A hat trick for Singapore Art Museum

FOLLOWING the conclusion of the Singapore Biennale, the Singapore Art Museum (SAM) has been seeking ways to re-engage its audience. Its solution comes in the form of three new exhibitions opening simultaneously at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, featuring the talent of both esteemed established artists and a group of emerging creatives.

The biggest local headliner here is abstract painter Jane Lee. At the age of 59, she makes her debut in a solo museum exhibition, delivering an impressive showcase. Continually dismantling the conventional notion of painting, Lee dissects its elements – the canvas, stretcher, frame, brushes, oil and acrylic paint – and reconstructs them into distinct works. Her museum debut, however, grants her the freedom to envision on a grander scale, surpassing the limitations of her typical commercial gallery displays.

Upon entering, visitors find themselves in a well-lit white room, featuring nothing but a small black slab of a painting. It bears the appearance of having been punctured, with white paint oozing from its centre like the cream of an eclair. Adjacent to it, a series of doors beckons one to venture into a passageway that leads to a dimly lit room. Within, a massive replica of the aforementioned small painting stands before you, imposing and large enough to imagine oneself being enveloped within its creamy white centre.