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The Singapore Biennale has thrown its doors open to visitors once more between 13 March 2011 and 15 May 2011. Themed Open House, the Singapore Biennale 2011 is held at five different sites. Having spent much time during the March Holidays not only visiting some of the sites like Old Kallang Airport and Singapore Art Museum, I can say that there are quite a few treats in store for anyone who is willing to invest an afternoon and some cash, perhaps (five dollars for students at all sites except the free admission at Marina Bay and Old Kallang Airport).

One of the most talked about works is Tatsu Nishi’s The Merlion Hotel— a work that amalgamates the highly public profile of our national icon and the highly private and intimate setting of the hotel room. Nothing beats the enthrallment one feels of setting their eyes on the luxurious décor of the room when the staff on hand throws open the doors for visitors to enter, or of gazing upon the face of the Merlion at the Merlion Park and even being able to touch the 40 year old Shanghai plaster of the Merlion (don’t lean on it too hard though, or try to leave your indelible mark in ink on it!). It’s definitely a visit that one should make even if you are not interested in art to get up close and personal with the Merlion, even it is just for a few minutes. Those seeking to snuggle in bed under the gaping mouth of the statue just for $150 (complete with breakfast from the Fullerton) should hold their horses in disappointment, though—the hotel has been completely booked. Be prepared to wait outside for a while, for the hotel can only hold twenty at a time.

Kyungah Ham’s Hiroshima Nagasaki at Old Kallang Airport promises an experience not only pleasing to the eye but also thought provoking—her embroideries hung on the walls of the galleries were commissioned by North Korean factories, containing images subject to the strict censorship of the reclusive North. As a South Korean, this work can be seen as an attempt to communicate across the barbed wires dividing the two nations, with words like ‘I’m Sorry’ and ‘I’m Hurt’, as well as an attempt to create a form of cultural transfer, like introducing South Korean contemporary slang terms to the North Koreans through commissioning the North Koreans to produce them on the embroideries. The work is certainly exquisite, with the burst of bright colours catching one’s eye and the almost photograph like embroideries of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings not only drawing one’s attention but also acting as a lasting reminder of the end of the World War that had precipitated the division of the two Koreas.

Another piece worth looking, in my opinion, is A Reasonable Man in a Box by Jill Magid. It is an entirely different experience, based on the controversial interrogation methods of Al Qaeda operatives by placing them in a confinement box after telling them they have placed a scorpion there. The mere mention of this spider can induce hysteria as the imagination of these detainees work frenziedly and furiously. The extent to which the scorpion could be (and in some cases was) a figment of the imagination is explored in this piece—the surprise comes when you visit the box with no preconception of what may happen. For those seeking a auditory delight, Frequency and Volume is a highly interactive work that allows one to tune into the different radio stations with the mere movement of their bodies, a comment on the intimate and immediate relationship we have with the constantly changing media.

There are a lot more out there—so if you’re looking for a rewarding weekend in the drudgery of the school year, head down to the Biennale sites before May 15! And if you want to be even more actively involved, the organizers are still seeking out volunteers to help them out at the sites so visit http://www.singaporebiennale.org/outreach.php for volunteer opportunities!

The Singapore Biennale is also one of the sites for the activities on Arts Day, 30 March at VJC. If you’re lucky enough to get a spot to visit the Old Airport exhibitions, leave us a comment!