Colours of Impressionism - National Gallery Special Exhibition

Palace of the Popes, by Paul Signac

The National Gallery held a special exhibition, Century of Light from 16 Nov 2017 to 11 March 2018.  It was actually features two exhibitions, Colours of Impressionism: Masterpieces from the Musée d'Orsay and Between Worlds: Raden Saleh and Juan Luna, who hail from Indonesia and Philippines respectively.

Impressionism is one of my favourite periods in art - the use of light, the freshness and the spontaneity of the paintings are what appeals to me most.  So I was indeed very happy to view the beautiful artworks from the Musee d'Orsay which had been specially brought over to Singapore, by artists such as Cezanne, Renoir, Manet, Pissaro, Monet and so on.

As always, it was a fascinating learning journey.  I did not know that actually Impressionism was not just a new approach towards art, but that it was also made possible through newly invented pigments and colours which made it possible to capture the colours of the world so much more vividly than before.  That's why as time went by, the artist's palette itself changed, from more dark colours (and black) to the bright, fresh greens and blues, rosy pinks and glowing yellow which we see in so many paintings of the era.  To further illustrate the point, the exhibition also featured a palette of one of the Impressionist painters (I think it was Renoir) with the little blobs of paint still on it.

I didn't take that many photos (there are so many good photos of the paintings on line, and in any case the photo is a pale shade of the actual artwork).  What I did do was to record paintings which had a special meaning for me.  For example, this painting by Paul Signac, because it is of the Palais des Papes at Avignon, which I had visited a few years back.  I had not really heard of Signac before but he was a painter of the Pointilism school (made famous by Georges Seurat) where each painting is composed of carefully placed dots, or points!  Indeed, the whole is more than the sum of its parts.  Just like the painting is so much nicer than any of the photos I took of the Palace.

Family of J.C. Baud by Raden Saleh

Whilst the d'Orsay paintings showcased the famous artists of the day, what I really appreciated about the National Gallery is that they also try to remind us visitors that we should be proud of our own painters from this part of the world.  Hence, the second exhibition on the works of two South East Asian painters who had in their own different ways also achieved international standing.

Detail from "House of the Resident of Banyuwangi, East Java"
by Antoine Auguste Joseph Payen

The first was Indonesian painter Raden Saleh. Born in 1811, Raden's talent was first nurtured by Belgian painter Antoine Auguste Joseph Renoir who was working for the Dutch colonial administration.  Thereafter, Raden went to Europe to further his training.  He painted quite a few portraits, including this charming family scene (J C Baud was a friend and mentor), but also was well known for his paintings of tigers and other wild animals (there was quite a disturbing painting of a tiger just waiting to pounce on two innocent travellers, and yet another one of a hunting scene with the poor tiger as the victim).  He returned to Indonesia in his later years. 

Besides paintings by Raden Saleh, this segment of the exhibition also featured some paintings by his teacher, Antoine Payen.  I find it amusing that this picture of an Indonesian scene was done by a European whilst the picture of the European family was done by an Indonesian!  I suppose however both were done through a European lens.

La Mestiza, by Juan Luna

The other artist featured, Juan Luna was a Filipino painter and activist.  He too would travel to Europe to study painting and in fact, ended up winning an award at a Spanish art exposition, the National Demonstration of Fine Arts, for his painting, "The Death of Cleopatra".  However, tragedy struck in later life when he murdered his wife and mother-in-law in a fit of jealousy.  He was arrested but eventually was acquitted of murder on grounds of temporary insanity.  

All in all, it was an engrossing weekday afternoon, spent "Between Two Worlds" of European and South East Asian painters and subjects.  For a much better review, read the Straits Times article here.  More of my photos of the paintings here.

Asakusa: Visiting Senso-Ji

One of the joys of travel is that sometimes I serendipitously discover all these links between the various destinations one visits.  So for example, the day after our visit to Ieyasu Tokugawa’s grave in Nikko, we go visit Senso-Ji in Tokyo and discover that Ieyasu Tokugawa also made this temple (then already around 1000 years old as it was first opened in 645AD!) one of “his” two temples in Edo.  Asakusa was then a small humble village, Edo, then a small town.  Over the years, of course the temple has grown into one of the oldest and most visited Temples in all of Japan.  And Edo has metamorphosed into Tokyo, one of the great global cities in the world.  Ieyasu would be proud.

