A look at home from afar

STEP into the Earl Lu Gallery and you're immediately drawn to the light from three panels of fluorescent light bulbs arranged to look like window blinds. On the right is a disturbing pair of human eyeballs darting about on two little television screens while a video of a giraffe licking a carrot loops in the background.

Welcome to The Beach That Never Was: an artist- curated contemporary art exhibition that aims to explore the idea of home, from the viewpoint of artists who have left theirs to study or work abroad.

"As individual works in video, sculpture, painting and photography, the art is exciting," says Bala Starr, director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts Singapore (ICAS), which is housing the exhibition. "As an exhibition, the space is animated by light, moving images and kinetic sculptures. Humour has a strong presence and communicates the artists' optimism and independent thinking."