The Care Collection
Find respite from the cares of the day with a comforting selection of artworks. Specially curated by the Gallery and Singapore Art Museum, the pieces are based on seven themes, of courage, connection/disconnection, resilience, hope, growth, self-love/self-compassion, and being in the present.
Art is a powerful tool that can bring comfort and relief from everyday stressors. To support the mental wellbeing of our healthcare workers, National Gallery Singapore and Singapore Art Museum (SAM) came together to develop The Care Collection: Caring through the Arts for SingHealth’s iTHRIVE ARTpreciate art therapy programme.
Ship in Distress by Raden Saleh
Ship in Distress c. 1842. Oil on canvas laid down on board. 38.0 x 44.0 cm. Collection of National Gallery Singapore
This painting depicts a ship caught in a violent storm, appearing powerless against the rocky waves. While the fate of this ship is uncertain, a faint hint of another ship approaching in the background suggests rescue could be near. Raden Saleh (1811-1880) is widely regarded as the first modern painter in Indonesia (then known as the Dutch East Indies).
He spent over 20 years in Europe as an artist and despite being a colonial subject, showed he could equal his European contemporaries. Having travelled across the ocean from Java, he would have experienced first-hand some anxious moments at sea, and observed the North Sea closely while living in Holland.
The varied treatment of the skies, waves, and harsh winds also demonstrates his familiarity with marine art, a genre in Dutch painting from the 17th century.
Deep Forest by Tan Choo Kuan
Deep Forest. 1962. Ink on paper. 36.4 x 26.3 cm. Gift of Ms Tan Teng Teng. Collection of National Gallery Singapore
This work shows a dense forest, with tree trunks stretching nearly across the whole paper. There is no human figure in sight and perhaps the artist was alone when he came across this scene. To be alone in a deep forest, especially for a long period, as evidenced by the detail in his sketch, can take great courage.
Not Titled. by Chua Tiag Ming
Not Titled. c. 1960s–1970s. Gelatin silver print. 40.5 x 29.0 cm. Collection of National Gallery Singapore
In this photograph, the climbing figure ascending a coconut tree trunk is likely a coconut harvester.
The use of light and shadow in this photograph adds a sense of action and dynamism to the subject photographed. Chua Tiag Ming was an amateur photographer well-known in the salon photography movement in Singapore in the 1960s and 1970s. He was awarded Associate of the Royal Photographic Society (ARPS) in 1977.
A member of the Photographic Society of Singapore, Chua also served in the committee for a number of years. Chua was known for a strong realist approach in photographing working-class subjects in their various working conditions.
Here’s who I am, I am what you see By Ezzam Rahman
Here’s who I am, I am what you see. 2015. Variable. Artist’s skin, nails and adhesive, second-hand furniture and glass bell jars. Collection of Singapore Art Museum
Ezzam Rahman presents an installation of delicate flowers made from dead skin from the soles of his feet. At the heart of this disquieting work lies Rahman’s contemplation on life and ideas of worth, as embodied by the detritus of his breathing body. The use of skin as material here evokes the performativity and physical sensation of the act of cutting the skin, suggesting both pain and beauty. At the same time, these fragments suggest the presence of a body that had once occupied a space; a body that becomes temporarily present again through the traces and memories left behind. Here’s who I am, I am what you see weaves together the ideas of presence and absence.
Another Woman by Amanda Heng
Another Woman. 1996–1997. Variable. Mixed media. Collection of Singapore Art Museum
Another Woman is Amanda Heng’s most seminal work, which was executed over a year; involving installation, performance, and photography. An exploration of the artist’s relationship with her mother, the work can also be seen as an investigation into the domestic realm of women within the traditional Chinese family. The mother-and-daughter photographs, both clothed and nude, are aimed at exploring the relationship between the two, as well as their identities as independent women. At the same time, it can be seen as the artist’s way of reclaiming intimate mother-daughter ties, often unspoken within the traditional Chinese family psyche. The work includes an installation component, where Heng deploys photography and assemblages of objects as a means of investigating memory.
The Hidden Dimension II by Sarah Choo Jing
The Hidden Dimension II. 2013. Multimedia installation,1 min 5 secs (looped), dimensions variable. Edition 3 of 5. Collection of Singapore Art Museum
The Hidden Dimension II depicts seven family members going about their daily routines and tasks in individual rooms and sections of a house, played on a seemingly endless loop. The viewer is given an introspective, almost voyeuristic peek into the private spaces and lives of the family. The various objects surrounding them act as clues to their personalities and reflect familial archetypes.
This multimedia installation can be viewed as a commentary on the modern conundrum of solitude in a densely populated city. The family in this work represents a microcosm of a society where people live closely together in a common, shared space. Yet, their absence of contact and lack of communication with one other suggests they could not be further apart.
The Care Collection Cards
The Care Collection Cards by National Gallery Singapore feature 30 artworks from the National Collection. Use the reflection prompts and conversation starters in the pack to connect with your emotions and with others.
Place your orders now by visiting bit.ly/carecollectioncards