More on the history of Senso-Ji and on its grounds can be found on other sites, like this one and this one, so I will not go into it again here.  I didn’t in any case feel compelled to go and look at every single thing listed on these sites - we were happy to just wander around the temple and its grounds, and in the process, discover its secrets (such as the free green tea).  

The crowds at the Kaminarimon Gate

So we arrived at the Kaminarimon Gate, which marks the beginning of the entryway to Senso-Ji.  The huge red lantern hanging in the gate is a symbol of Senso-Ji, Asakusa and Tokyo itself.  It is of course the prime photo opp spot in the whole of these temple complex!  Behind the gate is Nakamise Street, the shopping street in front of the temple - selling souvenirs, food, religious items etc.

Now as we were passing through the gate, we noticed this rather enthusiastic tourist.  Often we see tourists all dressed up in Japanese kimono, the ladies all prettily decked out in floral kimono with their hair all done nicely, and the men in their duller outfits.  But this particular chap was dressed as a Ninja, and doing his best to act like one - posing in “ninja” poses, hiding behind the lantern etc etc.  Unfortunately I didn’t get a photo (too many people always in the way) but it was quite hilarious to see this ninja prancing around looking as conspicuous as possible (when one considers that the ninja is supposed to be blending into the shadows, disappearing into the night etc as they go about doing their secret work).   In fact he was happy to pose for photos, including with the kimono-clad tourists who wanted to get a little extra out of their time in costume.

The second gate - the Hozomon Gate

Anyway, we walked through the second gate (the Hozomon Gate) and approached the main temple where the golden “Kannon” statue was supposed to reside.  Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see it - apparently it is not in the public areas.   There is another large lantern just at the main doorway, above an offering box  where visitors offer donations and bow.

Next, we visited this little garden next to the main hall, a quiet spot after the bustle of the temple.  There were many little shrines here (actually there are a number of shrines throughout the complex) each with its own little friendly statue awaiting visitors, some looking very weathered as their markings had faded over the years.  This, more than anything, gives you the sense that indeed this is a very, very old temple...

For those interested, more photos of Senso-ji here.

After the temple visit, it was time for lunch.  Apparently the area around the temple is famous for its

Soba at Owariya Honten

soba, so we had soba for lunch.  We ended up in Owariya Honten, a short walk from the temple.  According to Tsunagu Japan this shop has been in existence for over a hundred years - a positive youngster compared to the ancient temple nearby but still pretty respetable for a soba restaurant!  We had the house special, a bowl of soba noodles in a tangy soup (flavoured with yuzu juice and zest) with two large, delectable tempura prawns. A satisfying meal!

After lunch we made our way to Asakusa-bashi, the nearby “crafting district” of Tokyo.  Here is where craft lovers  - knitters, beaders, embroidery fans etc - find their Mecca, with numerous little shops all over the place.  We were here to learn how to make tsumami flowers, which is the technique used to make these little flowers from Japanese crepe fabric (not a huge destructive tidal wave!).  The flowers are assembled in various intricate beautiful ensembles to make up the elaborate headdresses (Kanzashi) of maikos and geishas.  I had of course seen these when we were in Kyoto previously at the Gion Corner (as seen in these photos), and was instantly captivated.

The workshop is run by a Tsumami craft shop, Tsumamido, in a basement workshop next to the shop itself.  We were the only two in our class where we made the petals and leaves and assembled it to form a flowery brooch.  Not bad, for a first time?  But nothing compared to those in Gion Corner or indeed those on this site.

My handiwork

We went back to Shinjuku after this - walked around the shops, visited Isetan's food hall to buy some breakfast, etc etc.  A slower pace compared to the long day trip to Nikko, but it enabled us to rest and recharge for the next day's activities!

Visiting the National Gallery

Although the National Gallery has been open for a while now, I'd not had the opportunity to make a visit till recently.  And indeed, I'm sorry that I waited so long!

For it was an insightful and informative afternoon, where I had the opportunity to see artworks by South East Asian artists, and of Singaporean art in particular.

