Singapore Art Museum (SAM)’s Learning Gallery opens at its home ground at Tanjong Pagar Distripark, transforming Gallery 2 on Level 1 into a space that is designed to spark curious and authentic encounters with contemporary art for visitors of all ages. Established as part of SAM’s continued support of art education, the Learning Gallery reflects SAM’s dedication to nurturing an understanding of broader issues through contemporary art in visitors of all ages as they embrace a spirit of exploration, imagination and spontaneity. 

Open to the public from 20 July, the Learning Gallery harnesses the creative potential of approaching contemporary art with a childlike perspective, creating opportunities for reflection and meaningful engagement with the artworks and themes explored. The Learning Gallery features five artworks by notable local and regional artists that have been specially selected from the National Collection or commissioned to extend the learning of contemporary art to all ages. Selected artworks in the Learning Gallery will be refreshed annually to introduce new perspectives and insights while keeping the space dynamic and reflective of our contemporary times.  

June Yap, Director of Curatorial and Research at SAM, said, “SAM’s new Learning Gallery at Tanjong Pagar Distripark is a dedicated space for visitors of all ages to engage deeply and personally with contemporary art through the uninhibited curiosity and openness of a child. Exploring childhood as a shared experience that connects us all regardless of age, we hope that the exhibition provides visitors with the opportunity to gather and learn from each other. By nurturing art education and facilitating dialogue on pressing social issues, SAM remains committed to broadening perspectives and enriching lives through the power of art.”

Embracing a childlike spirit of exploration to make room for diverse perspectives

Outside the gallery, adult visitors will be greeted by a letter addressed to their inner child, prompting them to approach the exhibition with an open mind and tap into the formative experiences of their childhood. Upon entering the gallery, children are invited to experience the artworks in their own special way. With this focus on the inhibited perspective of a child, this edition of the Learning Gallery proposes that new dimensions to appreciating and learning about contemporary art can arise when one embraces a spirit of curiosity, imaginative playfulness and spontaneity. 

The gallery is thoughtfully designed as an escape from the rapid pace and complexity of modern life with a low-stimulation and calm environment ideal for reflection and focused learning. With visual and auditory stimuli intentionally kept minimal, visitors are given the space to form authentic and personal connections with the artworks, encouraging creative exploration and meaningful conversations with fellow visitors. In addition, each artwork is accompanied by separate sets of wall text tailored to children and adults, further creating avenues for shared experiences and dialogue across all age groups. 

Interactive space at the Learning Gallery at SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark. 

Image courtesy of Singapore Art Museum.

The Learning Gallery also incorporates various interactive elements to allow for deeper engagement with the artworks, creating multiple opportunities where families can bond over art. For instance, visitors can browse through a selection of books related to the artworks and the emotions they evoke at a library located within the space. Furnished with bean bags, visitors can relax, read and enjoy a variety of books catering to readers of all ages, from preschool children to tertiary-level adults. In addition, the gallery also features an interactive wall that encourages free play and boundless creativity as it transforms and reacts to the unique touch of each visitor. Finally, visitors will also find a response wall near the gallery exit, where they are invited to write letters to themselves and encouraged to express how they feel after experiencing the artworks. In line with the wider objectives of the Learning Gallery, the activity seeks to foster impactful interactions with the artworks by getting participants to connect and reflect on their inner selves. 

Featured artworks span various media and diverse forms of presentation, responding to themes of home, nature and the environment, people, places, memory and time, raising important and timely questions about what it means to live in contemporary times. These include works from Nguan’s Untitled, from the series ‘Singapore’, and Cultural Medallion recipient Han Sai Por’s Black Forest. The former comprises a series of photographs through which Nguan captures quiet, everyday scenes in Singapore. Conveying palpable feelings of alienation and nostalgia, the work prompts reflection on the realities of modern life in our homeland. On the other hand, Han’s striking installation featuring a destroyed “forest” of charcoal logs reflects her interest in the impact of human activities on the natural world. It presents an evocative image of the harmful effects of deforestation, while also highlighting Nature’s resilience against catastrophe.

Also included as part of the line-up is Migrant Ecologies Project’s {if your bait can sing the wild ones will come} Like Shadows Through Leaves, which captures a distinct sense of place, specifically of Tanglin Halt, one of Singapore’s oldest social housing estates that runs alongside a former railway track. Showcasing repeated visits to the site, the film traces the remaining fragments of calls, echoes, shadows and memories that still animate the space as it undergoes drastic urban transformation. Visitors will also encounter Tang Da Wu’s 深疤凰 SEMBAWANG, which was inspired by the “tok-tok bird” or large-tailed nightjar species that made nightly visits to the area near The Artists Village when it was located in Sembawang, making its presence known with its distinct “tok-tok” call. Featuring diamond-shaped mirrors that represent its tears, the work portrays the avian as a triumphant creature emerging from the ashes of its rebirth. 

Finally, the Learning Gallery features A Gesture by Julian Abraham “Togar”, which extends Togar’s exploration of the act of listening. The work is conveyed sonically through sounds that resemble a person clearing one’s throat or whispers of “sssttt” sounds in varying tones. While the artist is interested in the differences in how people interpret these sounds depending on their cultural background, experiences and knowledge, Togar also tests how sensitive audiences are to a sonic work in a room with other visually tangible pieces.  

To celebrate the launch of the Learning Gallery at SAM, visitors are invited to participate in the festivities at the Opening Carnival happening on 20 July 2024 from 10am to 4pm. Visitors can enjoy traditional games, art activities, and free childhood snacks, making it a memorable day of art experiences at SAM. As part of the programming for the Learning Gallery, visitors can collect a free activity guide to interact with the artworks and a “Stick with SAM” sticker book with a specially designed set of stickers inspired by the artworks in the Learning Gallery. In the coming months, members of the public can also look forward to special programmes conducted by artists and specialists, such as art therapists, later in the year.

As part of its commitment to bring art closer to the local community, SAM extends the experience of the Learning Gallery beyond the museum through the presentation of ChildISH at the libraries. ChildISH features poems by five local poets Amanda Chong, Hamid Roslan, Pooja Nansi, Charlene Shepherdson and Daryl Qilin Yam that were crafted in response to the works featured in the Learning Gallery at SAM. The poems are complemented by an artwork from local illustrator Tan Zi Xi, featuring drawings by pupils from Ang Mo Kio Primary School, creating a rich, multisensorial showcase. The presentation is currently on view at Punggol Regional Library till 21 July 2024 and will travel to various regional libraries across Singapore until 16 December 2024.

Admission to the Learning Gallery is free for all visitors. It will be open at Gallery 2, SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark from 20 July 2024. For more information, please visit bit.ly/SAM-LearningGallery.