Son of Singapore - Sculptor Ng Eng Teng

Look Down, a photo by Taking5 on Flickr.

Look down and see the beggars at your feet
Look down and show some mercy if you can
Look down and see the sweepings of the street
Look down, look down
Upon your fellow man!

Poverty, hunger - the struggle to live and for human dignity have always been themes which resonate through the centuries- in the Paris of Victor Hugo, in Singapore in the 1960s and today.   The movie version of Les Miserables is currently showing here in Singapore..  I've decided not to watch it (because I have certain expectations as to how it should be sung), but could not help be reminded of this song from the musical when I visited the NUS Museum's exhibition on "Sculpting Life: The Ng Eng Teng Collection".  Ng's interest in social commentory is seen in this relief  - where the viewer is truly looking down upon the subjects (interesting use of foreshortening in a sculpture as opposed to a painting). 

Freedom Child

Fortunately, Ng has a far broader range of subjects, including much more cheerful subjects.  He is  well known for his public sculptures (eg "Wealth" and "Contentment", which used to be in Plaza Singapura) and his "Mother and Child" series.  My JC had a large relief along the two walls leading to its front lobby.  He even did some ceramics!

Here at the museum, one of the sculptures I really liked was this one, entitled "Freedom Child" .  This particular sculpture embodies, to me, contentment, playfulness, freedom, joy.  Such a contrast to "Look Down"!

A temporary exhibition on Ng currently running at the Museum is  "106 Joo Chiat Place: Ng Eng Teng House". This is just a single room, with sculptures from Ng Eng Teng's house/studio, and memorabilia about the sculptor.  The house, which was originally the home of Ng's father and family, became his studio and that of other artists. It was subsequently sold to a developer and has since been demolished.  The owner invited Singaporeans to come and take a piece of the house - for memory collectors, I guess.  For more information, do read the Museum blog post on the exhibition.  The exhibition runs until 3 February 2013

Look here for some more of my photos from the Ng Eng Teng exhibition, including mini "Freedom children".