The National Gallery itself is a beautiful building.  The old Supreme Court and City Hall buildings were painstakingly remodelled and a connecting building inserted between the two.  It beautifully preserves the splendour of the old buildings whilst ensuring that they are fit for their new purpose.

I didn't really have the need or opportunity to visit the Supreme Court before (not being a lawyer nor a criminal) but I remember going to City Hall for my first job interview :-) The Public Service Commission (PSC) had its offices there and I have to admit that it was with some trepidation that I entered this imposing building to look for the interview room.  Not much remains that I can see (not that I remember much) of these old PSC offices but visitors to the old Supreme Court building can still view the Chief Justice's Offices, and the old cells where prisoners were held when not required in court.

But back to the paintings.   There are a few exhibitions going on at the National Gallery.  I went to "Reframing Modernism", which was in conjunction with the Pompidou Centre and featured European artists including Matisse and Picasso alongside Singapore and Southeast Asian painters of the same era.  But what I found more engrossing was "Siapa Nama Kamu  - Art in Singapore since the 19th Century".  Siapa Nama Kamu means "What is your name" in Malay, and hence this exhibition explores the Singapore identity through paintings.  These paintings give an insight into Singapore over the years just as much as they reveal the painters' own artistic development over time.  It was really interesting, for example, to see how Chen Wen His, well known for his "gibbons" paintings, painted in such vivid colours and in such "modern" styles!

It was also a great opportunity to view Georgette Chen's work - I hadn't seen many of her paintings till this visit.  She is really Singapore's great "impressionist painter" and her paintings of lotuses really brought to my mind Monet's famous water lilies.  By contrast, the quaint and vivid woodblock prints brought a smile to my face.

Best of all, the National Gallery helps you to bring your favourite paintings back with you!  The "Social Table" (you can see it as you leave the exhibition) allows you to select paintings and put them all together in one big picture.  Here's mine:

Here's to my next visit!

Paper, paper, all is paper

Over the past month, I have spent half every weekend clearing out my paper.  

According to Marie Kondo, paper is the third category for clearing, after clothing and books.  It is really my weak point as I find it really difficult to throw papers away!  Marie Kondo listed the papers which people keep:

- old lecture notes (check)

- old cheque books (with just counterfoils remaining) (check)

- old payslips (check)

- old credit card statements and bills (I only keep three years worth, in my defence)

- greeting cards (check)

- warranties and instruction manuals (check)

To which I have to add, old course and education certificates, travel-related paper like old maps and tourist brochures, bank statements, insurance documents, car and home maintenance related documents etc etc.

You get the picture.  My room is a veritable fire trap.  My cabinets and drawers are full of paper, and stacks lie on the desk and side table.  I opened up one big box which has been hidden in my cabinet for the longest time - only to find it full of papers which I had to sort through.  Some were old bills and the like but a lot were letters, cards and little travel souvenirs like postcards and pictures.  Sorting all the papers out took a very, very long and tedious time.

Marie's rule of thumb: discard everything, except (I) those documents which you must keep indefinitely for legal/contractual purposes, (ii) those documents which you need to take action on, and (iii) those you want to refer to and need to keep for a limited period of time.  

I can't say I followed her instructions to a T.  But, somehow her instructions succeeded in pushing me to discard my undergrad notes, my old payslips (except for my very first payslip - consider that komono not paper!), the cheque book stubs, expired warranties etc.  I decided to keep only two years' worth of credit card statements, not three (slowly, slowly).  Old car repair bills (for vehicles which were scrapped years ago) also made it into the bin.

Marie Kondo says in her book that her clients' record is fifteen 45-litre bags.  I'm not sure what the volume of my bags is, but I've filled about ten large shopping bags.  And, I've not quite finished since I still need to get a shredder to shred my bank statements in (I was a little reluctant to just tear them up).   

