The act of gifting transforms an ordinary object into something much more meaningful and emotional; becoming an embodiment of a relationship, a social act, or even an obligation to another. These perspectives set the stage for Singapore Art Museum’s (SAM) latest exhibition The Gift, which runs from 20 August to 7 November 2021 at National Gallery Singapore’s The Ngee Ann Kongsi Concourse Gallery.
Presented as one of four related exhibitions in an ongoing transnational project titled Collecting Entanglements and Embodied Histories initiated by the Goethe-Institut, The Gift draws upon the project’s broader themes of interwoven histories, performed narratives and embodiment. Exemplified by Korean American artist Nam June Paik’s first meeting with German artist Joseph Beuys and the powerful feeling of being deeply moved by each other, SAM’s exhibition focuses on the nature of relations, affinities and influences, wherein history, geography and identity are observed as manifestations of such entanglement.
Presenting artworks and historical materials from the collections of SAM and partner institutions such as Galerie Nasional Indonesia, MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, and Nationalgalerie – Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, The Gift invites visitors to consider a multi-dimensional view of artworks and materials from across geographies and their relation to one another. Bringing visitors through a complex journey, the exhibits are presented as intimately connected through narratives, agencies, and histories, inspiring new meanings and perspectives.
Venue: National Gallery Singapore, The Ngee Ann Kongsi Concourse Gallery
When: 20 Aug - 7 Nov 2021, 10am - 7pm
By: National Gallery Singapore
