Two years into the Covid-19 pandemic, it has certainly changed the lives of everyone. As we learn to live with this virus and continuously adjust to the new normal, there is hope and comfort knowing that we are not alone in this chaos.
ArtScience Museum marks the 2nd year into this pandemic with its latest exhibition entitled, “Hope From Chaos: Pandemic Reflections” which showcases Covid’s impact on the world. The museum invites you to its gallery to show a deeper understanding of the virus through the science of infectious diseases and display a reflection of the unique, personal lives of the artists through their experience during the pandemic.
Interested to know more about the exhibition and what they’ll show in the gallery? Glitz has all the details so read on further!
Hope From Chaos
Contents
- Hope From Chaos
- The Season of Mental Wellbeing 2022
- Key Highlights in Hope from Chaos
- Isle of Instability, 2020 by Cao Fei
- Coronavirus – COVID-19 and Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine, 2020, by Luke Jerram
- Circuit Breaker Paintings, 2020 by Heman Chong
- The Mask Project¸ 2020 by Nonzuzo Gxekwa and Pierre le Riche
- Diary of 2020, 2020 by Eun Vivian Lee
- Tenderhands, 2020 by Ivetta Sunyoung Kang
- Nanotech antimicrobial mask by Nanyang Technological University
- Ticket Prices & Reservations
Soon to open on February 12, 2022, ArtScience Museum’s latest exhibition Hope From Chaos: Pandemic Reflections examines how epidemics work and how Covid has affected us globally. It features a display of artworks curated by the museum made by local and international artists. The artists in this exhibition are Cao Fei (China), Heman Chong (Singapore), Luke Jerram (UK), Ivetta Sunyoung Kang (Canada/South Korea), Eun Vivian Lee (Singapore/New York/South Korea), Pierre le Riche (South Africa) and Nonzuzo Gxekwa (South Africa). Alongside their work, accompanies prototypes by materials scientists from Nanyang Technological University (Singapore).
“As we mark the second anniversary of Covid-19’s arrival in Singapore, ArtScience Museum is taking an opportunity to reflect on its impact on all of us,” explained Honor Harger, Vice President of Attractions, Marina Bay Sands.
Hope from Chaos wants to create an environment of reflection for its visitors through the combination of objective insights by the scientific world and a sense of embodied engagement from the artists.
“Hope From Chaos begins with a free introduction into the history of outbreaks, developed by the Smithsonian. It continues by giving our visitors a deeply evocative, emotional, and personal encounter with the lives, stories, and practices of artists. Through installations, films, and sculptures, the artists in our exhibition explore the pathology of the SARS-Cov2 virus, the rituals of isolation and care that have become so familiar to us, the anguish and shock of falling ill with Covid-19, and the rites and practices that have helped artists deal with living in the age of the pandemic.
“Hope from Chaos also launches the Season of Mental Wellbeing at ArtScience Museum, which
will focus on mental health and wellbeing during this tumultuous time.” Harger added.
The Season of Mental Wellbeing 2022
A year-long event by ArtScience Museum, Season of Mental Wellbeing will also include a series of projects this 2022 that talks about the distress and social anxiety from Covid-19. The museum aims to raise awareness and start conversations about mental health and wellbeing through its curated exhibitions, educational activities, and public programmes.
With the understanding of the science of this virus and the emotional impact from the artists’ works, this season wants to create a healing environment for the public after being in the pandemic for 2 years.
Key Highlights in Hope from Chaos
Isle of Instability, 2020 by Cao Fei
Courtesy of the artist, Vitamin Creative Space and Sprüth Magers
Isle of Instability depicts Cao’s life during the quarantine lockdown period as she spends it with her family. The multimedia installation is made of a collection of home videos, drawings, and sculptures that present a personal yet provocative perspective of the artist. Cao Fei shares her reflection of the global pandemic and the limitation it has imposed on our daily lives.
Cao Fei, born in Guangzho, is one of the most innovative artists that emerged into the international scene. She works with new media, digital media, photography, video, and installation.
To be presented for the first time in Asia, Coronavirus – COVID-19 and Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine, are beautiful glass sculptures made by Luke Jerram.
