The 90 Days Behind the 90 Seconds

Art in 90 Seconds, a new video series by the Gallery, brings you personal stories about the works in the Gallery’s collection, told by humans of the Gallery. At times funny, raw, and maybe even a bit spooky, these vignettes are a heartfelt, present-day take on the Southeast Asian art that hangs on our walls.  Catch all 20 episodes on the Gallery’s Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram.

Martin Choo, previously an intern with the Community & Access team, shares behind-the-scenes experiences and reflections from working on this video series.  

Down a winding corridor by the light of a small torch. The smell of old wood damp from humidity, the still air clinging to you as you turn the corner… a flight of stairs, pale light streaming down from above. You put one foot in front of the other, unsure, edging towards an unknown opening…

An unknown future. Unprecedented times.

COVID-19 has brought much uncertainty to the way the world has been working. We see this manifesting on even the smallest of scales, in our everyday routines. There have been changes in how we work, communicate with others, catch up with family and friends… the list is endless. No one can escape these changes, least of all the Singapore’s arts scene which has taken an especially tough hit: during Singapore’s circuit breaker, art institutions, among them museums and theatres, had to temporarily close. With no visitors, interaction with the arts had almost ground to a halt.

Some may seek out art as a form of entertainment, a coping mechanism during these stressful times.  For others, it is a way of life, a means of self-expression that allows them to craft their place in the world. More importantly, art may provide us with possible answers to contemporary problems. Art can reassure us; it offers us opportunities to look back into the past to reflect on how far we have come. Although the current pandemic may have physically separated us, the need to remain connected has never been greater; and art may be able to provide this too. So what does this sudden change mean for Singapore’s art scene and what can the Gallery do to keep up?

Featuring everyday people of the Gallery (staff and volunteers), the Gallery’s Community & Access team presents Art in 90 Seconds. With 20 weekly online releases, Art in 90 Seconds shares intimate interactions with the Gallery’s artworks, vignettes of diverse interpretations, and narratives of how these works have impacted individual lives and views of the world.

Presenters were encouraged to share their feelings and unique experiences, personal or professional, about the artworks found within the Gallery’s walls—all, of course, within a very short 90 seconds. Produced during the pandemic and Singapore’s slow return to a “new normal,” it is apt that one of the themes of the series is “Hope in Times of Crisis”—a look into what art can offer even in our darkest times. Other themes include “My Art Self(ie),” which features individuals introducing artworks that best represent them; “Night In The Museum,” which offers a glimpse of the secrets lurking in the Gallery after hours; and “Gen Z Takeover,” which provides a youthful spin on the artworks that hang on the walls。

The bulk of the series was filmed under various safe-distancing restrictions, such as the Gallery’s split-team and work from home arrangements, which imposed many logistical constraints. Yet, being back in the Gallery was refreshing; to be able to integrate that human connection into stories—that we had up to that point only read through our computer screens—brought back a slight sense of normalcy. It was a complex juggling act between optimising the filming schedule due to the presenters’ various commitments while complying with safe-distancing measures and minimising risks for everyone involved. Nevertheless, this series was a crucial learning opportunity on how to operate under a “new normal,” with presenters and crew learning and adapting on the ground and making the most of what we had.

Considering the diverse pool of presenters with their unique styles and personalities, we soon realised that it was no simple task to preserve the distinctive voice of each presenter while maintaining a universality for the series. The goal was to accurately present the artworks while making the videos accessible with a broad appeal. Hence, we had to ensure that the ideas and terms used in the videos were simple and easy to understand, while still capturing the essence of the presenters’ accounts. When watching the videos, we wanted viewers to feel like they were walking alongside the presenters through the galleries, seeing the artwork for themselves and being drawn intimately into the stories.

Art in 90 Seconds also provided a novel opportunity to enhance the Gallery’s outreach. The incorporation of Singapore Sign Language (SgSL) interpretation in each video enables these stories to reach a larger audience. Despite being a first for the Gallery, this was a key consideration when the series was being developed, and is in line with the Gallery’s plan to make art accessible to all visitors. We hope that this series will set the standard as the Gallery continues to work on bringing art closer to all, so that everyone can enjoy what the Gallery has to offer. Being online also bridges the physical separation of people and art during this pandemic, opening up new connections and stories around art.

Be it eating with shipyard workers in Chua Mia Tee’s Workers in a Canteen to deciphering the mysterious humanoid shapes in Hernando R. Ocampo’s Dancing Mutants, Art in 90 Seconds delivers honest experiences and mesmerising stories to all. You may consider it a true “behind the scenes” experience of how art shapes individual lives and provides an alternate lens to see our world. If you are caught up in the anxiety of these uncertain times, come discover how art can speak to you and provide answers to questions you desperately seek. And perhaps you too might weave your own tales to share.

As we appreciate the art hanging on the walls of the Gallery and the personal stories intertwined with each masterpiece, we can—slowly but surely—become part of their histories.