What I found very useful was Marie's suggestions on how to file papers.  Just keep them in three files reflecting her categories above.  She observed that most people have very elaborate filing systems, so much so that it makes it difficult for them to file papers away.  The far simpler filing system she proposed makes it easier for people to keep their papers.  Thinking about it a bit, I totally agree!!!  I have since simplified my "incoming" documents - instead of sorting them into my handphone bill, utilities bill, credit card etc, I will just put them all in the same big folder marked "2016" which I can then go through and decide what to shred or keep at the end of the year.  (I am afraid that I'm not really capable of throwing away my old credit card bill once it is paid).  So hopefully, this easy filing system will help me keep my papers sorted.

I was so tired of clearing just paper, that along the way, I did concurrently work on other categories.  I finished clearing out my clothes.  Five bags worth, ready to cart away.  Not the empty closets which some Konverts boast of but pretty good, for me.  I also sorted a little komono along the way, clearing out stationary and miscellaneous junk drawers.  

So that's paper (mostly) over.  Now to the rest of the komono.

Tidying up for the new year

It started when I heard that my sister had asked our mother for a book on home organisation for Christmas.  I was shopping for Christmas presents at Kinokuniya and saw this book entitled "the life-changing magic of tidying up: the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing" by Marie Kondo.  I vaguely recalled reading  about her off my Facebook feed and so thought the book would be just the thing for my sister and picked it up immediately.

Of course, my mother had got her the exact same book.

So I kept and read the book instead.  Further research online threw up lots of "before & after" pictures, testament to the efficacy of her method.  So I decided to give it a try. 

Marie Kondo's first step is to de-clutter, before deciding how to store what is left.  Her default is to get rid of everything, except those things which "spark joy".  And she starts off with clothes (including bags, shoes, etc), before moving to books, papers and komono (miscellaneous items).  Thus far, this is what I've done:

1. Cleared out my t-shirts and my underwear drawers, and folded them Kondo-style, and stored vertically.  It was amazing to see how orderly the drawers became and how much space suddenly emerged!  And how easy it is to see my things after that.  

I have to admit that I didn't quite follow her instructions with the rest of my clothing.  Because I had recently done a mini-purge, and also because I found out that my relative was sending a box of clothes overseas in about a month or so.  It made more sense to hang on for a fuller "kondo-ing" of my wardrobe nearer the date.  

2.  Cleared out my bag collection and got rid of three huge bagsful of bags.  Because my umbrellas were stored with my bags, I took the opportunity to organise them as well (I didn't purge any because I have been known to leave my umbrella behind me, so will leave it to natural attrition to reduce their numbers).

3. Shoes.  Ok, so I only got rid of two pairs.  Not that I have that many to begin with.  There was one "maybe" which I decided to keep for now.  I'll throw it out when I next buy a pair of shoes; its partly the need to preserve my share of the real estate in the shoe storage areas.

4. Toiletries.  This effectively means I've Kondo-ed my bathroom.  Paid special attention to the cabinet under the sink (where I installed a few Daiso extension rods to create a shelf for good measure).  Confession: I could not bring myself to get rid of my entire collection of hotel supplied goodies. I use them!  I do!!! But maybe I don't need to keep on taking them back any more...

I have to admit that Marie Kondo's instruction to strive for "ultimate simplicity" in storage solutions struck a chord around here.  For years I have had this little plastic chest of drawers under the sink where apparently I am supposed to retrieve soap, first aid things, etc.  In practice the drawers were hardly used and the bandages inside seem a little old.  My hotel "selections" were occupying one drawer but it was also very difficult to find what I was looking for in the drawers.  I got rid of the drawers, and used a shoebox -Marie Kondo's recommended solution instead.  That also put one empty shoebox to good use.  

5.  Books.  Okay, this was not that much of a purge as others have done.  Partly because I just can't bring myself to get rid of too many.  I know that Marie Kondo says "sometime means never" but then I recently read a book which had been sitting there for years so there.... Maybe I got rid of some 45-50 books, but because the bookshelves were overstuffed previously, this means they have just reverted to being nicely full.  And I can actually find books I want to read!   My bookshelves, full as they are, spark joy.

I also worked on the family cookbook collection.  Again, we could have gotten rid of a few more but my mother felt bad getting rid of some which were given as gifts.  

What's left : paper (this is going to be a tortuous session) and komono.   Looks as though I'll need to do another update.

I am hoping that all this decluttering will help me start 2016 on the right note!