined in the past, how a meaningful definition of Southeast Asia can be developed and where Singaporeans place themselves in the regional context.Interpretive methods including virtual hosts, interactive maps, and multimedia programs, trace the spacial and temporal dimensions of for example languages, ethnic groups, and the sociopolitical and ecological environments, as well as bring contemporary perceptions of ancient pasts into focus. It is no accident that this multi-dimensional approach should be taken by curators in Singapore; an island at the confluence of mainland and insular Southeast Asia, the crossroads of trade, of new ideas and ways of communicating.
I-magz ♥
12:27 AM
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