I have been meaning to go since November last year but somehow just never found the opportunity. So when there was a lull in our timetable after Christmas, I bundled Noey and Nomi both into the car after lunch and headed for the museum. I was pleasantly surprised on arriving to find that there was a long line to buy tickets. Since when were museums popular destinations in Singapore, and on a weekday afternoon at that? Such is the draw of a really blockbuster exhibition. We had to wait at least a good 10 minutes in line before we got to the ticketing counter. There, I was delighted to find out that there was free entry to the exhibition for all NTUC card members, and including holders of the NTUC Plus! card, which I was. Kids 6 years and under enter free so none of us had to pay for tickets. What a bonus!
Going with Noey meant that I chose to forego the audio guide, because I knew that he would not give me the time to stop and listen to the commentary. But we were fortunate to have arrived at a time when there were a number of guided tours going on in the gallery, so we tagged along for a bit here and there -- Noey was drawn to the big groups of people standing around the guide -- and I was able to listen in and learn a bit more about the different paintings. Apparently these free guided tours are conducted everyday at 11.30am and 2.30pm, so it might be good to time your visit to catch one on these.
I can't tell you what a treat it is to see such priceless works of art right here in Singapore. With a 140 pieces of paintings, drawings and photography, it wasn't a big exhibition, but there was plenty to view and admire. I am no art connoisseur but I think you're never too young to recognise the masterpieces and learn about good art. I had started Noey on some books about painters like Van Gogh, Monet and Degas previously, (we like the Anholt's Artists series, and the "Katie Meets the Impressionists" series of books) and prior to visiting, I tried to show him pictures of some of the paintings which I knew were being exhibited so that he would have some impression of what we were going to see. I think it worked as he showed more of an interest in viewing the paintings -- and would stay still for a decent amount of time to look at them -- than I thought he would.
Our favourite painting wasn't one of the famous ones, but was this one piece by Philip Wilson Steer of a girl sitting by the water. "It looks like it's moving, Mummy," Noey said. I thought it was quite a good description and reaction to the painting and the dreamy brush strokes.
Philip Wilson Steer
Young Woman on the Beach or Young Woman on the Jetty
Walberswick, (Sulfolk) 1888-1889
Another piece I liked was a huge life-sized portrait by Monet. I think of Monet so much as a landscape painter that I was intrigued to see a work of portraiture by him. What drew my attention was the rich rendering of the lady's dress, in particular the folds of the train, which looked so amazingly like real cloth. I thought the way he captured the reflection of the light falling on the fabric was stunning.
Claude Monet
Portrait of Madame Gaudibert
1868
(Unfortunately a blur photograph, no thanks to my shaky hands.)
Noey lasted a good 45 minutes in the gallery and was later entertained at the drawing station at the end, where we also found several children's books on Van Gogh and Musee d'Orsay to entertain him. Little Nomi had conked off by then in my sling, so I was perfectly willing to sit down for a bit to let her catch up on her sleep.
Noey flipping through a board book on the Impressionists, if I am not wrong.
We shared table space with a lady who was there with her twin girls and I overheard her telling her friend that it was her 3rd visit to the exhibition, and the 2nd one for her children. She had made the trip once without the kids so that she could hear the commentary in peace and also take notes of the art history timeline which was on the wall at the end. She looked and sounded like any other regular Singaporean and when I came back, I told DD that I was glad that Singaporeans were actually interested in good art and were bringing their kids to see it. It bodes well for the future, I think
After we were done with the exhibition came the highlight of Noey's trip: his tea time snack. This boy has come to associate going out with eating somewhere and something nice. Since he was rather well behaved throughout the whole trip, I let him have a dessert as a treat.
It was a good trip, and I'm now planning my next visit without the kids so that I can have more time to appreciate the pieces. The exhibition is on till the 5 Feb this year. Don't miss it!
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