Coronavirus – COVID-19 was commissioned by an American University – eight weeks prior to the COVID pandemic being announced – in hopes of learning and researching further on health. The sculpture has since then been used to visualize and communicate the science of the pandemic.
Oxford AstraZeneca Vaccine was created after Jerram recovered from Covid-19. It marked the 10 millionth vaccination in the UK and was a tribute to the work of scientists and healthcare workers all over the world. Using the same techniques, it was sculpted using scientific and medical glassware.
Born in the UK, Luke Jerram is a multidisciplinary artist that gained popularity through his glass sculptures. He creates sculptures, installations, and live artworks that explore both art and science.
Circuit Breaker Paintings, 2020 by Heman Chong
With All Nations, 2021, at STPI Gallery. Courtesy of the artist and STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery, Singapore.
Created during Singapore’s Circuit Breaker, Heman Chong created 56 paintings during this period amidst the pandemic to cope. Chong added in the motif of “tape” on his existing paintings that he would post on his Instagram. The artist’s collection of Covid-19 paintings is also a re-examination of the last 12 years of his painting practice. Each art piece is defined by a formula: the same size of canvas, the same habit of painting every day, and the same upcycling of artwork.
Heman Chong is a local artist that produces work through a combination of images, performance, situations, and writing. He also contributed to an Instagram page (@tape_measures) that documented tapes found all over Singapore that mark and reinforce social distancing measures.
The Mask Project¸ 2020 by Nonzuzo Gxekwa and Pierre le Riche
Courtesy of the artist and THK Gallery, South Africa.
The Mask Project is done by Nonzuzo Gxekwa and Pierre le Riche during the Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa. They incorporated the decorative elements of African culture into medical masks (or reusable fabric masks). They used bright textiles and fabrics to create a series of extraordinary portraits to show the resilience and creativity of the arts in Africa.
Nonzuzo Gxekwa is a photographer that explores the human condition through her street and studio works. Pierre le Riche is a conceptual artist known for their dynamic use of textile and string elements while working with installation and sculpture.
Diary of 2020, 2020 by Eun Vivian Lee
Courtesy of the artist and Art Outreach SG.
This 10-meter paper installation by Eun Vivian Lee was created using paint made from seashells. The Diary of 2020 was her response to the uncertainty and fear she felt during the pandemic. It also shows a video of the artist explaining the importance of her artistic practice to her mental health.
Eun Vivian Lee, born in Seoul, is a Singapore/New York-based contemporary artist. She currently focuses on painting thousands of dots on paper to create a visual image of serenity and pastoralism. Her work is process-oriented and labour-intensive to create a unique aesthetic of beauty.
Tenderhands, 2020 by Ivetta Sunyoung Kang
Courtesy of Ivetta Sunyoung Kang.
This video performance is a result of Ivetta’s reflection on her time alone in isolation. With the main focus on hands, she then created a series of poetic hand-written instructions through Post-It Notes. It shows different formats such as installation, Instagram live, video performance, and subscription-based email project. Tenderhands: Instructions for Anxious Hands shows Kang telling the process of how to focus and calm the mind.
Ivetta Sunyoung Kang is an interdisciplinary artist from South Korea. Her work focuses on future-oriented and reparative perception and movement using cinematic thinking, video installations, text, and performative/participatory art.
Nanotech antimicrobial mask by Nanyang Technological University
Courtesy of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Wearing masks has been an essential part of our daily lives. Materials scientists from Nanyang Technological University has developed a Nanotech antimicrobial mask that helps eliminates 99.9% of bacteria, viruses, and particulates. It composes of two key components: antimicrobial coating made from copper nanoparticles and a non-woven fabric mask.
This mask will be displayed for the first time in Hope from Chaos.
Ticket Prices & Reservations
If you want to see these artworks come to life, make sure to purchase your tickets for Hope from Chaos starting January 20 at all Marina Bay Sands box offices or online via their website. The museum accepts limited capacity and is on a timed entry for this exhibition, so make sure to purchase in advance!
See the ticket prices below:
| TICKET PRICE (SGD) | |
| ADULT | $6 |
| CHILD | $6 |
| FAMILY (Two Adults & Two Children) | $18 |
For more information about Home from Chaos, please visit their website here.
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